The Year 1966 From The People History

1966 inflation grew as part of the effect to fund the war in Vietnam continued. Both the US and USSR continued in their space race to see who would be the first to land a man on the moon. Race riots continued to increase across cities in America and National Guards were needed to bring back law and order. The fashions in both America and UK came from a small well known street in London ( Carnaby Street ) part of the swinging London scene , both women and men wore patterned pants and flowered shirts and boots, shoes and even caps utilized the plastic and vinyl History of HiFi and Music Players and Media for a wet shiny look. The most popular groups included The "Beach Boys" with Pet Sounds, The "Rolling Stones" with Under my Thumb and The "Beatles" with Revolver, and Yesterday and Today.

What Events Happened in 1966

• Race Riots in Atlanta and Black Power becomes a significant factor in American Politics

• US has nearly 500,000 troops in Vietnam

• Miranda Rights come into being after the Supreme Court overturns the conviction on June 13th of a confessed rapist ruling he had not been properly informed of his right to council and to not testify against himself

• The Draft Deferment Test is started in the US as a way for students to convince the Draft Board that they would serve the nation better in the quiet of the Classrooms than in the Jungles of Vietnam

• The Houston Astrodome is built with the dome measuring 710 ft diameter

• Subway Strike in New York brings the City to a stop

• US Population exceeds 195 million

• The Black Panthers are formed in US

• Richard Speck Murders 8 Nurses in Chicago Illinois

• Ex Marine Charles Whitman kills 14 and injures 31 on a killing spree at the University Of Texas

• Ronald Reagan enters politics becoming governor of California

• All cigarette packets in the United States must carry the health warning "Caution! Cigarette smoking may be hazardous to your health."

• 4 dig under the Berlin Wall to gain freedom from East Germany

• The Arno River floods causing the flooding of the city of Florence, with thousands of historic books, manuscripts and fine art destroyed.

• The Salvation Army Celebrates 100 years

• 200,000 face starvation on The island of Lombak, Indonesia

• Miniskirts are in fashion

• Cassius Clay Defeats Henry Cooper in two title fights in London

• Vietnam international days of protest

• Soviet Union Lands Luna 9 on the Moon in February and the US follows in June with the Surveyor 1 soft moon landing.

• Pakistani-Indian peace negotiations end successfully

• Indira Gandhi is elected Prime Minister of India

• The Australian Dollar was introduced at a rate of two dollars per pound, or ten shillings per dollar.

• Pope Paul VI and Arthur Michael Ramsey, the Archbishop of Canterbury, meet in Rome - the first official meeting for 400 years between the Roman Catholic and Anglican Churches

• Earthquake in Turkey - 2394 dead, 10000 injured

• Aberfan disaster in South Wales on October 21st in United Kingdom, a slag heap containing unwanted rock from the local coal mine slid down Merthyr Mountain. As it collapsed it destroyed twenty houses and a farm before going on to demolish virtually all of Pantglas Junior School 144 people were killed, 116 of whom were children mostly between the ages of 7 and 10.

• Barbados achieves independence

• The Moors murderers Ian Brady and Myra Hindley are jailed for life for the murder of 3 children

• The UK implements much tougher new drink driving laws.

• England defeats Germany to win the 1966 World Cup Final.

• China under Chairman Mao launches China's Cultural Revolution and begins purging intellectuals August 13th

• Botswana Gains Independence From Great Britain

• Canada Introduces the Canada Pension Plan an earnings-related social insurance program

• Lesotho Gains Independence From Great Britain

• Barbados Gains Independence From Great Britain

• Harold Wilson and the Labour party wins the British General Election

Popular Culture

• Star Trek first episode of the science fiction television series Star Trek
• Author Jacqueline Susann has her first novel, Valley of the Dolls published
• Dr. Seuss' "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" the animated television special adapted from the book is shown for first time on CBS
• Simon and Garfunkel release Sounds of Silence,

Popular Films

• Thunderball
• Dr. Zhivago
• Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
• A Man for All Seasons

What do you remember ? was this the year you graduated ?, what music was being played the year you were born?

Popular Musicians

• The Mamas and the Papas
• The Beatles
• The Monkees
• The Beach Boys
• The Rolling Stones
• Simon and Garfunkel

Popular Songs

• I'm a Believer The Monkees
• Good Vibrations The beach Boys
• Monday Monday The Mamas and the Papas
• Wild Thing The Troggs

Technology 1966

• Worlds first vertical Jump Jet the Harrier is introduced in UK



• Hovercraft service begins over the English Channel



• Pampers create the first disposable Diaper



• Color Television Sets become popular



• There are 78 million cars registered in the US




Inventions Invented by Inventors and Country ( or attributed to First Use )
Kevlar USA by Stephanie Kwolek
Fibre Optics England by Charles Keo and George Hockham
Moon Landing Russia Luna 9 lands softly on the Moon
Space Docking USA Gemini VIII docks with an orbiting satellite

Major World Political Leaders 1966

Australia Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies Till 26 January
Australia Prime Minister Harold Holt From 26 January

Brazil President Castelo Branco

Canada Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson

China Chairman of the People's Republic of China Liu Shaoqi

France President Charles de Gaulle

Germany Chancellor Ludwig Erhard Till 1 December
Germany Chancellor Kurt Georg Kiesinger From 1 December

India Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri Till 11 January
India Prime Minister Gulzarilal Nanda From 11 January
India Prime Minister Gulzarilal Nanda Till 24 January
India Prime Minister Indira Gandhi From 24 January

Italy Prime Minister Aldo Moro

Japan Prime Minister Eisaku Sato

Mexico President Gustavo Díaz Ordaz

Russia / Soviet Union
First Secretary of the CPSU Leonid Brezhnev

South Africa Prime Minister Hendrik Frensch Verwoerd Till 6 September
South Africa Prime Minister Balthazar Johannes Vorster From 6 September

United States President Lyndon B. Johnson

United Kingdom Prime Minister Harold Wilson



The Information above is taken from our new page that gives world leaders from 1920 to current.
WorldLeaders