-
Albert Sabin
Dr. Jonas Salk created a Polio vaccine that had to be inserted by shot through the arm or leg depending on the age, but Albert Sabin created an even better Polio Vaccine that could be inserted by a drop to the mouth. -
Joseph McCarthy
On November 14, 1908, Joseph McCarthy was born. He dropped out of grade school at the age of 14, but later returned to finish. In his later life he joined the marines and shortly after ran for Republican senator of Wisconsin. He would make false accusations to promote himself and eventually started the rise of the second red scare. During the second red scare, McCarthy would accuse government officials of being supporters of communism, this became known as McCarthyism. -
Hector P. Garcia
Hector P. Garcia, a WWII veteran was the founder of the G.I Form that helped minority veterans obtain the same benefits the other veterans got. -
Phyllis Schlafly
Phyllis was a conservative female political activist. She opposed the ERA and stopped it from passing. Phyllis also didn't like that women were now expected to do more. -
Cesar Chavez
Cesar Chavez was a farm worker, a labor leader, and a civil rights activist. He, alongside Dolores Huerta, formed the National Farm Workers Association. They helped improve conditions for migrant farm workers and unionize them. -
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley was well known during the 1950s when Rock N' Roll was born. Although he did star in movies, he was so known for his music that people called him the "King of Rock and Roll". Parents thought of Elvis and his music to be provocative, but the teens loved it. He changed the American culture. -
John McCain
In 2008, John, a republican, ran against Barack Obama, a democrat, and lost. He is a former Navy fighter pilots who spent five years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam. -
House- Selected Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)
The House- Selected Un- American Activities Committee, also known as HUAC, was established in may 26, 1938. It was established to investigate people suspected of having communist ties. Many people were blacklisted at this time because communist allegations. -
Lionel Sosa
In the 1960s, Lionel Sosa created his own advertising agency which has become the largest Hispanic advertising agency in the u.s. In 2006, Lionel was recognized as one of the most influential Hispanic by TIME. -
G.I. Bill
President Franklin D. Roosevelt passed a law that allowed WWII soldiers to go to college and provided for vocational education. This bill also allowed for a one year of unemployment compensation and it gave loans to the soldiers in order for them to buy homes or start businesses. -
Period: to
Cold War
The Cold War was a time period when there was tension between the United States and the Soviet Union. The U.S. tried to contain communism while the U.S.S.R tried to spread it. Other historical events happened during this time period too like, the space race and the arms race. -
38th parallel established as a boarder
The 38th parallel boarder was established in August 1945 when Japan surrendered. The U.S. occupied South Korea and the Soviet Union occupied North Korea. -
Robert Johnson
Robert Johnson became the first African American to become a billionaire. He is the founder of the Black Entertainment Television Network, also known as BET. -
George W. Bush
George W. Bush is the 43rd President of the United States. George Bush was a very conservative American politician and businessman. He ran for president, won, and remained president from 2001 to 2009. -
Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton was the first Democratic president since Jimmy Carter. He stayed in office from 1993 to 2001. He had an affair which led to his impeachment. -
Hillary Clinton
Hillary Clinton was the first lady of the United States from 1993-2001. She was the head of the committee of the Health Care Reform, and she won a seat in the senate in 2000. -
Marshall Plan
In 1948, post WWII, George C. Marshall ordered the Marshall Plan which was intended to help European countries recover from economic damage caused by the war and help stop communism. -
Fair Deal
In 1949, President Truman proposed the Fair Deal. His goal was to improve everything for all Americans. The Fair Deal recommended that all Americans have health insurance, the minimum wage be raised, and equal employment rights for all. In the end, only the minimum wage would end up changing. -
Television
Television was used in more way than just for entertainment. Certain shows that entertained people had a different purpose like, "I Love Lucy" and "Father Knows Best". They were both made to show Americans how a family was supposed to be. Political events were also aired on TV as well. -
McCarthyism
McCarthyism started when Joseph McCarthy stated to the people that he had known of 205 card- carrying members of the Communist party that worked for the United States Department of State. He falsely accused numerous of other citizens of being connected to communism, and he would have them blacklisted. One of the most notable group of people he had accused were the Hollywood Ten. -
