In 1976 the United States
celebrated her Bicentennial
(200th birthday.) The worst earthquakes in history occurred in China and
Guatemala. Asia is free of smallpox for the first time in history, and Jimmy
Carter is elected our 39th President. Women are admitted to US Military
Academies and race in the Indianapolis 500. Viking I lands on Mars and Apple
Computer is founded in California. There is a serial killer murdering people
in New York City.
- Pittsburgh Steelers beat
the Dallas Cowboys 21 to 17 on January 18 in Miami in Super
Bowl X.
- Another devastating earthquake
occurs in Guatemala killing 23,000 people on February 4.
- The winter Olympics
in Innsbruck, Austria opened on February 4. The Soviet athletes win 142
medals, East Germans 109, and Americans 104. U.S. skater Dorothy Stuart
Hamill becomes a Gold Medal winner.
- In February a swine
flu threatens the United States. 48
million Americans get the shot only to learn it was a false alarm, only
six cases were recorded.
- Janet
Guthrie became the first woman to enter the Indianapolis 500 in March.
- In April New York's
.44-Caliber killer, David
Berkowitz, of Yonkers, New York, terrorizes New York City killing five
women, one man, and leaving seven wounded.
- Four military academies; US
Air Force Academy, US Naval Academy,
US Military Academy, US
Coast Guard Academy, admitted the first
women.
- The nation celebrates the
200th anniversary of the Declaration
of Independence on July 4.
- The 1976
Summer Olympics open on July 17 in Montreal, Canada. Nadia
Comaneci, a Romanian gymnast, scores seven perfect 10s. US team members Bruce
Jenner (decathlon) and Sugar
Ray Leonard (boxing) both came home with gold medals.
- On July 20 Viking
I landed on Mars.
- The worst earthquake
in history on July 28 in China kills about 655,000 people.
- Boston's
Quincy Market reopens August 26 just 150 years after Josiah Quincy
opened it.
- On October 21 the
Cincinnati Reds win sweep the New York Yankees in four games winning the World
Series.
- On November 2, Jimmy
Carter wins the US
Presidential election. He becomes our 39th President beating former
President Ford 297 to 240 electoral votes. He was Time Magazine Man of the
Year for 1976.
- The
Los Angeles World Trade Center is built on a four-acre complex at 333
South Flower Street.
- Legionnaire's
Disease kills 29 members of the American Legion which proves a rare form
of pneumonia.
- A California
drought forces water rationing and prices go up 40 percent.
- Apple
Computer is founded in a California
garage by Stephen G. Wozniak and Steven
Jobs.
- Perrier
Water is introduced to the United States. Many fitness minded Americans
switched from alcoholic beverages to the new drink.
49th Annual Academy
Awards:
Best Actor: Peter Finch in Network
Best Actress: Faye Dunaway in Network
Best Picture: Rocky
Emmy Awards:
Outstanding Comedy: The Mary Tyler Moore Show (CBS)
Outstanding Drama: Masterpiece Theater: Upstairs, Downstairs (PBS)
19th Annual Grammy Awards:
Record of the Year: The Masquerade by George Benson
Album of the Year: Songs in the Key of Life by Steve Wonder
Song of the Year: I Write the Songs by Barry Manilow
Best New Artist: Starland Vocal Band