1. EVENTS IN THE UNITED STATES HISTORY (part 5)
1941-1945 After the bombing of Pearl Harbor the USA joined Britain, France, the USSR and other a llie s in World War II. War
aga ins t Japan, Germany, and Italy was declared.
1945An U.S. airplane dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, thereby ushering in the atomic age. The U.S. became a
Charter member of the United Nations.
1946North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was formed to provide mutual defense of Western Europe and the U.S.
from the Soviet Union and its allies.
1950s Television became part of millions of American homes.
1954The Supreme Court found compulsory segregation in public schools unconstitutional.
1955Dr. Martin Luther King, jr., and civil rights groups, began organizing a movement to protest discrimination against
blacks.
1959 Alaska became 49th state; Hawaii became 50th state.
1961 43-years-old John F. Kennedy became president of the United States. His youthful administration set off on an ambitious
programme known as the New Frontier, perhaps most notable for securing equal rights under law for American Blacks. May 5 -
Astronaut Alan B. Shepard, jr., made first manned U.S. space flight.
1963 More than 200,000 marched in Washington, D.C., in support of proposed civil rights legislation. Martin Luther King, jr.,
delivered "I Have a Dream" speech. November 22 — President Kennedy was assassinated.
1968Martin Luther King, jr., civil rights leader and winner of Nobel peace prize, was fatally shot in Memphis, Tennessee.
1969 Astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the moon.
1970 Electronic computers, first developed during the 40s and 50s, began to affect all aspects of everyday life.
1972Watergate Break-in started chain of events that ended the Nixon presidency (1974).
1973President Nixon signed a peace treaty with North Vietnam and brought American soldiers home after nearly 10 years of war
(1964-1973).
1975 the U.S. Apollo and the Soviet Soyuz spacecraft linked together in space.
1979 President Jimmy Carter signed the second Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT 2) with the USSR, but it was never
ratified by the Senate after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979.
1985 M. Gorbachev came to power in the USSR and introduced perestroika(restructuring) and glasnost (openness) in his
country. These policies were welcomed in the USA because they meant that the Cold War might soon be over. President
Ronald Reagan met with Soviet General Secretary M. Gorbachev in Geneva.
1989 Berlin Wall fell, signaling the end of the Cold War.
1991The Persian Gulf conflict was waged against Iraq in Kuwait.
1992The USA celebrated 500-anniversary of America's discovery.
2001, September 11, two hijacked passenger planes deliberately attacked the two towers of the World Trade
Center. The third plane hit the Pentagon in Washington.
What event can you add to this list?
EVENTS IN THE UNITED STATES HISTORY (part 5)
1941-1945 After the bombing of Pearl Harbor the USA joined Britain, France, the USSR and other a llie s in World War II. War
aga ins t Japan, Germany, and Italy was declared.
1945 U.S. airplane dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, thereby ushering in the atomic age. The U.S. became a
Charter member of the United Nations.
1946 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was formed to provide mutual defense of Western Europe and the U.S.
from the Soviet Union and its allies.
1950s Television became part of millions of American homes.
1954 Supreme Court found compulsory segregation in public schools unconstitutional.
1955 Martin Luther King, jr., and civil rights groups, began organizing a movement to protest discrimination against blacks.
1959 Alaska became 49th state; Hawaii became 50th state.
1961 43-years-old John F. Kennedy became president of the United States. His youthful administration set off on an ambitious
programme known as the New Frontier, perhaps most notable for securing equal rights under law for American Blacks. May 5 -
Astronaut Alan B. Shepard, jr., made first manned U.S. space flight.
1963 More than 200,000 marched in Washington, D.C., in support of proposed civil rights legislation. Martin Luther King, jr.,
delivered "I Have a Dream" speech. November 22 — President Kennedy was assassinated.
1968 Martin Luther King, jr., civil rights leader and winner of Nobel peace prize, was fatally shot in Memphis, Tennessee.
1969 Astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the moon.
1970 Electronic computers, first developed during the 40s and 50s, began to affect all aspects of everyday life.
1972 Watergate Break-in started chain of events that ended the Nixon presidency (1974).
1973 President Nixon signed a peace treaty with North Vietnam and brought American soldiers home after nearly 10 years of war
(1964-1973).
1975 the U.S. Apollo and the Soviet Soyuz spacecraft linked together in space.
1979 President Jimmy Carter signed the second Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT 2) with the USSR, but it was never
ratified by the Senate after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979.
1985 M. Gorbachev came to power in the USSR and introduced perestroika(restructuring) and glasnost (openness) in his
country. These policies were welcomed in the USA because they meant that the Cold War might soon be over. President
Ronald Reagan met with Soviet General Secretary M. Gorbachev in Geneva.

2. 1989 Berlin Wall fell, signaling the end of the Cold War.
1991 The Persian Gulf conflict was waged against Iraq in Kuwait.
1992 The USA celebrated 500-anniversary of America's discovery.
2001, September 11, two hijacked passenger planes deliberately attacked the two towers of the World Trade
Center. The third plane hit the Pentagon in Washington.
What event can you add to this list?