-
Vernacular
- Black Power was the non-violent protests and reactions that blacks held against racial discrimination.
- Earth Shoes were first sold, coincidentally on April 1st, the first Earth Day, and were very fashionable.
- Mood rings were first produced at this time and were sold for a lot of money. They were a fad in the 1970's.
- Lava Lamps were very popular in the ‘70s. If you had one, then you were pretty much awesome.
- The Rubik’s Cube was invented in the ‘70s by twenty-nine-year-old Erno Rubik.
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Period: to
The Seventies
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18-Year-Olds Given the RIght to Vote
Those who were 18-years-old protested that it was unfair that they can be drafted to serve in the Vietnam War and fight for their country but they did not have the right to vote. The Constitution was soon amended so that the voting age was 18 as opposed to 21. Citizens of the US could now participate in politics through voting at the age of 18. -
Aswan High Dam Completed
Event: The Aswan High Dam was created in Aswan, Egypt on the Nile River and completed in 1970. It was built of rock and clay to be able to control floods, produce hydroelectric power and for irrigation. The dam has produced more than a total of 10 billion kilowatt-hours every single year. It also has had negative effects for the fertility of the land near the dam has gradually decreased. This dam has modernized the largest Arab nation in Africa. -
Beatles Break Up
The Beatles broke up on April 10, 1970 to the distress of everyone. Paul McCartney announced, “I have no further plans to record or appear with the Beatles again.” The Beatles formed Britain’s most popular pop group and they were popular all around the world. McCartney left the group in order to be able to give the management of the group to his father-in-law but the other three voted for a different manager. When the Beatles broke up, fans around the world were devastated. -
Apollo 13 Mission Suffers Setback
This was the mission to the moon and the spacecraft was out in space and a meteorite hit the ship and a tank exploded and there was no more oxygen. The scientists on earth tried to figure out how to get their air clean or the astronauts would die in Outer Space. They figured out how to use items to force the air through an oxygen filter. This mission was a failure but they succeeded in preserving the lives of those onboard. -
First Earth Day
The first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970. Earth Day was founded by Gaylord Nelson who served as a United States Senator. Gaylord Nelson called for Earth Day responding to environmental degradation. Earth Day is celebrated all around the world to bring recognition to Earth and environmental problems. The establishment of Earth Day is important because it brings worldwide recognition of environmental problems. -
Kent State Shootings
The Kent State Shootings showed that our government was out of control. Four college students who happened to be there were killed. The Ohio National Guard fired into a crowd of unarmed college students of which four were killed and an additional nine were wounded. Some of these students were protesting the American invasion in Cambodia yet many who were shot at were innocent bystanders who happened to be there. -
US soldiers Found Guilty of Murder in My Lei Massacre
The My Lei Massacre was not war. The enforcement of the Geneva Convention enforced the rules of war. They held soldiers accountable for their war crimes of murdering approximately 500 innocent and unarmed citizens. About 30 soldiers actually participated and not only killed these citizens but physically abused many of them as well. This massacre was kept quiet but a couple of people investigated and revealed the particulars to officials. The soldiers who participated in the My Lei Massacre as we -
Bar Codes Introduced in the UK on Retail Products
Before bar codes, they had to manually count the products that they had. Bar codes made it able so that the items being bought can be kept track of through the machines. Those working the cashiers had to add in the prices themselves and they manually kept track of inventory so stealing was very common and no one would get caught because of the lack of honest supervision. With the introduction of bar codes, prices were automatically entered in and the inventory was automatically updated. Therefor -
Computer Floppy Disks Introduced
Computer Floppy Disks were introduced in 1970 and manufactured to be able to provide an alternative to using hard drives which were, at the time, very expensive. The floppy disks were used as storage devices that were easy to store, cheaper than hard drives, and easy to exchange. Another advantage of floppy disks was that more and more computer programs required more storage space so it was much easier to simply buy more cheap floppy disks than more expensive hard drives. -
EPA is Created
EPA stands for Environmental Protection Agency which is an agency of the US federal government. The EPA is in charge of protecting human health and the environment as well. They formulate and enforce laws passed by Congress. This means that the Federal Agency is now going to enforce laws concerning environmental protection and conservation. -
Palestinian Group Hijacks Five Planes
In September of 1970, Palestinian groups hijacked five planes. They decided to take on a daring skyjacking mission and hijacked two planes on September 6th with more than 300 hostages, of which the majority was Americans. Another plane was hijacked and taken to Cairo. The Secretary of Defense refused to involve the military because of their presence in Vietnam. After a few days, heavy fighting broke out and all of the hostages were released as well as the hijackers themselves. -
World Trade Center is completed
The World Trade Center in Manhattan was the first dedicated place for International Trade. The construction of this seven building complex, promoted international trading. Business would now prosper with various resources of all kinds being traded throughout the world. -
Awards
Super Bowl: Kansas City Chiefs
Oscar’s: Best Picture: Patton
Best Actor: George C. Scott for Patton
Best Actress: Glenda Jackson for Women in Love
World Cup: Brazil
Noble Prize: (In Literature) Aleksandr Isayevich Solzhenitsyn
(Peace Prize) Norman E. Borlaug
TIME Magazine's Person of the Year: Willy Brandt -
Newbery Awards
Newberry Award: 1970 Medal Winner: Sounder by William H. Armstrong (Harper) Honor Books:
o Our Eddie by Sulamith Ish-Kishor (Pantheon)
o The Many Ways of Seeing: An Introduction to the Pleasures of Art by Janet Gaylord Moore (World)
o Journey Outside by Mary Q. Steele (Viking) -
Top 10 Songs
Top 10 Songs:
1. Layla - Derek and the Dominos
2. Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon and Garfunkel
3. Let It Be - The Beatles
4. Your Song - Elton John
5. Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine - James Brown
6. Lola - The Kinks
7. Who'll Stop the Rain - Creedence Clearwater Revival
8. Fire and Rain - James Taylor
9. Paranoid - Black Sabbath
10. All Right Now - Free -
Vernacular
- The Smiley Face design became popular in 1971. Over 50 million buttons with the smiley face design were sold.
