North America

Nixon Signs U.S. Endangered Species Act into Law

By the early 1970s, habitat loss and overhunting had driven numerous American species toward extinction, prompting bipartisan concern. President Richard Nixon had called for stronger protections in 1972. On December 28, 1973, he signed the Endangered Species Act, which authorized federal agencies to identify and protect threatened and endangered plants and animals. The law prohibited actions that harmed listed species or their critical habitats and required recovery plans. It immediately listed several species and established a framework still in use today.

Exploration 20th Century North America

Mariner 10 Makes First Flyby of Mercury

NASA's Mariner 10 spacecraft, launched in November 1973, used a gravity assist from Venus to reach the innermost planet. Mercury had never been visited by a probe, and scientists sought close-up data on its surface, magnetic field, and environment. On March 29, 1974, the spacecraft passed within 437 miles of Mercury, returning the first detailed images and measurements of the planet's cratered terrain and confirming a weak magnetic field. The encounter also revealed a thin helium-rich exosphere. Mariner 10 would make two additional flybys, providing the bulk of knowledge about Mercury until the MESSENGER mission decades later.

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Culture 20th Century North America

Hank Aaron Breaks Babe Ruth's Home Run Record

In the mid-twentieth century, Major League Baseball stood as a national pastime grappling with its history of racial segregation while celebrating individual excellence. Hank Aaron, an African American outfielder for the Atlanta Braves who had endured death threats and pressure during his pursuit of the record, entered the 1974 season one home run shy of Babe Ruth's 714. On April 8, 1974, before a sellout crowd at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, Aaron connected on a fourth-inning pitch from Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Al Downing, sending his 715th career home run over the left-field fence. The feat surpassed Ruth's long-standing mark and was celebrated amid national attention, with Aaron finishing his career with 755 homers.

Marjorie Taylor Greene Born in Milledgeville

Marjorie Taylor Greene was born on May 27, 1974, in Milledgeville, Georgia. She earned a business degree from the University of Georgia and worked as a business owner before entering electoral politics. Greene won election as a Republican to Georgia's 14th Congressional District in 2020 and entered the U.S. House of Representatives in January 2021. She became a nationally prominent conservative political figure and a frequent participant in debates over immigration, federal spending, government investigations, foreign policy, and Republican Party strategy. During the 117th Congress, the House removed her from committee assignments after controversy over earlier public statements and social-media activity; she received committee assignments again in the next Congress. In 2024, she was appointed one of the House managers...

House Committee Votes to Impeach Nixon

The Watergate scandal unfolded after a 1972 break-in at Democratic National Committee headquarters, with evidence emerging of a cover-up involving President Richard Nixon's administration, including tape recordings of Oval Office conversations. The House Judiciary Committee conducted months of hearings examining articles of impeachment for obstruction of justice, abuse of power, and contempt of Congress. On July 27, 1974, the committee voted 27 to 11 in favor of the first article, charging Nixon with obstruction of justice related to the cover-up. Bipartisan support signaled eroding confidence in the president amid ongoing investigations and public pressure.

Culture 20th Century North America

Philippe Petit Walks Between Twin Towers

French high-wire artist Philippe Petit had long planned an unauthorized performance to connect the newly completed World Trade Center towers in New York City. On August 7, 1974, he stretched a steel cable between the roofs of the 110-story buildings, 1,350 feet above the ground. Petit walked back and forth eight times over 45 minutes, performing ballet-like movements and even lying on the wire. Police arrested him upon completion, but charges were dropped after he agreed to perform for children. The feat captivated the public and was later chronicled in the documentary Man on Wire.

Event Detail

Politics 20th Century North America

President Nixon Announces Resignation Amid Watergate

The Watergate scandal, involving a break-in at Democratic headquarters and subsequent cover-up, had engulfed the Nixon administration by mid-1974 with mounting evidence of obstruction of justice. Facing certain impeachment by the House and conviction in the Senate after the release of incriminating tapes, President Richard Nixon addressed the nation on August 8, 1974. He stated he would resign effective at noon the following day, becoming the first U.S. president to do so. Vice President Gerald Ford was sworn in as the 38th president on August 9. The resignation followed months of congressional hearings, special prosecutor investigations, and eroding public support.

Politics 20th Century North America

Nixon Resigns Amid Watergate Scandal

The Watergate scandal, involving a break-in at Democratic National Committee headquarters and subsequent cover-up, had eroded public trust in the Nixon administration since 1972. Congressional investigations, Supreme Court rulings on tapes, and impeachment proceedings in the House intensified pressure on President Richard Nixon. On August 9, 1974, Nixon became the first U.S. president to resign from office, delivering a farewell address from the White House and transferring power to Vice President Gerald Ford. The resignation avoided a likely Senate conviction on articles of impeachment related to obstruction of justice and abuse of power. Ford's subsequent pardon of Nixon sparked further controversy over accountability.

