May 4
Kent State Massacre
Ohio National Guard shot and killed four unarmed students during an anti-Vietnam War protest at Kent State University. The nation was stunned.
State violence against students — respectful, name victims
🇺🇸United States · 70s
The Morning After
Kent State, Earth Day, and the hangover of the Sixties.
What happened
4 milestones of 1970
Apr 22
First Earth Day
20 million Americans participated in the first Earth Day, launching the modern environmental movement. Led to the creation of the EPA.
Apr 10
Beatles Break Up
Paul McCartney announced he was leaving The Beatles. The greatest band in history was over.
Apr 11-17
Apollo 13 — 'Houston, We've Had a Problem'
An oxygen tank exploded on Apollo 13 en route to the Moon. The crew's miraculous safe return became NASA's 'successful failure.'
What was playing
70% local · 30% international
What was in cinemas
Patton
Franklin J. Schaffner — George C. Scott won Best Picture and Actor (refused the Oscar).
M*A*S*H
Robert Altman — Korean War satire that was really about Vietnam.
Love Story
Arthur Hiller — 'Love means never having to say you're sorry.' Everyone cried.
The Aristocats
Wolfgang Reitherman — Box office hit in the US — TMDB 7.3
Chisum
Andrew V. McLaglen — Box office hit in the US — TMDB 6.7
What was on TV
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
1970-1977 — Independent career woman on TV. Groundbreaking for its time.
Monday Night Football
1970-present — Howard Cosell made football a primetime spectacle.
All My Children
1970-2011 — Daytime soap that launched a thousand storylines.
How much things cost
Currency: USD
Gallon of milk$1.15
Gallon of gas$0.36
New house (median)$23,400
Postage stamp$0.06
Inflation: 5.7%
Stagflation beginning — rising prices and slowing growth. The postwar consensus was cracking.
Then vs. Now
Inflation-adjusted values
Gallon of milkBLS
1970 (USD)
$1.15
→
Today's value ($)
--
Gallon of gasEIA
1970 (USD)
$0.36
→
Today's value ($)
--
New house (median)Census Bureau
1970 (USD)
$23,400
→
Today's value ($)
--
Postage stampUSPS
1970 (USD)
$0.06
→
Today's value ($)
--
Technology
Floppy disk
IBM introduced the 8-inch floppy disk for data storage.
Pocket calculator
Texas Instruments launched portable electronic calculators.
EPA created
Environmental Protection Agency established by Nixon.
Pop Culture
Fashion
Bell-bottoms went widerPlatform shoesHot pantsEarth tones replaced psychedelic colors
Slang
Right on— Absolutely, I agree
Keep on truckin'— Keep going, don't give up
Downer— Something depressing
Behavior
- Environmental consciousness emerged as a mainstream value
- Anti-war protests continued but fatigue was setting in
- The counterculture was fragmenting into different movements
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