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Period: to
1970's
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US Soldiers found guilty for murder in My Lie Massacre
The U.S. Army had charged 26 soldiers for the illegal killings (murder) resulting from the My Lei massacre in Vietnam on March 16, 1968 (the massacre’s date) because of violations of the Geneva Accords. -
Apollo 13 mission suffers huge setback
In April 1970, the Apollo 13 space mission suffered a setback when a meteorite hit the oxygen tank, as too much C02 is bad for the human system. It exemplified U.S. brainpower -
Beatles Break-up
Paul McCartney publicly announced he was leaving The Beatles in the U.S. because of disputes over a new manager. -
First Earth Day
On April 27th in the U.S., the first Earth Day took place to celebrate the environment through coordinator and Senator Gaylord Nelson -
Kent State Shooting
On May 4th, 4 students were shot dead at Kent State University by the National Guard for widely debated and unknown reasons, which drew more publicity to the government’s cover-ups of Cambodia -
18 year olds given the right to vote
President Richard Nixon signed a U.S. law on June 22, 1970, that allowed 18 yr. olds to vote because of pressure from people saying, “Old enough to fight, old enough to vote.” Though it was later challenged, this pressure later resulted in the 26th Amendment, which officially made 18 yr. olds eligible to vote -
The Aswan High Dam
The Aswan High Dam was completed in Egypt on the Nile River region for the benefits of hydroelectric power and the break of the cyclical flood-drought seasons. Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser originally had U.S. and British financing, but later turned to Soviet loans to finish it -
Computer Floppy Disk Introduced
Released by IBM in 1970, computer floppy discs were commercially available in the U.S. to store information by simply uploading it into the diskette -
Palestinian Group Hijacks Five Planes
On September 6th, 1970, members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (which will be called the PFLP), hijacked 3 (with an additional 4th and 5th) European jetliners heading to the U.S. because of the leader’s opposition to the War of Attrition’s cease-fire. Taking the passengers as hostages, he was able to get his demands by releasing them in trickles -
Bar codes introduced in the UK on retail products
In 1970, Logicon Inc. created the Universal Grocery Products Identification Code (UGPIC) and was first used by the British Plessey Telecommunications for easier management of products, bringing forth an entirely new system to be used in the future -
EPA is created
The US. Federal government made the EPA on Dec. 3rd, 1970 to add government authority to protect the environment by looking over everything -
World Trade Center is Completed
The first part of the WTC (the North Tower) was completed on Dec. 23, 1970, in New York by the workers for Port Authority after about 4 years of work. It sparked the importance of international trade before e-mails and other utilities -
The microprocessor is introduced
First invented in this time period by Intel. The microprocessor is just like a chip in the computer that helps run it. Different computers have different chips within them but this one of the newer inventions. This also, was the absolute smallest, chip ever invented. They could be in your car, your coffee maker, your cell phone, your wristwatch, etc -
London Bridge brought to the US
Came over seas to come to Lake Havasu, Arizona. It was sold to Lake Havasu City because the built of the London Bridge was not sound enough to carry the heavy weight of trafficking cars. Also, the London Bridge was breaking down, so a new bridge needed a new bridge. The bridge was brought over by pieces then slowly put back together and after all was said and done, the bridge was put back together by 1971 -
Cigarette ads are banned on TV
The first year since a long time that cigarette ads got banned. New studies showed that tobacco is unhealthy for you and that tobacco can be the main cause of Lung Cancer, and other damaging diseases. By stopping the commercials, they rate of teenage smoking rate lowered because this was the main cause for underage smoking. The ads at first were only banned on TV but later on in time, the ads were later banned from the radio -
The Pentagon papers are released
It showed the American public that nobody should put blind trust into any institution. American public shall never just trust. This was not an accident; they actually had gone to court and had a court session. An explanation of how their publication would reveal secrets of great import -
China joins UN
Decided to join the UN because they wanted to improve their international status. With China now in the UN, a move like this could set a new direction for China. Before this, China was NOT in the UN. Without them in the UN, trying to contact China was very difficult -
Direct Dial between New York and London
