TODAY IN HISTORY

On May 15, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed an act establishing the Department of Agriculture.

In 1930, registered nurse Ellen Church, the first airline stewardess, went on duty aboard an Oakland-to-Chicago flight operated by Boeing Air Transport, a forerunner of United Airlines.

In 1948, hours after declaring its independence, the new state of Israel was attacked by Transjordan, Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon.

In 1954, the Fender Stratocaster guitar, by Leo Fender, was officially released.

In 1988, the Soviet Union began the process of withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan, more than eight years after invading.

In 2000, by a 5-4 vote, the U.S. Supreme Court, regarding the 1994 Violence Against Women Act, decided rape victims could not sue their attackers in federal court.