Information for the Year 1970

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  • Biafra surrenders after 32-month fight for independence from Nigeria (Jan. 12).
  • Rhodesia severs last tie with British Crown and declares itself a racially segregated republic (March 1).
  • US troops invade Cambodia (May 1)
  • A Palestinian revolt erupts in Jordan. Forces loyal to King Hussein suppress the revolt and expel the PLO from the country.
  • Earthquake kills more than 50,000 in Peru (May 31).
  • Egyptian President Nasser dies and is replaced by Anwar el-Sadat.
  • Tonga (June 4) and Fiji (Oct. 10) gain independence from Britain.
  • Population:  3.706 billion
  • Nobel Peace Prize:  Norman E. Borlaug (US)
  • Four students at Kent State University in Ohio slain by National Guardsmen at demonstration protesting incursion into Cambodia (May 4).
  • Senate repeals Gulf of Tonkin resolution (June 24).
  • President:  Richard M. Nixon
  • Vice President:  Spiro T. Agnew
  • Population:  205,052,174
  • Life expectancy:  70.8 years
  • US GDP (1998 dollars):  $1,035.60 billion
  • Federal spending:   $195.65 billion
  • Federal debt:   $380.9 billion
  • Median Household Income(current dollars):$8,734
  • Consumer Price Index:  38.8
  • Unemployment:  3.5%
  • Cost of a first-class stamp:  $0.06
  • Super Bowl  Kansas City Chiefs defeated Minnesota Vikings (SCORE 23-7)
  • World Series of Baseball  Baltimore Orioles defeated the Cincinnati Red Socks
  • National Basketball Association Championship  New York defeated LA Lakers
  • National Hockey League Stanley Cup  Boston Bruins defeated St. Louis
  • Women Wimbledon Tennis  Margaret Court defeated Billy Jean King (14-12 11-9)
  • Men Wimbledon Tennis   John Newcombe defeated K. Rosewall (5-7 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-1)
  • Kentucky Derby Horse Race Champion   Dust Commander
  • National College Athletic Association Basketball Championship  UCLA defeated Jacksonville(SCORE 80-69)
  • National College Athletic Association Football Champions  Nebraska (RECORD 11-0-1) and Texas (RECORD 10-1-0) and Ohio St. (RECORD 9-1-0)
  • World Cup Soccer  Brazil defeated Italy
  • The Beatles break up. By the end of the year, each member had released a solo album.
  • George C. Scott gives one of film's most memorable performances in Patton. He won the Best Actor Oscar for his turn as the title character, but refused the gold statuette.
  • FCC regulations require separate ownership of television networks and studios.
  • Monday Night Football debuts on ABC, with Howard Cosell, Frank Gifford, and Don Meredith giving play-by-play.
  • Academy Award, Best Picture:  Midnight Cowboy
  • Grammy Award - Record of the Year  Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In by the 5th Dimension
  • Emmy Award - Best Television Comedy  My World and Welcome To It - NBC
  • Miss America:  Pamela Anne Eldred (Missouri)
  • Biochemist Hamilton O. Smith (US) discovers a restriction enzyme that will allow biologist Daniel Nathans (US) to map a complete viral genome.
  • IBM introduces the floppy disk.
  • Bar codes (computer-scanned binary signal code) are introduced for retail and industrial use in England.
  • The LCD (liquid crystal display) is invented by Hoffmann-La Roche (Switzerland).

 

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