1878-The American Cereal Co. introduced Quaker Oats as the first mass-marketed breakfast food

1879-Ivory Soap is named four years after the formula was accidentally discovered at Proctor & Gamble

1883- "Ladies Home Journal" and "Life Magazine" began publication

1886-Coca-Cola is invented in Atlanta Georgia

1892-"The Ladies Home Journal" announces it will no longer accept patent medicine advertising

1893-The Royal Baking Powder Co. is estimated to be the biggest newspaper advertiser in the world

1898-Pepsi Cola formula is created by Caleb Bradham, a New Bern, NC druggist

1904-The Campbell Kids are created by Grace Weidersen.  These images are still used with few modifications.

1906-The Pure Food and Drug Act, prohibiting the mislabeling or adulteration of food in interstate and foreign commerce, is passed.

1906-The invention of Bakelite plastic is announced by Leo H Bakeland, a Belgian-born American inventor.

1910-Electrical current for domestic residences becomes standardized.

1914-Henry Ford announces he will pay his employees a minimum of five dollars a day and inaugurate three eight-hour shifts.  But to qualify for the new wages, workers must answer questions about their home lives and habits from Ford's new Sociological Department.

1918-The first test kitchen in an ad agency is created in the Chicago office of the J Walter Thompson Company.