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Period: to
U.S History timeline project 1955-1975
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Jonas Salk develops the polio vaccine
In 1954, one million children with polio were given a new vaccine for polio that Dr. Salk had invented. After finding the vaccine was safe and effective, Dr.Salk announced this breakthrough to the rest of the world. Within 8 years the number of polio cases went down from 45,000 to 910. -
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
On December 1st, 1955, Rosa Parks was on her way home from work on a bus in Montgomery Alabama when she refused to give up her bus seat to a white passenger. This led to her arrest which then led to the successful Montgomery bus boycott which lasted 381 days. -
Election of 1956
Incumbent president Eisenhower defeated Democrat Adlai E. Stevenson for the second time in a row for the presidency. -
Alaska and Hawaii become states
In 1959 the United States made two territories states. These two new states are still the last ones to join the United States to this day. -
election of 1960
Democrat John F. Kennedy barely beat Republican vice president, Richard Nixon for the presidency. This made President Kennedy the youngest person to ever be elected president. -
Civil Rights Act
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 made it illegal for separation of any kind on the basis of race in public places. This bill caused a 75 day filibuster in the Senate where Democrats opposed the bill. -
election of 1964
Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson defeated Republican candidate Barry Goldwater in what is still one of the largest landslides in a presidential election. -
Election of 1968
In the election of 1968, Republican Richerd Nixon defeated Democrat Hubert Humphrey. -
Election of 1972
President Nixon was re-elected for a second term beating off Democrat George McGovern.