Before this, to make a call, outside the country, you had to pick up the phone, wait for and operator, then have they put you through to the call. This was a new invention for America. -
Supreme Court rules against death penalty
In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court struck down state and federal capital punishment deeming it was “cruel and unusual”, which is therefore unconstitutional because it violated the Eighth Amendment and the due process guarantees of the Fourteenth Amendment. -
Nixon visits China
When Nixon's trip was announced, politicos and bureaucrats around the world were indeed shocked. The status quo of world politics had just been shaken up. On February 17, 1972, Richard Nixon set out on his historic trip to China. Two years of effort had led to the moment, yet no one knew if the Chinese were prepared to agree to anything. The script had yet to be written. Nixon did not even know if there would be a meeting with Chairman Mao. -
Supplement Security Income (SSI) introduced
SSI was introduced in the U.S. by the government to help the aged, blind, and disabled who have little or no income; it provides cash for needs in clothing, food, and shelter to aid those who are out the streets -
Pocket calculators introduced
Battery operated, hand held calculators were sold in this year in the U.S.A to introduce a portable, reliable, and easy to use device that shapes our technology today. -
Nixon visits Soviet Union
In May 1972 Nixon paid a state visit to Moscow to sign 10 formal agreements, the most important of which were the nuclear arms limitation treaties known as SALT I (based on the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks conducted between the United States and the Soviet Union beginning in 1969) and a memorandum, the Basic Principles of U.S.-Soviet Relations, summarizing the new relationship between the two countries in the new era of détente. -
George Wallace shot while Campaigning
On May 15, 1972, while campaigning in Laurel, Maryland, Wallace was shot four times by would-be assassin Arthur Herman Bremer. The attempt left him paralyzed below the waist, and abruptly ended his campaign. Investigation into the shooting found that Bremer's act was not motivated by politics, but by a yen to become famous. -
Mark Spitz wins seven gold medals
At age twenty-two, in 1972, he made history. At the Olympics, he won seven gold medals and broke another seven world records. He won the one-hundred meter butterfly, the two-hundred meter butterfly, the one-hundred meter free-style, the two-hundred free-styles, the four-hundred meter free-style, the eight-hundred meter free-style, and the four-hundred meter medley relay. -
Watergate scandal begins
On the morning of June 17th, 1972, security guard Frank Wills at the Watergate Hotel discovered a burglary in the Democratic National Committee’s offices, an event that would ultimately trigger more government distrust and the resignation of President Richard Nixon. -
The Wars Act passed
Also called the War Powers Resolution, it limited the president’s authority to order in troops into hostile situations without a form of declaration or Congressional approval ever since the end of the Vietnam War. -
Terrorists attack at the Olympic Games in Munich
On Sept. 5th, 1972, Palestinian terrorists associated with the 1970 hijackings killed 11 members of the Israeli Olympic team, 9 being hostages killed in a gunfight that also killed 5 terrorists. This brought worldwide attention to the Palestinian situation, actually showing the world that there is a Palestine. -
M*A*S*H* TV show premiers
The series was developed by Larry Gelbart and premiered in the US on September 17, 1972, and ended February 28, 1983, with the finale becoming the most-watched television episode in U.S. television history with 105.97 million viewers. Like the movie, the series was as much an allegory about the Vietnam War (still in progress when the show began) as it was about the Korean War. It took a number of minor creative liberties with the actual facts of the Korean War. -
First successful video game (Pong) Launched
PONG arcade machines started in late 1972 with Atari PONG which had an immediate success, resulting in around 19,000 PONG machines sold. Soon after PONG entered the one year old video game market, numerous companies copied the game (an easy task as it was built with simple electronic chips and a regular TV set). Atari's first PONG license was sold to Allied Leisure who released the game under the name of Paddle Battle. -
HBO launched
HBO, Home Box Office, was born in November, 1972 and initially used microwave to broadcast its signal. On December 13, 1975, HBO began broadcasting via satellite - just in time to show the famous "Thrilla in Manilla" boxing match between Joe Frazier and Mohammad Ali. Early HBO presentation was simple, and downright primitive compared to the glossy, state-of-the-art presentation that HBO cultivates today. -
Abortion Legalized in US.
