1971

Facts and Events That Happened in This Year

Dec 22

Doctors Without Borders was founded in Paris by French doctors and journalists.

Dec 19

Stanley Kubrick's X-rated film 'A Clockwork Orange' premiered, which was based on the book by Anthony Burgess.

Nov 24

D.B. Cooper hijacked a Boeing 727 and extorted a ransom of $200,000 before parachuting out of the plane with the money and was never seen again.

Nov 14

NASA's Mariner 9 became the first spacecraft to orbit another planet when it entered Mars' orbit.

Nov 6

The largest US underground bomb was detonated on Amchitka Island, a remote Alaskan island.

Oct 28

Prospero became the first British satellite to have been launched successfully by a British rocket.

Oct 21

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's ITOS-B weather satellite launched atop a Delta rocket.

Oct 1

Walt Disney World Resort officially opened in Florida.

Sep 19

Athlete Beth Bonner became the first woman to win the New York City Marathon with a time of 2:55:22.

Sep 16

Rolling Stone Magazine featured the Hulk on the front cover.

Sep 9

John Lennon released his second album, 'Imagine.'

Sep 8

John Lennon's most iconic hit, 'Imagine,' was released in the UK.

Sep 3

John Lennon and Yoko Ono left the UK and headed to New York City, US.

Aug 15

Bahrain declared independence from Britain.

Aug 10

The Society for American Baseball Research was founded in Cooperstown, New York.

Aug 6

After being the first man to sail the world non-stop in the wrong direction, Chay Blyth returned to the UK.

Aug 1

Astronauts on Apollo 15 discovered a rock that could date back to the birth of the moon.

Jul 30

NASA's Apollo 15 Lunar mission landed on the Moon's surface with the first Lunar Rover.

Jun 17

US President Richard Nixon declared a War on Drugs.

Jun 9

Rock star Paul McCartney's 'Ram' album went Gold.

Jun 6

The Soviet Union's ill-fated Soyuz 11 mission was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

May 30

The US Mariner 9 was launched – it went on to become the first satellite to orbit Mars.

May 27

The Dahlerau train disaster, the deadliest railway accident in West Germany, claimed 46 lives.

May 17

Stephen Schwartz's musical 'Godspell' premiered off-Broadway.

May 10

The USSR attempted to launch an uncrewed spacecraft to Mars.

May 1

Amtrak began operating as the United States' passenger railroad company.

Apr 19

Prolific killer Charles Manson was sentenced to death by gas chamber.

Mar 30

Starbucks first opened its doors in Seattle, Washington, USA.

Mar 26

East Pakistan declared its independence from Pakistan, forming Bangladesh.

Mar 5

Led Zeppelin started their first tour at Ulster Hall, Belfast, UK.

Feb 27

The first Dutch abortion clinic began to perform artificially-induced abortions.

Feb 15

Great Britain ditched their Pence and Shillings currency values for decimal varieties.

Feb 6

Astronaut Alan Shepard was the first to hit a golf ball on the Moon.

Feb 5

NASA's Apollo 14 mission landed on the Moon.

Jan 31

NASA's Apollo 14 spacecraft was launched and headed for the moon.

Jan 23

Prospect Creek Camp in Alaska recorded -80°F, making it the coldest temperature recorded in US history.

Jan 20

Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On' single was released.

Jan 19

The Beatles song 'Helter Skelter' was played in court as evidence for Charles Manson's trial.

Jan 6

A chemist in Berkeley, California, US, announced that they successfully synthesized hormones that are responsible for human growth.

Jan 1

America banned all advertisements of cigarettes on TV and radio.