- Pet rocks were a fad in the early 1970s. Dahl created a manual for a pet rock with all sorts of puns and gags and play on words.
- Sea Monkeys were what they called brine shrimp in the early 1970s that had exxagerated advertisements.
- Bell-Bottom Pants were fashionable for women. The pants would flare from the knee. -Streaking was when someone ran nude through a public place.
-
Pentagon Papers Released
When the Pentagon Papers were released, the citizens were mad because it showed the American people that power can be abused. You cannot have blind trust in anybody. They learned of things that were happening in Vietnam that they did not previously know about. The American people were thus able to understand more of the government and the role they played in Vietnam as well as the role they played as the government of the United States. The people were not happy about being decieved. -
VCRs Introduced
VCRs were very expensive yet they recorded in color and they were easy to use. The previous home video systems were expensive to both buy and operate not to mention that they only recorded in black and white. VCRs were preferable to other home video systems and were a hit in the market. They may have been an even bigger hit had they been less expensive. -
End of Gold Standard for US Currency
The US dollar was Fiat Money so the US dollar has value because the government says so. The government backs up value of money, not gold. Before, those who had huge deposits of gold could bring in money when gold was precious but when there was less gold abroad, they could release the gold in increments. This enabled whoever had possession of the gold to be able to play the gold so that they were rich. With the deviations of the value of gold and the dollar in relation to it, Nixon realized this -
Direct Dial Between New York and London
This was the first time that they did not have to contact the operator and when they did have to contact the operator, it took a considerable amount of time not to mention that it was very expensive. People in the United States could now contact those in London directly and without the assistance of an operator. -
Attica State Prison Riots
There was a riot that lasted for a total of four days at the Attica Correctional Facility near Buffalo, New York. At the end of the riot, 39 people were killed. It was amazing that all of the prisoners, whether they were black, Latino or white, were all united in this revolt. There was absolutely no racism in the prison yards. The guards were, however, all white and a little more than half of the prisoners were black. The guards were very racist and so the prisoners were not given their rights. -
Amtrak Created
On May 1, Amtrak began operating railroads that could carry passengers between cities. The name actually is derived from the words “America” and “track.” The trains would carry passengers to various cities. It took a few years to be able to get big and actually have their colors and logo painted on all of the Amtrak equipment. -
Cigarette Ads are Banned on TV
Television is paid for by commercials. Kids were the ones who watched television the most and so it was the kids who were being encouraged to smoke. People decided that that was wrong, so no more cigarette ads were allowed on television. The banning of cigarette ads on television was an excellent move. Kids should not be encouraged to have any substance that ruins their health. -
Mr. Elliott Graduated
This is when Mr. Elliott graduated from High School! -
London Bridge Brought to the US
The London Bridge is to London what the Eiffel Tower is to Paris. Real Estate workers tried to figure out how to get people to come to Arizona so they said what if they could buy the London Bridge and take it apart and bring it over here in the middle of the desert. With the London Bridge being relocated into the middle of the Arizonian Desert, came many tourists. It was amusing thinking of such a grand bridge being in the middle of a desert. -
Disney World Opens
Disney World was opened on June 20, 1971. Disneyland was popular but not very many people from the East came to Disneyland. It was decided that a new Disney Resort would be built near Orlando. From experiences at Disneyland, they found ways to be able to improve the park. For one thing, Walt Disney wanted to make the park seem magical and isolated from the outside world. The construction of this new Disney Resort would be very popular. Its location was in the East nearer to where more than half -
Microprocessor is Introduced
They did not have computers before the microprocessor. Before this, it took equipment that took up an entire classroom sized area. The microprocessor was much smaller and was the beginning of the smaller computers. At that time, the microprocessor was amazing and brought a more portability aspect to computers. The production of other computer related technology soon followed. The market prospered from the selling of the new -
Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education
In this lawsuit meant that busting to create racial equality is legal. Those who lived in the country could be busted to a school in the city and those in the city could be busted to a school in the country in order to keep the schools racially equal or in other words, segregated. This case stated that the busting was legal as long as it was to maintain “racial equality.” -
China Joins the UN
China was not in the UN previously. Now that China is in the UN, we can talk out our differences. It is easy now to tell them that we have a problem and that we want to work it out. China is an important business partner and the ability to work out differences civilly and in a more peaceful manner was no possible and the prospect of losing China as a trading partner was now much less likely. The entering of China into the UN was a huge advantage to us. We would prosper in the relationship. -
First Benefit Concert Organized for Bangladesh by George Harrison
The concert for Bangladesh was held on August 1, 1971 at Madison Square Garden, in New York City. This concert was organized to raise funds for East Pakistan’s struggle. East Pakistan was in the midst of the Bangladesh Liberation War, struggling to become a separate state of Bangladesh. -
South Vietnam and US Invade Laos
During the Vietnam War, the South Vietnamese army along with American military invaded Laos in the year of 1971. Earlier, in January, the US troops were not allowed to invade Laos for it was outlawed by Congress. The invasion of Laos resulted in over 7,000 South Vietnamese casualties as well as 215 killed Americans with hundreds of helicopters damaged and destroyed. -
D.B. Cooper
D. B. Cooper is the name that was given to an unidentified man who hijacked a Boeing 727 aircraft on November 24, 1971. This man was traveling under the alias, Dan Cooper. He had collected the ransom money for his hostages and jumped out with a parachute. He has not yet been identified and it is not known whether he survived his jump or not. -
Awards
Super Bowl: Baltimore Colts
Oscar’s: Best Picture: The French Connection
Best Actor: Gene Hackman for The French Connection
Best Actress: Jane Fonda for Klute
Nobel Prize: THE NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE
Pablo Neruda
THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
Willy Brandt
Time Magazine’s Person of the Year: Richard M. Nixon -
Newbery Awards
Newbery Award: 1971 Medal Winner: Summer of the Swans by Betsy Byars (Viking) Honor Books:
o Knee Knock Rise by Natalie Babbitt (Farrar)
o Enchantress From the Stars by Sylvia Louise Engdahl (Atheneum)
o Sing Down the Moon by Scott O'Dell (Houghton) -
Top 10 Songs
Top 10 Songs:
1. Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin
2. Imagine - John Lennon
3. What's Going On - Marvin Gaye
4. Let's Stay Together - Al Green
5. Maggie May - Rod Stewart
6. American Pie - Don McLean
7. Won't Get Fooled Again - The Who
8. Brown Sugar - The Rolling Stones
9. Just My Imagination - The Temptations
10. Family Affair - Sly and the Family Stone -
Vernacular
-Platform Shoes were boots or sandals that had a thick sole of about four inches and were very popular for women and musicians.
