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Wright Brothers' First Flight
The first heavier-than-air aircraft was successfully flown at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina by Orville Wright. This is a significant event in human history, as it placed the theory of flight into practice and opened up several new technological branches regarding aviation. Many viewed this type of flight to be impossible or impractical, but Orville persisted and said, “If we worked on the assumption that what is accepted as true really is true, then there would be little hope for advance." -
Wall Street Crash of 1929
This stock market crash was one of several factors that catalyzed The Great Depression. While this economic crisis took place in the US, other countries also suffered due to connections to the US economy until President Franklin D. Roosevelt got the US out of the crisis with the New Deal. During the depression, a famous motto among the Americans was, "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without," emphasizing the need to conserve materials. -
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor with airplanes to demobilize the American naval fleet. This attack was significant, as it prompted Franklin D. Roosevelt to request US congress to join WW2, resulting in an approval. As a result, the US had to draft and recruit soldiers while everyone else maintained the country at home. A popular slogan from a fictional character by the name of Uncle Sam exclaimed, "I Want You for U.S. Army," highlighting the dire need for people to join the war effort. -
The Trinity Test
The world's first ever nuclear bomb detonation occurred at Los Alamos, New Mexico as part of the Manhattan Project lead by Robert Oppenheimer. This successful test resulted in the USA winning the nuclear arms race against Nazi Germany, and the invention of weapons of mass destruction redefined warfare. Following this test, Oppenheimer famously said, "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds," marking the destructive capability of mankind. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The US and USSR were in a cold war, and tension grew significantly when an American U2 spy plane, piloted by Major Richard S. Heyser, photographed a nuclear missile site in Cuba. President John F. Kennedy claimed, "We will not prematurely or unnecessarily risk the costs of worldwide nuclear war," so he made a deal with the USSR prime minister, Nikita Khrushchev, to take down the Soviet nukes in Cuba, resulting in the end of the crisis. -
Assassination of John F. Kennedy
President John F. Kennedy was shot and killed in his open-roof vehicle during a presidential motorcade in Dallas by Lee Harvey Oswald. This event is significant, as it emphasized the need for more intense presidential security and brought unrest to the country. Despite his death, his legacy was continued by Lyndon B. Johnson. As JFK himself put it, "A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on" -
Moon Landing
In response to the USSR winning the space race, President John F. Kennedy expressed, "We choose to go to the Moon." To execute this plan, the Apollo 11 mission was formed with crew members Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins. This event is significant in human history, because it was the first time a human stepped on another celestial body. As Neil Armstrong famously stated, this event was "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." -
US Defeat in the Vietnam War
The US joined the Vietnam War to limit the spread of communism from North Vietnam. The Viet Cong used tactics that gave them a significant advantage over the US, such as utilizing a tunnel system. As a result, the US lost the war. This event is significant, as the US failed to contain communism and depleted the people's trust in their government. This distrust was present in the war, as Martin Luther King Jr. stated, "The greatest purveyor of violence in the world today: my own government." -
Creation of ARPANET
The USA created ARPANET as a form of rapid communication within the United States. Initiated by Robert Taylor, this creation is significant, as it evolved into the internet we know of today. While ARPANET itself was used only by selected agencies, the internet is accessible to all, and it evolved society in a way that made it possible for everyone to communicate instantly. As Stephen Hawking put it, "We are all now connected by the Internet, like neurons in a giant brain." -
9/11
The terrorist attacks of 9/11 is a significant event in worldwide history, as it revealed the necessity in both national and aviation security. Carried out by Al-Qaeda and planned by Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, four planes were hijacked and collided into various structures such as the World Trade Center and The Pentagon. While this event brought fear and uncertainty to Americans, it also sparked patriotism and unity. "United we stand" was a common phrase used in the aftermath of the attack.