On January 22nd, 1973, the Supreme Court made a landmark decision in the case of Roe v. Wade that legalized abortion. Even now, the ruling is still controversial with people debating over certain limits or banning it outright -
US pulls out of Vietnam
March 29th marked the final U.S. troops withdrawing from the Vietnam Warzone, with Nixon saying, “The day we have all worked and prayed for has finally come.” Though it signaled peace, it would not be the end of hostilities in Vietnam until Saigon fell to the Communists. -
OPEC doubles price of oil
Due to losses experienced by Egypt and Syria in the Yom Kippur war, a result of U.S. military assistance to Israel, Arab-dominated OPEC used a 70% increase in oil prices when said losing nations had the tide against them on October 17. This eventually went of 130% more (effectively doubling prices) by December. -
US Vice President Resigns
Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned after being charged with tax evasions and accused of accepting bribes, as well as being charged with extortion and conspiracy. Unlike the first V.P. to resign, who resigned to become a senator, these criminal charges were more likely responsible. -
Paul Getty Kidnapped
Paul Getty III, grandson of incredibly rich oil tycoon Paul Getty I, was kidnapped on July 10th and was held for ransom until November because his frugal grandfather refused to pay the ransom of $17 million until a letter with his grandson’s ear was received with another ransom of $3.2 million dollars. Even then, the grandfather did not pay it to the fullest and poor Paul Getty III was traumatized and had a stressful later life. -
UPC Barcodes come to US.
In 1973 the United States grocery industry formally established the UPC as the barcode standard for product identification. Both GS-1 United States and GS-1 Canada, the global standards bodies for retail bar-coding, issue the GS-1 Partner Number, which is your company's prefix. -
The Wars Powers Act
At the start of the Vietnam War, the War Powers Act was established to limit the president’s ability of sending in troops into combat situations, a scenario much like what President LBJ did with the Tonkin Resolution that had begun the bloodshed and horrors of this war. The president can only send in troops with Congressional approval and can only be sent for 60 days unless a declaration of war or a mandate is made by Congress. -
Sears Tower Built
In May 1973, the building that would hold the world record for tallest building for almost 25 yrs. was completed and dubbed the Sears Tower after 4 years of planning and construction. -
Endangered Species Act
On Dec. 28, Nixon signed the Endangered Species Act into law to strengthen “inadequate” conservation laws, especially for critically endangered or almost instinct species of life. Many species did recover after this was passed and continue to thrive more today. -
Patty Hearst Kidnapped
The Symbionese Liberation Army kidnapped Ms. Hearst on February 4th in her Berkeley apartment to serve as another member of their ‘army’ against the ‘war’ on those with status and money like her father, William Randolph Hearst. This was achieved through harsh physical and psychological treatment that almost guaranteed Hearst’s cooperation and even alliance -
Girls allowed to play in Little League Baseball
Due to a ruling from the previous year by Sylvia Pressler, girls with athletic dreams were finally allowed into the Little League sports of baseball and softball. Pressler said, “The institution of Little League is as American as the hotdog and apple pie. There is no reason why that part of Americana should be withheld from girls." -
U.S. President Nixon Resigns
Due to a loss of support and certainty of impeachment from the Watergate Scandal, President Nixon resigned on August 9th, 1974 after addressing the public the evening before. He is also the first president ever to do so. -
Gerald Ford pardons Nixon
President Ford pardoned former President Nixon on Sept. 18th, 1974 as issued by Proclamation 4311. This was met by a dip in his approval ratings, from 71% to 49%. -
National speed limit 55
To lessen the impact of oil price spikes and supply disruptions, President Nixon signed the National Maximum Speed Law that capped the speed limit at 55 in U.S highways. However, this law was unpopular and was found to have a noncompliance rate of 83%, leading to it being repealed in 1995. -
Freedom of Information Act passed over Ford’s veto
On November 20, 1974, as well as the day following, the House of Representatives and the Senate majority voted to override Ford’s veto to the Freedom of Information Act’s 1974 Amendments. This occurred after the Watergate Scandal, and opposition to the bill were mainly concerned about leaks. It secured the public’s right for access to information. -
