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20 Unmissable Events from the 1960s That Shaped History

The 1960s – a time of bell bottoms, flower power, and moon landings. But beyond the iconic trends, it was a period full of events that shaped history, and we continue to feel the consequences of today. Grab your lava lamp as we look at 20 unforgettable 1960s events that changed history! 

1. The Civil Rights Movement Marches On

The fight for racial equality in America became very important throughout the 1960s. Martin Luther King Jr.’s powerful speeches, like the iconic “I Have a Dream” address at the March on Washington, and peaceful protests, like the Selma to Montgomery marches, challenged segregation and discrimination. This helped dismantle Jim Crow laws and pave the way for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

2. The Berlin Wall Is Constructed

In 1961, the communist government of East Germany created a wall dividing Berlin, effectively turning a bustling city into two separate worlds. Families were torn apart overnight, and the wall became a chilling symbol of the Cold War. News broadcasts showed East Germans desperately trying to escape over the wall, showing just how divided Europe had become.

3. The Twist Goes Global

Chubby Checker’s dance craze, the Twist, took the world by storm in the early 1960s. Forget complicated routines – the Twist was all about shaking those hips and having fun! Dance crazes weren’t new, but the Twist went beyond age and cultural barriers. From American teenagers to Japanese office workers, everyone was doing the Twist!

4. Beatlemania Erupts

The Fab Four’s arrival in America in 1964 sent teenagers into a frenzy. Their catchy tunes, like “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and “She Loves You,” topped the charts, and their mop-top haircuts and undeniable charm began the era of crazed fans. Beatlemania launched a  British invasion and forever changed the music industry.

5. The Summer of Love Blooms

In 1967, San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district became the center of a counterculture movement focused on peace, love, and psychedelics. The “Summer of Love,” with its flower power symbolism, was a rejection of social norms. Although this experiment was short-lived, it left a lasting impact on fashion and social consciousness.

6. The Vietnam War Escalates

 

The U.S. became more involved in the Vietnam War during the 1960s. Troop deployments skyrocketed, with the number of American soldiers in Vietnam reaching over half a million by 1968. Newsreels filled with images of fierce fighting and growing casualties led to growing public unhappiness with the war. 

7. The Equal Pay Act is Signed

 

In 1963, President Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act, which prohibited wage discrimination based on gender. Naturally, it was a major victory in the fight for women’s equality. The Equal Pay Act helped to close the gender pay gap and helped to kickstart further advancements in women’s rights.

8. The Assassination of JFK

John F. Kennedy’s assassination in 1963 sent shockwaves around the world. The young, charismatic president’s death on live television left a nation reeling while conspiracy theories swirled. His assassination symbolized the end of an era of optimism and began a period of uncertainty and national grief.

9. The Mod Movement Takes Off

London’s mod subculture, known for its sharp suits and scooters, began in the mid-1960s. The mods rejected the traditional styles of their parents’ generation, embracing clean lines, geometric patterns, and bold colors. Like Beatlemania, this signature look soon took over the world.

10. The Stonewall Riots Ignite Change

A police raid on a gay bar in New York City’s Greenwich Village in 1969 began the Stonewall Riots, which was very important in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights. The Stonewall Riots led to the creation of gay rights organizations and a rise in activism, eventually shaping today’s more inclusive and accepting society.

11. Apollo 11 Makes Giant Leaps

In 1969, the world watched as Neil Armstrong took “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” on the lunar surface. This monumental achievement in human space exploration helped start our journey into the stars. When Neil said it was a “giant leap for mankind,” he wasn’t lying!

12. Woodstock Music Festival Rocks On

The 1969 Woodstock Music Festival was three days of peace, love, and music. Renowned artists like Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin performed for hundreds of thousands of counterculturists. While the festival aimed for 200,000 attendees, an estimated half a million music lovers showed up, creating an unforgettable music experience.

13. The Mini Skirt Makes a Big Splash

Mary Quant’s trendy miniskirt became a fashion sensation in the mid-1960s. This daring piece of clothing challenged traditional ideas of femininity and began a fashion revolution. Yes, miniskirts showed more leg, but they were also a symbol of youthful rebellion and a break from the restrictive styles of the past.

14. The Barbie Doll Gets a Career

In 1963, Mattel introduced “Career Barbie,” a new version of the popular doll dressed in a doctor’s uniform. This edition challenged traditional gender stereotypes and encouraged young girls to dream big. Whether it was Doctor Barbie, Astronaut Barbie, or Firefighter Barbie, these dolls showed young girls they could be anything they wanted to be.

15. The Environmental Movement Takes Root

Rachel Carson’s groundbreaking book Silent Spring, published in 1962, raised awareness of the dangers of pesticides and began the modern environmental movement. This book inspired a generation to support a cleaner planet. Soon enough, “Silent Spring” was a wake-up call to the dangers of unchecked pollution.