President Ford Pardons Richard Nixon

In the wake of the Watergate scandal that forced Richard Nixon's resignation on August 9, 1974, newly sworn-in President Gerald Ford confronted deep national divisions over accountability for presidential misconduct. Ford, who had not been elected to either the presidency or vice presidency, weighed the need for closure against ongoing legal proceedings. On September 8, 1974, he issued a full, unconditional pardon to Nixon for any federal crimes committed during his presidency. The decision, announced from the Oval Office, aimed to end the national ordeal but immediately sparked widespread controversy and accusations of a deal. Nixon accepted the pardon without admitting guilt.

Technology 20th Century North America

1975

Bill Gates and Paul Allen Found Microsoft

In the mid-1970s, the personal computer revolution was beginning with hobbyist kits like the Altair 8800. Childhood friends Bill Gates and Paul Allen, inspired by a magazine cover, developed a BASIC interpreter for the machine while in Albuquerque. On April 4, 1975, they officially established Microsoft (initially Micro-Soft) to sell software for microcomputers. Gates served as CEO from the start, focusing on licensing software rather than hardware. The company quickly secured deals and relocated to Washington state, laying the foundation for dominant operating systems.

Disaster 20th Century North America

1975

SS Edmund Fitzgerald Sinks on Lake Superior

In the autumn of 1975, the Great Lakes faced severe storms that tested even the sturdiest ore carriers. The SS Edmund Fitzgerald, a 729-foot freighter loaded with taconite pellets, departed Superior, Wisconsin, bound for Detroit. On November 10, amid hurricane-force winds and massive waves on Lake Superior, the ship encountered catastrophic conditions near the Canadian shore. It disappeared from radar without issuing a distress call, sinking rapidly and claiming all 29 crew members. The wreckage was later located in 530 feet of water, with investigations pointing to structural failure or flooding as likely causes.

Event Detail Disaster Kit Pro

1977

Tom Cotton Born in Dardanelle

Thomas Bryant Cotton was born on May 13, 1977, in Dardanelle, Arkansas. Raised on his family's cattle farm, he graduated from Harvard University and Harvard Law School and briefly practiced law before joining the U.S. Army after the September 11 attacks. Cotton served as an infantry officer, including deployments connected with Iraq and Afghanistan, and later worked as a management consultant. He won election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012 and served one term before winning a U.S. Senate seat in 2014. Cotton was reelected in 2020 and became a prominent Republican voice on national security, immigration, China, military policy, criminal justice, and technology. In 2025, Senate Republicans selected him as chair of the Republican Conference, and he...

1978

Ron DeSantis Born in Jacksonville

Ronald Dion DeSantis was born on September 14, 1978, in Jacksonville, Florida. He grew up in Dunedin and attended Yale University before earning a law degree from Harvard. DeSantis entered the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General's Corps and served in assignments that included support for operations in Iraq. He later worked as a federal prosecutor and won election to the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida in 2012. DeSantis resigned from Congress during his successful 2018 campaign for governor and took office in January 2019. As governor, he became a nationally prominent Republican figure through policies and disputes involving education, immigration, public health, abortion, state authority, corporations, and cultural issues. DeSantis sought the Republican presidential nomination in the 2024 election...

Civil Rights 20th Century North America

1978

Harvey Milk and George Moscone Assassinated in San Francisco

In the 1970s, San Francisco emerged as a center of LGBTQ+ activism amid broader civil rights movements, with Harvey Milk elected in 1977 as one of the first openly gay public officials in the United States. Tensions rose between progressive supervisors like Milk and more conservative colleagues, including former supervisor Dan White. On November 27, 1978, White entered City Hall through a basement window and fatally shot Mayor George Moscone in his office before killing Milk in an adjacent room. The assassinations shocked the city, sparking massive protests and highlighting deep divisions over gay rights, urban politics, and gun access in local government.

Culture Born On 20th Century North America

1979

Nate Bargatze Born in Nashville

Nathanael Bargatze, known professionally as Nate Bargatze, was born on March 25, 1979, in Nashville, Tennessee. He began pursuing stand-up in Chicago and New York, developing a deliberately unhurried style rooted in family stories, everyday confusion, and understated reactions. Rather than relying on rapid punchlines or confrontational subjects, Bargatze often presents himself as a patient but bewildered participant in ordinary life. Albums, television appearances, podcasts, arena tours, and streaming specials brought that clean, conversational approach to a broad audience.

