Welcome to the 1960s

Tailfins are still popular as America eases into what may be described as the peak of her magical powers. Towering high above the still-recovering economies in Europe, none can challenge her for power or prestige.

This is perfectly reflected in the New York World's Fair of 1964. Everything is glittering and new, and everything is still proudly made in America, where the consumer reigns supreme. Whatever you desire may soon be yours.

The centerpiece is the General Motors exhibit, where visitors are amazed at a huge working model of the future, with cars and trucks moving smoothly on model roadways. The future has apparently already arrived.
World's Fair, 1964

  Beautiful Vision
The 1964 World's Fair is only slightly ahead of its time. Down in Florida, test launches of NASA rockets are announced regularly, though they seem to have a habit of exploding on the launchpad. The Americans and Russians are dead even in the space race, but most Americans believe America will eventually win, because America always wins. If you ignore Korea.

Feminine Mystique, Playboy bunnies, 1960s

  Feminists and Bunnies
At the same time, another force is unleashed that will change America forever. It comes in the form of a book which introduces the country to something called the Feminine Mystique. The book reveals the hidden reality that many American wives remain vaguely unfulfilled in their traditional family role. This, at a time when hot stewardesses and Playboy bunnies romp freely. The result is a slow-burning brush fire of change, which causes some women to consider giving it a go in the professional world.


Transistors, Boeing 727 and IBM 360, 1964

  Another Game-Changer
Topping it all off, technology suddenly takes a huge leap forward, after decades of slower, incremental change. Electricity enters the digital age with the invention of the transistor, a tiny device with explosive power. It allows controlling the flow of electrons without bulky and burnout-prone vacuum tubes. Better yet, it's so small that hundreds can be crowded onto a single circuit board, consuming very little power. The first big mainframe computer, the IBM 360, is released in 1965.