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Period: to
1970's
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American Soldiers Found Guilty
American soldiers found guilty of murdering entire town of Vietnamese civilians.During the war, twenty-five US soldiers were charged with war-crimes but William Calley was the only one found guilty Calley received considerable sympathy from the American public when he stated: "When my troops were getting massacred and mauled by an enemy I couldn't see, I couldn't feel, I couldn't touch... nobody in the military system ever described them anything other than Communists." -
Apollo 13 mission suffers a huge setback
A ruptured air tank on their way to the moon almost sealed the fate of the three astronauts on board the spacecraft. -
Kent State Shooting
May 4, 1970....National Guardsmen opened fire on a group of students, wounding many, 4 fatally, on the campus of Kent State University. Today, memorials to the four students stand near the place of the shootings. -
Aswan High Damn
The damn is located in Aswan, Egypt. It's main purporse was to help flood control, irrigation, hydroeletric power. -
Federal Elections
18 year olds are given the right to vote in federal elections.
It was adopted in response to student activism against the Vietnam War and to partially overrule the Supreme Court's decision in Oregon v. Mitchell. It was adopted on July 1, 1971. -
Amtrak created
In April of 1971, the government created Amtrak to rescue America's long-distance passenger trains. Ridership had been decreasing since the late 1950s because of competition from the jet airplanes and the growing interstates -
End of the Gold Standard for American Currency
Gold payments ended in 1971 in an attempt to halt the increasing inflation America was seeing. -
The Pentagon Papers are released to newspapers
Despite an attempt to conceal the evidence researched by the government, the 47 volume study was given to the New York Times and The Washington Post who printed excerpts from the study. It revealed the Eisenhower had been warned against involvment by his generals, Kennedy had approved the overthrow of the Sout Vietnam president, and Johnson's covert operations had sparked the Tonkin Gulf incident. -
Mr. Elliott
On Une 25th, 1971, Mr. Elliott graduated from highschool. -
Benefit Concert for Bangladesh organized
George Harrison organized the first benefit concert, which would be the model for many more benefit concerts (especially in the 80s). -
Attica State Prision riot in Buffalo, New York
The 1200 inmates took the 30 guards and other employees prision in an attempt for reforms. It ended in bloodbath four days later with 28 inmates and 9 gaurds killed, all by police gunfire when they took the prision back. -
Disney World Opens
After seven years of planning, about 10,000 visitors converged near Orlando, Florida, to witness the grand opening of Walt Disney World. The Magic Kingdom featured Adventure land, Fantasy Land, Frontier Land, Liberty Square, Tomorrow Land, a Main Street USA, and about 5,500 Cast Members. The price of admission was only $4.95. -
D.B. Cooper
On Thanksgiving Eve, November 24,1971, a man who called himself, "Dan Cooper" skyjacked Northwest Airlines Flight 305 from Portland, Oregon to Seattle, Washington. Later known as "D.B. Cooper," he demanded $200,000 in cash and four parachutes with a claim he had a bomb in his briefcase. Cooper jumped with the money to be never seen or heard of again. -
The microprocessor is introduced
The foundation of all computers, or just about anything electric.
Microprocessors are small and cheap enough that they've found their way into thousands of products, not just personal computers. While 32-bit processors are commonly found in desktop computers, the 4-bit is still the most widely used -- found in washing machines, televisions, microwave ovens, and so on. -
The Wars Act passed
This was passed because Nixon authorized the invasion of Cambodia, Loas and later Hanoi and Haiphong. It requires that the president account for action within 30 days and taking troops into foreign wars. -
Superbowl, Cowboys,or the Dolphins?
