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Television
Electronic television is first said to began in San Francisco according to the Groiler Encyclopedia. The system was created by Philo Taylor Farnsworth, a 21-year-old inventor who lived in a house without electricity. -
TV Shows
On this day the British Broadcasting Corporation receives a royal charter, the American network NBC was founded. NBC had aired the Queens Messenger, a one act play, was the first live drama to be aired on any TV. -
Little Richard
His real name is Richard Wayne Penniman and he was born in Macon, Georgia. He was one of many who helped define the early Rock 'n' Roll era of the 1950's with his driving, attractive music. -
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LSD
Albert Hoffman, a chemist in Basel, Switzerland, created this drug as he was working for Sandoz Pharmaceutical in 1938 as he was trying to look for a blood stimulant. However its effects were discovered until after 1943 which causes hallucination. This was used back then and still used up to today. -
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Beat Generation
Literary movement started by a group of authors whose work led to many discoveries and influenced American culture and politics the era after WW2. Their work was published , looked up to, used for inspiration, and popularized throughout the 1950's. -
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Emmett Till Tragedy
He was a fourteen year old African American kid who was visiting his family in Mississippi. He was brutally beat and murdered by some white men for whistling at a white woman. Or so that is how the story goes, but there has been news in 2017 that the woman was lying and cannot live with the guilt of that innocent young boy's death. This created an immense impact on the American society as it drew attention towards racial violence. -
G.I. Bill
This was also known as the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944. It was introduced by Franklin D. Roosevelt, the purpose of the act was to help the nation reabsorb millions of veterans returning from overseas who participated in WW2. -
38th Parallel established as border
This event happened when Japan surrendered in 1945, it created the 38th parallel , the boundary between the Soviet and American occupation zones. This parallel divides North Korea from South Korea. -
Iron Curtain
The Iron Curtain was a phrase made popular by Winston Churchill in a speech in Fulton, Missouri. It was the name of the boundary that divided Europe into two separated areas from the end of World War 2 to the end of the Cold War. -
Truman Doctrine
A Principle which introduces the idea that the United States should give support to countries threatened by Soviet forces or communist insurrection. It was expressed by President Truman in a speech to Congress seeking aid for Greece and Turkey. To communist this was this was seen as open declaration of the Cold War. -
Marshall Plan
This plan was introduced by the Secretary of State,George Marshall, who brought this massive aid program to rebuild Europe from the damages of World War 2. Nearly 13 billion dollars in U.S. aid was sent to Europe from 1948 to 1952. -
Berlin Airlift
This was a military operation in the late 1940's that brought food and other goods into West Berlin by air after the government of East Germany cut off its supply routes. This was important because it prevented West Berlin from falling into control of the Soviets post World War 2. -
Fair Deal
Truman created the Fair Deal he stated, "Every segment of our population, and every individual, has a right to expect from his government a fair deal." this deal recommended all Americans to get Health Insurance, minimum wage be increased, and the law guarantee all American equal rights. -
Joseph McCarthy
He was a senator from Wisconsin, he also was a vital part of the House Committee on Un-American Activities. He accused a large number of American Citizens of being communists or communist sympathizers. -
Rock 'n' Roll
A genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940's and early 1950's, from African American musical styles, such as Jazz, gospel, rhythm and blues, and country music. -
Alger Hiss
Alger was a State Department official accused of spying for the Soviets (In other words he gave classified documents to the Soviet), He was accused by Whitaker Chambers as an underground party member. Initially he denied any communist affiliation. -
McCarthyism
This is the practice of making false accusations of treason without any evidence. It was created by Joseph McCarthy himself who made the unfair allegations and framed people as communists for political purposes. -
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Korean War
This war began when North Korean Communist Army crossed the 38th Parallel and invaded South Korea. As Kim Sung's army over run the south, the U.S. came to South Korea's aid. -
Brown v. Board of Education
