1952
Microbiologist Jonas Salk develops a vaccine for polio (poliomyelitis) |
1953
(Jun. 29) The Federal Highway Act authorize the construction of the interstate
highway system, 42,500 miles of freeway from coast to coast; (Jul. 26) Fidel Castro begins
a revolution against the Cuban government; Dwight D. Eisenhower becomes the 34th president
|
1954
(Jan. 21) The USS Nautilus, the world's first nuclear submarine, is launched; (Mar.
25) RCA begins production of the first color television sets |
1955
(Dec. 1) Mrs. Rosa Parks is arrested when she refuses to give up her front-section
bus seat to a white man; the first radio facsimile transmission is sent across the
continent |
1956
(Nov. 13) The US Supreme Court rules that segregation of the races on public buses
is unconstitutional |
1957
(Oct. 4) The Russians launch Sputnik I, the first man-made space satellite
|
1959
(Jan. 3) Alaska and (Aug. 21) Hawaii become the 49th and 50th states;
(Feb. 12) the Barbie Doll is born;
(Feb. 16) Fidel Castro, leader of the Cuban Revolution, is
sworn in as that country's premier
|
1960
The population of the United States is 180,671,158; USSR agrees to stop nuclear
testing; an American U-2 spy plane is shot down over the USSR |
1961
John F. Kennedy becomes the 35th president; (Mar. 1) the Peace Corps is established
|
1962
(Feb. 20) John Glenn is the first American to orbit the earth
|
1963
(Nov. 22) President John F. Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas, Texas |
1964
(Jun. 24) Cigarette manufacturers are required to print warnings on their packages;
(Dec. 10) Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize |
1965
The Beatles begin filming "Help" |
1966
Lyndon B. Johnson becomes the 36th president; the National Organization of Women
(NOW) is founded
|
1967
The first Super Bowl is held; Jimmy Hoffa is arrested and sentenced to eight years
in prison; Twiggy is the image of the year
|
1968
Martin Luther King and Robert F. Kennedy are assassinated
|
1969
(Jul. 20) Neil Armstrong becomes the first man to step on the moon; Woodstock is
held; Sesame Street airs first show; the cash machine (ATM) is invented by Don Wetzela;
Richard M. Nixon becomes 37th president |
1970
The population of the United States is 205,052,174; the first Earth Day is held;
the Kent State riot occurs; the food processor is invented by Pierre Verdon |
1971
"Happy Face" buttons debut selling 20 million; the voting age is lowered
to 18 |
1972
The Watergate break-in occurs; American troops leave Vietnam; the Nixon
Administration eliminates the $104 million school milk program
|
1973
(Jan. 22) The US Supreme Court rules in favor of a woman's right to personal
privacy in the Rowe vs. Wade decision; Oil Embargo causes long gas lines; many US POWs
come home; Billy Jean King defeats Bobby Riggs |
1974
Nixon resigns and Ford becomes the 38th president; (Feb. 4) Patty Hearst is
kidnapped; Hank Aaron exceeds Babe Ruth's record; "streaking" is popular
|
1975
The first episode of Saturday Night Live airs
|
1976
America celebrates its 200th birthday; Legionnaires Disease kills 166; Apple
Computers is founded with $1,300
|
1977
The New York City black-out occurs; Elvis dies; Jimmy Carter becomes 39th president |
1978
First class postage rate increases to $.15; (Nov. 18) mass suicide/murder results
in the death of 918 at the People's Temple in Jonestown, Guyana (South America); the
Unabomber sends the first bomb
|
1979
(Nov. 4) 63 Americans are taken hostage in the American Embassy in Iran; Three Mile
Island experiences a meltdown; the Pope makes his first visit to the United States |
1980
The population of the United States is 227,224,681; (May 18) Mt. St. Helens erupts;
John Lennon is assassinated; Cuban refugees arrive in Florida |
1981
The Iranian hostage crisis ends; the disease known as AIDS is identified; Reagan
takes office as the 40th President and survives an assassin's bullet; the first test-tube
baby is born; Personal Computers (PC) are named "Machine of the Year"
|
1982
Unemployment tops 10%; John Belushi is found dead; National Football League (NFL)
is on strike; the first permanent artificial heart implant is used |
1983
The US Embassy in Lebanon is bombed
|
1984
David (the Bubble Boy) dies at age 12; PG-13 ratings begin; first class postage
rates increase to $.22; the Macintosh Computer is introduced |
1986
(Jan. 28) The US Space Shuttle Challenger explodes 74 seconds after take-off
killing seven crew members; Coke goes Classic; the Chernobyl disaster occurs
|
1987
Evangelist Jim Bakker resigns from the PTL Club; Oliver North testifies at
Iran-contra scandal; (Oct. 19) Black Monday, the largest stock-market drop in Wall Street
history, occurs; 18-month-old Jessica McClure is rescued from the well |
1989
George Bush becomes 41st president; stand-off in Tiananmen Square in China occurs;
the Berlin Wall is torn down; (Mar. 23) the Exxon Valdez oil spill occurs
|
1990
The population of the United States is 249,438,712; Nelson Mandela is released from
prison |
1991
(Jan. 16) Operation Desert Shield, later renamed Desert Storm (the Gulf War),
begins (the United States and 27 allies attack Iraq for occupying Kuwait); Magic Johnson
gives up pro basketball |
1992
(Aug. 24) Hurricane Andrew hits the coast of southern Florida; Los Angeles riots
occur; Garth Brooks tops the charts; Johnny Carson retires after 30 years; Euro Disneyland
opens; Barney & Friends air their first television show |
1993
The tragedy in Waco occurs; several states are affected by the "Mississippi
Flood of '93"; World Trade Center in New York City is bombed; William J. Clinton
becomes the 42nd president
|
1994
Israel and Jordan sign a peace agreement; the Los Angeles earthquake occurs |
1995
Oklahoma City Federal building is destroyed in a terrorist bombing; O. J. Simpson's
trial is held; the Million Man March takes place; Yitzhak Rabin is assassinated
|
1996
The federal government shuts down due to lack of funding |
1997
(Feb. 23) Scientists in Scotland announce they succeeded in cloning an adult sheep
named "Dolly"; (Aug. 31) Lady Diana, the Princess of Wales, is killed in a car
accident in Paris; President Clinton begins his second term in office and is sued for
sexual harassment and impeached; Unabomber suspect Theodore Kaczynski is arrested; the
number of Internet web pages breaks 16 million |
1999
The world prepares for the international celebration of the millennium |
2000
(Jan. 1) US Census Bureau estimates the population at 274,337,000; the Y2K bug,
which created widespread concern over a possible computer glitch, causes very few
problems; 9 million adults use email at least once a week |
