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Famous Decade Events
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1st Summit of Mount Everest
At 11:30 am local time on 29 May 1953 two men were truly the on top of the world. Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were the first men to successfully reach the summit of Mt. Everest. With one of the first designs of oxygen tanks a team of four people climed up up up to where no man has gone before. The frist two Tom Bourdillon and Charles Evans were 100ft from the summit but had to turn back becouse of oxygen tank issues and sent up the next two which was Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. -
Disneyland Opens in California
Walt Disney was a dreamer. We all know that from his creative shows and carefree style. One day Walt Disney had another dream. A dream of a magical place where families could come and get away from the realities of life. He took this vision to the 100 acre site just outside of Los Angeles to bring his dreams and the worlds to life. Today, there are many more parks of his around the WORLD. Record amounts of families visist them every year. -
Rosa Parks gets Arrested
December 1, 1955 was the day that most people say that the Civil Rights Movement beagn. It all stared when a seamstress Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white woman that wanted it. And it that time, every black person was supposed to give up their seat for any white person. She was fined and arrested for her social misbehavior but it truly was the push that got the ball turning on equality. After that is was only a matter of time until EQAULITY. -
Little Rock 9
On September 25, 1957 history was made when 9 black students attended Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. The law of no racial segraition in schools was passed 1954 but none had been brave enough to take the steps to racial equaity untill these kids showed that they were no longer bound by the rules of society. The day they intergrated was terrible; riots and protests broke out on the school grounds. Soon the president of the time had to come and intervene, then school began. -
1st Organisms in Space
When you think of the first space explorers I am sure the image of Neil Armstrong comes to mind as he steps off of the space craft onto the unexplored, never before touched by humans' feet. But did you know that the first beings from earth to experience weightlessness was not a human. It was actually 2 suited monkeys. The monkeys were named Patricia and Mike and were sent in a rocket fired up 36 miles at 2000 mph. These were the frist primates to ever be that high and the first to be in space. -
March on Washington
The March on Washington consisted of over 200,000 African American people who basically protested to struggles they have in every day life. This all happened in the nation's capital of Washington D.C. Many Civil Rights and Religious Groups organized the protesting. The March on Washington was a pivotal point in the fight for Equality. This was the beginning of the long fight for Racial Equality for the African Americans who called the United States their home. -
Assassination of JFK
John F. Kenndey had barely been president for 3 years when a fateful day changed everything. JFK and his wife, along with Vice President, Lyndon Johnson, and his wife, and a few more Politians were visiting Texas to confort an issue within the Texas Democratic Party. But then while traveling with his motorcade, almost at the end, three shots were fired. The motorcade rushed to the hospital, but by the time they got there, it was too late. JFK had been killed by Lee Harvey Oswald. -
Civil Rights Act
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was first proposed by the president of the time, John F. Kennedy. The Act did not get signed right away, due to the strong opposition to it by Southern Congress Members. It was later signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 ended segregation in ALL public places. It illegalized all discrimination based on the color, race, religion, gender, and national origin. -
Moon Landing
Nine years before the actual first Lunar Landing, JFK said that by the end of the decade the United States will be the first country on the Moon. Then nine years later, the U.S. was the first country to have someone step on the Moon. On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first person from the United States and the first person in the world to step foot on the Moon. It is said (about his exploration) "One small step for man, one gaint leap for mankind." -
Woodstock Festival
The first year of the Wodstock Festival 500,000 people, mostly "young" people, showed up for the concert. The Woodstock Festival first orginated in 1969 on a field in New York. Woodstock is a 3 day concert, that sometimes can go for 4 days. It is said that the Woodstock Festival involved "lots of drugs, sex, and rock 'n roll." In 1969 the Woodstock Festival became a well-known icon of Hippie Counterculture. -
Kent State Massacre
On May 4, 1970 4 college students from Kent state University were killed. Compared to many other national tragedies that have accured the Kent State massacure didn’t really sound like much but it was how it happened and why that really made it a tragedy. Students were the protesting against the Cambodian Campaign when the guards (who were part of the natianl gard) shot 67 rounds into the crode of students killing 4 and injuring 9 others. Later the guards said they felt threatened so they fired. -
Sears Tower
When the sears tower was completed in 1973 it was the world's tallest bilding and kept its title until 1998 when it was beat out by Petronas Towers. In 2009 the Willis Group Holdings gained the rights to rename the Sears Tower so now its true name is the Willis Tower. The Willis tower is the second tallest building in the United States and the 8th tallest freestanding building in the world. -
Richard Nixon Resigns
On August 8, 1974 Richard Nixion resigned from office saying " I no longer have a strong enough political base in the Congress to justify continuing that effort." the President Nixon was the first ever president to resign was becouse he was in fear of beening impeached for the underhanded dealing he had been doing involving the Watergate Hotel when Important documents from the democratic party were stolen. -
200th Birthday of USA
On July 4, 1776, the American Colonies offically declared their independence from Great Britian, becoming the United States of America. Now 200 years later our country has survived war, assassinations, slavery, and almost nuclear disasters. We also have made amazing technology and medical advances. Now in 2013, the United States is considered one of the influencial countries in the world. -
Accident on 3 Mile Island
On March 28, 1979 one of America's nuclearpalnt's secondary compurter incharge of monitoring nuclear reactor coolent had a malfunction and leaked. This radio active fluid caused the whole island to evacuate and caused an environmental disaster. The emergancy security system did its job and didn’t let anything major happen so very quickly people were let back to their homes and so far their has been no health problems due to this accident. -