This was a Supreme court decision that over turned the Plessy vs. Ferguson decision; the Court ruled that "separate but equals" schools for blacks were inherently unequal and thus unconstitutional. This decision fueled the Civil Rights movement in the 1950's and 1960's. -
Polio Vaccine
The first polio vaccine was the inactivated one, it was developed and came in use in 1955. This produces antibodies in the blood to all three types of polio-virus. Which prepares you for the sicknesses yet to come and protect against paralysis. -
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Montgomery bus boycott
Rosa Parks, a 42-year old African American was seated in a segregated bus, she refused to give up her seat to a white man. This sparked this event and African Americans started walking with each other to get to one place or another strengthening the Civil Rights Movement. -
Little Rock nine
Governor Faubus sent the Arkansas National Guard to prevent nine African American students from entering Little Rock Central High School. Eisenhower sent in United States paratroopers to ensure the students could attend their class. -
Civil Rights Act of 1957
This was primarily a voting rights bill, this also was the first Civil Rights legislation enacted in the United States since Reconstruction. It was proposed by Congress to President Dwight Eisenhower. -
Sputnik
First Earth satellite, launched by Moscow in 1957 and created awareness towards the U.S. to make sure the Soviet does not rule technology and outer space. Led to the creation of NASA and the space race. -
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Hippies
These were people who believed in anti-materialism, free use of drugs, and had casual attitude towards sex and anti conformity. In other words they practiced free love and took drugs. They also lived in poor areas and smoked plenty of marijuana. -
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Sit-Ins
This was a form of Civil disobedience in which demonstrators occupy seats and refuse to move.This was a tactic used to strengthen the Civil War Movement and it worked one can tell as we see today a mixed proud nation. -
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Malcolm X
He was an African American convert to Islam and an influential Civil Rights leader who got tired of Dr.Kings non-violent methods of Civil disobedience. He started a group called the Organization of Afro- American Unity(OAAU) which influenced many young Africans to join with its message of socialism and self-help. After completing a Islamic pilgrimage he changed his opinion and sought the black and whites to cooperate. Soon after he was assassinated in 1965 as he was giving a speech in New York. -
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Counterculture
Mid-1960 culture which changed the U.S. and made it to who we are today.This was counterculture at its finest, of psychedelic drugs, rock music, and casual sex. It became known as the way of life and set attitudes opposed to the social norm. -
OPEC
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). international cartel that inflates price of oil by limiting supply. Venezuela, Saudi Arabia and UAE are prominent members. Founded in the 1960's, it Controls an energy supply such as oil gives OPEC tremendous authority, as seen in the 1973 Energy Crisis, an embargo, that occurred as a response to the US supporting Israel in the Yom Kippur War. -
Peace Corps
President Kennedy's creation, it was meant to promote voluntary service by Americans in foreign countries, thus providing labor power to help developing countries improve their standard of living. -
Assassination of JFK
He was riding down a street in Dallas, Texas, JFK was shot killed, by Lee Oswald Harvey who was then killed by Jack Ruby, then his whole death became a controversy. Presidency was passed down to Lyndon B. Johnson. Only after Kennedy's death did America realize what vibrant president they had lost. -
Lee Harvey Oswald
He was an ex-marine and communist/sympathizer who assassinated John F. Kennedy on this day. He was murdered two days later while he was being transferred to another jail. This is where conspiracy struck, many wondered was he working alone or not. -
Jack Ruby
Jack was a nightclub owner in Dallas, Texas. After Oswald shot and killed John F. Kennedy, Oswald was later shot exactly two days later by Jack Ruby who proclaimed to be avenging the death of John F. Kennedy. Yet Conspiracy grew on why he really killed him. -
Barry Goldwater
He was a Republican Arizona senator who attacked the federal income tax, social security system, the Tennessee Valley Authority, Civil Rights Legislation, the nuclear test-ban treaty, and the Great Society put up by Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964 -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
This act made racial, religious, and sex discrimination by employers illegal. Not only that but it also gave the government the power to enforce their laws, including desegregation of schools and public places. -
