1955-1975 Timeline

  • Civil Rights Act of 1957

    The Civil Rights Act of 1957 is signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, which led to increased voting rights in the United States. This was also a milestone in the Civil Rights movement.
  • Russia Launches "Sputnik I"

    Russia launched Sputnik I on October 4, 1957. This was the world's first artificial satellite to be launched into space, and began the space race for the rest of the world.
  • NASA is Founded

    NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, was founded on July 29, 1958 under the United States government. It was formed mostly for research purposes but quickly became responsible for the civilian space program.
  • Alaska Becomes a State

    Alaska became the 49th state of the United States of America on January 3, 1959 under President Dwight D. Eisenhower. It was and still is the state with the largest land area, yet one of the lowest economies out of all states in the US.
  • Hawaii Becomes a State

    Hawaii became the 50th state in the US on August 21, 1959, though it was a US territory since nearly 100 years before in 1898. After over 90% of Hawaiian inhabitants voted to be joined into the United States, the change was made under Dwight Eisenhower.
  • JFK Elected President

    John F. Kennedy is elected 35th president of the United States, succeeding former president Dwight Eisenhower. Kennedy was the youngest man ever to be elected president in the US at only 43 years old.
  • MLK Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech

    Martin Luther King Jr, a significant Civil Rights movement leader, delivers his famous "I Have a Dream" speech at the March on Washington in 1963. This would become one of the most famous speeches in American history.
  • Nixon Watergate Scandal

    After a break-in at the Democratic National Committee building at Watergate Headquarters in 1972, President Richard Nixon was believed to be involved in a scandal involving the bugging of this building, and was believed to be forced to resign two years later.