This Day In History : July 27

1789 United States

The Department of Foreign Affairs is the first U.S. Federal government agency established

The Department of Foreign Affairs was established by an Act of Congress on July 27, 1789, and was initially housed in temporary quarters in New York City. It was responsible for conducting U.S. foreign policy and managing diplomatic relations with other countries.

Also on This Day in History July 27

Discover what happened on July 27 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries,
famous births and notable deaths.

Births on This Day, July 27
  • 1921 Garry Davis

    America pilot who created the World Passport

  • 1938 Gary Gygax

    American game designer, who co-created Dungeons & Dragons

  • 1927 Allen K. Breed

    American inventor of the first automotive airbag sensor

  • 1904 Kenneth Tompkins Bainbridge

    American physicist (measurements of mass differences between nuclear isotopes)

  • 1849 John Hopkinson

    British physicist and electrical engineer (Hopkinson's Law)

Deaths on This Day, July 27
  • 1988 Frank J. Zamboni

    American businessman and inventor of the ice-resurfacing machine

  • 1963 Garrett Augustus Morgan

    American inventor (gas mask and traffic signal)

  • 1962 Conrad Elvehjem

    American biochemist and nutrition scientist (discovered niacin)

  • 1931 Auguste-Henri Forel

    Swiss neuroanatomist, psychiatrist, and entomologist known for his investigations of brain structure

  • 1759 Pierre-Louis Moreau de Maupertuis

    French mathematician and astronomer (Système de la nature)

1921

The hormone insulin regulates blood sugar as proved by researchers at the University of Toronto led by biochemist Frederick Banting

In 1921, researchers at the University of Toronto, led by biochemist Frederick Banting and his assistant Charles Best, made a groundbreaking discovery related to the hormone insulin. They successfully isolated and purified insulin from the pancreases of dogs, demonstrating its ability to regulate blood sugar levels.
2013

First artificially inseminated Przewalski’s horse born

In 2013, the first female Przewalski’s horse foal was born via artificial insemination. The foal was the result of seven years of preparation by scientists at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute. By using artificial insemination, it would become possible to produce the result of mating without transporting geographically distant animals.
1586

Tobacco Introduced to England

Tobacco was introduced to England from the New World by Walter Raleigh , particularly from the colonies in what is now Virginia and the Caribbean, during the late 16th century. It was initially brought to England by explorers and settlers returning from their voyages to the Americas.
1909

Orville Wright successfully tests the Wright Military Flyer, the world's first military airplane

Orville Wright successfully tested the Wright Military Flyer, the world's first military airplane, on July 27, 1909. The flight took place at Fort Myer, Virginia, where Orville demonstrated the aircraft's capabilities to the U.S. Army. During this record flight, Orville flew the plane for 1 hour and 12 minutes, covering a distance of 40 miles and meeting the Army's requirement for a military aircraft capable of flying for at least one hour with a passenger on board.
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