Macy's was founded before the fall of the Ottoman Empire.

World History

T he Ottoman Empire, which ruled over Anatolia (largely comprised of the Asian portion of modern-day Turkey) for six centuries, conjures up images of an ancient kingdom. Yet the Ottomans' existence is far from age-old history, and there are even people alive today who were born before the empire's dissolution. There are also many modern companies — including Macy's, which was established in 1858 — that were founded well before the Ottoman Empire fell in 1922, shortly after World War I.

The Ottoman Empire was founded by Osman I in 1299, and reached its peak during the mid-16th century. The empire began to decline shortly thereafter, as the rest of Europe expanded its power and influence during the Renaissance era and throughout the Industrial Revolution. What remained of the once-vast Ottoman Empire fought and lost alongside the Central Powers in World War I, weakening its standing even further. Macy's, meanwhile, began when businessman Rowland Hussey Macy opened four small stores between 1843 and 1855. Though those initial stores flopped, business boomed after Macy opened a dry goods store called R.H. Macy & Co. in 1858 at the corner of 14th Street and Sixth Avenue in New York City. The store was later renamed Macy's and blossomed into a local sensation, upgrading to a Herald Square location in 1902 that was the world's largest department store at the time.

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By the Numbers

Total area (in square miles) of the Ottoman Empire at its peak

2 million

Sultans who reigned over the Ottoman Empire

First year the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was nationally televised

1947

R.H. Macy & Co.'s total sales during its first day open in New York City

$11.06

Did you know?

Felix the Cat was the first character balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is a holiday institution that debuted in 1924 as a Christmas-themed event with floats, live animals, and Santa. In 1927, the parade swapped out its live animal processional for a series of giant balloons designed by famed puppeteer Tony Sarg. Some of Sarg's creations were generic, but one was highly recognizable, that being Felix the Cat. The Felix character was created in 1919 — nine years before Mickey Mouse — and is often considered the first animated film star. Felix's debut in the parade wasn't without issue, however, as the balloon got tangled in telephone wires and caught fire. The Felix balloon later disappeared during World War II as the rubber balloons were donated to the war effort, and once the tradition resumed, Felix didn't return to the parade lineup until 2016. Instead, characters such as Mickey Mouse, Big Bird, and Snoopy became parade staples. In fact, Snoopy has the most appearances of any balloon; the canine character has appeared in the Macy's parade 43 times since his debut in 1968.