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Korean War
North Korea crossed the 38th parallel and invaded South Korea during the Cold War period. The U.N. intervened by supporting South Korea as they were rapidly losing ground. The war eventually ended three years later at where the war began. Over five million soldiers and civilians lost their lives throughout the war.
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Julius and Ethel Rosenberg Executed for Espionage
The Rosenbergs were convicted of passing atomic secrets to Russia, though they said they had did no such thing and protested their innocence. Many believe the Rosenbergs are victims of the anticommunist movement while others think they are guilty. In the end, President Dwight D. Eisenhower stated that taking lives of two in order to save millions is the most logical and sensible choice to make to avoid an atomic war.
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First McDonalds
Ray Kroc, the founder of McDonald’s, started out as an ambulance driver, then a piano player and a paper cup salesman. In 1954, he got in the restaurant business and founded McDonald’s System, Inc. which led to the first McDonald’s. Four years later the fast food chain sold over 100 million hamburgers. -
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Vietnam War
The longest war fought in American history, for over two decades it was democracy going up against communism once again. It was the only war that America had fought and lost in. The war resulted in North Vietnam taking over South Vietnam while spreading communism across the country.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/vietnam/maps/map_pop_intro.html -
Fidel Castro Becomes Cuba's Communist Leader
Born in Birán, Castro led a revolution against the Cuban government and to overthrow the dictator, Fulgencio Batista. After securing Cuba, he then pass communist policies and laws as well as strengthen relations with the Soviet Union. Castro ruled Cuba with an iron fist until his death on November 26, 2016.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/quiz/2009/jan/01/cuba-fidel-castro -
I Have A Dream Speech
Martin Luther King Jr. was a Baptist minister and one of the greatest leaders during the civil rights movement until his death in 1968. King influenced the creation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He was then awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, along with many other honors. The ‘I Have a Dream’ speech was one of the most influential speeches ever given in history.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xXZhXTFWnE -
America Lands on the Moon
At exactly 10:56 p.m. (EDT), Neil Armstrong made history as he was the first human to walk on the Moon. The other two astronauts on Apollo 11 were named Edwin Aldrin Jr. and Michael Collins. NASA made five other successful Moon landings from that point on until the program got cancelled due to budget issues. -
Watergate Scandal
First gov’t scandal that was televised across the nation. Several people that was involved or caught were arrested for the break-in in the Democratic National Committee building, including President Nixon and White House counsel John Dean. In the end, everyone else that was tied to the scandal besides Nixon was tried and prosecuted. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXCxZE0hZ40 -
PAC-MAN Game Was Released
PAC-MAN landed on U.S. stores’ shelves in mid-October and soon became a massive hit, selling over a 100,000 units in its first year. The “PAC-MAN FEVER” eventually raged across America with a cartoon, a song titled PACMAN FEVER and over 31 sequels were made in response to over millions of fans. It was not only one of the most influential titles of all time, but it was the first in the game industry to include a power-up, a cut scene and to being the first stealth game. -
Canada and the Constitution Act
Otherwise known as the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, it allowed Canada to have its independence and Constitution without acquiring approval from Britain. It was proclaimed by Queen Elizabeth II and Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau on April 17th, 1982. This set in over 34 rights ranging from educational rights to freedom of religion. -
First African American Mayor
David N. Dinkins became the first African American mayor of New York City. Throughout his term, he proved himself to be an effective leader, calming racial tensions down, even earning the title of ‘peacemaker’. Born in Trenton, New Jersey in 1927, David enlisted in the Marine Corps at the age of 18 and served in World War 2. After the war ended, he went to Howard University, graduating with a Bachelor Degree in mathematics and received a law degree at the Brooklyn Law School in 1956. -
People v. Simpson
From famous football player and actor, to liar and murderer, the O.J. Simpson trial was one of several most controversial cases ever taken. Although stating that he wasn’t guilty, the evidence against O.J. for killing Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman was almost enough have him locked up. However, due to some lacking evidence or racial tensions (mostly both), O.J. was found not guilty for the murders but was later convicted for robbing the Palace Station in Las Vegas in 2007.
