-
TV Age
Americans born in late 1940s were the 1st generation to grow up with television in US. By end of the 1950s people owned about 50 million TV sets.Important b/c the business of TV commercials brought in over $1.5 billion in advertising in 1950s. Educators concerned about impact of TV on students, worried they will skip homework to watch shows.Impacted society b/c in the coast to coast programs allowed people to view 1st-hand historical events such as political conventions & pres inaugurations. -
United Nations
The United States, England, France, Russia, & China are permanent members in the UN. The UN is in New York & started in 1945. It was a peace keeping organization. They have many jobs and six major bodies. It was important because they worked to solve disputes between countries, improve education, provide vaccines, & solve disease & hunger problems. United Nations impacted society because they provided vaccines, improved education, & solved disease and hunger. -
Truman Doctrine/ Marshall Plan
The United States, Greece, Turkey, & Western Europe were involved. The Doctrine happened in March 1947 in Europe & the Marshall Plan happened in April 1948 also in Europe. For the Doctrine $400 million in military aid for Greece and Turkey to stop communism from spreading there. The Plan was set up by George Marshall, it gave $12 billion in aid to rebuild Western Europe from WWII. This event impacted economy because it helped other countries by sending them money. -
Rosa Parks
Important b/c on Dec. 1, 1955 Rosa Parks refused to surrender her bus seat to a white passenger in AL. There was efforts to end segregation and Jim Crow Laws. People integrated buses after a year of boycotting. Rosa joined the NAACP and in 1922, she published Rosa Parks: My Story. Rosa Parks impacted society because Montgomery bus boycott introduced nonviolent protest as a method for social equality. Some awards she received are the Congressional Gold Medal and Presidential Medal of Freedom. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
JFK & Khrushchev were involved. It happened in the US & Cuba. The Soviets gave Cuba weapons & a U-2 spy plane took photos of the missile sites on Cuba. At the last minute, the Soviet ships turned back so the Soviets took missiles out of Cuba & the US took missiles out of Turkey. This impacted society: it was the closest the world was to full-scale nuclear war, it was a 13 day standoff. In 1963 a direct hotline was installed between the US and Soviets to help defuse similar situations. -
Vietnam War
It was located near South China Sea in Southeast Asia. It lasted from Nov 1, 1955- Apr 30, 1975. Ho Chi Minh ruled North Vietnam and was communist, Ngo Dinh Diem ruled South Vietnam and was democratic. Vietcong sided with Communists. Aug 1964 American ships torpedoed by North Vietnam. Important b/c 500000 troops were sent to fight in the Vietnam War. Impacted society b/c approximately 1614 US citizens are still missing, gov't spent billions of dollars, and it divided the US in a bitter debate. -
Medicare/ Medicaid
Medicare was started by LBJ in 1966.The gov helps pay the hosp bills of citizens over 65. It impacted society cuz older adults paid more than 3X as much for insurance as younger people.Medicaid was set up by SSA in 1965.It gave gov $ to help low income people of all ages with bills.It's important cuz it's the largest source of funding for people w/low income.It impacted society cuz benefits vary from state to state & someone qualifies for it in 1 state doesn't mean they will qualify in another. -
Jimmy Carter
He was important because Jimmy was President 1976-1980. He was a Democrat & he was once the Governor of Georgia. Other events are SALT II, Iran hostage taken, Social Security Act passed, and Camp David Accord. Jimmy was a millionaire peanut farmer & he went to Naval Academy. He was the 1st president to be born in a hospital. It impacted society because he was involved in Helsinki Agreement & the Olympic Boycott in 1980. -
Space Shuttle Challenger
Christa McAuliffe, a school teacher, was going to be the first civilian passenger because NASA wanted to revive public interest. It happened in Cape Canaveral, Florida, millions tuned in to watch the 7 astronauts. At 11:39 am, Challenger took off, at 59s smoke appeared. At 74s it burst into flames, disintegrating over the Atlantic, there was no survivors. It impacted society because NASA's director was fired & the shuttle program was put on hold for 32 months before another shuttle launch. -
Persian Gulf War
In Aug. 1990 Saddam Hussein sent 100000 troops into Kuwait, a rich oil producer. Important b/c prevent Iraq from spreading its influence in the ME, sent American forces to SA. On Jan. 16, 1991 UN launched an air attack calling it Desert Storm 28 countries joined. Within 24 hrs Iraq defense missiles were useless war ended 6 weeks later in Feb. 1991. 382 American causalities & 100000 Iraq causalities. Impacted economy b/c it cost billions of $ to rebuild including $700 mil to clean up oil spills. -
Hurricane Katrina
On August 29, 2005 in New Orleans. The costliest US Hurricane, Category 5 was a Category 3 when it hit land. Important because there was catastrophic flooding due to levee failure. 80% of the city was flooded & winds up to 175mph, cost $81 billion. Impacted society b/c 150000+ homes destroyed & 900+ churches destroyed. Affected 90000 square miles. There are 705 people still missing and 1836 fatalities. 70 countries pledged monetary donations, Kuwait made largest pledge $500 million. -
Financial Crisis 2008
At US financial sector(Wall Street)in 2008.Important b/c in 2008 world economy faced most dangerous crisis since the Great Depression.Comp. relying on credit suffered a lot. Banks stopped loaning.Mortgage dealers had borrowers who couldn't pay, went to foreclosure & ins. companies traded for credit swaps making trillions.Gov tried to bail comp. & Wall Street. Impacted economy b/c deep recession had taken over most of the world & US lost nearly 2 million jobs & unemployment rate shot up to 7.2%.
