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For the first time, the census counts a population in the United States over 150 million.
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North Korea invaded South Korea. A few days later, President Truman ordered US troops to the aid of South Korea.
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An agreement to call the Korean conflict to a draw was reached. The DPRK, PRC, & UN signed an armstice (the ROK abstained) agreeing to a new border near the 38th parallel as the demarcation line between North and South Korea. The armstic was only a ceasefire agreement, not a formal peace treaty ending the war.
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Began with plans on how to implement desegregation. Chief Justice Warren brought all of the justices to agree to support a unanymous decision declaring segregation in public schools unconstitutional.
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Congressman from southern states call for massive resistance, the Southern Manifesto, to the supreme court ruling on desegregation.
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President Dwight D. Eisenhower is inaugurated for his 2nd term in office.
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Explorer 1, the first U.S. space satellite, is launched by the army at Cape Canveral.
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Alaska is admitted to the U.S. as the 49th state. Soon after, on August 21, 1959, Hawaii became the 50th state.
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John F. Kennedy is inaugurated as the 35th president.
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Lieutenant Colonel John Glenn becomes first U.S. astronaut to orbit earth.
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President Kennedy denounces Soviet Union for secretly installing missile bases in Cuba and initiates a naval blockade. On October 22, Kennedy addressed the American people about the issue in Cuba. People thought the world was on the brink of nuclear war. The panic lasted for 14 days until the Soviets agreed to remove the missiles if the United States promised that they wouldn't invade Cuba.
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Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his "I Have a Dream" speech during the civil rights speech march in Washington D.C.
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President Kennedy was assasinated in Dallas, Texas. He was then succeeded by his Vice President, Lyndon B. Johnson.
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President Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act.
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Lyndon B. Johnson was inaugurated as president for the second time.
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On March 8th, 1965, 3500 United States marines were dispatched to South Vietnam. Although initially marines were sent there for defensive purposes, that number increased from 3500 to 200,000 by December 1965.
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Miranda V. Arizona is a court case that took place and held a landmark supreme court decision. Ernesto Miranda was charged with rape and kidnapping, but claimed he was never told what his rights were. He said he didn't know he had the right to a lawyer or the right to remain silent during interrogation. Despite his written confession, charges were reduced from two 20-30 years to only 11 years. It further defined the due process clause of the 14th amendment and establishd Miranda rights.
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The 25th amendment to the constitution is ratified, outlining the procefures for filling vacancies in presidency and vice presidency.
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Reverand Martin Luther King Jr. was assasinated on Thursday, April 4th, 1968. He was gunned down on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee.
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Richard Nixon was inaugurated as the 37th president.
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Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin Jr. become the first men to land on the moon. This was a huge milestone for not only America, but the entire world.
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The 26th amendment of the constitution is ratified. As a result, the voting age was lowerd from 21 to 18.
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Five men were caught breaking into the Watergate complex in Washington, DC. All five men were employees of Nixon's reelection campaign. The Watergate complex was a rival democratic headquarters.
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Two months after signing the Vietnam Peace Agreement, the last of U.S. combat troops leave South Vietnam.
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Vice President Spiro T. Agnew resigns over charges of corruption and tax evasion.
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Nixon resigns. Gerard R. Ford becomes the first Vice President to succeed to office under the terms laid out by the 25th amendment.
