1970s

Millennia: 1st millennium - 2nd millennium - 3rd millennium

align="center" | Centuries:
19th century - 20th century - 21st century

align="center" colspan=2 | Decades:
1940s 1950s 1960s - 1970s - 1980s 1990s 2000s

align="center" colspan=2 | Years:
1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979

Events and trends

Although in the United States and in many other Western societies the 1970s are often seen as a period of transition between the turbulent 1960s and the more conservative 1980s and 1990s; many of the trends that are associated widely with the Sixties, from the "Sexual Revolution" to radical left-wing activism, reached fruition during this decade. Outside of the West, the continuing process of decolonization continued to define the relationship between developing and developed nations, as well as mark the course of the Cold War.

Technology

While personal computers did not become widespread in the developed world until the 1980s, rapid advances in consumer electronics began to impact the marketplace by the middle of the decade.

Microprocessors are developed - used first in industrial applications and after that also in consumer products
Pocket calculators make the slide rule obsolete
Home computer revolution starts
Video game arcades, and later, consoles, become popular
Unix created along with C programming language
Microsoft is founded (1975)
Touch tone telephones begin to replace rotary dials
Digital watches and clocks become available to consumers

Science

Space exploration, both manned and unmanned, continued into the 1970s, with the realization of lunar and interplanetary missions and the launching of interstellar Pioneer spacecraft.

Apollo voyages to the moon continue
Viking missions to Mars
Venera missions to Venus
Voyager spacecraft launched to explore the outer solar system
Skylab and Salyut space stations
The Space Shuttle is developed (first launched in 1981).
Homo ergaster discovered; Homo rudolfensis skull unearthed at Koobi Fora but identified as Homo habilis
Discovery of the bottom quark; theory of quantum chromodynamics postulated to describe the strong interaction, one of the four fundamental forces of nature
Southern blot genetics technique developed

War, peace and politics

Relations between the rival Cold War power blocs improved substantially during the early and mid-1970s, with high profile exchanges between The United States and the Soviet Union (see dtente), and increased cooperation between West Germany and East Germany. The United States and most other Western bloc nations also extended diplomatic recognition to The Peoples Republic of China. However, the rapprochement between superpowers did little to quell guerrilla warfare and terrorism in many parts of the world, often directed by proxies of one of the two superpowers. In 1979, the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan, and the Islamic Revolution in Iran ended the spirit of dtente and involved both powers in a complex struggle with an increasingly assertive Muslim world.

fear of nuclear war despite dtente, SALT treaties.
Watergate break-in, cover-up, and scandal, leading to U.S. president Richard Nixon's resignation
Yom Kippur War of 1973; Egypt and Israel establish diplomatic relations through Camp David Accords of 1978
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. East Pakistan wins independence as Bangladesh. Martial law declared in Pakistan. Indira Gandhi suspends constitution in India
U.S. expansion of, then withdrawal from Vietnam War. Saigon falls to North Vietnamese forces in 1975.
Genocide in Cambodia under Khmer Rouge. Pol Pot deposed by Vietnamese troops
widespread strikes and industrial unrest in the United Kingdom throughout decade; Conservative Party's Margaret Thatcher elected first female prime minister
Coup in Chile topples government of Salvador Allende, who is replaced by Augusto Pinochet. Coups and revolutions topple governments of Afghanistan, Argentina, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Nicaragua among others. Iranian Revolution and hostage crisis. Assassination of South Korea's Park Chunghee.
USSR begins disastrous military campaign in Afghanistan
Spain establishes democracy after death of dictator Francisco Franco; withdraws from Western Sahara to see it occupied by Morocco
Portugal's decolonization from Mozambique, Angola, Portuguese Guinea, and East Timor; Indonesia invades the last. Carnation Revolution
Torrijos-Carter Treaties promise U.S. withdrawal from Panama Canal
Rise of environmental awareness and green movements, peace movement and women's liberation in Europe and the USA. First Earth Day (1970). Whole Earth Catalog becomes widely popular and wins National Book Award.
Decline of the Black Panther Party. Peak of activity of the Japanese Red Army, Red Army Faction, Red Brigades, Symbionese Liberation Army, and Weathermen.

Economics

In many developed nations, the long post-World War II period of economic growth came to an end. Established industrial regions such as Northern England and the United States Midwest were particularly hard hit by falling demand, rising energy costs, labor conflict, and increased competition from emerging Asian producers of steel, ships, and automobiles. By contrast Japan emerged as an economic power through the use of new technologies, and a highly skilled and productive workforce.

high inflation, unemployment, and interest rates produce stagflation among industrialized nations; most OECD economies fall into chronic budget deficit.
collapse of the Bretton Woods system and macroeconomic consensus. U.S. leaves the gold standard; gold commodity prices soar.
OPEC oil embargo (see 1973 energy crisis) and Iranian Revolution (see 1979 energy crisis) spark petroleum crises.
the United Kingdom, Ireland and Denmark join Common Market in 1973.
rise of supply-side economics and resurgence of the Austrian school; Robert Lucas Jr. and the "New Classical" school challenge Keynesian economics; monetarist Paul Volcker appointed chairman of the Federal Reserve.
Eurocommunism peaks under Enrico Berlinguer; neoliberal policies implemented under Pinochet and Thatcher.
U.S. government deregulates airlines, bails out Chrysler, creates Conrail and Amtrak.

Culture

In American cinema, the 1970s was the decade of the blockbuster; high-budget films which are promoted through extensive merchandising, and when successful, prompt sequels. Star Wars, and Superman spawned successful film franchises that continued into the 1980s, and broke new ground in the use of special effects. Jaws, and Rocky were also successful films that led to numerous sequels and had a tremendous impact on popular culture. The relaxation of censorship in the late 1960s continued, leading to a brief "golden age" of pornographic film (Deep Throat), as well as frank depictions of sexuality in "mainstream" cinema (Last Tango in Paris, Waiting for Mr. Goodbar) Many noted 1970s films also serious examine the impact of crime and violence on society (The Godfather, Taxi Driver). The early 1970s saw the death of several notable rock musicians (Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison) as well as the break-up of the Beatles, who had dominated rock in the 1960s. Rock music increasingly fragmented into genres (heavy metal, soft rock), and became increasingly commercialized. Punk rock and Disco emerge in the mid-1970s partly as reactions against the mainstream rock music promoted on FM Radio and in arena concerts. Rock and pop music in its various forms also inspired several popular musicals on the stage and in film, such as Jesus Christ Superstar, Grease, and Saturday Night Fever.

Funk, Glam rock, Disco, Punk rock, Gothic rock music,
Star Wars
An age of superstars and idols in sports, music, literature and film.
Jamaican reggae music begins to gain an international audience, while dub music influences African Americans in New York City, leading to the development of hip hop
In design, 1970s forms tended to be squared off and voluminous.
Beginnings of a widespread, strong interest in bringing the considerations of ecology together with the disciplines of planning and design in Environmental design.
American popular culture refers to this time period as the "Me Decade"