“Major trends in the 70s included a growing disillusionment of government, advances in civil rights, increased influence of the women’s movement, a heightened concern for the environment, and increased space exploration. Many of the “radical” ideas of the 60’s gained wider acceptance in the new decade, and were mainstreamed into American life and culture. Amid war, social realignment and presidential impeachment proceedings, American culture flourished. Indeed, the events of the times were reflected in and became the inspiration for much of the music, literature, entertainment, and even fashion of the decade. ”
Copyright © 1999 [Kingwood College Library]
Design by: Peggy Whitley Written by: Charles Gillis
Below is a sample of these events:
Timeline: 1970-1979
1970
American Soldiers Accused of Murdering Entire Town of Vietnamese Civilians
Aswan High Dam Completed
Beatles Break Up
Computer Floppy Disks Introduced
Palestinian Group Hijacks Five Planes
Kent State Shootings
1971
London Bridge Brought to the U.S.
United Kingdom Changes to Decimal System for Currency
VCRs Introduced
1972
M*A*S*H T.V. Show Premiers
Mark Spitz Wins Seven Gold Medals
Pocket Calculators Introduced
Terrorists Attack at the Olympic Games in Munich
Watergate Scandal Begins
1973
Abortion Legalized in U.S.
Paul Getty Kidnapped
Sears Tower Built
U.S. Pulls Out of Vietnam
U.S. Vice President Resigns
1974
Halie Selassie, Emperor of Ethiopia, Deposed
Mikhail Baryshnikov Defects
Patty Hearst Kidnapped
Terracotta Army Discovered in China
U.S. President Nixon Resigns
1975
Arthur Ashe First Black Man to Win Wimbledon
Civil War in Lebanon
Microsoft Founded
Pol Pot Becomes the Communist Dictator of Cambodia
1976
Nadia Comaneci Given Seven Perfect Tens
North and South Vietnam Join to Form the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Tangshan Earthquake Kills Over 240,000
1977
Elvis Found Dead
Miniseries Roots Airs
South African Anti-Apartheid Leader Steve Biko Tortured to Death
Star Wars Movie Released
1978
First Test-Tube Baby Born
John Paul II Becomes Pope
Jonestown Massacre
1979
Ayatollah Khomeini Returns as Leader of Iran
Iran Takes American Hostages in Tehran
Margaret Thatcher First Woman Prime Minister of Great Britain
Mother Theresa Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize
Nuclear Accident at Three Mile Island
Sony Introduces the Walkman