Daisy Girl Ad
A political aired on television during the 1964 election in support for president Lyndon B. Johnson. Even though this advertisement was only aired once, but it left a mark resulting a land slide victory for Johnson over Barry Goldwater. -
The Great Society
Every president had a unique way of making the United States better. Lyndon B. Johnson and his version of the Democratic reform program became known as the Great Society. In 1965, Congress passed many Great Society measures towards medicare, Civil Rights Legislation, and government aid to education. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
This act was also known as the Civil Rights Act , this gave federal protection to African American voters, which allowed many more to vote and participate in the system. In other words because of this Barrack Obama was able to become our 44th president. -
Ike Turner
He was an extraordinary musician, songwriter, bandleader and producer who was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi. He is most popularly known for his 1960's work with his then wife, Tina Turner, in the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. But his wife later left him, and started her solo career. He is also known for the creation of "Rocket 88". -
Death of MLK
This was a very memorable day in which Martin Luther King,Jr., was assassinated at a Memphis Hotel. James Earl Ray, a white man who opposed the views of Dr.King to a point where he took the man's life. This set off a new round of riots across the country, while both black and whites mourned for the loss of a charismatic leader. -
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
This agency was created by Congress in 1970 to coordinate the implementation and enforcement of the Federal Environmental Protection Laws.This was used in many ways dealing with air and water pollution, waste management, ecosystem management, biodiversity protection, the protection of natural resources, wildlife and endangered species, and the preservation of these natural resources for a better future. -
Plumbers
Also known as "The White House Plumbers" were a covert White House Special Investigations Unit, during the presidency of Richard Nixon. Their job was to stop leaks of what Nixon was trying to achieve from being let out of the White House. -
Equal Rights Amendment
This was a constitutional amendment initially introduced in Congress in 1923, but passed by Congress in 1972. It states that, "equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex." Even though the public was in full support towards this amendment, it still failed to acquire the necessary support from 3/4 of the state legislatures. -
Watergate Hotel
The Watergate complex is a group of five buildings in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of Washington, D.C., in the United States. Covering a total of 10 acres, it is next to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the buildings include: Watergate West , cooperative apartments. -
Title IX
This is a section in the Education Amendments is enacted by Congress and is signed into law by Richard Nixon. It says that no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. -
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Stagflation
Stagflation is when the economy experiences stagnant economic growth, high unemployment, and high inflation. The government poured money into the economy to increase demand, making prices rose. Workers, noting the rise in prices (inflation), expected their wages to rise accordingly. -
The Endangered Species Act
This is an act which provides for the conservation of species that are endangered or threatened throughout all or a significant portion of their range, and the conservation of the ecosystems on which they depend. In other words, this act has the legal power to put the endangered specie's protection ahead of economic considerations. -
Nixon's resignation
Nixon became the first President in U.S. history to resign from the presidency. He did so in order to avoid going through the likely prospect of being impeached by the full House of Representatives and convicted by the Senate. -
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Video Head System (VHS)
The first VCR to use VHS was the Victor HR-3300, and was introduced by the president of JVC in Japan on September 9, 1976. JVC started selling the HR-3300 in Akihabara, Tokyo, Japan on October 31, 1976. -
Elvis
He was highly influential in changing the social and moral values of white American society, but also in creating a new genre of music"Rock 'n' Roll". He and his music became a very significant part of today's culture in the U.S.. -
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Robert Johnson
Robert L. Johnson was born on April 8, 1946, in Hickory, Mississippi. Johnson founded Black Entertainment Television (BET) in 1979 with his wife, Sheila. He then sold his program to Viacom 2001; which resulted him to become the first African American billionaire. -
