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Mass Production of Vehicles
Mass production was revolutionised in 1913 when Henry Ford opened the Highland assembly line for his Ford Model T. The intention of this was to lower the cost of his car so that it would be more affordable and therefore more appealing to the mass public. This advancement was important as Ford's production line concept is the main mode of manufacturing today, not only in the automotive sector but for many other products as well. -
End of World War I
The end of World War I came with the signing of the armistice. This was the result of the German Empire beginning to implode, with mutinies occurring among the German ranks. The fighting on the Western Front ended at 11am on November 11, however fighting on some battlefields had ended a much as a week before the 11th. This was an important event as it signalled the end to the four years of World War I. -
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was signed in Versailles, France, after the First World War. The purpose of the treaty was for Germany to accept full blame for starting the War and also imposed sanctions on Germany. This included; having to pay damages, only being able to have a small army and navy and not having any air force or submarines, and also having to give land back to countries. This event was important as it momentarily delayed Germany from starting another war. -
The Jazz Age
The Jazz Age was an era of change for young people. They broke away from traditions with new music, new traditions and new fashions. This outraged the older generations who disapproved of these new trends, labelling them as "satanic". However, these "new" trends seem out dated today, but at the time they were a major change. The Jazz Age was important as it brought in a lot of things that influence our lives today. -
Invention of Television
The invention of television as we know it first came about in 1925, when John Logie Baird first demonstrated the television by using a mechanical system to transmit images onto a screen. By 1936, only 200 television sets were being used worldwide. Colour television was first demonstrated in 1950; however it wasn’t introduced until around 1967. This event was important as it changed the way people were entertained, as these days almost everyone owns a television. -
1929 Stock Market Crash
The market crash on October 29 1929 is known as the worst day in stocks history. In the days leading up to the 29th ("Black Tuesday") many stockholders tried to sell off their shares as prices were plummeting. It has been debated for decades as to whether Black Tuesday caused the Great Depression or if it was only a part of it. -
The Great Depression
The Great Depression lasted from 1929 until the 1940s. While it mainly was felt in the U.S., the impact of it was felt all over the world. It was caused by an economic downturn after the Stock Market crash of 1929 (See "Market Crash of 1929"). The Great Depression continued until World War II, when the economy was boosted by production for the war. This event was important as it was the lowest the American economy had ever been and also left a lot of people unemployed. -
Day of Mourning
The 1938 Day of Mourning occurred on January 26 1938. This day was a celebration of the anniversary of the arrival of the First Fleet. However for many in the Aboriginal community, it was a day of mourning. After the parade, there was a silent march by the Aboriginal community and a day of mourning occurred inside the Australia Hall, Sydney, where the march ended. This event was important as it emphasised the impact the landing of the First Fleet had on the Aboriginal people. -
Start of World War II
World War II began after Britain and France declared war on Germany after its invasion of Poland. The reason war was declared was because Germany's invasion was in violation of the 1919 Treaty of Versailles. Since Hitler broke many promises made to leaders, they saw no option but to declare war on Germany to prevent them invading anymore countries. This was an important event as it led to another 6 years of World War, after which many declarations were made to prevent such a war occurring again. -
Japanese Bombing of Pearl Harbor
On the morning of December 7 1941, Pearl Harbor in Hawaii was attacked by Japanese bombers and submarines. This was as a result of tension in negotiations between Japan and the U.S. over Japan's expansions into Asia. The surprise attack angered the U.S. and led to them declaring war on Japan, meaning the U.S. had entered World War II. This was an important event as it caused the U.S. to become involved in the War which also led to the first use of nuclear weapons in a war. -
Bombing of Darwin
The bombing of Darwin occurred on February 19 1942. The bombing was carried out by 54 Japanese bombers and around 188 attack planes from Japanese aircraft carriers in the Timor Sea. In the bombings, the Darwin harbour was destroyed, along with most of Darwin's military and public facilities. This was an important event as it was the first time that Australia had been attacked during a war. -
Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima
On the 6th of August 1945, the USA dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima in Japan. The explosion killed 70,000 people on impact and within five years a further 70,000 people died as a result of being exposed to radiation from the bomb. This event was significant as not only did it lead to the surrender of Japan; it also was the first time nuclear weapons were used in war. -
Declaration of Human Rights
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the UN on 10 December 1948. It was created as a response to the barbarism of World War II. With the Declaration, the international community vowed to never let the events of World War II happen again. The creation of the Declaration of Human Rights was important as it has prevented the barbarism of World War II from occurring again. -
Melbourne Olympics
The Melbourne Olympics commenced on the 22nd of November 1956. The 1956 Olympics were the first Olympics held in Australia and were also the first Olympics broadcast on Australian television, which had only been introduced that year. The Melbourne Olympics were Australia's most successful Olympics in terms of medals. The Olympics were important as they were the first time Australia had hosted the Olympic Games. -
Cuban Missle Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis began on the 16th of October 1962, when a U.S. U-2 spy plane flying over Cuba took photographs of a Soviet missile station being constructed on the island of Cuba. After 13 days, a deal was made in which the Soviets would dismantle the missile station if the U.S. pledged to not invade Cuba. This event is important as it ppotential nuclear war from breaking out, which could have had severe consequences not only for the U.S. and the Soviets, but the whole world. -
"I Have A Dream" Speech
On the 28th of August 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his "I Have A Dream" speech during the March for Washington for Jobs and Freedom on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. The speech was important as it played a massive role in gaining rights for African American people during the American Civil Rights Movement. -
Australian Freedom Rides
In February of 1965 as a plan to draw attention to the poor state of Aboriginal health, education and housing, a group of University of New South Wales students organised a bus tour of Western and coastal towns of New South Wales. This was an important event as it drew attention to the discrimination against the Aboriginal community. -
Invention of the Mobile Phone
The mobile phone was first invented in 1973 by the Motorola Company. Other similar mobile phones had been created but this was the first handheld mobile phone. However, the first commercially available mobile phone wasn't sold until the early 1990s. In 1990, 12.4 million people had a mobile phone subscription (plan) and in 2011, over 6 billion people had a mobile phone plan. This invention was an important event as the mobile phone has changed how we live and is a major part of life today. -
Release of Crocodile Dundee
Crocodile Dundee was released on the 26th of September 1986. It was a box office hit, making over $328 million. It starred Australian actor Paul Hogan, who became a household name thanks to the movie. The movie was important as it was the first Australian movie to achieve worldwide fame. -
The United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child
The United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child was adopted by the United Nations in 1989. The basis of the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child was to ensure that the rights of every child everywhere are protected. The United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child is important as it protects children rights. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
The fall of the Berlin Wall came after East and West Germany was separated by a large concrete wall in 1961. After 28 years, protesters from both sides of Germany began to break through the checkpoints between the two countries. By November 9, free travel was allowed between the two countries and the wall was destroyed by both citizens and then finally the government. This was an important moment in the reunification of Germany. -
Invention of the Internet
While similar methods of communication had been around since the 1960s, the internet as we know it wasn't invented until 1991. Swedish computer programmer Tim Berners-Lee created the World Wide Web,This event was important as the internet is a very important part of today's world. It makes it easy to find and share information.
