19661977

1966–1977 is a span that bridges the late 1960s and the mid to late 1970s, encompassing wide-ranging political, social, and technological change around the world. The period saw sustained conflict and upheaval, along with rapid shifts in culture and innovation.

In geopolitics, conflicts and diplomacy shaped many regions. The Six-Day War of 1967 altered Middle East borders and alignments, while the Vietnam War continued through the late 1960s and ended with the fall of Saigon in 1975. China’s Cultural Revolution, beginning in 1966, deeply affected its society and economy throughout the decade. The 1970s introduced a warming in East–West relations through détente, culminating in agreements such as the SALT I treaty in 1972. Global leadership changes and regional conflicts persisted, with notable events including leadership transitions following Mao Zedong’s death in 1976.

Socially and culturally, the period carried forward the momentum of civil rights and the second-wave feminist movement, alongside ongoing countercultural currents. In music, film, and literature, experimentation and diversification broadened mainstream tastes. The era also saw significant shifts in media, education, and attitudes toward authority and gender roles.

Science and technology advanced rapidly. The Apollo program achieved Moon landings in the late 1960s and early 1970s, while ARPANET emerged in 1969 as a precursor to the Internet. The development of microprocessors laid groundwork for personal computing, with the first widely influential personal computer era taking hold in the late 1970s, including the release of the Apple II in 1977.

Economically, the 1970s brought oil shocks and inflation, prompting reconsideration of energy policy and economic models in many countries.