Saigon falls to communism
The event marked the end of the Vietnam War and the start of a transition period leading to the formal reunification of Vietnam under communist rule -
Microsoft Founded
Established on April 4, 1975 to develop and sell BASIC interpreters for the Altair 8800, Microsoft rose to dominate the home computer operating system market with MS-DOS in the mid-1980s, followed by the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems -
Computerized Supermarket checkouts begin to appear
A supermarket checkout now allows the operator to scan the barcodes of a basket of items, and produces an itemized bill for the customer -
President Ford assassination attempts (2)
Sept. 5, 1975, Squeaky Fromme was the first to try and assonate President Ford. Seventeen days after Fromme's assassination attempt, another Manson "Family" member, Sara Jane Moore, also tried to kill the president. September 22, 1975 in San Francisco, Sara Jane Moore fired a shot at President Ford that missed his head by several feet. She spent 32 years in prison for attempting to assassinate President Gerald Ford. -
Arthur Ashe First Black Man to Win Wimbledon
Came as somewhat of a surprise to the tennis establishment. After winning a tennis scholarship to UCLA, Ashe was taken under the wing of tennis star Pancho Gonzales, who recognized the young player’s potential -
Francisco Franco dies
Was a Spanish military general and head of state of Spain from October 1936 until his death in November 1975. He participated in the Rif War in Morocco, becoming the youngest general in Europe by 1926. -
Catalytic convertors introduced on cars
In automobiles, this typically results in 90% conversion of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides into less harmful gases. A catalytic converter works by using a catalyst to stimulate a chemical reaction in which the by-products of combustion are converted to produce less harmful and/or inert substances, such as the very poisonous carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide. -
Jimmy Hoffa disappears
Hoffa went to the Red Fox Restaurant outside of Detroit to allegedly meet three men, a Detroit labor leader, an important local mobster and a powerful figure in New Jersey Teamster politics. After waiting for Hoffa was seen getting into a car in the restaurant parking lot with several other men. Investigators are pretty sure that he never got out of the car alive. -
Apple Computer launched
Apple was established on April 1, 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne, to sell the Apple I personal computer kit. They were hand-built by Wozniak and first shown to the public at the Homebrew Computer Club. The Apple I was sold as a motherboard (with CPU, RAM, and basic textual-video chips)—less than what is today considered a complete personal computer. The Apple I went on sale in July 1976 and was market-priced at $666.66 ($2,572 in 2011 dollars) -
Karen Ann Quinlan
Karen A. Quinlan, 21, collapsed at a party after swallowing alcohol and the tranquilizer Valium on April 14. Doctors saved her life, but she suffered brain damage and lapsed into a "persistent vegetative state." Her family waged a much-publicized legal battle for the right to remove her life support machinery. They succeeded, but final twist, Quinlan kept breathing after the respirator was unplugged. She remained in a coma for almost 10 years in a New Jersey nursing home until her 1985 death. -
Betamax VCR’s released
Betamax (sometimes called Beta) is a home videocassette tape recording format developed by Sony, released on May 10, 1976 The cassettes contain 1/2-inch (12.7mm)-wide videotape in a design similar to the earlier, professional 3/4-inch (19.05mm) U-matic format. The format is generally considered obsolete, though it is still used in specialist applications by a small minority of people. -
Entebbe Air Raid
On June 27th 1976, a mixed group of German and Palestinian terrorists hijacked an Air France Airbus A300 which was travelling from Tel Aviv to Paris via Athens. The plane was diverted to Entebbe Airport in Uganda, after a refueling stop in Benghazi, Libya. Over the next few days, many of the hostages were released, but over 100 Israeli and Jewish passengers remained in the hands of the hijackers. -
North and South Vietnam Join to Form the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
In early 1975, North Vietnamese regular military forces began a major offensive in the south, inflicting great damage to the south's forces. The communists took Saigon on April 30, 1975, and announced their intention to reunify the country. The Democratic Republic of Vietnam (north) absorbed the former Republic of Vietnam (south) to form the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on July 2, 1976. -