North Korea invades South Korea
On June 25, 1950, North Korea's government crossed the 38th parallel boarder and invaded South Korea. North Korea was supported by the Soviet Union and china while South Korea was supported by the United States. After the North invaded the South, the U.S. went to support them. -
Rock N' Roll
Originated in the 1950s, Rock N' Roll was seen as controversial to parents. Although African Americans were the first to sing it, white people took their songs and sang it their own way, and of course, made it more popular. An example of this is when Elvis Presley sang "Hound Dog", which was originally sung by Big Mama Thornton. -
Ike Turner
Ike Turner was well known throughout the 1950s for his Rock N' Roll music. He is said to have created the first Rock N' Roll song which has influenced many others and a different culture in the 1950s. -
Beat Generation
The Beat Generation was a generation of writers that rebelled against the American culture for its conformity, blind faith in technology, and materialism. -
Brown v. Board of Education
Thurgood Marshall argued for Linda Brown in her case against the board of education. Linda wasn't allowed to go to a school because it was an all white school, but with Marshall's help, they won the case and schools ended segregation. -
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey was named the first African American female billionaire. She created her own channel named the Oprah Winfrey Network. She was also mentioned in Time as one of the influential people of the 20th century. -
Period: to
Civil Rights
The Civil Rights era was a time period when African Americans stood up for what they believed in. They fought for their equality in many ways that put them in danger, but in the end, with their determination, they got what they wanted. -
Emmett Till Tragedy
Emmett Till's short life came to an end when he allegedly flirted with a white woman. Her Husband and her brothers beat Emmett nearly to death, shot him in the face, tied him to a cotton gin and dumped him in the river. His death sparked the Civil Rights Movement. -
Rosa Parks
Rosa Parks in mostly known for her noble act of not giving up her seat to a white person on a bus. After her arrest for this act, people decided to boycott the buses in Montgomery which affected them greatly. She impacted the Civil Rights Movement. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
After Rosa Parks was arrested for not giving up her seat in a bus, Martin Luther King Jr. gathered people and told them to boycott the buses. This lasted more than a year and seriously damaged the bus companies. The boycott ended when the supreme court declared segregation of buses unconstitutional in 1956. -
Polio Vaccine
Although there is no cure for Polio, Dr. Jonas Salk did create a vaccine to prevent it. Before the vaccine, Polio had affected many people. One of those people was Franklin D. Roosevelt. Polio caused President Franklin D. Roosevelt to become paralyzed for the rest of his life. -
Dr. Jonas Salk
Dr. Jonas Salk was a biologist and physicist that is created for creating the vaccine for the disease Polio. Before the vaccine was created, many Americans had to suffer with this disease, but soon after, Dr. Jonas Salk made it possible to prevent getting it. -
Little Rock Nine
In September of 1957, 9 African American students enrolled in Little Rock Central High School were prevented from entering the school by Governor Orval Faubus, but then President Eisenhower ordered for them to be allowed to enter. This was a major event in the Civil Rights Movement. -
sputnik
On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched the first artificial satellite into orbit. This caused the United States to panic and start the space race. -
Hippies
Hippies were apart of the counterculture. They rejected traditional economic values, and encouraged drug use, mostly marijuana and LSD. Hippies also protested a lot against the war, and spread peace and love. -
Period: to
The 1960s
The 1960s was full of many ups and downs. America faced many issues like the Civil Rights movement, the Vietnam war, and a few others. The American culture continued to change with these different issues. -
Chicano Mural Movement
Many Chicanos in the 1960s painted murals in order to educate people of Mexican American culture and problems. -
LSD
LSD was a very popular drug used throughout the 1960s by mostly hippies, the counterculture. This drug would cause people to hallucinate, and go crazy which ultimately, is why many states banned it. -
Peace Corps
President Kennedy established a volunteer program called the Peace Corps. This volunteer group was an army of idealistic and youthful volunteers that brought America skills to underdeveloped countries. -
Barack Obama
Barack Obama was the first African American to be elected as president of the United States. Before his presidency, he served in the Illinois state senate. He was the 44th president from 2009 to 2017. -
Feminism
During the 1960s, Betty Friedan published a book titled 'The Feminine Mystique' which motivated women to fight for equality everywhere. Feminist at this time usually fought for equality in the workplace. -