- Hot Pants was a song sung by James Brown in 1971 and was the #1 R&B hit in the country.
- Clogs also had thick soles of several inches and became fashionable for both men and women alike.
-Leisure Suits were casual suits that were made up of a shirt-like jacket and matching trousers. They were the fad then.
- Disco was a type of dancing and is associated with the 70s. -
Nixon Visits China
President Nixon was the first president to go overseas to another country while being president. His visit to China was the first step to formally normalizing relations between the US and China. Nixon visited with Mao Zedong who was currently chairman or leader of China. This visit has helped to establish a friendlier relationship with China for previously, China viewed the US as one of their most formidable foes. -
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Introduced
The SSI was signed into law by President Nixon in the year of 1972. This program was enacted to assist the aged, blind and disabled. The SSI improves the quality of life for anyone who was elderly or was disabled and had no means to work or provide for themselves. SSI was “designed to provide a positive assurance that the Nation’s aged, blind, and disabled people would no longer have to subsist on below property-level incomes” -
First Successful Video Game (PONG) Launched
Pong was one of the earliest arcade video games. This video game became very popular in the early ‘70s. This game was developed by Atari Inc. and one of its engineers, Alan Alcorn who developed it as a training exercise. Bushnell was the one who secretly assigned the exercise to Alan. The game was a success and was very popular with many young people. Soon after, home versions were also developed. -
Last Man on the Moon
Apollo 17 was the eleventh and final manned mission to the moon. There were three men onboard the spaceship of which two got to set foot on the moon itself. Apollo 18 had been cancelled so this would be the last chance in quite a while for astronauts would be able to go to the moon. -
War Powers Act Vetoed
The War Powers Act was vetoed by Nixon in 1972. The War Powers Act states that the president must account for his troops in another country within 30 days. This limited the US’ involvement in other wars without an official declaration of war. This Act also endangered the Separation of Powers. -
Nixon Visits Soviet Union
President Nixon met with Leonid Brezhnev who was the Soviet Leader at that time. They engaged in intense negotiations where they came to agreements for increased trade and a total of two landmark arms control treaties. Nixon strategized that if he could come to somewhat friendly terms with China and the Soviet Union then the war in Vietnam might come to an end earlier if the two large Communist powers became uninterested in the Vietnam War and they could negotiate a settlement that the US could -
George Wallace Shot While Campaigning
George Corley Wallace Jr. ran for president during the year 1972 and his campaigning went really well for the next four months. However, when Wallace was campaigning in Laurel, Maryland, on May 15, 1972, he was shot five times by Arthur Bremer. One of the bullets lodged in Wallace’s spinal column and he was left paralyzed from the waist down. Three others were also wounded but all survived. Bremer soon after published his diary, An Assassin’s Diary. The diary showed that the assassination attemp -
Watergate Scandal Begins
The Watergate Scandal was a political scandal that took place on June 17, 1972. Five men were arrested for the breaking and entering of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate complex. FBI was able to track the burglars’ payments to the president’s staff. It was revealed that President Nixon had a recording system in his office and the Supreme Court ruled that Nixon had to hand over the tapes. From these tapes, they learned that the president had attempted to cover up the -
Title IX Signed Into Law by Nixon
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 was signed into law by President Nixon on June 23, 1972. Title IX is the legislation that bans sex discrimination in schools, both in academics and athletics. Title IX states, "No person in the U.S. shall, on the basis of sex be excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving federal aid." -
Mark Spitz Wins Seven Gold Medals
Mark Andrew Spitz won seven gold medals at the Summer Munich Olympic Games in the year of 1972. In the years between 1968 and 1972, Spitz won nine gold medals as well as silver and a bronze. He set 33 world records and was the most successful athlete in the 1972 Summer Olympic Games. -
Supreme Court Rules Against Death Penalty
The Supreme Court ruled against the death penalty on June 29, 1972. The majority voted that the death penalty was unconstitutional because it violated the Eighth Amendment. The vote was 5-4. Of the five who voted that it was unconstitutional, only three of the five justices actually believed that the death penalty was wrong where the other two were concerned that the punishment was given out unevenly. -
Terrorists Attack at the Olympic Games in Munich
During the Summer Olympic Games in Munich, members of the Israeli Olympic team were taken hostage and murdered by Black September. Black September was the name of the Islamic terrorist group. Black September killed 11 Israeli athletes and coaches as well as one West German police officer. Of the eight members of Black September, five were killed and the other three were taken captive. -
Pocket Calculators Introduced
In August 1972, the four-function Sinclair Executive was the first pocket calculator and was sold for about $150. Later in the year, however, more pocket calculators were created and sold for less than $10. Being able to have a small pocket calculator would have been so awesome. You no longer had to use your brain for everything because now you could afford a portable calculator. -
Klu Klux Klan Riots in New York City
The Klu Klux Klan rioted in Central Park in New York City. In the riots/protests, 3 people died. The fact that the Klu Klux Klan was still in action was unsettling especially for the blacks which the Klu Klux Klan discriminated and acted against with lynchings among several other things. It was also very sad that so many still persisted in being so rascist. -
M*A*S*H TV Show Premiers
M*A*S*H T.V. series premiered on the 17th of September in 1972 and continued to play on television until the year of 1983. This show was about the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in the middle of the Korean War. The doctors, nurses, administrators and soldiers all find ways to make wartime life bearable with practical jokes, revenge and a good laugh. -
HBO Launched
HBO stands for Home Box Office which was launched on November 8, 1972. This T.V. channel was broadcast across Manhattan through cables underground since satellite distribution was at the time, a distant possibility. This channel broadcasted shows and sport events. HBO was the fastest growing TV pay service in America. -
Awards
Super Bowl: Dallas
Oscar’s: Best Picture: The Godfather
Best Actor: Marlon Brando for The Godfather
Best Actress: Liza Minnelli for Cabaret
Nobel Prize: THE NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE
Heinrich Böll
THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
No Nobel Prize was awarded this year.
