35 Pics That Sum Up What The ’70s Were Like

The 1970s were a whirlwind of groove and social changes. People from this decade witnessed many remarkable events, such as the gay liberation movement victories, the election of the first female Prime Minister in the U.K., and the rise of disco.

Alongside these successes, they were also a part of some unfortunate incidents like the Vietnam War, the Oil Crisis, and the loss of many icons like Elvis Presley, Coco Chanel, and Pablo Picasso.

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Early ‘70s / Early 70’s, Cheers

Ahhh Always Best In The Tin

If You Ever Used One Of These Perpetual Towel Contraptions To Dry Your Hands In The 1970s You’re Probably Immune To All Forms Of Viruses And Diseases Now

Things got pretty weird in the 1970s, especially in the US, mostly because it came after the youth and change-driven 1960s and the incoming flashy styles of discoandpunk. Even though people yearned for new social possibilities, they were faced with political division (Roe v. Wade, the Watergate scandal), hostility (wars in Asia), and rejection. As they started to lose hope of reuniting as a society with a common interest in goals, many focused on issues of subgroups they belonged to based on ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, and religion.

I Can Smell This Picture- When We Got Bored With Our Cap Guns We Started Bashing The Whole Rolls With A Hammer! Fun Times In The 1970s!

Smallpox Vaccination Scar ! Who Has One?

Anybody Remember These Guys?

During this period, many American citizens witnessed indigenous people seeking to maintain their culture and improve their quality of life. For decades, they were living in poverty and discrimination. In the ’70s, the averagelife expectancyfor a Native American person was 46 years, compared to the national average of 69. Half of them lived on reservations, where employment reached 50%. After many struggles and protests, the US government restored millions of acres of tribal lands and increased funding for Native American education, healthcare, and housing.

Silly Putty ! Remember Copying The Funny Pages From The News Paper?

Only The Lucky Kids Got These In The Anonymous Christmas Gift Exchange In School

Live From N.y. 1976

The drive for gay and lesbian rights intensified as well. The activists called for any homosexual individuals to come out and reveal their orientation. Therefore, gay communities moved from the underground to the political sphere. They strongly protested against the American Psychiatric Association, which categorized homosexuality as a mental illness. This “diagnosis” often resulted in job loss, loss of custody, and other serious consequences for the LGBT community. By 1974, it was no longer considered a mental illness. The same year, Kathy Kozachenko became the first openly lesbian woman to run for office in Michigan.

If You Know, You Know. This Guy Was Sort Of Like The Steve Irwin Of The ’70s

I Now Realize Everyone Was Drunk On This Show

Who Else Loved Underdog And His Villains?

Women’s liberation also continued in the 1970s. Feminists opened women’s shelters, successfully fought for protection from employment discrimination for pregnant ladies, reformed sexual assault laws, and funded schools that opposed sexist stereotypes. In 1973, the US Supreme Court, in Roe v. Wade, put in place several laws that made abortions during the first three months legal. This meant that women could seek help nationwide without needing to prove that the pregnancy was a danger to their health or that it was the result of a reported assault.

Remember When Dairy Queen Was A Takeout Stand? (1970s-80s)

Pizza Day Was The Best Day Of The Week In Elementary School In The 70s

My Dream Car And Bike When I Was 10

Growing up in the ‘70s amongst all of this was undeniably different from today. With the hippie movement in full swing and more women acquiring jobs, parents usually employed a “hands-off” approach when raising their children. Unsupervised play was still a thing, children of this era remember being told, “Be home when the street lights come on” or “Whose house are you going to, and when will you be back?” Kids between the ages of 5 and 13 would take care of themselves with no adult supervision before and after school on a regular basis.

Moon Boots. If You Lived In A Cold Climate, You Wore Them