-
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley was an American singer/songwriter who was popular in the 50's and 60's. He was-- and still is-- known as the "King of Rock 'n' Roll". His energetic music and provocative music made many of the older generations of the time have a distaste for him. His music influenced the quickly rising age of rock. He died in 1977 of a prescription drug overdose.
Source Britannica -
Montgomery Bus Boycotts
The Montgomery Bus Boycotts were a series of protests that occurred in December of 1956 following the arrest of Rosa Parks for not giving up her seat to a white man. The protests ultimately led to the desegregation of the Montgomery Bus System. This is often considered to be the start of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. -
John F. Kennedy
Kennedy played a role in revolutionizing American politics. Television began to have a real impact on voters and long, drawn-out election campaigns became the norm. Style became an essential complement to substance.
He was assassinated on November 22nd, 1963 in Dallas, Texas.
Source: https://millercenter.org/president/kennedy/impact-and-legacy -
LBJ
After taking office, he (Lyndon B. Johnson) won passage of a major tax cut, the Clean Air Act, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. After the 1964 election, Johnson passed even more sweeping reforms. The Social Security Amendments of 1965 created two government-run healthcare programs, Medicare and Medicaid.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidency_of_Lyndon_B._Johnson -
Turning Point of Vietnam
On January 30, 1968, North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops launched the Tet Offensive against South Vietnamese and United States targets. The Tet Offensive became a major turning point in the Vietnam War. In the movie, Forrest was seen fighting in the war and his best friend "Bubba" dies as result of the war.
Source: https://www.nationalgeographic.org/thisday/jan30/tet-offensive/#:~:text=On%20January%2030%2C%201968%2C%20North,point%20in%20the%20Vietnam%20War. -
Richard Nixon
"President Nixon pursued two important policies that both culminated in 1972. In February he visited Beijing, setting in motion normalization of relations with the People's Republic of China. In May, he traveled to the Soviet Union and signed agreements that contained the results of the first Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty talks (SALT I)..."
Source: https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/short-history/nixon-foreignpolicy -
Bob Hope
On Christmas of 1970, Bob Hope's USO Christmas Special premiered on live T.V. This also featured the New Years Eve Ball Drop. Lieutenant Dan and Forrest Gump were seen watching it in the film. -
Ping-Pong Diplomacy
In April 1971, nine players from the U.S. Table Tennis team took a historic trip to China, becoming the first delegation of Americans to visit the country in decades. Their trip was the start of what became known as “ping pong diplomacy” and helped lay the groundwork for establishing official diplomatic relations between the United States and the People’s Republic of China. Ping pong diplomacy also led to improved people-to-people understanding and cultural exchange. -
Jimmy Carter
"Jimmy Carter aspired to make Government “competent and compassionate,” responsive to the American people and their expectations. His achievements were notable, but in an era of rising energy costs, mounting inflation, and continuing tensions, it was impossible for his administration to meet these high expectations."
- Carter established the Camp-David accords which helped bring peace between Israel and Egypt
Source: https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/james-carter/ -
The Watergate Scandal
The Watergate scandal began on the morning of June 17, 1972. Several burglars were arrested in the office of the Democratic National Committee, within the Watergate complex of buildings in Washington, D.C. The thieves were connected to President Nixon’s reelection campaign, and they had been caught wiretapping phones and stealing documents. Nixon tried to cover up the scandal, but when Washington Post reporters revealed his role in the conspiracy, he resigned on August 9, 1974.
S: History.com -
The Space Race
The competition began on 2 August 1955, when the Soviet Union responded to the US announcement of their similar intent to launch artificial satellites. The Space Race ended in 1975 after the US and Soviet Union launched the Apollo-Soyuz.
Source: https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/space-race-timeline#:~:text=The%20competition%20began%20on%202,following%20the%20Second%20World%20War.
Source 2: https://astronomy.com/news/2020/07/apollo-soyuz-mission-when-the-space-race-ended -
Apple
In 1976, Apple released it's first product, the Apple 1. It begins the boom of personal computer sales. In the film, Lieutenant Dan invests Forrest's money in Apple. It is believed that he hypothetically owns 3% of Apple.
Source: https://oh42fifty.org/2019/01/29/the-rise-of-apple-inc/ -
AIDS
The first cases of what would later become known as AIDS were reported in the United States (U.S.) in June of 1981. Today, there are more than 1.2 million people living with HIV in the U.S. and there are more than 35,000 new infections each year. people with AIDS have died since the beginning of the epidemic. -
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan, originally an American actor and politician, became the 40th President of the United States serving from 1981 to 1989. His term saw a restoration of prosperity at home, with the goal of achieving “peace through strength” abroad.
Source: https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/ronald-reagan/ -
Iran-Contra Affair
The Iran-Contra Affair was a secret U.S. arms deal that traded missiles and other arms to free some Americans held hostage by terrorists in Lebanon, but also used funds from the arms deal to support armed conflict in Nicaragua. The controversial deal—and the ensuing political scandal—threatened to bring down the presidency of Ronald Reagan.
Source: https://www.history.com/topics/1980s/iran-contra-affair