Eruption of Mt. Saint Helens
The eruption of Mount Saint Helens in Washington, was the most desructive eruption recorded in American history. With the eruption, the volcanic ash, water, steam, and debris went more than 60,000 feet above the volcano. When the mountain erupted, the eruption took off the top 1,300 feet of the mountain and left a horseshoe crater and a barren wastland around the mountain. The eruption killed nearly 60 people and injured many more. -
Detection of the Ozone Hole
The Ozone Hole was first detected in 1980, right over the continent of Antarctica. Now the Ozone Hole is not exactly a hole, it really is where the ozone levels have worn down and are less than the normal levels. This particular hole over Antarctica has worn by more than 60% of its normal level. The hole, however far away, still impacts everyday life. For example, with the lesser ozone levels, ultraviolet radiation is more common and this effects the marine life around the hole. -
Black Monday
Black Monday refers to the stock market crash of 1987. Not only did this effect the United States economy, but many other countries around the world. On this fateful Monday the United States stock market decreased by 22.68%. The United States stcck market did not make up the deficit of the drop until two years later. Overall hundreds of millions of dollars were lost in stock around the country. -
Exxon Valdez Oil Spill
While in Alaska's Prince Williams Sound, the Exxon Valdez supertankers round into the reef and ruptured. When it ruptured, it released 11 million gallons of crude oil into the water. This destroyed more than 1,300 miles of shoreline, killing thousands of marine animals, and effecting the people around the area. The spill was stopped after a few days, but the damage was exponential. It has taken years to clean up after the spill and to this day some damage still is present. -
Tiananmen Square Massacre
In Tiananmen Square everything simply started out as protests and nonviolent riots. All the protests were supporting Democracy, with young students. Then the Chinese Military came and attacked the crowd. A once peaceful protest turned into a blood bath. The Military firing at random at the crowd with tanks and machine guns. Everything was broadcasted from the Beijing Square on national T.V. Almost immediately the protesters stopped talking to the media. That day hundreds were killed and injured. -
Launch of the Hubble Telescope
Named after astronomer Edwin Hubble the Hubble telescope was carried into orbit by a Space Shuttle in 1990. This telescope has taken fantastic images of the neighboring galaxies and stars that we don't even realize are out there. The telescope will never return to earth because it was designed to be repaired and tweaked in space. There are issues with never coming back like orbit decay and outdated materials, but all it takes is some astronauts and a rocket. The telescope is the size of a bus. -
Nelson Mandela Elected President
Nelson Mandela is known as one of the most influencial anti-apartheid people. Nelson Mandela protested the apartheid for years. Eventually he was arrested for his attempts to end the segregation. After the apatheid ended the citizens of South Africa, elected him to be not only the 1st president of the new Democracy, but the 1st Black President of South Africa. -
1st Cloned Sheep
Dolly the sheep was born on 5 July 1996 to three mothers. Yep three mothers! One donated the egg, another the DNA, and the last one becoame pregnate with the first ever living clone. Dolly lived from July 5 1996 – February 14 2003 and had to be put down becouse of severe arthritus and developing lung disease but because of her science has advanced tremendously from the living side of science. -
Sight of the Hale-Bopp Comet
Imagine a shooting star the size of your fist speeding across the dazling night sky. The Hale Bopp Comet was the most observed and brightest comet to be seen in the 20th century. When the comet passed on April first across America many people thought their kids were kidding when they said they saw a star falling to earth. The orbit time for the Comet is roughly 2,533 years. -
Columbine High School Massacre
On April 20, 1999 two seniors from Columbine High School in Columbine killed 12 students and injured 21 then after the deed was done they committed suicide. They had been planning their assult for a while, writing in journals about their plans. Thir plan worked as they set a propane bomb in the cafeteria to divert the fireman as they blocked in class rooms and shot their classmates. -
USS Cole Bombing
On October 12, 2000 a small, mysterious boat was sailing alongside the USS Cole. Then all of a sudden the boat explodes. The small boat was full of suicide terrorists sent to bomb the USS Cole. Which by the way, the USS Cole is a Navy Destroyer. So on that day the suicide bombers blew a 40-foot wide hole in the USS Cole. The explosion killed 17 American sailors and injured many, many more. -
Attack on World Trade Center
September 11, 2001 started out just as any normal day, until 19 al Qaeda terrosrists took over 4 commercial flights. Then at 8:46 A.M. the first plane crashes into the South Tower of the World Trade Center. Next the second plane crashes into the North Tower at 9:03 A.M. The third plane crashes into the Pentagon. The fourth plane was able to be taken back over by the pilot and the passengers. Then it crashes into a field killing everyone. On that day thousands of people lost their lives. -
Plane Landing in Hudson River
Captian "Sulley" was the pilot flight 1549 of the US Airways. The flight seemed to be going normally, when all of a sudden the plane came upon a flock of birds. The plane hit some of the birds, whiched caused the plane to have some engine problems. The pilot then had to make an emergeny landing, but there was no where to land. So the pilot attempted to land the plane in the Hudson River. The attempt was successful. The entire flight survived. It became known as "The Mircale on the Hudson." -
Fort Hood Massacre
On November 5, 2009 a single gunman by the name of Nidal Malik Hasan, killed 13 killed at Fort Hood near Killeen, Texas, and injured more than 30 more people. Days after the shooting it was found that the suspect had been in contact with a Yemen terrorist group. Awaiting the trial, the suspect, if convicted could be charged with the Death Penalty. -
Osama bin Laden Killed
Osama bin Laden was the original founder of the terrorist group, al Qaeda. For years he and his organization terrorized the world. Then on May 2, 2011, a group of elite Navy SEALs entered the compound, in the middle of the night, where bin Laden was seeking refuge. Then the SEALs attacked. They killed Osama bin Laden. But that was not the end. Someone stepped up to take his place and the terrorist group continues this day.
