-
Newport Jazz Festival
The city turned into a battle zone as thousands of people shut out of the sold-out Newport Jazz Festival shows wandered the streets, fueled by alcohol, hurling beer bottles and rocks at police officers trying to quell the crowd. -
Nixon-Kennedy Debates (1st on Television)
The key turning point of the campaign came with the four Kennedy-Nixon debates; they were the first presidential debates ever, also the first held on television, which attracted enormous publicity. -
The Assassination of John F. Kennedy
President John F. Kennedy was assassinated while riding in a motorcade in Dallas during a campaign visit. Kennedy’s motorcade was turning past the Texas School Book Depository at Dealey Plaza with crowds lining the streets when shots rang out. This made a profound political and cultural impact on the nation. -
The Beatles Appear for the first time on the Ed Sullivan Show
The Beatles' record-breaking first live appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show was held at Studio 50 in New York City. Seventy-three million people were reported to have watched the first show. It is still supposed to be one of the largest viewing audiences ever in the States. -
The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution authorized President Lyndon Johnson to “take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression” by the communist government of North Vietnam. -
Operation Rolling Thunder
Operation Rolling Thunder was the title of a gradual and sustained aerial bombardment campaign conducted by the United States 2nd Air Division, U.S. Navy, and Republic of Vietnam Air Force against the Democratic Republic of Vietnam -
March on the Pentagon
The March on the Pentagon was a massive demonstration against the Vietnam War. The protest involved more than 100,000 attendees at a rally by the Lincoln Memorial. Later about 50,000 people marched across the city to The Pentagon and sparked a confrontation with paratroopers on guard. -
Mai Lai Massacre
The My Lai massacre was one of the most horrific incidents of violence committed against unarmed civilians during the Vietnam War. A company of American soldiers brutally killed most of the people, including children, in the village of My Lai. -
Riots at the Chicago Democratic Convention
The convention was held during a year of violence, political turbulence and civil unrest, with particularly riots in more than 100 cities. Thousands of Vietnam War protesters would battle police in the streets, while the Democratic Party fell apart over an internal disagreement concerning its stance on Vietnam. -
Woodstock
The country was deep into the controversial Vietnam War, a conflict that many young people opposed. It was also the era of the civil rights movement, a period of great unrest and protest. Woodstock was an opportunity for people to escape into music and spread a message of unity and peace. -
Chicago 8 Trial
The jury acquitted all seven defendants of the conspiracy charges, but still convicted five of them of individually crossing state lines to incite a riot. They were each fined $5,000 and sentenced to five years in prison. -
The Beatles Break Up
Their break-up was a cumulative process attributed to numerous factors. The strain of the Beatlemania phenomenon, the death of manager Brian Epstein in 1967, McCartney's domineering role, Lennon's heroin use and his relationship with Yoko Ono, Harrison's prolific songwriting output, etc. -
Kent State Protest
The Kent State shooting occurred when Ohio National Guard troops opened fire on Vietnam War protesters at Kent State University for protesting against the U.S. invasion of Cambodia. This resulted in killings of four and wounding of nine other unarmed University students. -
Roe vs. Wade
Roe has come to be known as the case that legalized abortion nationwide. Wade was a landmark decision the court ruled that a state law that banned abortions was unconstitutional. In its ruling, the court recognized for the first time that the constitutional right to privacy “is broad enough to encompass a woman's decision whether or not to terminate her pregnancy”.