Event Detail

1979

Disaster 20th Century North America

Three Mile Island Nuclear Accident Begins

At the Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station in Pennsylvania, a series of equipment failures and operator errors unfolded in the early morning hours. A stuck relief valve allowed coolant to escape from the Unit 2 reactor, leading to overheating and partial core meltdown. Plant operators initially misread instruments and took actions that worsened the situation. By midday on March 28, 1979, radioactive gases had been released, prompting public concern and evacuations. The incident was contained without immediate fatalities, but it exposed critical flaws in reactor design, training, and emergency procedures. Investigations followed rapidly.

Event Detail Disaster Kit Pro

1979

Josh Hawley Born in Springdale

Joshua David Hawley was born on December 31, 1979, in Springdale, Arkansas, and was raised primarily in Lexington, Missouri. He graduated from Stanford University and Yale Law School, clerked for federal appellate judge Michael McConnell and U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, and later taught law at the University of Missouri. Hawley entered statewide politics as Missouri attorney general, serving from 2017 to 2019. He defeated incumbent Senator Claire McCaskill in the 2018 election and entered the United States Senate in January 2019. Missouri voters reelected him in 2024. In the Senate, Hawley has served on committees dealing with the judiciary, armed services, homeland security, small business, and other matters. He has become a prominent conservative voice on questions...

Technology 20th Century North America

1980

CNN Begins 24-Hour News Broadcasting

In the late twentieth century, cable television expanded rapidly in the United States, creating opportunities for specialized programming beyond the traditional broadcast networks. Media entrepreneur Ted Turner, already successful with the TBS superstation, envisioned a channel dedicated exclusively to news. On June 1, 1980, Cable News Network (CNN) signed on from its Atlanta headquarters with anchors David Walker and Lois Hart delivering the first broadcast. The debut featured live coverage and a commitment to continuous reporting, initially reaching a modest audience of about 1.7 million households. Despite early financial challenges, the network pioneered the 24-hour news cycle.

Culture 20th Century North America

1980

John Lennon Fatally Shot Outside His New York Home

John Lennon, former Beatle and influential solo artist known for songs promoting peace and social change, had returned to recording after a five-year hiatus. On the evening of December 8, 1980, he and Yoko Ono arrived at their Dakota apartment building in Manhattan. Mark David Chapman, a troubled fan who had earlier obtained Lennon's autograph, waited outside and shot him four times as he entered the building. Lennon was rushed to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. The assassination triggered an immediate global outpouring of grief and tributes from fans and fellow musicians.

Event Detail Assassination Attempts

1981

Politics 20th Century North America

John Hinckley Jr. Shoots President Ronald Reagan

Just over two months into his presidency, Ronald Reagan had delivered a speech at the Washington Hilton Hotel on March 30, 1981. As he exited toward his limousine, John W. Hinckley Jr. fired six shots from a .22 revolver, wounding Reagan in the chest, Press Secretary James Brady in the head, a Secret Service agent, and a police officer. Hinckley, motivated by a desire for notoriety and obsession with actress Jodie Foster, was quickly subdued. Reagan underwent emergency surgery and recovered fully. The incident led to enhanced presidential security protocols.

Event Detail Assassination Attempts

1981

Technology 20th Century North America

Columbia Launches First Space Shuttle Mission

After nearly a decade of development, NASA prepared to test its reusable spacecraft. On April 12, 1981, Space Shuttle Columbia lifted off from Kennedy Space Center on mission STS-1 with astronauts John Young and Robert Crippen aboard. The 54-hour flight demonstrated the orbiter's ability to reach orbit, perform maneuvers, and return to a runway landing at Edwards Air Force Base. Unlike previous capsules, Columbia glided back to Earth like an airplane. The successful test flight inaugurated thirty years of shuttle operations that built the International Space Station and conducted hundreds of scientific experiments.

Event Detail Daily Earth View

1981

Reagan Nominates Sandra Day O'Connor to Supreme Court

By the early 1980s, the U.S. Supreme Court had never included a woman justice despite decades of advocacy for gender equality in the legal profession. President Ronald Reagan, seeking to fulfill a campaign promise and diversify the bench, selected Arizona Court of Appeals Judge Sandra Day O'Connor, a moderate Republican with experience in state politics and law. On July 7, 1981, Reagan announced her nomination to replace retiring Justice Potter Stewart. The Senate confirmed her unanimously later that year, marking a historic first. O'Connor's appointment came amid shifting political landscapes on issues like abortion and federalism.