To many, the world may look unrecognizable from where it was in 1972. While many things have stayed the same, (you can still get a burger at McDonalds, but it will cost you more) many things have changed too.
For instance, you may be interested to know that gas cost an average of .36 cents per gallon. A postage stamp cost .08 cents. Groceries were considerably cheaper, too. A loaf of bread cost about .25 cents.
Things looked a little different in the U.S. and around the world, with President Richard Nixon making an eight-day visit to communist China to meet with Mao Zedong. Britain took over direct rule of Northern Ireland and members of the Israeli Olympic team were killed by terrorists in the Olympic village. At home, five men were apprehended in an attempt to bug the Democratic National Headquarters.
Sports and Entertainment in 1972
The Cowboys beat the Dolphins in the Super Bowl, and the A’s beat the Reds in the World Series in 1972. The Lakers beat the Knicks for the NBA Finals.
M*A*S*H premiered on CBS in 1972, giving people a reason to laugh. Some of the notable movie releases in the theater include: The Godfather, Deliverance, and Cabaret. Carole King’s “You’ve Got a Friend” won song of the year. King’s album Tapestry won album of the year.
Science and Tech in 1972
The company RCA developed the compact disk technology that became associated with music in later decades. The antidepressant Prozac was developed by Bryan Malloy and Klaus Schmiegel. An early version of electronic mail was introduced in 1972. Apollo XVII, the last manned moon landing to date, returned to the earth in 1972, with 250 pounds of lunar samples.
We’ve made some incredible advancements since this time, but sometimes it is good to recognize how much things have changed over the years.
