So is anybody here old enough to remember what it was like in the 1970's? Atmosphere/social/political etc.
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1970's
- Thread starter TheSpinner
- Start date
Inb4 DougJustDoug.
Actually, even in my rigorous history class we BARELY got to Vietnam by the end of the year, and didn't even touch Watergate. They really don't teach much of it in school.
What 40 year olds? I only know of Expert Evan lol =[
If you've studied it, could you give me an idea of what the 1970's were like? (specifically 1975-1980)
40 year olds would only be 12 by 1980, so they might not remember much either.
Political events I remember before I was 12: Gulf war, Rwanda civil war (I think I might have been 12 at the time), Michael Jacksons first child molestation accusations, the Aramoana massacre, not really much else..
Have a nice day.
Political events I remember before I was 12: Gulf war, Rwanda civil war (I think I might have been 12 at the time), Michael Jacksons first child molestation accusations, the Aramoana massacre, not really much else..
Have a nice day.
Let's see...
Saigon fell in 1975. First oil panic was in 1973. Watergate was in 1973. The end of Vietnam set the stage for the 1970's - which were a really unhappy, cynical decade. Industrial jobs were disappearing and being outsourced or replaced by machines. Stagflation meant that growth was low, paychecks were losing value, and unemployment was rampant. Taxes were extremely high. Confidence in government was low. 1977-1980 in particular were presided over by Jimmy Carter, whose presidency is the least popular in the last 75 years (although Bush is probably beating him now). Look up his 'malaise' speech for a good idea of where America was at the end of the 70's.
Thanks. This is pretty much what I was looking for. Going through the Internet and books is alot more messy and unrewarding then a simple clear summary.
And Hipmonlee, I'm surprised you actually remember that much from when you were twelve. @_@
Biggest impressions I recall of the 70s are:
1974 - Nixon resigning from Presidency after Watergate scandal. I was too young to understand what was going on until I read up about it later on.
1976 - Bicentennial (America's 200th birthday)
The disco era with Donna Summer, Bee Gees, Gloria Gaynor, Chic, etc...
Jimmy Carter's failed Presidency which gave me a bad impression for having a Democrat Presidency for many many years which lead to the rise in Ronald Reagan.
Hostage crisis in Iran
If you think the oil crisis is bad now, it was not quite compared to the problems that occurred back in 1974 and 1979 as you had to wait in line just to fill up with gas first thing in the morning.
- Northeastern blizzard of 1978
- Son of Sam
I'll add more later on...
1974 - Nixon resigning from Presidency after Watergate scandal. I was too young to understand what was going on until I read up about it later on.
1976 - Bicentennial (America's 200th birthday)
The disco era with Donna Summer, Bee Gees, Gloria Gaynor, Chic, etc...
Jimmy Carter's failed Presidency which gave me a bad impression for having a Democrat Presidency for many many years which lead to the rise in Ronald Reagan.
Hostage crisis in Iran
If you think the oil crisis is bad now, it was not quite compared to the problems that occurred back in 1974 and 1979 as you had to wait in line just to fill up with gas first thing in the morning.
- Northeastern blizzard of 1978
- Son of Sam
I'll add more later on...
This is strictly atmospheric background for you since I was pretty young (turned 7 in late 1980), but the thing that really stands out in my mind is that we (myself and my mother) were definately on the economic brink during '77/'78. Most of this I remember, some of it she's relayed recently, and some of it is kiddy nonsense :)
I can remember being in aftercare/summer daycare and instead of "present" the thing to do was to say "president carter". Weird the crap you remember. Also remember the bomb iran song being popular with the kids, even though non of us had any concept of what an iran is/was or why whe would want to bomb them.
Anyhow, ecomically, we were pretty bad off. My mother worked a day job at a finance company that did small loans until september of '78. When you went to buy furniture or other small/medium ticket items at stores this is who they would put you in touch with to get a loan. When you applied she would take information over the phone and actually call references. There was no internet/computer to get in touch with big reporting agencies to get some master credit list. Imagine that, kids. She said the job was nice because they kept a small cash drawer for walk-in folks making payments and as long as it balanced at the end of the week, you were allowed to loan yourself up to 10 dollars. It's weird thinking that someone taking care of a kid would need/depend on/appreciate a loan of 10 bucks until a friday payday. She also woked a night job waitressing at the barroom of a horse racing track. I still remember the outfit they made them wear. It was some tight nylon body suit, purple with a big pink stripe. I'm still embarassed for her :P.
Anyhow, maybe not what you were looking for, but hopefully it was helpful in some way.
PS. This is not a sob story. She'll be retiring from the good job she landed in sept '78 shortly after sept '08 (30 year anniversary) and actually did extremely well in.
I can remember being in aftercare/summer daycare and instead of "present" the thing to do was to say "president carter". Weird the crap you remember. Also remember the bomb iran song being popular with the kids, even though non of us had any concept of what an iran is/was or why whe would want to bomb them.
Anyhow, ecomically, we were pretty bad off. My mother worked a day job at a finance company that did small loans until september of '78. When you went to buy furniture or other small/medium ticket items at stores this is who they would put you in touch with to get a loan. When you applied she would take information over the phone and actually call references. There was no internet/computer to get in touch with big reporting agencies to get some master credit list. Imagine that, kids. She said the job was nice because they kept a small cash drawer for walk-in folks making payments and as long as it balanced at the end of the week, you were allowed to loan yourself up to 10 dollars. It's weird thinking that someone taking care of a kid would need/depend on/appreciate a loan of 10 bucks until a friday payday. She also woked a night job waitressing at the barroom of a horse racing track. I still remember the outfit they made them wear. It was some tight nylon body suit, purple with a big pink stripe. I'm still embarassed for her :P.
Anyhow, maybe not what you were looking for, but hopefully it was helpful in some way.
PS. This is not a sob story. She'll be retiring from the good job she landed in sept '78 shortly after sept '08 (30 year anniversary) and actually did extremely well in.
Thanks, last three posts were really helpful.
Evan, do you remember anything of the celebrations that occurred during America's 200th birthday? I could google, but it's much better to hear it from someone who was there.
Evan, do you remember anything of the celebrations that occurred during America's 200th birthday? I could google, but it's much better to hear it from someone who was there.
There really wasn't a whole lot that I recall from the bicentennial except that Philadelphia was a popular place that year and the 7-up cans had at least a different state which we were trying to collect at the time. Here are some more impressions that I do recall in looking back:
Movies: Jaws (1975), Star Wars (1977)
Assassination attempts on President Gerald Ford
Jonestown (Guyana) massacre
Peace talks between Israel & Egypt
murder of John Lennon
Patty Hearst kidnapping
Movies: Jaws (1975), Star Wars (1977)
Assassination attempts on President Gerald Ford
Jonestown (Guyana) massacre
Peace talks between Israel & Egypt
murder of John Lennon
Patty Hearst kidnapping
Yes when Star Wars first came out, it was certainly a must see and most of us saw it again at least a few times or more as I recall waiting in long lines just to see it.
Strangely, I recall Jaws was like that too few years earlier as it was peer pressure just to even see it.
Strangely, I recall Jaws was like that too few years earlier as it was peer pressure just to even see it.