Centuries:
19th century -
20th century -
21st century
Decades: 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s - 1970s - 1980s 1990s 2000s
Years: 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 - 1973 - 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978
Events
- January 1 - United Kingdom, Ireland, and Denmark enter the European Economic Community
- January 3 - Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) sells the New York Yankees for $10 million to a 12-person syndicate led by George Steinbrenner[?].
- January 15 - Vietnam War: Citing progress in peace negotiations, President of the United States Richard Nixon announces the suspension of offensive action in North Vietnam.
- January 17 - Ferdinand Marcos becomes President for Life of the Philippines
- January 22 - Supreme Court of the United States rules on Roe v. Wade
- January 17 - George Foreman breaks Joe Frazier's professional career undefeated heavyweight world boxing champion status.
- January 23 - President Richard Nixon announces that a peace accord has been reached in Vietnam.
- January 27 - U.S. involvement in Vietnam War ends with the signing of peace pacts
- February 11 - Vietnam War: First release of American prisoners of war from Vietnam takes place
- February 12 - Ohio becomes the first U.S. state to post distance in metric on signs.
- February 21 - Over the Sinai Desert[?], Israeli fighter aircraft shoot down a Libyan Airlines[?] jet killing 100.
- February 22 - Cold War: Following President Richard Nixon's visit to China, the United States and the People's Republic of China agree to establish liaison offices.
- February 27 - The American Indian Movement[?] occupies Wounded Knee, South Dakota.
- March 7 - Comet Kohoutek is discovered
- March 29 - The last United States soldiers leave Vietnam
- April 6 - Launch of Pioneer 11 spacecraft
- May 8 - A 71-day standoff between federal authorities and the American Indian Movement[?] who were occupying the Pine Ridge Reservation[?] at Wounded Knee, South Dakota, ends with the surrender of the militants.
- May 14 - Skylab, the United States' first space station, is launched.
- May 17 - Watergate scandal: Hearings begin in the United States Senate and are televised.
- June 1 - Greek military junta abolishes the monarchy and proclaims a republic
- June 9 - Secretariat wins the "Belmont Stakes" becoming the first Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing winner since 1948
- July 10 - The Bahamas gain full independence within the British Commonwealth
- August 15 - The U.S. bombing of Cambodia ends, marking the official halt to 12 years of combat activity in Southeast Asia.
- September 11 - Chile's democratically elected government is overthrown in military coup after serious instability. President Salvador Allende dies, and General Augusto Pinochet heads a military junta that will govern Chile for the next 17 years.
- September 15 - Swedens king Gustav VI Adolf[?] dies. Carl XVI Gustav[?] becomes king
- September 20 - Billed as The Battle of the Sexes', Billie Jean King defeats Bobby Riggs[?] 6-4, 6-4, 6-3.
- October 6 - Fourth and largest Arab-Israeli conflict begins as Egyptian and Syrian forces attack Israel as Jews mark Yom Kippur.
- October 10 - Spiro T. Agnew resigns as vice president of the United States and then, in federal court in Baltimore, pleads no contest to charges of evasion of income taxes on $29,500 he received in 1967 while he was governor of Maryland. He is fined $10,000 and put on three years' probation.
- October 20 - Sydney Opera House is opened by Elizabeth II
- November 11 - Egypt and Israel sign a United States-sponsored cease-fire accord
- December - Chile breaks diplomatic contacts with Sweden.
Art, Culture & Fashion
Births
- February 4 - Oscar De La Hoya, boxing champion
- February 26 - Jenny Thompson, U.S. Olympic swimmer
- February 26 - Marshall Faulk[?], American football star
- February 28 - Eric Lindros[?], ice hockey star
- April 4 - David Blaine, illusionist
- May 1 - Oliver Neuville, soccer player, National Soccer Team of Germany
- May 10 - Dario Franchitti[?], automobile racer
- May 16 - Tori Spelling, actress
- July 20 - Haakon Magnus, Crown Prince of Norway
- October 3 - Neve Campbell, actress
Deaths
- January 22 - Lyndon Johnson, President of the United States
- January 23 - Kid Ory, musician
- January 24 - J. Carrol Naish[?], actor
- January 26 - Edward G. Robinson, actor
- February 11 - Hans D Jensen[?], German physicist.
- February 15 - Wally Cox[?], actor
- March 6 - Pearl S. Buck, writer
- March 10 - Eugene 'Bull' Connor[?], segregationist
- March 8 - Ron Pigpen McKernan of the Grateful Dead
- March 14 - Chic Young[?], cartoonist (Blondie[?])
- March 26 - Noel Coward, composer, playwright
- April 8 - Pablo Picasso, outstanding artist of the 20th century
- April 26 - Irene Ryan[?], actress
- May 11 - Lex Barker[?], actor
- May 18 - Jeannette Rankin, the first woman elected to the United States House of Representatives
- July 6 - Otto Klemperer, conductor
- July 20 - Bruce Lee, Chinese-American martial artist and film star.
- August 17 - Jean Barraqué, composer
- September 11 - Salvador Allende, Chilean president
- September 19 - Gram Parsons, musician
- September 23 - Pablo Neruda, Chilean poet.
- October 2 - Paavo Nurmi, Finnish runner.
- October 22 - Pau Casals, Catalan virtuoso cellist and conductor
- December 20 - Bobby Darin, singer
- W. H. Auden, English poet.
Nobel Prizes
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