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LGBTQ Pride by Toni Reed/

10 Most Famous Historical World Events of the 1970s

The 1970s is remembered as an era where women鈥檚 rights, gay rights, and environmental movements, the Vietnam war, and protests against the war were still ongoing it was a tumultuous time. President Richard Nixon dismantled the welfare state he abolished President Lyndon Johnson鈥檚 war on poverty, he made a show of his resistance to the mandatory school desegregation plan. Well, it was not all bad Nixon urged congress to pass a comprehensive health insurance plan. Americans were determined to escape from all the wars and social movements of the previous decade. In a magazine called self-sold thousands of copes it wrote stories of women demanding respect as the men, all Americans wanted to search for themselves the real me. Every rule of fashion collapsed in the 1970s lapels, ties, and collars, reached record widths. The polyester leisure suit, available in a palette of citrus and pastel colors, was extremely popular among young males. Americans started celebrating the first Earth Day in 1970 to raise awareness to protect the environment, activism triumphed in this decade the United States faced a significant change in its demographic portrait because of its economic problems. Economic equality of the sexes still proved an elusive goal. Even as women moved into nontraditional jobs and many companies established new job鈥恡raining programs and opened daycare centers for working mothers, disparities in pay for men and women doing the same job remained significant. The discrimination of Jim Crow laws brought about the issues of minorities and how to combat inequality. In the 70s it was about women wearing clothes from flared and bell sleeves to shearling coats and miniskirts the era birthed an electric mix of style influences and fashion evolved over ten years.

Here are interesting historical events that took place in this decade

1. The end of the swinging sixties

The swinging sixties was a youth-driven culture revolution that took place in the United Kingdom during the mid-late 1960, this era emphasizes the creation and fun-loving hedonism with swinging London at its center. London transformed from being a conservative city in the decade after World War II, people wanted to forget all the problems brought by the war the city was full of freedom, hope, and promise it was the center of excitement and anything was possible. These were years of great social and cultural changes that made the country what it is today, the end of capital punishment, divorce reform, abortion, and the legalization of homosexuality. This was the first teenage generation free from conscription, young people were finally given a voice and freedom to do what they wanted. The Beatles emerged as an excellent example of how music influenced the teenagers of the era and this music made the young people stand for their beliefs. Well, this freedom came to an end in the 70s when laws were put in place to govern both the young and old.

2. Anti-War movement

Anti-war protest by Barry Mulling/

The anti-war movement was one of the most ubiquitous displays of opposition to the government policy, protests rage all over the country. The city where demonstrations against the war were captivating is Washington D.C, protesters invaded Lafayette Park at the front yard of the White House. This protest played an integral role and the president could not ignore what the people were saying. Students, government officials, labor unions, church groups, and families increasingly opposed the war and it climaxed in 1968 forcing a gradual withdrawal of U.S. forces. The late 1960s became increasingly radical as the activists felt their demands were ignored, and peaceful demonstrations turned violent. The Americans were tired of casualties during this Vietnam war and the war was dragging on way too long people were tired of these forty thousand young men being called into service every month adding fuel to the fire. Martin Luther King Jr also protested against the war in his civil right movement.

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3. The decline of the Civil rights movement

Dr Martin Luther King civil rights movement by Unseen Histories/

The civil rights movement was a protest on social justice to allow black Americans to have equal rights as white under the laws in the United States. Racial violence in the South, which amounted to domestic terrorism against African Americans, continued into the middle of the 20th century and powerfully shaped public opinion. The civil war abolished slavery, but black discrimination did not end racism was still on the rise, and there was a lot of violence and prejudice against the black community. This is what Martin Luther King Jr was fighting against before he was assassinated, by 1970 the civil rights movement helped the supreme court to declare segregation in public schools unconstitutional and led to the passage of significant laws like the Civil rights Act of 1964, laws on racial discrimination and discrimination of voting rights. Unfortunately, the civil rights movements did not stop racial equality, up today there is still racial equality deeply rooted in the American way of life.

4. The gay liberation movement

LGBTQ Pride by Toni Reed/

The gay liberation movement is a social and political movement that started in the late 1960s through the mid-1980s. This movement urged lesbians and gay men to engage in radical action and to counter the shame of gay pride. The gay movement began after the police raided the Stonewall Inn in 1969 and patrons fought the police by hurling rocks and bottles at the police, in the next weeks a lot of riots broke out. The rise of gay liberation signaled the end of the homophile approach, in 1969 the NACHO meeting in Kansas City was the largest gathering of gay and lesbian activists to date. San Francisco was known as the leading city in gay activities especially the University of California Berkeley, in the sixties decade over forty gay bars were open. The first pride match led by Rodwell brought about more organized parades by the LGBT community, in 1970 the pride marches were not only in the U.S. cities, Europe with London holding its first LGBTQ match. The purpose of the pride was not just to commemorate those who fought against police violence at the stonewall inn, it was also to remove the shame and self-hatred that scared the LGBTQ community.

