Kristin LittleDr. Maggie Gordon FroehlichEnglish 015-0326 January 2009 Year in ReviewIn 1969 many new technologies, historical events, and new traditions were being introduced to the American culture for us all to enjoy. An important machine was invented that we use still today as a necessity. It was a year that a new President had taken office. Many were left homeless, and some had even lost love ones after a natural disaster in Mississippi. One of the most important historical events took place this year as well. Most of everything mentioned above affects us in some way in 2009. That is why, while reading this essay, you will learn how some of these life changing events happened in 1969.For a man named Richard Nixon this year was very important, and also changed his life. Why was 1969 so important to Richard Nixon you might wonder? The answer is because this was the year that Richard Nixon ran to become President of the United States and he was elected. This made him the 37th President of the United States. Nixon ran against a democrat Hubert Humphrey. After winning presidency Nixon served President for our country for two years. A couple years later President Nixon ran to continue his running as President and won once again. Not for long would Nixon remain President though during his second term of presidency because he would later be involved in a horrible scandal called the “Watergate,” this would soon end his career as President of the United States. However, throughout his presidency in 1969 Nixon got to experience life changing achievements and devastating disasters, and for that it is hard to not be grateful for the time that he did serve successfully.In addition, to great happiness to the United States a man named Neil Armstrong became the first American to actually walk upon the moon. Edwin Aldrin accompanied Neil Armstrong on the mission to the moon, and he too got to take part in having the first steps on the moon as well. Both men were a part of the Apollo 11 mission that was instructed by the United States. Along with Armstrong’s great accomplishment of setting foot on the moon came along his famous quote, “That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” (The Year 1969 From the People History). Many ecstatic Americans got to witness this all on television and were able to read about it in the newspaper. However, the year 1969 was not a happy year for everyone in the United States. On the 17th of August 1969 Hurricane Camille struck Mississippi. Hurricane Camille’s winds were recorded to reach nearly 200 mph, and had waves as tall as twenty feet high making Hurricane Camille a category five hurricane (Snyder. David). A category five hurricane is an extremely violent and deadly hurricane, so surely nothing stood a chance against this hurricane, and it very quickly became a devastating life taker as well as home destroyer. This tragedy left thousands of people homeless and over two hundred dead (Snyder. David). Hurricane Camille lasted until the 18th of August 1969. After it had passed and it was safe to return back to Mississippi the residents had quickly learned that there would be a lot of rebuilding to do that would cost billions of dollars. Besides the devastating effects of Hurricane Camille and the great accomplishment of the Apollo 11 mission; 1969 had many other exciting events happening. New inventions for one were also taking place. One of those inventions that were introduced was the automatic cash teller machine more commonly known today as the ATM. This was invented by Luther Simjian who was from Turkey (The Year 1969 From the People History). It was in New York were the first ATM was actually installed for Americans to enjoy and use. Luther had made it possible for Americans and soon many other people to conveniently be able to withdraw cash without having to go inside a bank and talk to someone to do so. Who actually knew that it would become an invention that many people would learn to love and use almost every day as a way of getting money.Along with scientific achievements and inventions being made for helpful purposes many famous sport teams were achieving their goals as well. In college football, Texas was the NCAA champion and had a final score of (11-0) (1969). For college basketball Purdue won the championships with the winning score of (92-72) (1969). Besides college sports, in the NFL Super bowl the Jets and Baltimore went head-to-head with the Jets making the win with a score of (16-7) (1969). As you can only image many fans and team players were happy as well. With a variety of different teams earning championships and one winning the Super bowl the sports scene was booming. However, sports weren’t the only big hits when it came to television. That would be because in 1969 a new hit television show; “The Brady Bunch” had made its first aired début on television sets all over the United States on September 26 (1969). “The Brady Bunch” was about a Mother with three girls who marries a man with three kids, a nanny, and a dog, and they form a big family. The show dealt with all the delights that come with such a big family such as the squalls that go on between the children and of course the trouble that children get into as well. However, at the end of the show the problems that were going on between one another would most likely always be resolved with a lesson well learned and taken to heart. When Carol McLaughlin was interviewed, and was asked about the “The Brady Bunch” she answered, “I remember when “The Brady Bunch” had came out. My children all watched it. In fact, my oldest daughter Sandy loved to watch it. She was fascinated by Marsha because she thought they related since they were the same age.” The hit television show became a Friday night favorite almost everyone.The fashion trend of 1969 was pretty basic. A must have outfit was a pair of bellbottom jeans and a tie-dyed shirt to go along with the outfit. Carol recalls actually owning a pair of bellbottom jeans too, but she did not own a tie-dyed shirt she had told me. All in which is fascinating to me because Carol McLaughlin is my grandmother, and I cannot picture her wearing bellbottom jeans. However, times have changed since 1969 and many different fashion trends have come and gone since then.However, while interviewing Carol she had explained how life back in 1969 was much simpler than it is today. Carol said, “My life was very family-oriented. We would all have a big dinner on Sunday with family. My daughter Sandy was cheerleader and still she never missed a dinner which is different from you and your sister being cheerleaders because sometimes you two would miss dinner from a game or practice. When we would go out we would go to drive-in-theaters and they had only cost a dollar per car, and we would go on a lot of picnics with family members. When we would go out to restaurants our favorites were Sorges on Market Street in Corning, and the Flaming Pit in the mall.” Today there is no longer a Flaming Pit in the mall, and the Sorges Restaurant that my grandma and family once enjoyed is no longer running due to a fire that occurred four weeks ago. This fire had a great impact on many people because it was a family favorite for many years. Seeing what is actually left of the restaurant is a very depressing sight.With all the extreme excitement, devastation, and the new cultural trends happening in 1969 it’s a shame that not everyone will take the time to look back to lean how we got where we are today in American society, and not just the year 1969, but all the other years as well. In addition to the new 37th President of the United States, the successful Apollo 11 mission, the devastation of Hurricane Camille, new television shows, and sport team’s achievements in championships the year 1969 was filled with many other great achievements. Another exciting fact of 1969 was Wal-Mart became Wal-Mart incorporated. There was the first successful transplant of the human eye. There was a march to Washington to protest against the Vietnam War with 250,000 people involved in the march. 1969 just like any other year was an important year, and especially to me because it was the year that my mother Maureen was born into this world.Works Cited"1969". Information Please:1969. 28 Jan 2009 http://www.infoplease.com/year/1969.html.Brinkley, Alan. The Unfinished Nation. 2 Vols. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies Inc, 2005. 501-519.Gimlin, Hoyt. "Wall Street: 40 Years after the Crash." Editorial Research Reports 1969. Vol. II. Washington: CQ Press, 1969. CQ Press Electronic Library, CQ Researcher Online. 24 Jan. 2009 http://library.cqpress.com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/cqresearcher/cqresrre1969100800. Document ID: cqresrre1969100800.McLaughlin, Carol. Telephone interview. 25 January 2009."Presidential Impeachment Proceeding." The History Place. 2000. The History Place. 25 Jan 2009 http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/impeachments/nixon.htm.Snyder. David. "HURRICANE CAMILLE," The Times-Picayune Publishing Corporation August 17, 1994 . 24 Jan 2009 http://infoweb.newsbank.com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=NewsBank&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=0FA806234684D8ED&p_docnum=12&p_queryname=7."The Year 1969 From the People History." The People History. 2008. The People History Where People Memories and History Join. 25 Jan 2009 http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1969.html.Little 1Normal1314958527Microsoft Office Word07120falseTitle1false10002falsefalse12.0000OwnerOwner22009-02-23T00:28:00Z2009-02-23T00:28:00Z