There were 81023 people in attendance at the game in and it is estimated that another 56.6 million more excited football fans tuned in from their homes or other football parties around the world while tuning into CBS. -
President Nixon visits China
Officialy opening talks between the two countries, which had been bitter opponents during the 60s. -
Richard Nixon visits the Soviet Union
Richard Nixon becomes the first US president to visit the Soviet Union and begins talks on arms control, penning the SALT I treaties, which restricted the development of nuclear arms and helped ease US-Soviet relations. -
VCR's
Which soon took over the industrial and educational markets and even made inroads among broadcasters for electronic news gathering (ENG). -
First Earth Day
Primary objective in planning Earth Day was to show the political leadership of the Nation that there was broad and deep support for the environmental movement. -
Kentucky Derby Winner
RIva RIdge, with jockey, R. Turcotte aboard, the wining horse won the Kentucky Derby by 3 3/4 lengths. A good win for trainer L. Laurin, the trainer for Meadow Stables. -
George Wallace shot while campaigning
While campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination, he was shot and permanently paralyzed. He was well known for physically barring black students from entering the University of Alabama in 1963. -
Supreme Court rules against death penalty
Ruling 5-4, it determined the death penalty as it was administered, was cruel and unusual punishment. -
Signing of Title IX
On July 1, 1972, Richard Nixon signed into law Title IX of the Education Amendments. Few people noticed at the time, but eventually it became the single greatest force for full participation of females in education, both academics and sports. -
The World Series
World Series was won by the Oakland Athletics beating the Cincinnati Reds. The final score was 4-3. -
Supplimental Security Income (SSI)
Aid for the aged, blind, and disabled. It provides cash to meet basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter. -
Last man on the moon
Eugene Cernan Last man to walk on the moon. He was on Appollo 17 on December 1972.Apollo 17 was the sixth Apollo lunar landing, the first night launch of a U.S. human spaceflight and the final manned launch of a Saturn V booster. -
OPEC doubles price of oil
Thus beginning the gas crisis of the 70s, it was only the first step in rising prices. Oil went from $1.50 a barrel to $11.56 a barrel over the course of a few months. This was in retaliation for the support of Isreal. Most of the shortages in the US however were caused by the gas companies who used this as an excuse to raise prices. -
sears tower
Is a 108-story, 1451-foot (442 m) skyscraper in Chicago, Illinois.[4] At the time of its completion in 1973, it was the tallest building in the world, surpassing the World Trade Center towers in New York, and it held this rank for nearly 25 years. The Willis Tower is the tallest building in the United States and the fifth-tallest freestanding structure in the world, as well as the fifth tallest building in the world to the roof. -
War Powers Act passed by Congress
It prevents the president from commitment of US forces abroad for more than 60 days without Congressional approval. -
Pptty Hearst Kidnapped
On February 4, 1974, the 19-year-old Hearst was kidnapped from the Berkeley, California apartment she shared with her fiancé Steven Weed by a left-wing urban guerrilla group called the Symbionese Liberation Army. When the attempt to swap Hearst for jailed SLA members failed, the SLA demanded that the captive's family distribute $70 worth of food to every needy Californian -
National SPeed Limit 55!
The National Maximum Speed Limit of 55 m.p.h. was created in 1974 when Richard Nixon signed the Emergency Energy Highway Conservation Act. Before that, states had been free to set their own speed limits, but the new law threatened to strip federal highway funding from any state straying above the national standard. -
Nixon resigns
Once the articles of impeachment had been drawn up, Nixon was required to release more tapes, which clearly tied him to the Watergate coverup. On August 8th, he resigned. -
Girls allowed to play ball
Little League baseball is no longer just for boys. President Gerald Ford signs legislation that officially opens the Little League program to participation by girls. The league sought the changes after it was confronted with numerous lawsuits seeking to open the programs to girls. -
Saigon falls to communism
America suspended it's aid two years after removing it's military forces. In April, US official ordered the remaining 1000 US citizens to evacuate to the embasssy in Saigon. This lead to the now famous image of citizens climbing the ladder to helicoptors to be airlifted out of the city. -
Microsoft FOunded
Microsoft was formed soon after the introduction of the Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems (MITS) Altair, the first "personal computer," a build-it-yourself kit for hobbyists. -
General Francisco Franco dies
Paving the way for democratic reforms under his heir, Juan Carlos over the next two years. -
JImmy Hoffa disappears
Hoffa was involved with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union, as an organizer from 1932 to 1975. He served as the union's General President from 1958 to 1971.Hoffa was last seen in late July 1975, outside the Machus Red Fox, a suburban Detroit restaurant. -
