1. In 1776, Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee presented a resolution to the Continental Congress calling for the colonies to declare independence from Britain. This resolution eventually led to the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.

2. On October 26, 1863, the Battle of Wauhatchie began in Chattanooga, Tennessee as part of the Civil War. Virginia soldiers fought on both sides of the battle, with Union forces ultimately securing a crucial supply line.

3. On October 26, 1954, the Supreme Court of Virginia ruled that the state's doctrine of "separate but equal" education was unconstitutional, seven months before the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education.

4. Williamsburg, Virginia, home to the historic Colonial Williamsburg, was founded on October 26, 1699 as the capital of the Virginia colony. The city played a pivotal role in the American Revolution and is now a popular destination for tourists and history enthusiasts.

5. On October 26, 2002, the Virginia Cavaliers football team defeated the Florida State Seminoles, snapping the Seminoles' 29-game conference winning streak. The upset victory is still considered one of the greatest upsets in college football history.