16. The Peace Corps Promotes Global Change

Created in 1961 by President Kennedy, the Peace Corps sent volunteers abroad to work on development projects. Peace Corps volunteers lived alongside other people, learning new languages and breaking down barriers. However, they also had to deal with language barriers and unfamiliar customs, along with some conflict from the locals.

17. The Muhammad Ali KO Heard Around the World

Boxing legend Muhammad Ali’s stunning knockout victory over Sonny Liston in 1964 made it clear that he was the world’s heavyweight champion. Ali’s lightning-fast “phantom punch” left Liston sprawled on the canvas in the first round, shocking the boxing world. Ali was also a charismatic and outspoken figure who became a symbol of social justice.

18. The Super Bowl Debuts

The first-ever Super Bowl, held in 1967, pitted the Green Bay Packers against the Kansas City Chiefs. This historic game marked the beginning of America’s obsession with professional football. While the game itself was a close one (the Packers won 35-10), the real star of the show was the halftime entertainment – a marching band! 

19. The Computer Revolution Begins

The development of the IBM System/360 in 1964 was a significant step forward in computer technology. It wasn’t exactly a sleek desktop computer! But this machine’s ability to handle a wide range of tasks laid the groundwork for the development of smaller, more user-friendly computers that would eventually change the world. 

20. The Rise of Drive-In Movie Theaters

The 1960s saw the golden age of drive-in movie theaters. These open-air cinemas were a unique and affordable way to catch the latest films from the comfort of your own car. Soon enough, they became popular hangout spots for teenagers, offering a social experience alongside the movie. They were also family-friendly destinations, with playgrounds and concession stands keeping everyone entertained. 

Historical Moments

So there you have it – 20 unforgettable moments that defined the groovy and history-changing 1960s! From the fight for civil rights to the birth of the computer revolution, this decade was a time of complete transformation. Even today, we can still feel the effects of many of the events as they shape our world in countless ways.


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5 Financing Options You Should Consider For Your Retail Store

stock-624712_640Deciding to open a retail store is easy. Actually finding a location, filling it with merchandise, hiring employees, and getting people to buy from you is really hard. And expensive. Here are five financing options that you should consider if you can’t afford to pay for everything out of pocket.

#1. Find Investors

One of the best ways to get the money you need is to get others to invest the money you need for startup costs like hiring a team, manufacturing your products, leasing space, creating marketing materials, etc. You can get these investments from angel investors, venture capitalists, or even just from people in your network who want to invest in your shop in exchange for a percentage of your profits once you start making them.

Having investors can be great since they give you the money you need and usually stay out of the way. A lot of the time, however, there are strings attached. One example is the aforementioned sharing of profits. Others may want to have a say in how you run your shop or which vendors you use.

#2. Make Use of Take-Home Layaway Programs

Take-home layaway is a program that financiers like Crest Financial Services offer to retailers. According to Crest Financial reviews, take home layaway is exactly what it sounds like: you use the credit to buy your store supplies—from furniture to computers to decor—from other retailers “on layaway,” and you get to take all your supplies with you and put them to work while you’re paying them off.

Take note that you typically can’t use this type of credit to fund startup costs like leases, hiring employees, etc. It is only offered for the purchase of material goods like office supplies and furniture.

#3. Offer Financing to Customers

Offering take-home layaway to your own customers is one of the best ways to keep people spending money in your store. While you can set this store credit up using your own system, you can streamline the process and remove the headache of collecting and processing payments by partnering with a third-party financier. This can be done by partnering with a major creditor but it is often better to work with independent companies, especially when you are trying to grow your customer base.

One of the best reasons to use independent third party take-home layaway financiers like Crest Financial (and to shop with the companies who work with them) is that most don’t require your customers to have any sort of credit before they apply. They don’t even run a credit check. Instead they base their approval on whether or not your customers meet their minimum income requirements.

#4 Sublet Your Space

One of the best ways to get the money you need to afford your space and your merchandise is to invite other shop owners to share the space. You can divide the store into sections and charge rent for the space and utilities they use. Doing this helps reduce your own overhead because you won’t have as much space to fill.

Another method of doing this is to sell items on consignment. Invite local artists and makers to sell their products in your store in exchange for a percentage of their sales. This reduces the amount of inventory you need to secure and helps bring in more money at the same time.

Perhaps the best reason to sublet and do consignment sales is that it reduces your marketing responsibility. Your subletters and independent artists will promote their work and offerings to their own audiences who will then be more likely to look around and see what you offer too when they come into the store.

#5 Crowdfunding

Setting up a Kickstarter or an IndieGoGo campaign to help generate operating costs is a fantastic way to introduce your idea to your community and build buzz for the shop at the same time. If you are confident that you can raise what you need, use Kickstarter. If you’re not, use IndieGogo. This is because Kickstarter will only release funds if the goal is met. IndieGogo will allow you to have whatever you’ve raised (minus their fees of course!). Successful crowd funding campaigns can also attract investors by showing them the demand and excitement for your shop.