Time Magazine’s Person of the Year: Nixon and Kissinger -
Newbery Awards
Newbery Awards: 1972 Medal Winner: Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien (Atheneum) Honor Books:
o Incident At Hawk's Hill by Allan W. Eckert (Little, Brown)
o The Planet of Junior Brown by Virginia Hamilton (Macmillan)
o The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K. LeGuin (Atheneum)
o Annie and the Old One by Miska Miles (Little, Brown)
o The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Keatley Snyder (Atheneum) -
Top 10 Songs
Top 10 Songs:
1. Superstition - Stevie Wonder
2. Papa Was a Rollin' Stone - The Temptations
3. Smoke on the Water - Deep Purple
4. Lean on Me - Bill Withers
5. Heart of Gold - Neil Young
6. Walk on the Wild Side - Lou Reed
7. You Are the Sunshine of My Life - Stevie Wonder
8. If You Don't Know Me by Now - Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
9. I'll Take You There - The Staple Singers
10. Tumbling Dice - The Rolling Stones -
Vernacular
-A floppy disk is a data storage medium that were portable.
-A neutron bomb is a type of nuclear weapon designed to release radiation rather than explosive energy.
-Jumbo jets were new and the Boeing 747 was treated as a revolution in air travel.
-Ping-pong diplomacy refers to the exchange of ping pong players between the US and China that marked an improvement of relationships with China.
-Groovy is a slang word springing out of African American cultrue meaning "cool", "excellent" or "amazing". -
US Pulls out of Vietnam
In the year of 1973, there was a cease-fire agreement in Paris. The United States’ troops pulled out of Vietnam in stages. All of the soldiers were out of Vietnam by March. Everyone rejoiced at the end of the Vietnam War and the return of the drafted soldiers. President Nixon had promised to end the war in his inauguration and he did. The war was ended and no one had to endure those horrific events in Vietnam again. -
Sears Tower Built
Sears Tower, also known as Willis Tower, was completed in May 1973. This building is 108 stories tall skyscraper in Chicago. At the time that it was built and until 25 years later, it was the tallest building in the world. The building was created to be an office for the 350,000 employees who were working throughout the Chicago area. -
Paul Getty Kidnapped
John Paul Getty was kidnapped in the Piazza Farnese in Rome at 3 am on July 10, 1973. He was held for ransom and his kidnapper demanded $17 million dollars in exchange for Getty’s safe return. His grandfather refused to pay the ransom and soon later, a lock of hair and a human ear was sent to a daily newspaper with a threat that stated, “This is Paul’s ear. If we don’t get some money within 10 days, then the other ear will arrive. In other words, he will arrive in bits.” The grandfather finally -
Abortion Legalized in US
Roe v. Wade was a landmark case in which abortion was legalized. The United States Supreme Court decided that the Fourteenth Amendment also extends to a woman’s decision to have an abortion. This case opened up a debate over whether and to what extent abortion should be legal. -
OPEC Doubles Price of Oil
With OPEC doubling the price of oil, came the beginning of the gas crisis of the ‘70s. The price of a barrel of oil went from $1.50 to $11.56 in just a few months. The increase in price was actually in retaliation for the support of Israel in the war in Israel. -
UPC Barcodes Come to US
In 1973, the United States grocery industry formally established the UPC as the barcode standard for product identification. UPC-A, the ubiquitous retail barcode, is comprised of three parts: a company prefix, a unique product ID number and a check digit. -
US Vice-President Resigns
Spiro Agnew was the vice-president in the United States in the year 1973. He resigned on October 10, 1973 and pleaded no contest to criminal charges of tax evasion. Spiro Agnew was the second Vice President to resign and yet he did so because of criminal reasons rather than to take a seat in the Senate as John C. Calhoun did when he resigned from being Vice President. -
War Powers Act Passed
The War Powers Act, or more commonly known as the War Powers Resolution, was enacted by the 93rd United States Congress on November 7, 1973. This act was passed by the House of Representatives and Senate but was vetoed by President Nixon in 1972. His veto was overridden by a two-thirds vote in each house in 1973. This act concerned the United States’ involvement in Korea and Vietnam with no official declaration of war. This act required that the president account for action within 30 days and t -
Girls Allowed to Play in Little League Baseball
A ruling by Sylvia Pressler, hearing examiner for the New Jersey Civil Rights Division on Nov. 7, 1973, was later upheld in the Superior Court, leading to Little League Baseball’s admittance of girls into its programs. Until then, Little League regulations had prohibited girls from participating, and the change led to greater opportunities, such as those for the 10 girls who played on teams that have reached the Little League Baseball World Series. -
National Speed Limit 55
In the early 1970s, Congress set the national speed limit at 55 miles per hour. This was an unpopular law. As of November 20, 1973, several states had modified speed limits. The reducing of the speed limit was one of the several actions taken in response to the 1973 oil crisis. -
Awards
Super Bowl: Miami
Oscar’s: Best Picture: The Sting
Best Actor: Jack Lemmon for Save the Tiger
Best Actress: Glenda Jackson for A Touch of Class
Nobel Prize: THE NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE
Patrick White
THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
Henry A. Kissinger, Le Duc Tho
Time Magazine’s Person of the Year: Judge John J. Sirica -
Newbery Awards
Newbery Awards: 1973 Medal Winner: Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George (Harper) Honor Books:
o Frog and Toad Together by Arnold Lobel (Harper)
o The Upstairs Room by Johanna Reiss (Crowell)
o The Witches of Worm by Zilpha Keatley Snyder (Atheneum) -
Top 10 Songs
Top 10 Songs:
1. Free Bird - Lynyrd Skynyrd
2. Let's Get It On - Marvin Gaye
3. Midnight Train to Georgia - Gladys Knight and the Pips
4. Dream On - Aerosmith
5. Living for the City - Stevie Wonder
6. Money - Pink Floyd
7. Piano Man - Billy Joel
8. Killing Me Softly with His Song - Roberta Flack
9. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Elton John
10. That Lady - Isley Brothers -
Endangered Species Act
The Endangered Species Act was signed into law by President Nixon on December 28, 1973. This act was designed to protect critically imperiled species from extinction. The Act is administered by two federal agencies, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Dr. Train incorporated dozens of new principles and ideas into the landmark legislation: crafting a document that completely changed the direction of environmental conservation -
Vernacular
• Can you dig it? - This saying pretty much says, “Do you understand? Can you dig it man?”