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5. The Watergate scandal

House Banking Committee hearing on Watergate Incident by Warren K/

The Watergate scandal began early in the decade when several burglars were arrested in the office of the Democratic National Committee located in the Watergate complex building. This was not any ordinary robbery, the crooks were connected to President Richard Nixon, Nixon tried his best to cover up the robbery. This scandal changed American politics for good, the initial investigation into the scandal was heavily influenced by the media particularly two reporters from the Washington Post, along with a mysterious informant. The senate formed a committee to investigate the scandal and uncovered the existence of the secret white house tape recordings, sparking a major political and legal battle between congress and the president. Presidents Nixon鈥檚 reign came to an end when he resigned after the police found his involvement in the scandal. Vice president Gerald Ford was sworn in as President and pardoned Nixon for any crimes he committed while in office, well Nixon鈥檚 aides were not lucky at all they were convicted of serious offenses and sent to federal prison.

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6. Elvis Presley passes away

Elvis Presley in his prime by Rossano/

The death of the King of rock and roll brought many mourning fans together to Graceland. It is said he died of a heart attack, brought on by his addiction to prescribed Barbiturates. Presley was born in Tupelo Mississippi with his twin brother Jesse who died during birth, he started recording music at the age of 19. Sam Philips the owner of the studio was intrigued by his soulful voice, and from then Presley’s career launched. He may seem perfect in his public life, but he was actually suffering through a long downward spiral. His career generated hit after hit and he elevated from a country boy to the most popular musician on the planet. Presley sold millions of records, Presley’s marriage life was not easy and it fell into bits and pieces with several infidelities, he suffered two overdoses including one that put him in a coma. He became overweight and suffered from Glaucoma caused by his drug abuse. Well, this was the fall of the legendary singer who changed the world of music in the sixties decade.

7. Roe Vs Wade

Roe Vs Wade was a landmark decision in which the U.S supreme court struck down a Texas statute banning abortion effectively legalizing the procedure across the United States. Before the legal case abortion was legal in the United States, Norma McCorvey a Texas woman in her early 20s sought to terminate an unwanted pregnancy she has already given up both of her children in adoption. Abortion was legal during this time in Texas, Jane Roe was her name to conceal her identity, and Georgia forbade abortion except in cases where the mother鈥檚 life is in danger, rape, or in case the fetus was likely to be born with a mental disability. Henry Wade was against abortion in 1970 Texas court ruled that the abortion ban was illegal because it violated a constitutional right to privacy. Wade declared he would continue to persecute doctors who are involved in abortion, today most cities in Europe have legalized abortion.

8. The first female Prime Minister in the U.K

Margaret Thatcher by Rob Bogaerts/

Margaret Hilda Thatcher was the first female British prime minister and the longest serving in the 20^th century serving three terms. She implemented economic policies that became known as Thatcherism, a soviet journalist called her the Iron lady. Her victory was a surprise to many, she stood against Edward Heath for the opposition party and she won becoming the leader of the conservative party. Thatcher becomes a familiar international figure creating a famous friendship with U.S president Reagan and gaining the praise of Soviet leader Gorbachev. Her father was a preacher and influenced her political opinion, she worked hard to bring the country鈥檚 economy back on track and introduced radical spending and tax cuts. She was made baroness in 1995 and remained active in politics, campaigning against atrocities in the Balkans.

9. American serial Killer Ted Bundy

Ted Bundy by Unknown Arthur/

Ted Bundy exhibited signs of a sadistic serial killer in his teenage years, he preyed on young and attractive college women. Bundy would ruse his victims by pretending to be disabled or impersonating authoritative figures like police officers or firefighters, to gain the trust of the women and then use his charm to lure them and attack. He would strike the women with a crown bar on the head and this enabled him to rape them and murder them. Over the years there was a rise in body counts and witnesses’ descriptions of Bundy spread to authorities. Ted Bundy was apprehended and sentenced to death by the electric chair, by the time he was caught he confessed to thirty murders. He described himself as the most cold-hearted son of a bitch you will ever meet. He killed women in Washington, Colorado, and Florida, his mother Eleanor Louise Cowell.

10. The break of the Beatles

Beatles ad 1965 by Unknown Arthur/

The Beatles a legendary Rock band finally broke off in this decade, the band broke up because of personal differences, business differences, and musical differences. It is said that Paul McCartney split the group when he announced the release of his self-titled solo album and this shook their fans. For years the band was drifting away after behind closed-doors tension in the group. Three months after the band split, they all went their separate ways but John Lennon went to Spain to shoot a movie. The sudden tragic death of their manager Brian Epstein in 1967 is also cited as a contributing factor, which left them without managerial support having to handle their own conflicts and own business affairs.

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