West Point admits women
On the morning of July 7, 1976, 119 women joined the Corps of Cadets, establishing the first class of females at The United States Military Academy at West Point. Of those, 62 women walked across Michie Stadium to graduate in May 1980, becoming second lieutenants in the Army, and making history in the process. -
Legionnaire’s disease strikes 182, kills 29
In late July 1976, American Legionnaires returning from a state convention in Philadelphia began to fall ill with mysterious symptoms: pneumonia and fevers topping 107 degrees. By early August, news organizations across the country were reporting that 6 to 14 of the men in Pennsylvania had died. Others were in hospitals fighting for their lives. No laboratory tests could determine the cause of their illness. -
Mao Tse-tung dies
Mao Tse-tung died of a heart attack on September 9, 1976 in Beijing, China. Some sources state that he died of Parkinson disease. Mao was 82 when he died. Tiananmen Square is the home of his mausoleum. -
Nadia Comaneci Given Seven Perfect Tens
Comaneci earned a total of seven perfect ten scores at those Olympic Games. She won three gold medals for the all-around competition, uneven bars, and balance beam. She also won a silver medal for the team competition and a bronze medal for the floor exercise. Comaneci became the first Romanian to win the all-around title and she was also the youngest all-around champion at 14 years old. -
President Carter pardons Vietnam Draft Dodgers
On Jan. 21st, President Jimmy Carter pardoned thousands of Vietnam Draft Dodgers on his first day as president, primarily those who fled the country or did not register, a way to mend what was left of the war, unlike Ford’s conditional amnesty. However, deserters and those who protested violently were excluded from Carter’s pardon, showing the importance of both the military and internal peace. -
Miniseries Roots Airs
Adapted from Alex Haley’s novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family, Roots started airing on Jan. 23rd and ended on the thirtieth. It goes over the history of an African-American family and sparked interest in oral and genealogical history. Most of all, the finale is still the third-highest rated U.S. program of all time. -
Red Dye #2 is banned
Because of carcinogen fears and an experiment in which several aged female rats were fed the dye (and developed tumors), the FDA had decided to ban Red Dye #2 from any use at all, ranging from food to cosmetics, on Feb. 13th, 1977, according to most sources. -
Star Wars Movie Released
The famous franchise all started in May 25th, when George Lucas released the first of the Star Wars movies, the fourth one, to be exact. It sparked the intensely popular movie series that would capture the attention of millions today and expand its franchise to all sorts of product areas. -
Alaskan Pipeline completed
The Alaskan Pipeline was completed on May 31st after construction began in the wake of the oil crisis of 1973, with construction starting in ’75. -
New York City blackout
On July 13th, a mass blackout affected New York City, and while several people had helped each other, it had instigated rioting, looting, and other such events, just as the city was going through a financial crisis. Over $300 million dollars of damage and looting were sustained and there were so many arrests that the prisons overflowed -
First black Miss Universe
Janelle Commissing, representing Trinidad and Tobago, had become the first black Miss Universe sometime near July 16th, a truly historic moment for the world and black rights. She went on to be an advocate for black rights and peace, a truly inspirational way of giving after her crowning. -
Neutron bomb funding began
At around July 18th, President Carter allowed funding, reluctantly though, for the neutron bomb which would show technological and military superiority over the U.S.S.S.R during the Cold War. The destructive power of such a bomb could destroy human life while keeping buildings and technology undamaged, a truly deadly weapon. -
Elvis Found Dead
Elvis Presley was found dead by his girlfriend in the bathroom on August 16th. This was a shock to the nation of America, much like the break-up of the Beatles. The cause of death can be argued, but was deemed by his physician chronic constipation that had actually been persisting before, though it was not known at the time. -
Atlantic City permits gambling
The first legal casino in Atlantic City opened on May 26th in order to revitalize tourism, a main source of income for the city. However some were against this, saying it only made urban problems worse because of impoverished, working-class neighborhoods right near the rich and tourist attracting casinos. It also marked the first the East Coast casino as well -