• Psyche! - Psyche is to trick someone or to psyche someone out.
• Skinny- Skinny is the real deal or truth ex “let me give you the skinny on the deal.”
• Far out- Far out was just another way to say “you’re cool” back then. -
Patty Hearst Kidnapped
Patty Hearst was kidnapped on February 4, 1974 by three members of the S.L.A. Her kidnappers demanded that food be distributed to the poor. Eventually $30,000 of top-quality food was distributed to the poor. The kidnappers kidnapped Patty in order to get free food to the poor people yet now the poor are taking free groceries without working for it. They deserve help but they shouldn’t just be handed out food all the time. -
US President Nixon Resigns
In light of his loss of political support and the near certainty of impeachment, Nixon resigned the office of the presidency on August 9, 1974, after addressing the nation on television the previous evening. The resignation speech was delivered on August 8, 1974, at 9:01 pm Eastern time from the Oval Office and was carried live on radio and television. The core of the speech was Nixon's announcement that Gerald Ford, as Vice President, would succeed to the presidency, effective at noon Eastern t -
Gerald Ford Pardons Nixon
On September 8, 1974, Ford issued Proclamation 4311, which gave Nixon a full and unconditional pardon for any crimes he may have committed against the United States while President. In a televised broadcast to the nation, Ford explained that he felt the pardon was in the best interests of the country, and that the Nixon family's situation "is a tragedy in which we all have played a part. It could go on and on and on, or someone must write the end to it. I have concluded that only I can do that, -
Freedon of Information Act Passed Over Ford's Veto
On November 20, 1974, the House of Representatives voted to override Ford's veto by a margin of 371 to 31; on November 21, the Senate followed suit by a 65 to 27 vote, giving the United States the core Freedom of Information Act still in effect today with judicial review of executive secrecy claims. -
Awards
Super Bowl: Miami
Oscar’s: Best Picture: The Godfather, Part II
Best Actor: Art Carney for Harry and Tonto
Best Actress: Ellen Burstyn for Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
World Cup: Germany
Nobel Prize: THE NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE
Eyvind Johnson, Harry Martinson
THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
Seán MacBride, Eisaku Sato
Time Magazine’s Person of the Year: Faisal and Oil -
Newbery Awards
Newbery Award: 1974 Medal Winner: The Slave Dancer by Paula Fox (Bradbury) Honor Book:
The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper (McElderry/Atheneum) -
Top 10 Songs
Top 10 Songs:
1. No Woman, No Cry - Bob Marley and the Wailers
2. Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynyrd
3. You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet - Bachman-Turner Overdrive
4. Rock Your Baby - George McCrae
5. Lady Marmalade - LaBelle
6. Autobahn - Kraftwerk
7. Help Me - Joni Mitchell
8. Waterloo - Abba
9. Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe - Barry White
10. Tell Me Something Good - Rufus -
Vernacular
-Good night John-boy was an annoying phrase said by the entire cast of “The Waltons” except by John-boy himself.
-Dream on was used to get someone down to earth, or tell them they are being unrealistic about something.
-Bogus can mean, “Dang it!” or to be annoyed with something.
-“In your face!” means that whoever is saying it upstaged someone else.