The Moral Majority
This was a political organization formed by Jerry Falwell, with a purpose of Evangelical Christian-oriented political lobbying. This organization was made up of conservative Christian political action committees which campaigned on issues its personnel believed were important through the Christian conception of moral law. They made the effort to put pressure on the legislation to ban abortion and ban the states' acceptance for homosexuality. -
Rap Music
Popular music, developed by nobodies and ghetto blacks during the late 1970's, recurring beat pattern provides the background and counterpoint for rapid, slangy, and often boastful rhyming patter glibly intoned by a vocalist or vocalists. -
Jimmy Carter
He was a Democrat who lost to Ronald Reagan. He only had 49 Electoral Votes. His Home State is Georgia. He would've won but he was marked by the takeover of the American embassy in Iran, fuel shortages, and the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan, which caused him to lose to Ronald Reagan in the next election. -
Ronald Reagan
He won by a landslide against Jimmy Carter. Ronald was known as a "Great Communicator" Republican, conservative economic policies, replaced liberal Democrats in upper house with conservative Democrats or "boll weevils" , at reelection time, Jesse Jackson first black presidential candidate, Geraldine Ferraro as VP running mate (first woman). -
Lionel Sosa
Lionel is the founder of Sosa, Bromley, Aguilar & Associates, now Bromley Communications, the largest Hispanic advertising agency in the U.S.Hispanic media consultant for six Republican campaigns; 2006 recognized as one of 25 Most Influential Hispanics in America by TIME magazine. -
Music Television (MTV)
This was an event that was launched in 1981 for music TV. It started in small market of New Jersey on cable and became a sensation. Generation of kids grew up watching music videos. It also started the careers of several famous musicians. -
Sandra Day O'Connor
Sandra Day was born on March 26, 1930, in El Paso, Texas.She graduated third in her class, and was elected to the Stanford law review board. Despite her achievements, her only job offer after graduation was a legal secretary position. She was significant mostly because she was the first woman to be in the Supreme Court. Appointed by Ronald Reagan, O'Connor was an Associate Justice from 1981 until 2006. -
Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) “Star Wars”
This is also known as "Star Wars," when President Reagan's SDI proposed the construction of an elaborate computer-controlled, anti-missile defense system capable of destroying enemy missiles in outer spaced. -
Reagan Doctrine
It was an event made to oppose the influence of the Soviet Union by backing anti-communist guerrillas against the communist governments of Soviet-backed client states. Somewhat triggered by Afghanistan - aiding men in jihad to hurt Soviets -
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Iran–Contra affair
This was a scandal that uncovered investigations before 1987 which revealed that the US had been selling weapons to the anti-American government in Iran (to help secure the release of American hostages) & had been using the profits from these sales to secretly & illegally finance the Contras in Nicaragua. -
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Oprah Winfrey
A woman during the late 1900's who is known for hosting her own internationally popular talk show since 1986. She is also known as an actress, philanthropist, publisher, and producer. Now is known to be one of the richest and most famous in the entertainment category. -
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Persian Gulf War / 1st Iraq War
This event is also called the 1st Iraq War. After Iraq invaded Kuwait, the US invaded Iraq to liberate Kuwait; Iraq set Kuwait's oil fields on fire so the Americans couldn't gain the oil; this conflict caused the US to set military bases in Saudi Arabia; this operation was called Desert Storm. -
Rodney King Incident
He is an American best known for his involvement in a police brutality case involving the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) on March 3, 1991. His beating was recorded and aired which caused the public to be outraged and raised tensions between the black community and the LAPD and increased anger over police brutality and social inequalities in Los Angeles. -
George H.W. Bush
Reagan's former vice president who won the presidential election in 1988. Republicans chose Bush for another election and J. Danforth Quayle as his running mate. President George H.W. Bush ran for a second term. -
Bill Clinton
Democrats chose Bill Clinton (despite accusations of womanizing, drug use, and draft evasion) and Albert Gore Jr. as his running mate. Clinton won, 370 to 168 in the Electoral College. Democrats also got control of both the House and the Senate. -
World Trade Center Attack - 1993
