On this date

In 1908, Henry Ford introduced his Model T automobile to the market.

In 1949, Mao Zedong proclaimed the People’s Republic of China during a ceremony in Beijing.

In 1957, the motto “In God We Trust” began appearing on U.S. paper currency.

In 1971, Walt Disney World opened near Orlando, Fla.

In 1982, Sony began selling the first commercial compact disc player, the CDP-101, in Japan.

In 1994, National Hockey League team owners began a 103-day lockout of their players.

In 1996, the federal minimum wage rose 50 cents to $4.75 an hour.

Ten years ago: After one spectacular failure in the House, the $700 billion financial industry bailout won lopsided passage in the Senate, 74-25, after it was loaded with tax breaks and other sweeteners.

Five years ago: The federal government partially shut down because of a budget impasse in Congress, the same day Americans got their first chance to shop for health insurance using the online marketplaces that were at the heart of President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul. (Government websites designed to sell the policies struggled to handle the traffic, with many frustrated users reporting trouble setting up accounts.)

One year ago: O.J. Simpson was released from a prison in Nevada a few minutes after midnight, after serving nine years for a botched hotel-room heist in Las Vegas.