Blue text and white background. Illustration of Speedee the Hamburger

Beginning in 1955, the McDonald’s Corporation has grown to become the foremost fast-food chain on the planet, currently operating over 36,000 stores across the globe and raking in around $25 billion in profit in 2016 alone. As of 1958, the chain was operating 34 restaurants across the United States and was on a path of rapid growth. McDonald’s quickly became famous for its prompt service and focused menu. It’s first mascot Speedee became the face of the company until the Golden Arches and Ronald McDonald designs were copyrighted in 1962.  

Black and white photograph of a man with white hair and beard in a circle with an off-white ring around it with black text on a gold background with a red, white and blue ribbon illustration

While Lyman Warren Ayer’s gravestone claims he was the first white child born in the territory that would become Minnesota, it is unclear whether that is true. However, he is widely believed to be at least one of the first white children born in the territory. Sources agree he was born at a Native American mission near Pokegamo Lake, but the year of his birth varies from 1832 to 1834. Ayer was a school teacher and lumberman, and he served in the Second Minnesota Battery of Light Artillery during the United States Civil War. He married Laura Hill, and they had two daughters, Ina and Agnes. He died of heart trouble in 1920.

Pine City is a rural town in east central Minnesota near where Ayers was born.

Illustration of an army nurse in blue with a wide brim hat in a white circle on a black background with a ribbon across the bottom with blue text on it.

The United States Congress established the Army Nurse Corps in 1901 after contracting nurses during the Spanish-American War in 1898. The Navy Nurse Corps was created in 1908. When the U.S. joined World War I in 1917, 403 army nurses and 160 navy nurses were on active duty. During the country's participation in the war from 1917 through 1918, the military recruited more than 22,000 nurses for military and navy duty. Hundreds of nurses lost their lives while in service. Army Nurses Day 1919, the first year after WWI, celebrated the women’s contributions.

Blue text on an orange background

Modern Times, the last of Charlie Chaplin's films to star his famous "Little Tramp" character, was released in 1936 as a comedic commentary on the effects of the Great Depression. Chaplin felt strongly that the rising implementation of industrial processes were directly responsible for the high unemployment rates of the time and he expressed these views satirically throughout the picture. In what might have been another attempt to take a jab at modern technology, Chaplin decided to forgo any real talking in the film even though talking pictures had already been in continuous production since 1927. He also felt that the silent pantomime style of comedy that made his "Tramp" character so famous should remain intact for the character's final film appearance. The only human voices to be heard during the film are when they are being emitted from various technological devices (such as a phonograph), in some sound effects, and when Chaplin momentarily sings in faux-Italian babble in one of the movie's final scenes. 

Orange text on a yellow background

After the FDA released the first birth control pill Enovid in 1960, a sexual revolution swept through American culture that began in the sixties and is still continuing to this day. Women now had control over when they could become pregnant making pre-marital sex less taboo. Throughout the sixties and later decades, American culture began to be more accepting of a sexualized culture. However, many religious and conservative groups opposed the new sexual liberties many were taking and formed a counter-culture of organizations that stressed remaining abstinent until marriage and abhorred promiscuity. 

Illustration of a skeleton wearing a blue black coat and red bow tie on an orange background

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Illustration of five characters with various sports equipment (basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, football) on a white, yellow, and orange background with an outer blue edge with green stars and blue text

Pizza Hut’s BOOK IT! reading program was established in 1984 after President Ronald Reagan asked corporations to get involved in education. The program rewards elementary students’ reading accomplishments with certificates and pizza.The first BOOK IT! button debuted in 1985.  Each year the program reaches millions of elementary school students. 

For this sports-themed 1990s-era button, kids collected stickers to fill in the cartoon medals for books read.

Yellow frame with red background and bubble letters with illustrations of characters in the letters

In 1984, Pizza Hut began the BOOK IT! program. The program was created by then-president of Pizza Hut, Arthur Gunther. Gunther designed the program with the goal of encouraging kids to read more as well as helping them further develop their reading skills. Gunther was inspired by his son, Michael, who had issues reading due to eye-related problems. Students who engage in the program are rewarded with certificates, buttons, and pizzas as incentives for completing their reading goals. The program continues to be in effect.

Illustration of the character, Little Joe

Little Joe was a Western comic strip that appeared in the Chicago Tribune Sunday strip from 1933 to 1972. Originally created and written by Ed Leffingwell and later by his brother, Robert, the story focused on Little Joe, a thirteen-year-old boy who lived in a world of danger. Upon his father's death, Little Joe is tasked with running the Oak Ranch alongside his mother and their helper, Utah, a former gunslinger. The comic focused on Little Joe navigating life while coming into conflict with outlaws, politicians, and corrupt businessmen.

Illustration of a yellow plane over a light blue sky over a yellow ground with blue text

In 1903 brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright constructed and flew the first powered airplane near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The plane used a twelve-horsepower gasoline engine. The brothers flipped a coin to determine Wilbur would make the first try to fly it on December 14, 1903. His attempt was unsuccessful. They made repairs to the plane, and Orville took the pilot’s position on December 17. He flew the plane for 12 seconds and traveled 120 feet. The brothers took turns flying the machine three more times, with the final flight of the day lasting 59 seconds and traveling 852 feet.