The top 30 most influential events of the 20th century.
Created by jakel on May 16, 2008
Last updated: 03/11/10 at 11:52 PM
Neil Armstrong was the first person to walk on the moon, advancing our scientic technology advances. Exploring the moon was a feat that was thought to never be acheived and the American boot was the first boot to discover the moon sand
http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/whos_who_level2/armstrong.html
Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968 at around 7:00 at night. This tragic event altered the course of the civil rights movement and opened the eyes of all civilians. Everyone was filled with anger and began to campaign harder for integration.
http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1964/king-bio.html
The My Lai massacre was part of the first televised war; the Vietnam war. This event was of crucial importance to American history because it made a huge impact on American opinions about the war. This horrible crime, committed by American Soldiers, shocked the public and caused a domino effect of hatred towards the war. Almost 500 unarmed and innocent civilians were killed in this mass murder, and such a tragedy should never be forgotten.
The first superbowl was held in in Los Angeles at the Memorial Coliseum. 61,946 fans attended the game between the Green Bay Packers and the Chiefs. The Green Bay Packers won 35 to 10. This was an important even in U.S. history because it lit the path to the many huge sports games we see now. This first superbowl opened the gates for the extreme sports fans, the Sunday games, and those amazing ball park hot dogs.
In 1965, the first commercial (non-goverment sponsored) satellite was launched. Which began a large industry specializing in providing telecommunication services to industry.
John F. Kennedy was assassinated on Friday November 22,1963 and left this world in shock and despair. JFK was a kind and loving president who was greatly missed by all. He helped raise our country back up after world war II.
http://www.maryferrell.org/wiki/index.php/JFK_Assassination
The Cuban Missile Crisis was yet another event of huge proportions in American History. The event, which took place during the 'Cold War', was a confrontation between The United States, the Soviet Union, and Cuba. The Soviet Union was aiding Cuba in the building of missile bases. These bases were spotted and photographed by a U.S. reconnaissance spy plane. These photographs would bring the world closer to the brink of all out nuclear war then it had ever dared go before. Luckily, the even was quickly dismissed when President John f. Kennedy and the Soviets reached an agreement to dismantle the missiles. This event was not easily forgotten, and many world leaders vowed never to allow such an event to occur again.
Another important event of the 20th century was the creation of the Peace Corps. This was an important event in American history because it promoted world peace and friendship. It stated that, "[we] shall make available to interested countries and areas, men and women of the United States qualifiedly for service abroad and willing to serve, under conditions of hardship if necessary, to help the peoples of such countries and areas in meeting their needs for trained manpower." This event allowed the world to come closer together, and it also opened the doors to a new age of peace and prosperity.
The Civil Rights Bill was important to America because it declared who was an American Citizen, what rights that they have and what would happen to them if they broke them.
Hawaii became the 50th state to join the United States, causing our country to expand and become nore cultural.
http://americanhistory.about.com/b/2006/08/21/hawaii-becomes-a-state.htm
Little Rock Central High School was attempting to integrate. 9 students attempted to enter the school but were met with violence. Governor Orval Faubus even called in the national guard to deny the students access. In the end, President Eisenhower sent in the 101st Airborne Division of the Army to escort the students in. This event had a colossal impact in the American Civil Rights Movement, by speeding up the process of the passage of the Civil Rights Bill. For those reasons, this event was highly important in American History.
The first direct dial telephone was important to American history because it opened the communication lines throughout the nation. It also eliminated the need for an operator to reach people over long distance, it accelerated the connection time and cut down on long distance costs.
The first color TV broadcast was extremely important to the American entertainment business. Color TV opened a whole new world of opportunity for the TV companies, as well is the movie producers. The new boost to entertainment brought many new people into the world of televised events, and TV news broadcasts become ever more popular. The world was become more evolved with events around them, as well as events around the globe, and it was all thanks to color television.
Jakie Robinson was the first black african american to ever play in a professional baseball game. This moment in history broke the color boundary for professional sports and will go down in history as a day to remember.
http://www.biography.com/search/article.do?id=9460813
The Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were 2 of the most important events in the United States, and the world. The bombings, which put an end to WWII were extremely controversial. Many Americans believed the bombings were a horrible mistake. 140,000 people were killed in the bomb blasts, and thousands still suffer from the radiation caused by the bombs.
D-Day was important to WWII because it was the largest seaborne attack in history. This was also the day we signed the peace treaty with Japan, giving us another ally in the war.
Pearl Harbor was significant to US history because it was the turning point for the US in WWII. Many people did not want to get involved in WWII and the attack on Peal Harbor changed their minds. The people of the US wanted revenge and joined the war to get it.
The Holocaust was a devastating and sureal event that attacked our world in the late 1930's to 1945. This event altered america and opened the eyes of all who were living at the time. Hitler and the Nazi's ruthlessly murdered all who did not match the perfect human; blonde hair and blue eyes. The Nazi's suffocated, poisoned with gas and starved men, women and children alike.
http://www.holocaust-history.org/operation-reinhard/
On October 24, 1929 the stock market plummeted sending people into a worried frenzy. everyone immediately invested more money into the market hoping for a dramatic rise and instead the stock market hit rock bottom. Many people were homeless and depressed which sent the suicide rate through the roof. The stock market was a life-altering event that has affected everyone.
http://www.stock-market-crash.net/1929.htm
Al Capone lead a very successful crime syndicate in Chicago. Capone's rise to power was important to the U.S. because he lead the Nation in their fight against Prohibition. Capone was a very successful smuggler of liquor into America, and thus allowed many people to easily obtain illegal alcohol. Capone was also responsible for many 'gang killings' in the United States.
http://www.history.com/media.do?id=mf440_prohibitioncapone_161&action=clip
Women finally receiving the right to vote was a huge step in US history because it put everyone on an equal playing field. It allowed everyone's voice to be heard and everyone to have an opinion.
The Versailles treaty was very important to American history. The treaty officially ended World War 1, and was signed in conclusion of the Paris Peace Conference. The Treaty place full blame on WWI on Germany and forced them to pay huge amounts of money in reparations.
The 14 point plan if it was accepted would have tried to remove the conflict; therefore removing the threat of future wars. Allowing Nations to determine for themselves which type of government would be best for them. And create a world legislature that represented all of the free Nations.
The battle of Somme was what started the victory trend in the war for the British. It was like the battle that set the trend and ultimate victory for the British. World War I impacted America because it gave us allies but also made us some new enemies.
The opening of the Panama Canal was important to U.S. history because it opened a whole new world of shipping opportunity for the world. The Canal allowed all sizes of ships to travel directly between the Pacific and Atlantic ocean, without having to sail all the way around South America. This new direct route allowed ships to travel much faster, and therefore the shipping business of America flourished greatly.
World War One was also called "The War to end all Wars" so the intention was that after this war there would be no more wars. of course it didn't turn out that way and it affected America greatly. There were over 40 million casualties in the war and that was only the start of many many more wars to come.
Flying off the assembly line in 1908, the Ford Model T changed the way America traveled and spent their time. Driving from place to place allowed people to arrive places quicker and with less energy. Followed closely by the Model A this new car was identical is shape, size, and color to every other one on the block.
The Wright brothers were the first people to fly in a plane; changing history as we knew it. The Wright brothers were the first people to stay above ground and this was an achievement in US history.
http://www.wright-house.com/wright-brothers/wrights/1903.html
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