In 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court Ruled in Roe V. Wade, Making Abortion Legal Through the U.S

The 1970s

The Vietnam War continued to dominate politics in the 1970s as President Richard Nixon, who took office in January 1969, and his foreign affairs adviser Henry Kissinger, expanded the bombing of North Vietnam and into Laos and Cambodia. Peace talks were held in Paris and led to American troops leaving the country. In April 1975, the Communist troops defeated South Vietnam as the last Americans and desperate Vietnamese attempted to leave the country.

On May 4, 1970, four students were killed when National Guardsmen opened fire during anti-war demonstrations at Kent State University in Ohio.

On May 17, 1972, a group of Republican operatives broke into Democratic Headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington D.C. Two reporters from the Washington Post, Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, followed the story of the burglary, finding the connection between the burglars and the White House. On Aug. 9, 1974, Richard Nixon, facing impeachment charges, resigned from office and Gerald Ford became president.

Democrat Jimmy Carter, a relatively unknown politician, was elected president in 1976 in the wake of the Watergate scandal.

In 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade, making abortion legal through the U.S.

The music of the 1960s became big business in the ‘70s as bands went from playing small clubs and high school gyms to playing large arenas. Groups such as Led Zeppelin, Yes, Pink Floyd and Crosby Still Nash and Young became huge draws on the concert circuit. Soon pop music began to move in different directions with the advent of disco music and punk rock, led by New York band the Ramones and the British group The Clash. In addition, disco music became popular during the decade, especially at clubs where young people went to dance and mingle.

Other musicians who became major stars in the 1970s were Elton John, Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Wonder.

Music of the 1970s was changed by the death of three important figures, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix in 1970 and Jim Morrison in 1971. Elvis Presley, the great rock ‘n’ roll singer from the 1950s, died on Aug. 16, 1977 in his Memphis home, Graceland.

The film industry became more focused on directors than in previous decades, with such young filmmakers as Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Woody Allen and Francis Coppola emerging as star directors. On screen, young performers Jack Nicholson, Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman and Jane Fonda became major stars. Among the most popular movies of the time were “The Godfather” and “The Godfather, Part II,” “The Exorcist,” “Annie Hall,” “Rocky,” “Jaws” and “Star Wars.” “Star Wars,” directed by George Lucas, became a cultural sensation, breaking box office records and changing the way Hollywood movies are made. Suddenly, special effects became the most important aspect of moviemaking.

Atari introduced video games (Pong) and small computers were starting to be produced for businesses. The video cassette recorder was introduced but wasn’t widely sold until the 1980s.

Probably the most important television show of the decade was “All in the Family,” a sitcom that dealt with issues such as race, homosexuality, religion and abortion for the first time on TV. Also breaking new ground for television was the comedy skit show “Saturday Night Live,” which satirized all aspects of American society and culture and helped make the ‘70s generation more cynical than their parents.

Among the most popular novels of the decade were “Love Story” by Erich Segal, “Carrie” by Stephen King, and “Jaws” by Peter Benchley (all made into successful films). Two of the decade’s most well-regarded books were a combination of fiction and nonfiction, “Roots” by Alex Haley, about the origins of slavery, and “The Right Stuff” by Tom Wolfe, about the American space program.

Fashion was a combination of the hippie wear of the 1960s and the disco outfits worn in nightclubs of the 1970s, including leisure suits, bellbottom pants for men and both ankle-length skirts and mini-skirts for women. Also, shoes with large heals were popular.

In July 1976, American had a huge celebration to mark the country’s 200th anniversary.

In November 1978, cult religious leader from California Jim Jones gave his 900 followers poisoned cool-aid, killing them before federal authorities could reach Jonestown, Guyana, to arrest him.

A radioactive leak at the Three Mile Island nuclear plant in central Pennsylvania brought a new awareness of the dangers of nuclear power. Just weeks before the accident, the movie “The China Syndrome,” which dramatized a similar situation, was released.

Drugs became a major problem in the U.S. during the 1970s, with increased recreational use of marijuana, cocaine and LSD. Drug use was widespread in the music and movie industry. It took an especially hard toll on the inner cities as minor communities were devastated the drug abuse and the rise of gangs. Many large cities, such as New York, Washington and Detroit became rundown and more dangerous than ever before.