timeline of U.S. business

By jennyoristaglio
  • Levi Strauss & Company sells its first pair of riveted blue jeans.

    Levi Strauss & Company sells its first pair of riveted blue jeans.

    Levi Strauss & Company sells its first pair of riveted blue jeans.
  • Alexander Graham Bell receives the first telephone patent.

    Alexander Graham Bell receives the first telephone patent.

  • Procter & Gamble launch Ivory bar soap.

    Procter & Gamble launch Ivory bar soap.

    Procter & Gamble launch Ivory bar soap.

  • J. L. Hudson opens his first department store in Detroit, Michigan.

  • Atlanta pharmacist John Pemberton invents the Coca-Cola formula.

    Atlanta pharmacist John Pemberton invents the Coca-Cola formula.

  • The first successful Kodak camera appears on the market.

    The first successful Kodak camera appears on the market.

  • Candy maker Milton Hershey sells his first milk chocolate bars.

    Candy maker Milton Hershey sells his first milk chocolate bars.

  • Olds Motor Vehicle Company is started by Ransom E. Olds.

  • Caleb Bradham invents Pepsi-Cola.

    Caleb Bradham invents Pepsi-Cola.

  • J. P. Morgan combines ten separate companies, including Carnegie Steel, to form the United States Steel Corporation.

  • Ford Motor Company is founded.

    Ford Motor Company is founded.

  • The Warner brothers show their first film at their home in Youngstown, Ohio.

  • W. K. Kellogg starts the Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company.

    W. K. Kellogg starts the Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company.

  • The Ford Model T is introduced.

    The Ford Model T is introduced.

  • L. L. Bean is formed in Freeport, Maine.

  • Ford introduces the assembly line.

  • William Boeing renames his aviation company The Boeing Airplane Company.

  • Eddie Bauer's Tennis Shop opens; name soon changes to Eddie Bauer's Sports Shop.

    Eddie Bauer's Tennis Shop opens; name soon changes to Eddie Bauer's Sports Shop.

  • Henry Luce forms Time, Inc.

  • With his brother Roy, Walt Disney forms Disney Brothers Studio, which later becomes the Walt Disney Company.

    With his brother Roy, Walt Disney forms Disney Brothers Studio, which later becomes the Walt Disney Company.

  • The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is formed, with General Electric a part owner.

  • The first DC-3 airplane flight occurs on December 17.

    The first DC-3 airplane flight occurs on December 17.

  • The United Auto Workers stage their first sit-down strike.

  • Earl Tupper forms the Earl S. Tupper Company (later Tupperware, Inc.) to create industrial plastics.

  • All Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors plants convert to military production.

    All Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors plants convert to military production.

  • Richard and Maurice McDonald open their first fast-food restaurant in San Bernadino, California.

    Richard and Maurice McDonald open their first fast-food restaurant in San Bernadino, California.

  • The first Japanese car, a Toyota, is sold in the United States.

    The first Japanese car, a Toyota, is sold in the United States.

  • Bank of America launches the first credit card.

    Bank of America launches the first credit card.

  • Bell Labs scientists invent the laser.

  • Berry Gordy launches the Tamla and Motown record labels after borrowing $800 from his family.

  • The first Wal-Mart store opens in Rogers, Arkansas.

    The first Wal-Mart store opens in Rogers, Arkansas.

  • The first Kmart store opens in a suburb of Detroit, Michigan.

  • The Instamatic, Kodak's most popular camera ever, appears in stores.

  • Blue Ribbon Sports's (later renamed Nike) first best-selling shoe, the Cortez, takes the United States by storm.

    Blue Ribbon Sports's (later renamed Nike) first best-selling shoe, the Cortez, takes the United States by storm.

  • Donald and Doris Fisher open the first Gap store in San Francisco, California.

    Donald and Doris Fisher open the first Gap store in San Francisco, California.

  • Children's Television Workshop broadcasts the first episode of Sesame Street.

    Children's Television Workshop broadcasts the first episode of Sesame Street.

  • The first Starbucks coffee shop opens in Seattle, Washington.

    The first Starbucks coffee shop opens in Seattle, Washington.

  • From its hub airport in Memphis, Tennessee, FedEx begins service to twenty-five U.S. citites.

  • Wally "Famous" Amos begins baking cookies to sell commercially.

    Wally "Famous" Amos begins baking cookies to sell commercially.

  • Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak form the Apple Computer Company and sell their first personal computers.

  • Former model and stockbroker Martha Stewart starts a catering business in her Westport, Connecticut, home.

  • Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield start Ben & Jerry's Homemade Inc., and open their first ice cream scoop shop in Burlington, Vermont.

    Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield start Ben & Jerry's Homemade Inc., and open their first ice cream scoop shop in Burlington, Vermont.

  • Ted Turner starts CNN, the first twenty-four-hour cable news station.

    Ted Turner starts CNN, the first twenty-four-hour cable news station.

  • Apple introduces the Macintosh computer, which includes such features as a mouse and graphical user interface.

  • AT&T is divided up into seven regional phone companies.

  • Nike signs basketball player Michael Jordan to promote its shoes.

    Nike signs basketball player Michael Jordan to promote its shoes.

  • Microsoft Bookshelf is Microsoft's first product on CD-ROM.

  • Time, Inc., and Warner Communications merge, forming Time Warner.

  • Dayton Hudson Corporation buys Marshall Field's. Vera Wang Bridal House Ltd. opens on Madison Avenue in New York.

    Dayton Hudson Corporation buys Marshall Field's. Vera Wang Bridal House Ltd. opens on Madison Avenue in New York.

  • Jeffrey Katzenberg, Steven Spielberg, and David Geffen join forces to form a new entertainment company, DreamWorks SKG.

    Jeffrey Katzenberg, Steven Spielberg, and David Geffen join forces to form a new entertainment company, DreamWorks SKG.

  • Jeff Bezos opens Amazon.com on the Internet, offering one million titles.

  • The U.S. Justice Department accuses Microsoft of violating antitrust laws.

  • Netscape is bought by America Online for $4.2 billion.

    Netscape is bought by America Online for $4.2 billion.

  • Reflecting the growth of its discount stores, Dayton Hudson changes its name to Target Corporation.

  • Children's Television Workshop changes its name to Sesame Workshop.

  • Amazon.com posts its first profit, $5.1 million in the fourth quarter.

  • Kmart Corporation files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

    Kmart Corporation files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.