The 1960s also known as the decade of change or the "Cultural Decade" was an era that is impossible to define. Life during the 1960s for Americans included the Vietnam War, peace protests, civil rights movement and psychedelic music. The 1960's was a period of racial justice, culture, war, and music in the United States.
World Events/ United States Events Timelines
United States
May 16, 1960- Laser invented
Sept. 26, 1960- 1st Televised Presidential Debate
March 1, 1961- Peace Corps
April 7, 1961- Bay of Pigs
May 9, 1961- Birth Control Pill Approved by FDA
Oct. 14, 1962- Cuban Missile Crisis
Aug. 28, 1963- March on Washington
Oct. 7, 1963- Limited Nuclear Test Band Treaty
Feb. 10, 1964- Civil Rights Act Passed
March 2, 1965- The Sound of Music Premieres
March 7, 1965- Bloody Sunday
June 3, 1965- Gemini 4: Astronaut Edward Higgins White Makes the 1st U.S. Space Walk
Feb. 28, 1966- Miranda Vs. Arizona Case
1966- James S. Coleman Published Equality of Educational Opposition
Jan. 23, 1968- North Korea Seized U.S. Navy Ship Pueblo
April 4, 1968- Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The World
Jan. 23, 1960- Walsh and Piccard Became the 1st to Explore Deepest Place on Earth
Feb. 3, 1960- Harold MacMillion's World of Change Speech is Made in Cape Town, South Africa
March 21, 1960- Sharpeville Massacre in South Africa
April 22, 1960- Brazil Capital Moved to a New City
May 14, 1960- Kenya African Democratic Union Party Founded
May 22, 1960- Most Powerful Earthquake in Chile
Oct. 5, 1960- White South Africans Vote to Make the Country a Republic
April 12, 1961- Soviet Union 1st Man in Space
Aug. 13, 1961- USSR Fires 50-Metagon Hydrogen Bomb, Biggest Explosion in History
Sept. 26, 1961- The Berlin Wall
Aug. 8, 1963- Great Train Robbery in England
Oct. 16, 1963- Ludwig Erhard Became Chancellor
Feb. 27, 1964- Italy Asks For Help to Stabilize the Union Tower Pisa
Nov. 28, 1964- National Democratic Party of Germany Formed
Nov. 30, 1966- Barbados Joins Commonwealth of Nations
Dec. 1, 1966- German Kurt Georg Kiesinger Became Chancellor
May 16, 1960- Laser invented
Sept. 26, 1960- 1st Televised Presidential Debate
March 1, 1961- Peace Corps
April 7, 1961- Bay of Pigs
May 9, 1961- Birth Control Pill Approved by FDA
Oct. 14, 1962- Cuban Missile Crisis
Aug. 28, 1963- March on Washington
Oct. 7, 1963- Limited Nuclear Test Band Treaty
Feb. 10, 1964- Civil Rights Act Passed
March 2, 1965- The Sound of Music Premieres
March 7, 1965- Bloody Sunday
June 3, 1965- Gemini 4: Astronaut Edward Higgins White Makes the 1st U.S. Space Walk
Feb. 28, 1966- Miranda Vs. Arizona Case
1966- James S. Coleman Published Equality of Educational Opposition
Jan. 23, 1968- North Korea Seized U.S. Navy Ship Pueblo
April 4, 1968- Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The World
Jan. 23, 1960- Walsh and Piccard Became the 1st to Explore Deepest Place on Earth
Feb. 3, 1960- Harold MacMillion's World of Change Speech is Made in Cape Town, South Africa
March 21, 1960- Sharpeville Massacre in South Africa
April 22, 1960- Brazil Capital Moved to a New City
May 14, 1960- Kenya African Democratic Union Party Founded
May 22, 1960- Most Powerful Earthquake in Chile
Oct. 5, 1960- White South Africans Vote to Make the Country a Republic
April 12, 1961- Soviet Union 1st Man in Space
Aug. 13, 1961- USSR Fires 50-Metagon Hydrogen Bomb, Biggest Explosion in History
Sept. 26, 1961- The Berlin Wall
Aug. 8, 1963- Great Train Robbery in England
Oct. 16, 1963- Ludwig Erhard Became Chancellor
Feb. 27, 1964- Italy Asks For Help to Stabilize the Union Tower Pisa
Nov. 28, 1964- National Democratic Party of Germany Formed
Nov. 30, 1966- Barbados Joins Commonwealth of Nations
Dec. 1, 1966- German Kurt Georg Kiesinger Became Chancellor