-"To the max" was a shortened slang version of, "Take it to the maximum." -
Microsoft Founded
They officially established Microsoft on April 4, 1975, with Gates as the CEO. Microsoft was established to develop and sell BASIC interpreters for the Altair 8800. Microsoft eventually rose to dominate the home computer operating system market. -
Saigon Falls to Communism
The Fall of Saigon was the capture of Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, by the People's Army of Vietnam and the National Liberation Front on April 30, 1975. 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. -
Computerized Supermarket Checkouts Begin to Appear
With the introduction of bar codes, the checkouts began to become electronic and computerized. Now the managing of the products of the stores could be more easily regulated. Now the process of buying products went through computers rather than a person calculating the prices together manually. -
Arthur Ashe First Black Man to Win Wimbledon
Arthur Robert Ashe Jr. was a professional tennis player, born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. During his career, he won three Grand Slam titles, putting him among the best ever from the US. He is also remembered for his efforts to further social causes. He was a civil rights movement leader. -
Catalytic Converters Introduced on Cars
A catalytic converter is a device used to reduce the array of emissions from an internal combustion engine. 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. In automobiles, this typically results in 90% conversion of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides into less harmful gases. These were -
Jimmy Hoffa Disappears
Hoffa disappeared at, or sometime after, 2:45 pm on July 30, 1975, from the parking lot of the Machus Red Fox Restaurant in Bloomfield Township, a suburb of Detroit. According to what he had told others, he believed he was to meet there with two Mafia leaders—Anthony Giacolone from Detroit, and Anthony Provenzano from Union City, New Jersey and New York City. Investigations revealed that Giacolone and Provenzano were each found not to have been in the vicinity of the restaurant that afternoon an -
President Ford Assassination Attempts (2)
Lynette "Squaky" Fromme, a Charles Manson follower, pointed a gun at Ford, though no shots were fired. This was followed by Sara Jane Moore 17 days later to shoot the president in a crowd. -
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. Women were finally allowed admission to the US military academy. The law that gave women admission to America’s service academies also stated that “the academic and other relevant standards required for appointment, (admission) training, graduation and commissioning of female individuals shall be the same as those required for male individuals, exce -
Francisco Franco Dies
Francisco Franco died on November 20, 1975. He was a Spanish military general and head of state of Spain and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain. In July 1974, Franco fell ill from various health problems and soon recovered but one year later he fell ill once again from more health problems including a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. By late October 1975, he fell into a coma and was put on life support. He died on November 20, 1975. -
Awards
Super Bowl: Pittsburgh
Oscar’s: Best Picture: One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest
Best Actor: Jack Nicholson for One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest
Best Actress: Louise Fletcher for One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest
Nobel Prize: THE NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE
Eugenio Montale
THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
Andrei Dmitrievich Sakharov
Time Magazine’s Person of the Year: American Women -
Newbery Awards
Newbery Awards: 1975 Medal Winner: M. C. Higgins, the Great by Virginia Hamilton (Macmillan) Honor Books:
o Figgs & Phantoms by Ellen Raskin (Dutton)
o My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier & Christopher Collier (Four Winds)
o The Perilous Gard by Elizabeth Marie Pope (Houghton)
o Philip Hall Likes Me, I Reckon Maybe by Bette Greene (Dial) -
Top 10 Songs
Top 10 Songs:
1. Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen
2. Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen
3. Walk This Way - Aerosmith
4. Kashmir - Led Zeppelin
5. Tangled Up in Blue - Bob Dylan
6. Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd
7. Thunder Road - Bruce Springsteen
8. One of These Nights - Eagles
9. Low Rider - War
10. I'm Not in Love - 10cc -
Vernacular
• The Funk, Funky- Funky is to be weird, cool, to be cool about something cool, better than groovy or even out of sight, just plain funky.
• Funkadelic- This saying means, awesome and funky at the same time!
• Fab- This is the same as fabulous. For example, “That movie was fab!”
• Get down- The slang term, “Get down,” can also be “boogie,” which they both mean to dance.
• Chill- Chill means what it sounds like. It means to stay cool. -
Betamax VCRs Introduced
The first stand-alone Sony Betamax VCR in the United States, the SL-7200, came on the market in February 1976 priced at $1295. This unit sold much better than the previous TV/VCR combo LV-1901. The external clock to turn the unit on and off at preset times was an optional accessory. -
Karen Ann Quinlan
Karen Ann Quinlan was an important person in the history of the ‘right to die’ controversy in the United States. When she was 21, she became unconscious after arriving home from a party and she stopped breathing twice and she was taken to the hospital. After being kept alive on a ventilator for several months without improvement her parents requested the hospital to allow her to die. There were several legal battles and the tribunal eventually ruled in her parents' favor. -
Apple Computer Launched
Apple Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs and markets consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers. 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. -
Legionnaire's DiseaseStrikes 182, Kills 29
The first appearance of the flu like disease struck at an American Legion Convention in a Philadelphia hotel. Legionnaire is a form of pneumonia. The name is actually derived from the 1976 state convention of the American Legion, a US military veterans’ organization where 192 Legionnaires contracted the disease of which 29 died. -
North and South Vietnam Hoin to Forn the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
South Vietnam briefly came under the nominal rule of a Provisional Revolutionary Government while under military occupation by North Vietnam. On 2 July 1976, North and South were merged to form the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. -
Entebbe Air Raid
Operation Entebbe was a hostage-rescue mission carried out by the Israel Defense Forces at Entebbe Airport in Uganda on July 4, 1976. They planned to rescue the 248 hostages aboard the hijacked plane, Air France. The raid resulted in the death of all of the hijackers and a few of the Jewish hostages were also killed in the crossfire. The hostages were rescued by Operation Entebbe. -
Nadia Comaneci Given Seven Perfect Tens
On July 18, with a total of seven perfect ten scores at Montreal 1976 Games, Olympic legend Nadia Comaneci set a world record for the most 10 scores at a single edition of the Olympic Games. She captured the hearts of the world and became the first gymnast in history to know what it's like to be perfect. -
Mao Tse-tung Dies
Mao Tse-tung died on September 9, 1976 at the age of 82. He was a Chinese revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, poet, political theorist, and leader of the Chinese Revolution. He came into office on March 20, 1943 and held authoritarian control over the nation until his death in 1976. -
Awards
Super Bowl: Pittsburgh
Oscar’s: Best Picture: Rocky
Best Actor: Peter Finch for Network
Best Actress: Faye Dunaway for Network
Nobel Prize: THE NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE
Saul Bellow
THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
Betty Williams, Mairead Corrigan
Time Magazine’s Person of the Year: Jimmy Carter -
Newbery Awards
Newbery Awards: 1976 Medal Winner: The Grey King by Susan Cooper (McElderry/Atheneum) Honor Books:
o The Hundred Penny Box by Sharon Bell Mathis (Viking)
o Dragonwings by Laurence Yep (Harper) -
Top 10 Songs
Top 10 Songs:
1. Hotel California - The Eagles
2. Go Your Own Way - Fleetwood Mac
3. More Than a Feeling - Boston
4. Anarchy in the UK - The Sex Pistols
5. Dancing Queen - Abba
6. (Don't Fear) The Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult
7. Night Moves - Bob Seger
8. Blitzkrieg Bop - The Ramones
9. The Boys Are Back in Town - Thin Lizzy
10. Play That Funky Music - Wild Cherry -
Vernacular
• Boogie- Boogie means to get your groove on or to dance or to get going.
