392
Ancient
Valentinian II Found Dead
Western Roman Emperor Valentinian II was found dead, officially a suicide by hanging. Many suspected his general Arbogast of murder, leading to civil war.
On This Day in History
1602
Exploration
Bartholomew Gosnold Discovers Cape Cod
English explorer Bartholomew Gosnold became the first European to sight Cape Cod, Massachusetts. He named it for the abundant codfish in the surrounding waters.
1718
Invention
James Puckle Patents Machine Gun
English inventor James Puckle demonstrated and patented the first machine gun. Though never widely adopted, it was a precursor to modern automatic weapons.
1862
Politics
USDA Established
President Lincoln established the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which he called 'the People's Department.' The USDA became a cabinet-level agency in 1889.
1911
Politics
Supreme Court Orders Breakup of Standard Oil
The U.S. Supreme Court ordered the dissolution of Standard Oil Company of New Jersey, finding it violated the Sherman Antitrust Act. The decision established important precedents in antitrust law.
1940
Invention
McDonald's First Restaurant Opens
Richard and Maurice McDonald opened their first restaurant in San Bernardino, California. Ray Kroc would later franchise the concept, creating the world's largest fast-food chain.
1948
War & Conflict
Arab-Israeli War Begins
Armies from Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq invaded the newly declared State of Israel. The war ended in 1949 with Israel controlling more territory than the UN partition plan had allotted.