1873: Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis receive patent for blue jeans

[May 20]( THIS DAY IN HISTORY 1873 [Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis receive patent for blue jeans]( On this day in 1873, San Francisco businessman Levi Strauss and Reno, Nevada, tailor Jacob Davis are given a patent to create work pants reinforced with metal rivets, marking the birth of one of the world's most famous garments: blue jeans. In San Francisco, Strauss established a wholesale dry good... [read more »]( American Revolution 1778 [Battle of Barren Hill, Pennsylvania »]( Automotive 1995 [Street in front of the White House closed to traffic »]( Civil War 1862 [Union Congress passes the Homestead Act »]( Cold War 1956 [United States drops hydrogen bomb over Bikini Atoll »]( Crime 2005 [Mary Kay Letourneau marries former victim »]( Disaster 1965 [Plane crashes at Cairo airport »]( General Interest 1498 [Vasco da Gama reaches India »]( 1506 [Christopher Columbus dies »]( 1862 [The Homestead Act »]( 1927 [Spirit of St. Louis departs »]( 1969 [Battle for Hamburger Hill ends »]( 1996 [Supreme Court defends rights of homosexuals »]( Hollywood 2007 [The Simpsons airs 400th episode »]( Literary 1946 [W.H. Auden becomes a U.S. citizen »]( Music 1998 [Frank Sinatra is laid to rest »]( Old West 1873 [Levi Strauss patents copper-riveted jeans »]( Presidential 1862 [Lincoln signs Homestead Act »]( Sports 1989 [Sunday Silence wins Preakness by a nose »]( Vietnam War 1953 [French see "light at the end of the tunnel" in Vietnam »]( 1969 [Kennedy criticizes the "Hamburger Hill" battle »]( World War I 1915 [British renew attacks in Battle of Festubert »]( World War II 1940 [Germans break through to English Channel at Abbeville, France »]( [HISTORY.com]( [SHOWS]( [VIDEOS]( [SCHEDULE]( [TOPICS]( [Subscribe]( | [Update Profile]( | [Contact Us](mailto:thc.newsletters@aetn.com) This is a promotional email from HISTORY and A+E Networks. You received this message because {EMAIL} is subscribed to This Day In History email updates. If you DO NOT wish to receive these emails please [UNSUBSCRIBE](. Having trouble viewing this message? [View the web version](. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not junk folders) and view images, [please add us to your address book or safe/white list](. © 2018 A&E Television Networks, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Email Marketing, 235 E 45th Street, New York, NY 10017 [Corporate Information]( | [TV Parental Guidelines]( | [Careers]( | [Terms of Use]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Copyright Policy]( | [Ad Sales]( | [Ad Choices](