• Keep on truckin- This is to leave, move, or go. Some of the sayings were, “Let’s truck man,” or, “Later man, gotta truck,” or even “Keep on truckin’.”
• Right-on! – This is the slang used for people when you agreed to something. For example, “Are you going to the club tonight—Right on!”
• What it is- This was usually used as a greeting that usually meant, “Hey!” or “what’s up?”
• Boss- Boss means cool or awesome. -
President Carter Pardons Vietnam Draft Dodgers
On January 21, 1977, President Carter pardoned the Vietnam Draft Dodgers. He allowed them to be able to come back to the United States without fear of prosecution. President Carter felt that it was time to forgive them. He rationalized that if Gerald Ford could pardon Nixon for the Watergate cover-up, then he could certainly forgive the draft dodgers for staying out of a senseless war. -
Neutron Bomb Funding Began
The Neutron bomb was an atomic weapon designed to spread radiation to kill people and leave buildings intact. The US wanted to create a Neutron bomb so they started getting funds to be able to do the research to create one. -
Top 10 Songs
Top 10 Songs:
1. Stayin' Alive - The Bee Gees
2. We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions - Queen
3. Heroes - David Bowie
4. Best of My Love - The Emotions
5. God Save the Queen - The Sex Pistols
6. Brick House - The Commodores
7. Dreams - Fleetwood Mac
8. Paradise by the Dashboard Light - Meat Loaf
9. I Feel Love - Donna Summer
10. Jamming - Bob Marley and the Wailers -
Star Wars Movie Released
Star Wars: A New Hope was released on May 25, 1977. Star Wars was a very popular movie and so more were made. This episode was the beginning of the Star Wars movies evn though it is the fourth episode. The fifth, sixth, and seventh episodes followed. Then came the first three episodes. -
Awards
Super Bowl: Oakland
Oscar’s: Best Picture: Annie Hall
Best Actor: Richard Dreyfuss for The Goodbye Girl
Best Actress: Diane Keaton for Annie Hall
Nobel Prize: THE NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE
Vicente Aleixandre
THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
Amnesty International
Time Magazine’s Person of the Year: Anwar Sadat -
Red Dye #2 is Banned
A Russian study linked cancer to Red no. 2, and consumerists in the US stepped up pressure on the FDA to ban the dye. Its use was discontinued but led to a red dye scare. -
Newbery Awards
Newbery Awards: 1977 Medal Winner: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor (Dial) Honor Books:
o Abel's Island by William Steig (Farrar)
o A String in the Harp by Nancy Bond (Atheneum) -
New York City Blackout
The New York City Blackout of 1977 was an electricity blackout that affected most of New York City from July 13, 1977 to July 14, 1977. The only neighborhoods in New York City that were not affected were the Southern Queens, and neighborhoods of the Rockaways, which are part of the Long Island Lighting Company System. Unlike other blackouts that affected the region, namely the Northeast Blackout of 1965, the 1977 blackout was localized to New York City and the immediate surroundings. Also in con -
First Black Miss Universe
On July 16, 1977, the 26th annual Miss Universe pageant was held at the National Theater in Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic. 24-year-old Janelle Commissiong was the first black woman to win the title of Miss Universe. -
Miniseries Roots Airs
Roots is a 1977 American television miniseries based on Alex Haley’s novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family. This television show was among the most popular and sequels were also made for Roots. Roots also won nine Emmy’s and other awards as well. -
Alaskan Pipeline Completed
The pipeline was built between 1974 and 1977 after the 1973 oil crisis caused a sharp rise in oil prices in the United States. This rise made exploration of the Prudhoe Bay oil field economically feasible. Environmental, legal, and political debates followed the discovery of oil at Prudhoe Bay in 1968, and the pipeline was built only after the oil crisis provoked the passage of legislation designed to remove legal challenges to the project. The first barrel of oil traveled through the pipeline i -
Elvis Found Dead
Elvis was pronounced dead on August 16, 1977 at 3:30 pm at Baptist Memorial Hospital. He was found unresponsive on his bathroom floor. For several years preceding his death, he had been misusing drugs and had several health problems. After his death, his funeral was held at Graceland on Thursday, August 18 where about 80,000 people lined the processional route to Forest Hill Cemetery. -
Vernacular
• Bummer- This could mean; bad news, not good, a depressing or negative event or thing, etc…
• 10-4 good buddy- The on air language used over CB radio, one of the most memorable fads of the 70’s 10-4 GOOD BUDDY!
• Decent! – This means, very cool, something you are excited about. “The Kiss concert is going to be so decent!” also shortened to “Deece”.