First Test-Tube Baby Born
Louise Joy Brown gained attention when she was born on July 25th as the world’s very first test-tube baby. The event was an incredible breakthrough in medical science, but many were concerned about the possible side effects or negative effects that could occur just for being outside the womb. However, Louise was born healthy and had no apparent illnesses, causing this method to be commonplace for infertile couples. -
Love Canal in New York declared federal disaster
On August 7th, President Carter declared that the 15 acre neighborhood of the Love Canal was a federal disaster and emergency, as it was built on top of a toxic chemical landfill with over 21 tons of chemical waste that led to birth defects, a high miscarriage rate, and deformities that would affect the rest of the afflicted one’s life. -
Camp David accords for Middle East Peace
On Sept. 17th, 1978, Egyptian President Anwar El Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin signed the Camp David Accords that would help set the standard and framework for peace in the Middle East. The events beforehand were a shock to many nations when peace talks started ensuing, but President Carter had pushed for a peace agreement between the two nations during negotiations in Camp David, ultimately leading to the accords. -
John Paul II Becomes Pope
Born as Karol Jozef Wojtyla, John Paul II became the pope on October 16th and would stay pope for almost 27 years, one of the longest pontificates in history. The pope would be an influential figure in the world until his death on April 2, 2005. -
Jonestown Massacre
The Jonestown “People’s Temple” cult committed a mass suicide of over 900 people on November 18th, willingly followed by the those under James Warren Jones after his guards had killed Congressman Leo Ryan and 4 cult members wishing to leave. It was incredibly disturbing that they gave their lives willingly just because their cult would not continue to function since survivors of the shooting escaped. -
Ayatollah Khomeini Returns as Leader of Iran
While Ayatollah Khomeini was gone, another leader stepped up to the plate as a leader and took his position. Half of the people were ecstatic but the other half were very angered. He was leader for 15 years, but then decided to step down. -
ESPN starts broadcasting
EPSN was back then, just starting to take its rise above the sport channels. ESPN features an abundant amount of different sports all on one channel brought to you at home. For people back then, this was new for them, and very exciting for sport lovers. -
Nuclear Accident at Three Mile Island
In 1979, there was a Nuclear Accident at Three Mile Island. What caused this was trouble within the cooling system in the plant. Some radioactive gas was released a couple of days after the accident, but not enough to cause any dose above background levels to local residents. Three Mile Island is located near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in the USA. -
Margaret Thatcher First Woman Prime Minister of Great Britain
Margaret Thatcher was the first lady prime minister ever, although she was not the first prime minister or president in the world. In the end, she ended up holding office for 11 years. -
Sony Introduces the Walkman
Sony’s Walkman was a music player first and foremost but it had no record function. This has been invented before, but the 1979 version was the most up to date version. Basically, what the walkman was a portable caste player called the Walkman. -
Jerry Falwell begins Moral Majority
The Moral Majority's stated mission was to "reverse the politicization of immorality in our society." In the 1980s, Falwell's group claimed 6.5 million members, raising $69 million for conservative politicians and helping to elect Ronald Reagan president in 1980. -
The Greensboro Massacre
Occurred on November 3, 1979. When the Klan/Nazis arrived, they pulled up to the curb in a group, alighted from the cars, calmly went to the trunks, removed their weapons, and began firing into the crowd of demonstrators. No police intervention was forthcoming. Only five people died in this tragedy. Survivors converted to the Communists Workers Party, which had resulted in acquittals during the Klan members’ murder trial. -
Iran Takes American Hostages in Tehran
52 American hostages held at the US embassy in Tehran for more than 14 months have arrived in West Germany on their way home to the United States. It all began on the terrible day in November 1979 when a group of radical Iranian students stormed the American embassy in Tehran. They all, 444 of them were taken hostage, the finally got released in the future