Ford Assasination Attempt 1
On the northern grounds of the California State Capitol, Lynette Fromme, a follower of Charles Manson, drew a Colt M1911 .45 caliber pistol on Ford when he reached to shake her hand in a crowd. There were four cartridges in the pistol's magazine but the firing chamber was empty. She was soon restrained by Secret Service agent Larry Buendorf. Fromme was sentenced to life in prison, but was released from custody on August 14, 2009, nearly 3 years after Ford's death.[ -
Ford Assasination Attempt 2
In San Francisco, California, Sara Jane Moore fired a revolver at Ford from 40 feet (12 m) away.[15] A bystander, Oliver Sipple, grabbed Moore's arm and the shot missed Ford.Moore was sentenced to life in prison. She was later paroled from a federal prison on Monday, December 31, 2007 (370 days after Ford's death) after serving more than 30 years. -
West Point admits women
On October 8, 1975 , the President of the United States signed into law a bill directing that women would be admitted to America ’s service academies. The law stated that: -
Legionnaire's disease strikes 182, kills 29
The first appearance of the flu like disease struck at an American Legion convention in Philadelphi. -
Apple computer established
Established on April 1, 1976 in Cupertino, California, and incorporated January 3, 1977,[7] the company was previously named Apple Computer, Inc., for its first 30 years, but removed the word "Computer" on January 9, 2007,[8] to reflect the company's ongoing expansion into the consumer electronics market in addition to its traditional focus on personal computers -
Entebbe Air Raid
Israeli commandos stormed hijacked Air France plane in Uganda's Entebbe Airport, releasing 103 hostages held by a pro-Palestinian terrorist group. -
Mao Tse-tung dies
Chairman Mao (December 26, 1893 – September 9, 1976), was a Chinese revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, poet, political theorist, and leader of the Chinese RevolutionHe was the architect and founding father of the People's Republic of China (PRC) from its establishment in 1949, and held authoritarian control over the nation until his death in 1976. -
Neutron bomb funding began
The Neutron bomb was an atomic weapon designed to spread radiation to kill people and leave buildings intact. -
President Carter Pardons VietNam Draft Dodgers
President Jimmy Carter officially pardons all those who avoided the draft during the Vietnam war -
Red Dye No. 2 isbanned
It was found to cause cancer, so it's use was discontinued, but led to a red dye scare. -
Star Wars movie released
Star Wars (1977), (aka Star Wars, Episode IV: A New Hope) is one of the most popular, profitable, entertaining, and successful science fiction/action - adventure/fantasy films of all time. The film, shot mostly on location in Tunisia, Guatemala and Death Valley (California), advanced special-effects technology to a degree unseen before, with computerized and digitally-timed special effects. -
New York City blackout
July 13th saw a 25 hour blackout in the city, resulting in widespread looting and other disorder, including arson.[ -
First Black Miss Universe
Miss Universe 1977, the 26th annual Miss Universe pageant was held at the National Theater, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on July 16, 1977. 24-year-old Janelle Commissiong earned Trinidad & Tobago its first Miss Universe crown as well as becoming the first black woman to win the title. The Miss Universe Pageant was held in the Dominican Republic in 1977 in order to promote tourism to the island -
Elvis found dead
Elvis had suffered irregular heartbeat which the medicos called "cardiac arrhythmia". Surprisingly the reason for such irregularity of heartbeat remained unknown. For it was reported to be brought in by "undetermined causes."
Elvis was found lying unconscious on his bathroom floor of Grace Land, his Memphis mansion, by his girlfriend, Ginger Alden. Help was summoned, he was rushed in to hospital. But all attempts to revive him were futile.It was later disclosed he had been lying there for abo -
Hustler Publisher Larry Flynt Shot & Paralyzed
Larry Flynt, publisher of the hardcore porno mag HUSTLER, was shot and paralyzed from the waist down by an unknown assailant. There are rumours that the assailant was infuriated by a multi-racial photo spread in one issue of HUSTLER. -
Camp David accords for Middle East peace
Egypt, Israel and the US met in the presidential retreat in Maryland to hammer out a peace agreement between the two leaders. -
Jonestown massacre
The suicide and murder of 900 people who drank cyanide in fruit-flavored drink, the leader shot himself. -
Margaret Thatcher becomes British PM
The Conservatives had taken over the Parliment, and Margaret Thatcher became the first woman to hold the highest office in a European country. -
ESPN starts broadcasting
ESPN started as an alternative to standard television news broadcasts and the information found in "Sports" sections of newspapers. It launched on September 7, 1979. -
The Greensboro Massacre
On Nov. 3, a group of Klu Klux Klan members and American Nazi party members attacked a group of Communist Worker's Party members who were gathered for a demonstration that was speaking out against the klan
