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1st credit card issued
In 1951, 20,000 people were Diners cardholders. As time went on, they changed the cards to plastic. Purchases were made on credit, but since it was a charge card, the whole Bill had to be paid by the end of the month. -
Joseph Stalin dies
Joseph Stalin was the leader of the Soviet Union until his death in Moscow. He wanted to spread communism everywhere and used a reign of fear to get his views across. He died from a heart attack and is know till this day the man who saved his nation from Nazi domination.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3I-dnTEgDU -
Emmett Till murdered
Emmett Till was a 14 year old black boy who came to visit family in Mississippi from Chicago. One day while at the store, he had whistled to a white woman and was found brutally murdered 4 days later. The 2 men who killed him never confessed during the trials and the court found the men not guilty. After this, the men said they did kill him and they couldn't be persecuted because of double jeopardy. Emmett Till was murdered as a result of pure racism. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqW4WkPxJ5Yj -
Nasa Founded
Nasa stands for National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The US created this due to the space race with the Soviet Union. Due to the creation of Nasa, president John F. Kennedy announced a goal to get a man on the moon and spent millions of dollars to do so. Congress established Nasa as the coordinating body of the US space program.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTi_9POo-Ig -
Apollo 11
Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first people to walk on the moon. This milestone was broadcasted all over live TV to a worldwide audience. It was described as "one small step for man, one giant leap for man kind". The Apollo 11 mission ended the space race. -
Watergate Scandal
Several burglars were arrested at the Democratic National Committee office while trying to steal secret documents and wiretape phones. They were found to be connected to President Nixon (and his reelection campaign) who later took measures to cover up their crimes. After his actions were made public, he resigned from his position.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeWjVLwV3Zk -
U.S. Pulls Out of Vietnam 1973
Two months before this, the peace agreement between the U.S. and Vietnam was signed. The last group of U.S. soldiers leave Vietnam on this day. American war prisoners that were held in North Vietnam were released.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5vD9iJkPkc -
AIDS Breakout
5 young, healthy homosexual men are infected with a rare lung disease. Two die due to their immune systems shutting down. After this, large amounts of unknown infection and diseases are reported which will later on be established as AIDS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LKJ5ZzzL0w -
MTV
MTV first aired on August 1,1981 at 12:01 eastern time. The show started off with just showing basic music videos but by the late 80's started to gear its channel towards teens and young adults with shows like The Real World, The Osbournes, and My Super Sweet 16. -
Rodney King Beating
Rodney King was taxi driver who was brutally beaten by the LAPD following a high speed car chase. A witness caught the ordeal on tape and this helped to spark outrage in the surrounding communities.The Four officers were charged with assault with a deadly weapon and use of excessive force but were later acquitted of all charges. This sparked outrage in the surrounding communities and eventually led to the LA Riots. http://abcnews.go.com/Archives/video/march-1991-rodney-king-videotape-9758031 -
Collapse of the Soviet Union
11 Soviet Republics announce that they will no longer be a part of the Soviet Union. Due to the large number of radical reforms of Mikhail Gorbachev, the Soviet president, the USSR falls. Gorbachev was disappointed with the collapse of his nation and decides to resign from his position.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVBVjIAMo8c -
Impeachment of Bill Clinton
Clinton was impeached due to his inappropriate relationship with a White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Clinton also was charged with perjury. Even though he was impeached, he was never kicked out of office.