Timeline
Events · 1940 · 1900 – 2000

Brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald found McDonald's in San Bernardino, CA (1940)

Brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald found McDonald's in San Bernardino, CA took place in 1940, during the Modern Century (20th century) — a moment that historians still return to for what it changed and what it revealed about its time.

Year

1940

Century

20th century

Era

Modern Century

Category

Events

Age today

30 yrs ago

Context

Modern Century — World wars, moon shots, and cultural upheaval. That's roughly 30 years ago — still within living memory for many. Around the same time, the world was also seeing Battle of Britain (1940) and Trotsky is murdered in Mexico (1940).

Why it matters

Brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald found McDonald's in San Bernardino, CA is remembered because its consequences outlasted the moment — the people affected, the decisions it forced, and the way it reset the story of what came next.

Did you know?

Just 0 years after, Battle of Britain (1940) was also making headlines — a reminder how much history can compress into a single decade.

Era

Modern Century

World wars, moon shots, and cultural upheaval.

Category

Events

Events tell the story of moments that reshaped daily life — disasters, revolutions, discoveries, and turning points that split history into before and after.

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turning pointaftermathchronologycause & effect

Contemporary events

What else was happening in the world around this time.

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About this lesson. Overview, context, and “Why it matters” are generated summaries written for study and gameplay. Dates and category placement come from the Timeline question bank[1]; era descriptions are adapted from standard historical periodisation[2]. For primary sources and in-depth reading, use the references below.

  1. Timeline question bank — © the game's original author, used with permission.
  2. Era framework based on Wikipedia's Human history overview, CC BY-SA 4.0.

    Educational content notice

    Lessons are for general historical education, not professional advice. Some entries touch on wars, violence, or other sensitive events — appropriate for ages 9+. External links open in your browser and are not controlled by Timeline.

    Quick check

    Which of these happened in 1940?

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