The Sixties

Have your parents ever told you about the 1960's? If they have, was it boring, or about the least important thing? Well, don't worry, they're not the only people who know about that time period. Even some of your fellow kids have some good info on the 60's. Your parents might have told you that the 60's were all about hippies ... well, the 60's were more than just hippies, although they did playan important role during the decade.

Timeline of the 1960's

1960
* The first debate for a presidential election was televised.  It was between Senator John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon.  Nikon seemed nervous, but Kennedy stood tall.  The debate on TV changed many people's minds about Kennedy. 
* This year NASA sent up ECHO, the first communications satellite to be seen with thenaked eye. 
* American "U2" spy plane shot down over the USSR.
* The Olympic Games were held in Rome and Wilma Rudolf won three gold medals.

1961
* John F Kennedy moves into the White House.  He gives his famous speech - "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." 
* The soviets have sent the first man into space and the Americans need a manin space, too.  The event came on May 5, 1961.  Alan Shepard was sent to space in the "Freedom 7".  On May 25, Kennedy wanted to have a man on the moon and back before the decade was over. 

1962

John Glenn became the first man to orbit the earth - 3 times. It was a five hour flight.
Rachel Carson, a scientist and writer, warned that our earth would die of pollution and chemicals.Especially chemicals that were developed to kill bad insects. DDT was a real bad chemical. It killed bad insects, along with good insects, along with plants, along with animals. She wrote the book Silent Spring with a warning. At least five states banned DDT.
1963

Martin Luther King Jr. made the speech, "I have a Dream" on August 28, 1963. More than 200,000 peaceful demonstrators came toWashington DC to demand equal rights for Black and Whites. Part of the speech was - "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character…"
President Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas, Texas on November 22. Kennedy's assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, was never sent to trial. While beingmoved by police to a different jail, a man named Jack Ruby shot Oswald. Who killed President Kennedy nobody knows for sure.
1964

The Beatles, a British rock and roll band became VERY popular. The "Fab Four", John, Paul, George, and Ringo, were played on radio stations all over the world. They were seen on the "Ed Sullivan Show". They performed concerts that were quickly sold out. All thefrenzy over the group became known as "Beatlemania", which was only the beginning.
This was the first year the cigarette boxes had a warning printed on it "Smoking can be hazardous to your health". It had not occurred to the US government to give the warning that smoking lead to cancer and lung problems.
The first Civil Rights bill was passed to stop racial discrimination.
1965

PresidentJohnson ordered bombing raids on North Vietnam and Americans begin protesting the war.
The world's first roofed stadium was built, the Houston Astrodome.
1966

Walt Disney, the creator of Mickey Mouse and a Pioneer of animated films, died of cancer on December 15, 1966, but his legend lives on.
1967

The first heart transplant was performed by Dr. Christiaan Barnard in Cape Town, SouthAfrica.
1968

Civil Rights Leader Martin Luther King was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. Two months later, Robert Kennedy, John F. Kennedy's brother was assassinated, too. Both were civil rights leaders.
On November 5, 1968, Shirley Chisholm was elected America's first black woman to Congress.
1969

Nearly half a million people headed over to a 600 acre farm in New York for the...