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Period: to
Major Events of 1960
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The deepest location on Earth is reached.
In a submersible designed by Jacques Piccard, he and Lt. Don Walsh dove to the deepest part of the world. The undewater vehicle, known as a Bathyscaphe, reached the bottom of Mariana's Trench after five hours of descent. -
First lunch counter sit-in the 1960's
Four black North Carolina A&T students had a sit-in in a dime store in Greensboro, NC, lunch counter, where they'd been denied service, to begin the first of the historic 1960s sit-ins. -
Pioneer 5 is launched into orbit
On March 11, 1960, the Pioneer 5 space probe is launched frm Cape Canaveral, Florida. Its purpose is to investigate interplanetary space between Earth and Venus. It received data until April 30th of the same year, and was the most successful probe of the Pioneer Program. -
First weather satellite is launched.
Tiros I, the first weather satellite, is launched into space by the United States. The first navigation satellite is launched only twelve days later. -
American U-2 spy plane was shot down over Russia
Francis Gary Powers, an American pilot for the CIA, was shot down in Russian air-space while on a reconnaissance mission. Because of this, the 1960 U-2 incident occured. He was sentenced to ten years in prison in Russia, but was released two years later in exchange for a captured Russian spy. -
Civil Rights Acts was signed.
The Civil Rights Act was a U.S. federal law that established federal inspection of voter registration polls and gave penalties for anyone who obstructed someone's attempt to register to vote. It was signed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. -
The Laser is invented
The Laser (Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation) is invented. The first operation of a functioning laser was performed by Theodore H. Maiman at Hughes Reseach Labratories in Malibu, California. -
Chile experiences massive Earthquake
An earthquake, measuring a magnitude of 9.5, hit Chile just before a more powerful one hit after that. It caused tsunamis in every coastal town surrounding it. About 1000 people were killed. -
Tidal wave caused by Chile Earthquake hits Hawaii
The day after the immense Earthquake in Chile, a resulting tidal wave strikes Hawaii destroying 537 buildings and killing 61 people. Later, the wave goes on to hit Japan. -
The 50-star U.S. flag made it debut.
The addition of the 50th star was to honor the admission of Hawaii. Originally, the final selection for the nation's current flag was designed as a history project. Robert G. Heft, a 17-year-old at that time, was given credit for designing the flag that received a B-, ironically. -
First two-way telephone conversation by satellite took place
The first telephone conversation via satellite took place between the Jet propulsion Labratory in Pasadena, California and the Bell Labratories in Homdel, New Jersey. The large balloon satellite functioned as a reflector, not as a transmitter. -
World's highest/longest parachute jumping free fall.
From an altitude of 102,800 (19.3 miles), a gondola lifted by a 360ft. helium balloon, ascended to the sky carrying Col. Joe Kittinger. He reached the highest distance from Earth ever in a nonpowered flight. His fall lasted four minutes and 36 seconds and he became the first man to achieve the speed of sound without an aircraft or space vehicle. His record was later broken in 2010. -
The Beatles give their first performance.
The Beatles, being a new band, had their first live performance at a club in Hamburg, Germany. They gave their perfomance the day after they arrived. -
Korabl-Sputnik 2 was launched.
Korabl-Sputnik (Russian for Ship-Satellite) 2 launched into space becoming the first successful spaceflight to send animals into orbit and return them safely. It carried two dogs, 40 mice, two rats, and various plants. -
Olympic games are held in Rome.
The 17th Summer Olympics are held Rome, Italy. A highlight for the U.S. was that of Wilma Rudolph. She was the first African-American to won three gold medals in a single Olympiad. -
OPEC is formed.
OPEC (Organization for the Petroleum Exporting Countries) was formed by Iran, Kuwait, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela. It was later joined by nine other governments: United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Ecuador, Angola, Nigeria, Gabon, Libya, Qatar, and Indonesia. Its purpose is to give a country fair sovereignty of its natural resources. -
First successful heart valve replacement.
Dr. Albert Starr performed the first successful heart valve replacement in a human. He and engineer Lowell Edwards had developed the artificial heart valve in the 1950s. -
John F. Kennedy is elected President of U.S.
Governor of Massachusetts John F. Kennedy is elected to be the 35th president of the United States. He won by 118,550 popular votes against Richard Nixon. The Presidential Debate between the two candidates was the first ever televised. -
First black student at all white school
At a New Orleans school, Ruby Bridges walks in along with 4 federal marshals against an angry crowd of racists. Norman Rockwell later painted this scene and called it "The Trouble We All Live With". -
Two planes crash over New York City
A United Airlines DC-8 and a Trans World Airlines Lockheed Constellation collide above New York City. They then crash and kill 128 people flying on both planes and 134 people on the ground.