These are just some of the ways you can finance your business and get your retail operation up and running. If you get creative, chances are you’ll come up with plenty more!

Putting Debt Consolidation Firms to Work for You

image1Many people struggle to keep up with their monthly bills, but don’t know what to do about it.  While it isn’t the only option, getting help from a debt consolidation firm is a solution to this problem that is sometimes overlooked. But if you have made the decision to put a debt relief program to work for you, there are 3 steps you can take to put your plan into action.

Step 1: Choosing the company.

Do your homework. Begin by reading articles on debt consolidation so you can learn more about it. Next you should make a list of debt consolidation firms you are interested in working with.

Check into each company. Have they been in business long? You most likely aren’t going to want to choose a firm that has only been in business for a few years. You could check with the Better Business Bureau to find out if anyone has made any negative reports about them. Discuss any fees associated with each and be cautious about the services they offer. If what they promise sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Some of these companies do not have your best interests at heart, and only want to make as much money as they can from your unfortunate situation.

Step 2: Meet with the representative.

Make sure you are comfortable with him or her. You are going to be meeting with this person many times in the next few years as you work on consolidating and paying down your debt, so you want to have a good working relationship with this person. Also, go into the meeting prepared to discuss your financial condition. Have any documentation with you that could help you develop a plan together to reduce your debt.

Step 3: Make a plan and put it into action.

Make sure you understand the plan. You want to feel comfortable with the process you are going through so there are no surprises. Also, you must resolve to stick with the plan, as discussed, and resolve not to accumulate more debt to add to your woes.

Getting out of debt is hard and sometimes you just need the help of a debt relief program to help you get started in the right direction toward paying off your debt.

Have you ever used a debt consolidation program? Would you ever consider one?

Yes, You Do Need Life Insurance — Even If You’re Young

pid life insuranceIt doesn’t occur to many young people to buy life insurance. Most people in their 20s, 30s, or even 40s don’t anticipate needing life insurance, but the unexpected can happen to anyone. If you have people who are depending on you financially — a spouse or partner, children, aging parents or other loved ones — then you need life insurance to help make sure they will be okay if something were to happen to you. Life insurance can also help provide an inheritance for those you leave behind, even if you don’t have a lot of assets.

The best time to get life insurance is when you’re young. By the time you reach your 50s, premiums can become prohibitively expensive. Chances are that when you’re in your 30s or 40s, you’re more likely to have young children, a non-working spouse, or other dependents who won’t stop requiring food, clothes, a roof over their heads, college money, and other support even if you’re no longer there to provide it for them.

Who Will Provide for Your Family When You’re Gone?

If you’re married or have children, or others who are financially dependent on you, you need life insurance — and chances are you don’t have enough. You may have life insurance through your employer, but most employer policies only offer life insurance worth the equivalent of one or two years’ salaries. If you have dependents and a mortgage, you’re going to need a lot more coverage than that to make sure your dependents are protected.

Most experts recommend getting coverage equal to seven to 10 times your annual salary. You should have enough coverage to pay off your mortgage and provide for your family for as many years as it will take your surviving spouse or partner to get back on his or her feet. You should also make sure you have enough coverage to help your surviving loved ones carry out other plans, such as putting the children through college or financing a comfortable retirement for your surviving spouse.

The younger you are when you buy life insurance, the cheaper it will be — but go ahead and wait until you need the coverage. When you’re married, and thinking about starting a family, that’s the time to buy coverage. Talk to an agent to learn about your options regarding life insurance. You may want to choose term life insurance, which covers you for a specific period of time, and is cheaper than whole life or permanent insurance, which will pay a lump sum to your beneficiaries no matter when you die.

Life Insurance Can Be Valuable When You’re Still Alive Too

When most people think of life insurance, they think of coverage that pays their beneficiaries a prearranged sum of money on the event of their death. But life insurance can be useful to you while you’re still alive, too. Life insurance can be an investment vehicle, allowing you to invest your premiums in investment accounts that increase your policy’s cash value.

Your life insurance policy can also be a source of cash if you need to cover medical expenses or long-term care costs. If you become terminally ill, you may be able to sell your policy to get cash to cover your medical bills and related expenses. Or, you may be able to earmark a part of your insurance premiums to cash accumulation, allowing you to build up an emergency reserve of cash that you can use to continue paying your life insurance premiums if you suffer a loss of income. You may even be able to borrow against your life insurance policy’s cash value to cover other expenses that may arise, such as a child’s medical bills.

If you have a non-working spouse or partner, children, or others who are depending on you to pay the bills and put food on the table, you need life insurance. An adequate life insurance policy means you’ll be able to continue providing for your family, even if the worst should happen. Life insurance is the best way to protect your home and your family’s way of life, since it lets you leave your loved ones a cash lump sum even if you don’t yet have that many assets.