Pat Daharsh sends me wonderful online sites. Today she sent this one.
Forty years ago in 1969, I was practically a newly wed.
On July 20th, while I was home on summer vacation from my teaching job, one of the greatest achievements of all time occurred when American Astronaut Neil Armstrong made the first step on the moon.
"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."
Opposition to the Vietnam war increased this year as antiwar demonstrations and demands for the withdrawal of United States troops swelled.
Music of the time included the Doors, Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin and the Beatles.
A music festival, "WOODSTOCK" took place on a New York Farm on August 15th to August 17th with 400,000 plus music fans attending.
The Who, Jimi Hendrix, Crosby Stills Nash and Young and others performed live.
The anti-war sentiment was reflected in the fashions worn at Woodstock.
The long haired anti-establishment youth wore military jackets adorned with peace signs. That was some of what was going on in this country in 1969.
When we write about our lives, we want to include historical events as well. While I was not at Woodstock, I did see Neil Armstrong's first step on the moon thanks to television. I remember how I felt and what people were saying about this phenomenal happening in space. Some skeptics said it had not really happened. They didn't believe it because they did not see it with their own eyes. It was on TV, but folks knew many things on TV were not true.
I did know the horrors of the Vietnam war which we saw every night on television, because I knew a neighbor who was killed there. Our lives are shaded by historical events and what is happening in our country and in the world at the time.
Let me make a suggestion. If you are writing about your life, make
a list of ten historical events that have taken place in your lifetime.
As you think about these events, try to remember what you were doing at the time or where you were when it happened. Do you remember when you heard that JFK was killed? Do you remember where you were when the Challenger exploded? How did it make you feel?
Click on this site and learn about your history. http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/
Glenda:
ReplyDeleteYes, I do remember Vietnam. My brother served with the US Army during this conflict and it was hard having family over there fighting. Glad that conflict is over. Sure hope the wars raging now will end soon.
Interesting post....I have a folder that I made as a child about the first moon launch - I think I'll go find it and look at it *smiling*
ReplyDeleteI, too, wish there would be an end to wars,Brenda. So many young lives were lost in Vietnam and now in the Middle East.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kathryn, for commenting today. I'd like to see what you saved in your folder on the first moon launch.