How Well Do You Remember These Events From The '70s?

HISTORY

By: Olivia Cantor

7 Min Quiz

Image: Wiki commons

About This Quiz

The 1970s was an interestingly eclectic decade which bridged two decades that left major markers in history. But the decade itself is full of its own colorful, quirky, and even catastrophic events that make it unforgettable. Can you remember some of these major events? Ride our fun time machine and find out with this quiz!

"Houston, we have a problem." This was astronaut Jim Lovell's statement that became a 1970s catchphrase. What space mission did this problem pertain to?

The Apollo 13 space mission was aiming to land on the moon back in April 1970. However, a malfunction happened, and the ordeal got focused into how the astronauts could get back to earth alive.

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It was in April 1975 when Bill Gates co-founded this computer-focused company with investor Paul Allen. Which company was this?

Microsoft was founded in 1975, when the world was starting to shift towards the computer age. Bill Gates created both the software and the hardware to make personal computing more affordable to the mass consumer.

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The computer age would not be as significant if it weren't for the establishment of another tech giant in the '70s called Apple Computer, Inc. The company was co-founded by Steve Wozniak, Ronald Wayne, and this other Steve who became the image of the company. Who was this tycoon?

Steve Jobs was the unmistakable "father figure" visionary of Apple. His death in 2011 was a sad one for techies around the world.

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Not content with the flagship California theme park, the Walt Disney Company decides to open another vast entertainment complex called Walt Disney World in this other US state. In which state is this located?

Walt Disney World opened to Florida residents in October 1971. Since then, many other Disney-themed parks opened around the world.

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The King of Rock and Roll also died during the 1970s. Who was this pelvis-rocking hound dog?

Elvis Presley died in 1977, and reports point to drugs as a primary cause. Regardless, The King left a pop culture legacy like no other, which marked a worldwide presence, up to this day.

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A huge crisis in 1973 happened when the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries decided to prohibit the sale of this item, especially to the US, causing the crisis. What is this item?

A huge oil crisis happened in 1973, prompting many nations to adjust since many industries ran using oil in many ways. This embargo affected the US immensely.

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Ted Bundy made headlines in the 1970s for being an identified person who repeatedly abducted, abused, and later eliminated his victims. What kind of criminal was he?

The term "serial killer" became a common term in US households, as people tuned in to watch reports of how Buddy committed many crimes in the 1970s. He was eventually captured and re-captured when he tried to escape, and sentenced to death in 1989.

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Many Fab Four fans worldwide were devastated upon their favorite band's announcement that they were disbanding in 1970. Which popular mop-top haired band was this?

The Beatles enjoyed a massive following and made a huge dent in the global music scene in the 1960s. But they decided to call it quits in 1970. However, they continued to be active musically after that, individually and in some cases, in tandem with other former band member.

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The 45th Annual Academy Awards was marked by this controversial boycott by actor Marlon Brando in 1973 ​when he declined to accept his award for best actor to call attention to how Hollywood portrays native American Indians. What's the nickname usually given to this award?

The Oscars in 1973 was a Hollywood event marked by that specific Marlon Brando controversies. Subsequent shows also had several kinds of such controversies as years passed.

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April 1975 was an important date for Vietnamese and Americans alike, as well as other nationalities involved in the Fall of Saigon. What war ended when that event happened?

The Fall of Saigon was an important event that catapulted the end of the controversial Vietnam War which started in the 1960s. US military forces were pulled out of Vietnam due to this event.

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The Watergate scandal, which rocked US politics from 1972-1974, led to the resignation of a US president. Which president was this?

US President Richard Nixon was impeached due to the Watergate scandal, since all traces led to his office and his covert illegal operations. Instead of being nixed, he resigned.

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The year 1973 had a sports event dubbed "Battle of the Sexes" in which Bobby Riggs and Billy Jean King were televised as they showed millions of spectators just who could win in such a battle. What sport did they play?

The Battle of the Sexes was a huge example of marketing and hyping up an event, and a sports one at that. Tennis enthusiasts tuned in to see which of the battling sexes won -- and yep, it was undoubtedly the female, as Billy Jean King beat Riggs in all sets.

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Mayor George Moscone and openly out gay rights leader and Supervisor Harvey Milk ​were both killed in 1978, which made headlines all around their state of California, and the US. In which California city did this event happen?

San Francisco got a huge shock in November 1978 when openly out gay Supervisor Harvey Milk was assassinated. A former colleague, Dan White, was the convicted suspect.

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The world celebrates this important environmental celebration every April 22, which began in 1970. What is this global day of celebration/commemoration called?

Earth Day began in 1970 in the US. A senator called attention to how people, especially politicians, were disregarding the health of the planet back then. Earth Day is still being celebrated today, amidst growing climate change concerns.

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What was supposed to be an important global event of sportsmanship turned into horror when the Munich Massacre mired the 1972 Olympics ceremonies. In which country was this event held?

The Munich Massacre involved the abduction and killing of Israeli athletes participating in the Olympics that year in West Germany. A terror group from Palestine claimed responsibility for the attack.

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The day the music died: Three legendary rock and roll musicians died at the age of 27 in 1970 and 1971, which marked the age as a strange number since many other musicians died at that age. In this case, it was Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and this lead singer of The Doors. Who was this singer?

Unlike Janis and Jimi's drug-related deaths, Jim Morrison of The Doors died without any autopsy performed on him when he died in Paris. People assumed he too died from drug-released complications, but without an autopsy, we'll never really know.

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May 1977 was an event on earth that released this famous space saga that happened a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. Which monumental movie event premiered that year?

Star Wars premiered at the movies in May 1977, with the intriguing Episode IV: A New Hope as its subtitle of sorts. Little did the world know that this space saga would be continuing its cinematic legacy up to this day, and perhaps to continue well into the coming decades.