Assassination of JFK
While in Dallas supporting the upcoming presidential election, President John F. Kennedy was shot twice by Lee Harvey Oswald and pronounced dead Parkland hospital. After Kennedy's death, Lyndon Johnson became president. -
Malcolm X
Malcolm X, a civil rights activist fought for the rights of African Americans. Unlike Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm resorted to more physical and dangerous means in order to achieve the rights they wanted. -
Daisy Girl Ad
The Daisy Girl Ad was a controversial political ad that aired during the Presidency of Lyndon B Johnson. This ad was only aired once, but it was the reason Lyndon won by a landslide, but also a turning point in political TV ads. -
Counter Culture
The Counter Culture was made up of white middle class people called hippies. They were against the Vietnam war and war in general which caused them to turn away from America. They believed in peace, they used drugs, and wore colorful clothes with peace signs on them. -
Use of Agent Orange and Napalm
Napalm was first used in flamethrowers for U.S troops, but later used in helicopters to spray above the forest where enemy troops were settled in Vietnam. Napalm caused many different diseases to the ones affected by it, different type of cancers being some. -
Anti-War Movement
The Anti-War Movement began on college campuses, but later spread everywhere. Usually the counterculture youth were the ones who started the protests. One main war they protested against was the Vietnam war. -
Great Society
President Lyndon B. Johnson set up the Great Society with different domestic programs that were set to eliminate poverty and racial injustice. -
Tet Offensive
The Tet offensive was a series of attacks by north Vietnamese hitting all major and minor cities in the southern part. Thousands of Vietnamese civilians were killed or injured while this occurred. -
Death of MLK
On April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated at Memphis Hotel by James Earl Ray. His death caused riots across the country. It angered some, and saddened others to the point where they gave up on change. -
Apollo 11
On July 16,1969, the United States launched Apollo 11 to land on the moon. Neil Armstrong, an American astronaut on the Apollo 11, was the first man to step foot on the moon. -
Lee Harvey Oswald
The world became known of Lee Harvey Oswald on November 22, 1969 when he assassinated President Kennedy in Dallas, Texas. He was an Ex- Marine and a known communist. -
Period: to
1970s
The 1970s was an era in which many different people fought for their rights. Some of these people are: Women, gays and lesbians, and African Americans. Many Americans also protested against the Vietnam war during this time as well. -
Nixon Tapes
During the Watergate scandal, the Nixon tapes came to light. The tapes were recordings between President Nixon and whoever he communicated with. Nixon attempted to hide his involvement with the tapes, but was later discovered. He was forced to resign. -
Equal Rights Amendment
The Equal Rights Amendment, also known as ERA, was an amendment designed guarantee equal rights for all citizens regardless of gender. Many people were for this, but some people like, Phyllis Schlafly was against it. -
Watergate
During the 1972 presidential election, President Nixon hired people to wire tap into the Democratic HQ in the Watergate hotel and it revealed other scandalous things the Nixon administration has been doing. Nixon was later impeached, and many people lost faith in the government. -
Title IX
Title IX was an educational amendment that that prohibited gender discrimination in any educational program that was funded by the government. -
Roe v. Wade
Roe v. Wade is a controversial court case that argued whether abortion should be legal or illegal. When a women under the fake name, Roe, wanted an abortion, the state of Texas denied it. In the end abortion was ruled legal. -
Endangered Species Act
The Endangered Species Act was an act that identified threatened and endangered species in the U.S. and protected them. -
Camp David Accords
The Camp David Accords was a peace agreement between Israel and Egypt. This Agreement was seen as President Carters greatest achievement. -
The Moral Majority
The Moral Majority was a christian political group. They were against abortion and against homosexuality. -
Iran Hostage Crisis
For 444 days, 52 American workers were held hostage by the Iranian revolutionaries. President Carters administration tried to negotiate for their release, but failed to do it successfully. Iran released the hostages the day Carter left the office. -
Reaganomics
Reaganomics was economic policies passed by the Reagan administration. President Reagan's plan was to reduce the size of the federal government and to stimulate economic growth. -
MTV
Music Television, also known as MTV was founded in the early 80s. It started as a channel that just featured music, and it became really popular with the youth. Musicians started to make music videos shortly after to be featured on MTV. -
Sandra Day O'Connor