This was an unsuccessful attempt to destroy the World Trade Center towers in 1993 using a car bomb in the parking garage. The motive was to protest Israel's treatment of Palestinians and punish the US for supporting Israel. -
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
This was an agreement signed by the governments of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America. It superseded the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement between the U.S. and Canada. In terms of combined purchasing power parity GDP of its members, as of 2007 the trade bloc is the largest in the world and second largest by nominal GDP comparison. -
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Lewinsky Affair
This was a shameful event that took place for the United States. An intern that President Clinton had an affair with; infamous blue dress; lied about the affair during depositions in the Paula Jones lawsuit; included in the indictment of Clinton; Americans didn't want Clinton removed from office as they approved of job performance but not his moral compass; he was not impeached. Just tainted his reputation and future. -
Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)
This was signed into law during the term of President Clinton. The act defines marriage as an act as "only legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife. The law also allows states not to recognize same-sex marriages performed legally in other states. The law also prohibits same-sex couples who are legally married or are recognized as a couple as a result of a civil union. -
Bush v. Gore (SCOTUS case)
This was a case for presidency. It ruled that the Florida Supreme Court's method for recounting ballots in the 2000 presidential election was a violation of the 14th Amendment and, therefore, unconstitutional. Which led to George W. Bush's victory in the 2000 presidential election. -
9/11 Attacks
This was a very sad day for the entire nation . its when a series of coordinated suicide attacks by al-Qaeda upon the United States on September 11, 2001. On that morning, 19 al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial passenger jet airliners. The hijackers intentionally crashed two of the airliners into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, killing everyone on board and many others working in the buildings. -
PATRIOT ACT
This was an Act passed by Congress under the Bush administration that allowed the government to take a more active role in surveillance and security after the 9/11 attacks, at the expense of civil liberties. Which is good it is used to make the world safer. -
Hurricane Katrina Disaster
This event is considered to be the one crisis of the Bush administrations second term and its inefficiency to deal with the crisis. It destroyed 80% of New Orleans and more than 1300 people died, while the damages were $150 billion. -
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The Great Recession
This event had long-term lingering effects on unemployment, and was preceded by the largest housing bubble in US history, caused by short term economic thinking, speculation, and irresponsible spending. -
Barrack Obama
He was the first African American president of the US. He enacted the health care bill. During his time the Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster happened. Also economy: huge stimulus package to combat the great recession. He Removed troops from Iraq, strengthened numbers in Afghanistan. He repealed the "Don't Ask Don't Tell". And he promoted a new start treaty with Russia. -
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
This was intended to create jobs and promote investment and consumer spending during the recession that followed the financial collapse in 2008. No Republicans in the House and only 3 Republicans in the Senate voted for this bill, arguing against the massive growth in federal spending. -
First Hispanic SCOTUS judge - Sonya Sotomayor
This was the day where Sonia Sotomayor, Appointed by President Obama in 2009. A consistent liberal. The first Hispanic Supreme Court justice.Many Republicans were reluctant to oppose President Obama's first nominee for the Supreme Court, federal Judge Sonia Sotomayor because they worried it might undermine their attempts to attract America's Hispanic population. -
Affordable Care Act (ACA) “Obamacare”
It was among the earliest initiatives of the Obama administration to combat the Great Recession.This was an expansion of Medicaid, most of the employers must provide health insurance, have insurance or face surtax, prevents rejection based on pre-existing condition. Also referred to as "Obamacare", signed into law in 2010. -
Undoing of DOMA
This event took place in the United States Supreme Court ruled in Windsor v. United States that Section 3 of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act. The court ruled Section 3 of DOMA to be unconstitutional, declaring it "a deprivation of the liberty of the person protected by the Fifth Amendment.".
