Major Events of 1976

  • The phrase "junk food" enters the English language
  • First commercial flight by Concorde (London - Bahrain)
  • Apple Computer, founded by Steven Jobs, introduces the Apple II personal Computer. Apple II is the first serious home computer, and will result in a desktop computer revolution throughout the world.
  • (YEEHAH!!)
  • Viking 1 probe lands on Mars
  • Liverpool FC win league for record 9th time (English Soccer)
  • The VW Golf is launched
  • Soweto uprising in South Africa
  • First artificial gene. Capable of working in a living cell, the first living cell created entirely in a test tube without any other gene as a template was created
  • Legionnaire's disease strikes 182, kills 29. The first appearance of the flu like disease struck at an American Legion convention in Philadelphia
  • Tall Ships celebration in New York Harbor to celebrate the bicentennial of the country
  • CB radio popularity peaks - 656,000 CB radio applications were filed each month 1976
  • Courts allow removal of life support - Karen Ann Quinlan had been in a coma for over a year before her parents won the right to remove the life support equipment keeping her alive. It took 9 years for her to die afterwards
  • First Cray Supercomputer
  • Betamax and VHS VCRs released
  • Doctors protest increase in malpractice insurance
  • Mao Tse-tung died - the communist leader of China died in 1976 after over 25 years of rule
  • Shugart introduces 5.25" floppy
  • BYTE magazine begins
  • Microsoft is one year old
  • Israel signs a peace accord with Egypt, returning Sinai to Egypt.
  • An outspoken critic of Chilean dictator Pinochet, former ambassador Orlando Letelier is killed by a car bomb in Washington, DC.
  • Martial Law is declared after a coup in Argentina overthrows Isabel Peron.
  • Soviet and East German athletes dominate the Olympic Games in Montreal.
  • More than 242,000 people are killed when an 8.2 earthquake devastates China.
  • Lockheed Aerospace is caught bribing political officials in the Netherlands and Japan.
  • Perrier water is introduced to American markets.
  • Former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter defeats Gerald Ford to become the next President
  • The Supreme Court votes to reinstate the death penalty.
  • New York's ".44-Caliber Killer" claims his first victim in July.
  • The production of convertibles by United States auto makers is halted due to lack of sales.
  • Edward Turner founds the Atlanta-based TV station WTBS.
  • Tawny Godwin (Saratoga Springs, NY) is Miss America.
  • Life Expectancy is 72.9 years
  • The New York Post is purchased by Australian media-mogul, Rupert Murdoch.
  • For the first time anywhere in the known world, a high-school class failed to win a homecoming float competition at any time during their four years (Sorry, I had to add that)

Favorite Music of 1976

  • "Afternoon Delight" by the Starland Vocal Band
  • "Boogie Fever" by the Sylvers
  • "Convoy" by C.W. McCall
  • "Disco Dick" by Rick Dees & His Cast of Idiots
  • "Disco Lady" by Johnnie Taylor
  • "I Write The Songs" by Barry Manilow
  • "Kiss and Say Goodbye" by The Manhattans
  • "Saturday Night" by The Bay City Rollers
  • "Tonight's The Night" by Rod Stewart
  • "Let Your Love Flow" by the Bellamy Brothers

Sports Headlines of 1976

  • World Series Champion: Cincinnati Reds
  • U.S. Golf Open: Jerry Pate
  • Indy 500 Winner: Johnny Rutherford/148.725 mph
  • Stanly Cup Winner: Montreal Canadians
  • NCAA Basketball Champions: Indiana (BOO!)
  • College Football Champion: Pittsburgh
  • Heismann Trophy Winner: Tony Dorsett from Pittsburgh
  • Dorothy Hamill completed Figure Skating's Triple Crown by winning the World Championship. She had previously won the United States and Olympic Titles.

Favorite TV Shows of 1976

  • Happy Days (ABC)
  • Charlie's Angels (ABC)
  • The Six Million Dollar Man (ABC)

Tidbits from 1976

  • Sears and Bounce Fabric Softener advertise Kenmore dryers
  • Polaroid introduces the $28 Super Shooter for Super Colors camera
  • Shirley Jones promotes the new Sunbeam Total Clean, Power Pierce Automatic Can Opener and Ice Crusher
  • Maxwell house introduces it's new A.D.C. - Automatic Drip Coffee
  • Maxwell House also introduces its instant coffee
  • The Datsun Li'l Hustler series was the #1 selling small pickup
  • Plymouth introduces the Arrow - estimated 39 mpg highway, 24 city and starting at $3,383.00
  • Scope mouthwash is introduced
  • Only at Sears - The Kenmore Convertible Sewing Machine

Timeline by month for 1976

  • January - NBC replaces its Peacock logo
  • February - Sonny & Cher resume their TV show, despite their real-life divorce
  • March - In Washington, DC, the underground Metro opens
  • April - Cubs centerfielder Rick Monday rescues the US flag from two fans that tried to set it on fire
  • May - In baseball, the only homerun of Joe Niekro's 22-year career, comes off his brother, Phil
  • June - In basketball, the NBA and ABA agree to merge
  • July - Rock duo Loggins & Messina break up after six years
  • August - Tom Brokaw becomes news anchor of "The Today Show"
  • September - Patricia Hearst is sentenced to 7 year for her part in a 1974 bank robbery
  • October - Vice Presidential nominees Walter Mondale and Bob Dole have their first debate
  • November - "Gone With the Wind" is televised
  • December - Israel's Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin resigns

Cost of Living for 1976

  • A new house (average) $43,340
  • Average income $16,095 per year
  • New car (average) $4,557
  • Average Rent $220 per month
  • Tuition to Harvard University $3,740 per year
  • Movie Tickets $2 each
  • Gasoline $0.59 per gallon
  • U.S. Postage Stamps $0.13 each
  • Granulated sugar $0.74 for 5 pounds
  • Vitamin D milk $1.65 per gallon
  • Ground Coffee $1.25 per pound
  • Bacon $1.05 per pound
  • Eggs $0.48 per dozen
  • Fresh Ground Beef $0.80 per pound
  • Fresh baked bread $0.35 per loaf