Sandra Day O'Connor was the first lady to be in the U.S. Supreme Court. Ronald Reagan was the one that appointed Sandra to the Supreme Court, and she remained an associate of justice from 1981 until 2006. -
A.I.D.S Crisis
An outbreak during the 70s, Aids scared a lot of people. Aids affected mostly the gay community, but it did affect other people as well. During this time, it was very expensive to treat and there was no cure for it. It caused a lot of deaths. -
Discount Retailing
Discount retailing became a really big thing during the 80s. Different stores including shopping malls and department stores everywhere started to discount their prices. When shopping, people started to look for cheaper prices, and sales. -
The Internet
The internet became really popular in the 1990s along with computers. The internet allowed many people to expand their work and learn new things. The world was moving forward in many ways. Companies used the internet to help spread their work, and even people at home were able to use the internet to do their school work. -
Iran Contra Affair
The Iran Contra Affair was a scandal that happened during the Reagan administration. U.S government agents had secretly sold weapons to Iran in order to raise money to fund anti-communist contra forces in Nicaragua. -
Home Video Game System
Home Video Game Systems became really popular during the 1980s. Nintendo was one of the main reasons for the popularity of video games. In 1985, Masayuki Uemura created the first Nintendo Entertainment System. -
Challenger Explosion
On January 28, 1986, NASA launched the space shuttle, Challenger. With just 73 seconds into flight, Challenger exploded killing everyone inside. The explosion was caused by a faulty seal in the fuel tank. -
Affordability of personal computers
Before the 1990s, a lot of people couldn't afford personal computers. Mostly companies used them due to them being expensive, but that later changed. In these years, computers changed not only in size, but in cost too making them affordable for many people. -
Health Care Reform
In 1993 under the Clinton Administration, Hillary Clinton proposed a universal health care reform for all US citizens. A lot of people were against it, and it was ultimately defeated in 1994 because there were not enough Democratic senators behind it to pass it. -
Don't Ask, Don't Tell Policy
Don't Ask, Don't Tell was a compromise policy for the United States on Military Service. This policy prohibits anyone from speaking about homosexual or any sexual orientation while serving in the US military. -
Lewinsky Affair
In 1995, Monica Lewinsky, a white house intern, admitted to having a sexual relationship between herself and President Clinton. When addressed about this, Clinton lied about it. He was later impeached for perjury. -
Bush v. Gore
Bush v. Gore was a case argued between George Bush and Gore. Gore wanted a recount of votes due to voting irregularities. In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court halted the recount and gave the presidency to Bush. -
Period: to
Contemporary
This new era has had many issues, and will continue to face them, but it has also shown change. We have had the first African American. Though change has happened, many still fear of terrorism and old ways. -
9/11 Attacks
On September 11, 2001, the twin towers were hit by two planes controlled by terrorists. Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked two planes in plan of a suicide mission, and flew them into the twin towers killing everyone on the planes and the people around and in the buildings. -
Patriot Act
The USA Patriot Act of 2001 was created after the terrorists attacks on the twin towers. This act was made to prevent anymore terrorists attacks from happening. The government was allowed greater access to electronic communications. -
No Child Left Behind Act
The No Child Left Behind Act authorized several federal educational programs that are administered by the states. This act authorized the primary and secondary education act. -
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina destroyed 80% of New Orleans and killed over 1300 people. The damages left behind cost up to $150 billion. It was one of the five most deadliest hurricanes in the world. -
The Great Recession
The Great Recession started in the late 2007, it lasted well into 2008, and ended mid 2009. The recession had long term effects on unemployment, and was the largest housing bubble in US history. -
Affordable care act
The affordable care act was the expansion of medicaid. This act was passed by President Obama, and was enacted to increase the quality of health insurance, but lower the cost. It is also nicknamed Obamacare. -
Sam Walton's Just-in-Time Inventory
Sam Walton, the creator of Walmart, created another invention called "just-in-time inventory" . This invention helped keep his stores in stock of everything they had. When a store is nearly out of product, a truck with more supplies can be sent immediately. -
Sonia Sotomayor
Sonia Sotomayor was the first hispanic and third women to be in the Supreme Court in 2009. President George H. W. Bush appointed her to become a US district court judge and President Bill Clinton appointed her to be a judge in the US court of appeals.