• Fake ‘em out- Fake ‘em out or Fake me out both mean to be deceived or tricked. -
Atlantic City Permits Gambling
Gambling became legalized in Atlantic City in the ‘70s. On May 26, 1978, the Chalfonte-Haddon Hall Hotel opened and became the first legal casino in the Eastern United States. With new casinos opening up in Atlantic City, it became a tourist hotspot and was even favored over Las Vegas for there was a lot of crime in Las Vegas at the time. -
First Test-Tube Baby Born
On July 25, 1978, Louise Joy Brown, the world’s first successful “test-tube” baby was born. The mother was infertile so she had a baby born to her through the in vitro fertilization process. Louise was born and was a healthy normal baby. The success of this experiment gave way to more “test-tube” babies. -
Love Canal in New York Declared Federal Disaster
Love Canal is a neighborhood in Niagara Falls, New York. 21,000 tons of toxic waste was discovered in the neighborhood buried beneath the neighborhood by Hooker Chemical. Potential health problems were first raised by a reporter in July 1978. The property had been sold by Hooker Chemical to the School Board which needed land to build their school on. Hooker Chemical sold it with a warning of all of the dangers of the toxic waste but they were still not released from all legal obligations from fu -
Newbery Awards
Newbery Award: 1978 Medal Winner: Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson (Crowell) Honor Books:
o Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary (Morrow)
o Anpao: An American Indian Odyssey by Jamake Highwater (Lippincott) -
Awards
Super Bowl: Dallas
Oscar’s: Best Picture: The Deer Hunter
Best Actor: Jon Voight for Coming Home
Best Actress: Jane Fonda for Coming Home
World Cup: Argentina
Nobel Prize: THE NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE
Isaac Bashevis Singer
THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
Mohamed Anwar al-Sadat, Menachem Begin
Time Magazine’s Person of the Year: Teng Hsiao-p'ing -
Camp David Accords for Middle East Peace
On September 17, 1978, the Camp David Accords were signed by Egyptian President Anwar El Sadat as well as the Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin. These agreements were signed at the White House. There were two frameworks which were A Framework for the Conclusion of a Peace Treaty between Egypt and Israel, and A Framework for Peace in the Middle East. -
John Paul II Becomes Pope
John Paul II became Pope on October 16, 1978 and held the office of Pope until he died. John Paul II was one of the most influential leaders of the 20th Century. He was instrumental in ending communism in Poland and eventually all of Europe and he was very accomplished. -
Jonestown Massacre
On November 18, 1978 Jones and his 912 followers committed suicide. Jones led a radical church or cult in Jonestown of which there was much negative press against. Congressman Ryan visited the town in November, 1978. While boarding the plane to leave early, some of the people opened fire on them killing Ryan and four others. The people in Jones’ cult decided they would preserve their church by sacrificing themselves. They took a deadly concoction made by Jones. Jones shot himself in the head. -
Top 10 Songs
Top 10 Songs:
1. I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor
2. Roxanne - The Police
3. Sultans of Swing - Dire Straits
4. Heart of Glass - Blondie
5. One Nation under a Groove - Funkadelic
6. I Wanna Be Sedated - The Ramones
7. Miss You - The Rolling Stones
8. Le Freak - Chic
9. Old Time Rock and Roll - Bob Seger
10. Rock Lobster - The B-52's -
Vernacular
• Neato- Neato is pretty much the slang word for cool.
• Out of Sight- This defines its self (cool or out of this world).
• Wicked- This word is used to describe something so cool, usually expressed as like, “That’s so wicked cool!” or also heard expressed as ‘Wick’ as in ”Your new car is wick, man!”
• Yippies (as opposed to Hippies)- The word “yippies” was just the slang word for ”hippies.” -
Ayatollah Khomeini Returns as Leader of Iran
On February 1, 1979, religious leader Ayatollah Khomeini returned to Iran after 14 years in exile. About five million people lined the streets in order to witness his homecoming of their spiritual leader. He was imprisoned by the Shah in 1963 for opposing the reforms and was expelled the next year to Iraq. Ayatollah Khomeini returned saying, “I will strike with my fists at the mouths of this government. From now on it is I who will name the government.” -
Newbery Awards
Newbery Award: 1979 Medal Winner: The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin (Dutton) Honor Book:
o The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson (Crowell) -
Nuclear Accident at Three Mile Island
On March 28, 1979, there was a core meltdown in Unit 2 of the Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. This was the most significant accident in the history of the USA commercial nuclear power generating industry. There were up to 481 P Bq of radioactive gases released. The accident came about because of mechanical failures as well as the failure of plant operators to recognize the situation before it was too late. -
Margaret Thatcher First Woman Prime Minister of Great Britain
Margaret Thatcher became Great Britain’s first woman prime minister on May 4, 1979. She held this office for 11 years with a stern no-nonsense attitude that earned her the nickname, “The Iron Lady.” -
Jerry Falwell begins Moral Majority
In June 1979, Jerry Falwell organized the Moral Majority, a conservative political lobbying group that was pro-life, pro-family, and favored a strong national defense. Ronald Reagan was chosen by this group for the 1980 Presidential Election. Jerry Falwell became a national leader, whose my goal in life was to “train young Champions for Christ.” -
Awards
Super Bowl: Pittsburgh
Oscar’s: Best Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
Best Actor: Dustin Hoffman for Kramer vs. Kramer
Best Actress: Sally Field for Norma Rae
Nobel Prize: THE NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE
Odysseus Elytis
THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
Mother Teresa
Time Magazine’s Person of the Year: Ayatullah Khomeini -
Sony Introduces the Walkman
Sony’s first model of the Walkman came out on July 1, 1979. Before the Walkman, music could only be listened to at home through a stereo, or in a car through its audio system. Walkmans were extremely popular because now you could listen to your favorite music whenever and wherever you wanted to. -
ESPN Starts Broadcasting
ESPN launched on September 7, 1979. ESPN only showed for a limited time but this channel became a 24-hour channel a year later. Breaking news, highlights, sport shows and more were broadcasted on television. -
Greensboro Massacre
On November 3, 1979, five protest marchers were shot and killed by members of the Ku Klux Klan and the American Nazi Party in the Greensboro Massacre. The protest was an attempt by the Communist Workers Party to be able to organize mostly black industrial workers in the area. The marchers that were killed were blacks that were very accomplished and were also civil rights leaders. -
Iran Takes American Hostages in Tehran
On November 4, 1979, Militant Islamic students in Iran stormed the US embassy in Tehran and took more than 90 people hostage. These students demanded that the Shah of Iran be extradited from the US, where he was receiving medical treatment, to stand trial in Iran. Most of the country showed support for this siege and burned American flags among other things. The Shah of Iran never returned to Iran and died in exile. The hostages were eventually released after 14 months of being held hostage. -
Top 10 Songs
Top 10 Songs:
1. Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2 - Pink Floyd
2. London Calling - The Clash
3. Rapper's Delight - The Sugarhill Gang
4. Good Times - Chic
5. Don’t Stop 'Til You Get Enough - Michael Jackson
6. We Are Family - Sister Sledge
7. Comfortably Numb - Pink Floyd
8. Hot Stuff - Donna Summer
9. Brass in Pocket - The Pretenders
10. Message in a Bottle - The Police
