The 1970s saw many significant world events and cultural changes. Feminism rose and the first female Prime Minister of Britain, Margaret Thatcher, was elected in 1979. Fashion became brighter and looser with platforms shoes and tighter pants for men and more freedom of dress for women. Popular music included rock, R&B, and funk, with artists like Elvis Presley, Diana Ross, and The Bee Gees topping the charts. The band Electric Light Orchestra originated from Birmingham in 1970 and blended electric instruments with orchestral sounds.

1. 70s Research

2. Content
• Summary
• World events
• Fashion
• Makeup
• Top Hits
• Popular bands/artists
• Electric Light Orchestra

3. The 1970s
The 1970s were often talked about as a ‘pivot of
change’. With the uprising of things like
feminism, anti-war protests and
environmentalism, this decade was one to
remember and plays a part in the infrastructure
and ethos of people today.

4. What happened in the 1970s?
- In 1972, there were terrorist attacks at the Olympics in Munich.
- In 1973, the US pulled out from Vietnam.
- In 1975, Microsoft was created/ founded.
- In 1976, the first Apple computer was made.
- In 1977, Elvis Presley died and the first Star Wars film was released.
- In 1979, the first Walkman by Sony was introduced.
There were many memorable
moments in history made all over the
world in the 70s. One of the most
significant and effective things that
happened to Britain was the election
of the first female prime minister-
Margaret Thatcher.
Born in 1925, the ‘iron lady’ lost her first
two elections but became the prime
minister of Britain in 1979 and remained
so until 1990. She gained the nickname
“Margret Thatcher the Milk Snatcher”
when she stopped free milk for children
between the ages of 7-11 in order to save
money as decided by the conservative
party. Thatcher impacted Britain in many
ways, from privatisation to allowing the
Republic of Ireland to have a say in what
goes on in the North.

5. What did people wear in the 1970s?
Style in the 1970’s
initiated from the
late 60’s however
became more
eccentric and vibrant
with bright colours.
For women, flowing skirts and trousers
became very popular and in the
summer, tight tops with short skirts
were worn. Trousers in women was
more common as the decade went on
as traditionally, females were seen in
only dresses and skirts. However,
women started to wear suits for work
and jeans during time spent leisurely.
It was a revolution for women as they
started to wear what they wanted,
rebelling against tradition and
stereotypes.
Men started the fashion of platform shoes and
tighter trousers in the 1970s. Many of the
clothes worn by men were made from
polyester. There were two popular suits worn by
men in the 1970s. First the John Travolta
inspired look of the leisure suit. Then, later on in
the decade tracksuits were introduced and
sportswear became more common amongst
both men and women.

6. What was ‘the look’ in the 1970s?
During the 1970s, women's rights and feminism increased vastly. Brands and
companies began to swerve away from the old-fashioned look of women and
started to embrace the “independent woman” look.
The fragrances from ‘Charlie’
were first introduced in 1974
and were created to show
that women were liberated.
Many companies followed this
inspiration and advertisement
included women looking feisty
and self- governed.
Looks inspired by the 1920s-
1940s were reintroduced
with thin, pencilled
eyebrows and bright red
lipstick. This look was called
‘nostalgia’, meaning a sense
of regret or reminiscence.
In the 1970s, it was recognized that
black and ethnic women also had
makeup needs. Therefore, a wider range
of ethnicity was used in advertisements
to promote this idea.

7. What was the most popular music in
the 1970s?
The variety of music in the 1970s was wider than ever before.
There were so many genres of music that people could listen
to such as Rock, R&B and Funk. The 1970s are known as a
golden time for vinyl records and almost everybody had a
record player.
Top Hit Throughout the decade of the 1970s
1970: The Wonder of You- Elvis Presley
1971: I’m Still Waiting- Diana Ross
1972: Puppy Love- Donny Osmond
1973: See My Baby Jive- Wizzard
1974: Kung Fu Fighting- Carl Douglas
1975: Bye Bye Baby- Bay City Rollers
1976: Don’t Go Breaking My Heart- Elton John
1977: Knowing Me Knowing You- Abba
1978: Night Fever- The Bee Gees
1979: I Will Survive- Gloria Gaynor

8. Electric Light Orchestra
As part of this project, I decided to find some fun facts
about a popular band from the 1970s, Electric Light
Orchestra. I wanted to research this particular band as they
are from Birmingham and I find it interesting to learn about
my home city and its history. I have also recorded a version
of a song released by the band in 1978 called Mr Blue Sky.

9. • Electric Light Orchestra were formed in
Birmingham in 1970.
• They were often seen as ‘Beatles Copyist’ due
to their style and music.
• ELO got their name from their use of electric
rock instruments and orchestral instruments
too.
• They became one of the few bands to be more
popular in America than UK.