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A nuclear power plant meltdown also happened on US soil in 1979 called the Three Mile Island accident. In which state did this occur?

Pennsylvania was the site of the infamous Three Mile Island nuclear disaster in 1979. It happened in March 1979.

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The year 1978 was monumental for humankind since it marked the event of a successful IVF (in vitro fertilization) process. What does IVF actually do?

In vitro fertilization or IVF is a process of having a woman's egg fertilized by a man's sperm, but done inside a laboratory. Once the egg is fertilized, it is returned to the woman's womb.

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The "Match of the Century" happened with this world sports championship between American Bobby Fischer and Soviet Boris Spassky in 1972, monumental due to the heightened political rift between the US and the then-USSR. Which sport was featured in this match?

Fischer became the world champion of chess in 1972 after to this match. The dominating Soviets accepted defeat in this event, which, to them, felt like it gave them a huge political blow as well given the political climate at the time.

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In 1973, the Sears Tower opened in Illinois and was considered the tallest skyscraper in the world. In which US city is this tower located?

The Sears Tower is located in Chicago. It was renamed Willis Tower in 2009, although people still call it Sears Tower sometimes.

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The kidnapping of media mogul descendant Patty Hearst made headlines in 1973, and got sensational primarily not due to her family's media influence but due to what she did when she was abducted. What did she do?

Patty Hearst made headlines even more baffling when she eventually joined her abductors and went on a crime spree with them. This was dubbed as the "Stockholm Syndrome" which became a buzzword during the decade.

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"Hanoi Jane" was an infamous 1972 nickname tagged to a Hollywood A-lister for being photographed with a Vietnamese war plane during the Vietnam War. Which actress was this, who is now not "fond" of this action or nickname?

jane Fonda was dubbed "Hanoi Jane" when she visited the place during the Vietnam War in a sort of cultural exposure. Although she protested this war vehemently, she recognized later on that being photographed in a war place that killed her own people was somewhat insensitive indeed.

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Sunday Bloody Sunday: In which European country did this bloody shooting of peaceful protesters happen in 1972?

It was in Northern Ireland when the Bloody Sunday happened, which involved soldiers shooting at protesters who were unarmed. The incident is also known as the Bogside Massacre because it happened in the area of Bogside, located in Derry, Northern Ireland.

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The year 1971 was important for the voting public, since the US Constitution was ratified that year to allow a certain population to vote. Which population was this?

The 26th Amendment of the US Constitution was ratified on July 1971. This made it possible for 18 year old citizens to vote, lowering the previous age limit of 21.

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Two European countries made it possible for the iconic supersonic passenger jet named Concorde to fly commercially starting in the 1970s. Which countries were involved?

The Concorde supersonic jet was flown by Air France and British Airways starting in 1976. It boasted of being twice as fast as the speed of sound which, sadly, came to a halt in 2003.

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Arthur Ashe made headlines in tennis in the '70s for winning at Wimbledon, but it wasn't his playing that was talked about. What was controversial about his win?

Race was a huge issue for Arthur Ashe during his illustrious tennis career. He holds the distinction of being the first African-American to win three important tennis titles during the 1970s: the US Open, the Australian Open, and Wimbledon.

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American politician Spiro Agnew made headlines in 1973 when he was charged with many cases that led to his resignation from the second top position in the government. What was his position back then?

Vice President Spiro Agnew was forced to resign in 1973 as a consequence of the bribery and extortion charges filed against him. He died in 1996.

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Everybody was kung-fu fighting: The 1973 death of this cinematic martial artist preempted his Hollywood career, but his legacy is all over Tinseltown today. Who is this jeet kune do fighter?

Bruce Lee died in 1973, having many martial arts films under his belt. He was poised to take a huge cinematic leap from Hong Kong to Hollywood, but sadly, his untimely death prohibited that.

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The early 1970s prompted a hotly debated issue affecting a woman's right to her body. Specifically what prompted the debate?

The issue of abortion was highlighted in the Roe v. Wade court case which made headlines from 1971 to 1973. The final ruling made it possible for women to have this right as they see fit.

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Pol Pot, leader of the Khmer Rouge, was the one responsible for the genocide that happened in his country back in the 1970s. What was this Southeast Asian country?

Pol Pot ordered the execution of Cambodia's intellectuals, namely doctors, teachers, lawyers, and the like. This communist regime killed thousands of Cambodians in its wake.

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There are many American-made cars, but in the 1970s, this cute beetle-like car was allowed to open a plant in the US. What is this vehicle company?

The German brand Volkswagen opened a car plant in the US in the 1970s. It was only the second foreign brand to open a plant in the US back then, the first being Rolls Royce.

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Freedom of the press was also challenged in 1971 when the Pentagon Papers made headlines on whether they were OK to be published or not. What kind of media did this event involve?

The Pentagon Papers controversy allowed the newspapers, particularly the New York Times and The Washington Post, to publish information deemed classified by the US government. It was a landmark First Amendment challenge posted in 1971.

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The Iran Hostage Crisis, involving US diplomats taken hostage by protesting Iranian students, was another event that started in 1979, and concluded in the next decade. In which capital city did this event occur?

The Iran Hostage Crisis had more than 50 US diplomats involved, as they were taken hostage for more than 400 days in the capital of Tehran. There were attempts to rescue the hostages, but some soldiers were killed in the process.

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The Equal Rights Amendment is seen as another step towards gender emancipation, which was passed by the US Congress in 1972 after being proposed in 1923. Which population specifically aims to garner from the ERA?

Women had much to gain in 1972 if the ERA was fully voted on as a constitutional right for women not to be discriminated based on their sex. However, it fell short of some votes, but women's equality had some legal gains here and there.

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