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Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower
Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower inaugurated President of United States (Jan. 20). -
DNA
Rosalind Franklin (England), Francis Crick (England), and James Watson (US) discover the double-helical structure of DNA. Background: genetic engineering -
First successful open-heart surgery is performed in Philadelphia.
First successful open-heart surgery is performed in Philadelphia. -
Joseph Stalin dies
Joseph Stalin dies (March 5) -
East Berliners rise against Communist rule; quelled by tanks
East Berliners rise against Communist rule; quelled by tanks (June 17). -
Korean armistice signed
Korean armistice signed (July 27). -
Rotary internal combustion engine
Felix Wankel (Germany) develops the rotary internal combustion engine. -
Vietnam Devide
Geneva Conference is convened to bring peace to Vietnam (April to July). The country is divided at the 17th parallel, pending democratic elections -
Supreme Court unanimously bans racial segregation in public schools
In Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka the Supreme Court unanimously bans racial segregation in public schools (May 17) -
Rosa Parks
Rosa Parks refuses to sit at the back of the bus, breaking Montgomery, Ala., segregated seating law (Dec. 1). -
The Space Age begins
Russia launches Sputnik I, first earth-orbiting satellite—the Space Age begins (Oct. 4) -
Alaska
Alaska (Jan. 3) 49th state -
Hawaii
Hawaii 50th state -
John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy defeats Richard Nixon in a closely-fought presidential race. -
Bay of Pigs
1,200 US-sponsored anti-Castro exiles invade Cuba at the Bay of Pigs (April 17); the attackers are all killed or captured by Cuban forces -
Berlin Wall
East Germany erects the Berlin Wall between East and West Berlin to halt flood of refugees Aug. 13 -
nuclear reactor
The first commercial nuclear reactor goes online at the Jersey Central Power Company. -
France and West Germany
France and West Germany sign treaty of cooperation ending four centuries of conflict (Jan. 22). -
Artificial heart
Michael E. De Bakey implants artificial heart in human for first time at Houston hospital (April 21) -
"I have a dream"
"March on Washington," civil rights rally held by 200,000 blacks and whites in Washington, D.C.; Martin Luther King delivers "I have a dream" speech (Aug. 28) -
President Kennedy shot
President Kennedy shot and killed in Dallas, Tex. Lyndon B. Johnson becomes President same day (Nov. 22). -
US Supreme Court
US Supreme Court rules that Congressional districts should be roughly equal in population (Feb. 17). -
Vietnam
The first US combat troops arrive in Vietnam. By the end of the year, 190,000 American soldiers are in Vietnam. -
nonproliferation treaty
The US and USSR propose a nuclear nonproliferation treaty. -
Thurgood Marshall
Thurgood Marshall sworn in as first black US Supreme Court justice (Oct. 2 -
The Death of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr., civil rights leader, is slain in Memphis (April 4) -
nonproliferation treaty
The United States, USSR, and about 100 other countries sign the nuclear nonproliferation treaty -
Richard M. Nixon
Richard M. Nixon is inaugurated 37th President of the US (Jan. 20). -
Apollo 11
Apollo 11 astronauts—Neil A. Armstrong and Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr., —take first walk on the Moon (July 20). -
floppy disk
IBM introduces the floppy disk -
Earthquake
Earthquake kills more than 50,000 in Peru (May 31). -
Anti-war
Anti-war militants attempt to disrupt government business in Washington (May 3)—police and military units arrest as many as 12,000; most are later released. -
Twenty-sixth Amendment
Twenty-sixth Amendment to US Constitution lowers voting age to 18. (June 30). -
Electronic mail
Electronic mail is introduced. Queen Elizabeth will send her first email in 1976. -
Death penalty is unconstitutional
US Supreme Court rules that death penalty is unconstitutional (June 29). -
Watergate scandal
Five men are apprehended by police in attempt to bug Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington, D.C.’s Watergate complex—start of the Watergate scandal (June 17). -
End of Vietnam War
A ceasefire is signed, ending involvement of American ground troops in the Vietnam War. (Jan. 28). -
Skylab
Skylab, the first American space station, is launched (May 14). -
Gerald R. Ford
Vice President Gerald R. Ford of Michigan is sworn in as 38th President of the US (Aug. 9). -
Richard M. Nixon
Richard M. Nixon announces he will resign the next day, the first President to do so (Aug. 8) -
VCR/VHS
Home videotape systems (VCRs) are developed in Japan by Sony (Betamax) and Matsushita (VHS).
