What were the 1960s known for?
The 1960s are remembered for moments like these: 1960, The Etch A Sketch is introduced; 1964, The Beatles play The Ed Sullivan Show; 1964, Ford unveils the Mustang; 1966, Star Trek premieres on NBC; 1967, The first Super Bowl is played; and 1969, Apollo 11 lands on the Moon. Scroll the timeline below for more, year by year.
The ’60s, one year at a time.
Swipe through 15 moments we still talk about. Think you know your ’60s? Hide the years and guess.
- Toys1960
The Etch A Sketch is introduced.
Shake it and start over.
Read: Timeless toys → - TVSeptember 301960
The Flintstones premieres on ABC.
Yabba dabba doo!
Play the ’60s quiz → - Movies1962
Dr. No, the first James Bond film, hits the screen.
Shaken, not stirred.
Born in 1962? See your year → - Sci-fiNovember 231963
Doctor Who premieres on the BBC.
Bigger on the inside.
Born in 1963? See your year → - TVFebruary 91964
The Beatles play The Ed Sullivan Show for the first time.
Mop tops, screaming fans and a brand new sound.
Read: The Lennon lineage → - CarsApril 171964
Ford unveils the Mustang.
Pony car dreams start here.
Take the classic car quiz → - Toys1964
Hasbro introduces G.I. Joe.
The toy box just got tougher.
Read: Timeless toys → - Movies1965
The Sound of Music hits the big screen with Julie Andrews as Maria.
The hills were alive.
Born in 1965? See your year → - Sci-fiSeptember 81966
Star Trek premieres on NBC.
Beam us up.
Born in 1966? See your year → - TVJanuary 121966
Batman premieres on ABC.
Holy nostalgia, Batman!
Play the ’60s quiz → - Music1967
Aretha Franklin’s “Respect” tops the Billboard pop chart.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
Play Name that ’60s hit → - Sci-fiJanuary 151967
The first Super Bowl is played.
Pass the chips.
Born in 1967? See your year → - Cars1968
Mattel launches Hot Wheels.
Orange track, full speed.
Take the classic car quiz → - SpaceJuly 201969
Apollo 11 lands on the Moon.
Look up tonight and remember.
Born in 1969? See your year → - TVNovember 101969
Sesame Street premieres.
Can you tell me how to get there?
Born in 1969? See your year → - Every year, 1960 to 1969 →
- Keep the time machine runningNext stop: the ’70sFlip through the ’70s →Or test yourself on the ’60s →
Swipe for more →
Sources: each moment is checked against its Wikipedia article. Costs: US first-class postage history and the US Department of Labor minimum wage chart.
Pick a lane.
Most influential people
The Beatles
Played The Ed Sullivan Show for the first time on February 9, 1964.
Aretha Franklin
“Respect” topped the Billboard pop chart in 1967.
Muhammad Ali
Won the heavyweight title in 1964, fighting as Cassius Clay.
Julie Andrews
Starred in Mary Poppins (1964) and The Sound of Music (1965).
Neil Armstrong
First person to walk on the Moon, July 20, 1969.
TV and game shows
The Flintstones
Premiered September 30, 1960 on ABC.
The Andy Griffith Show
Premiered October 3, 1960 on CBS.
Jeopardy!
The original version premiered March 30, 1964.
Gilligan’s Island
Premiered September 26, 1964.
Star Trek
Premiered September 8, 1966 on NBC.
Sesame Street
Premiered November 10, 1969.
Music and top hits
Billboard year-end No. 1 single for each year.
“Theme from "A Summer Place"”
Percy Faith
“Tossin' and Turnin'”
Bobby Lewis
“Stranger on the Shore”
Mr. Acker Bilk
“Sugar Shack / Surfin' U.S.A.”
Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs / The Beach Boys
“I Want to Hold Your Hand”
The Beatles
“Wooly Bully”
Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs
“The Ballad of the Green Berets / California Dreamin'”
SSgt. Barry Sadler / The Mamas and the Papas
“To Sir with Love”
Lulu
“Hey Jude”
The Beatles
“Sugar, Sugar”
The Archies
Movies
Rank 1 in each year’s box office list.
Spartacus
No. 1 at the box office
West Side Story
No. 1 at the box office
The Longest Day
No. 1 at the box office
Cleopatra
No. 1 at the box office
Mary Poppins
No. 1 at the box office
The Sound of Music
No. 1 at the box office
Hawaii
No. 1 at the box office
The Graduate
No. 1 at the box office
Funny Girl
No. 1 at the box office
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
No. 1 at the box office
Cars
Corvette Sting Ray
The split-window coupe arrived for the 1963 model year.
Ford Mustang
Unveiled April 17, 1964.
Pontiac GTO
Often called the first muscle car.
Chevrolet Camaro
Arrived for the 1967 model year.
Toys and games
Etch A Sketch
Introduced in 1960.
Easy-Bake Oven
Kenner’s oven came out in 1963.
G.I. Joe
Hasbro introduced him in 1964.
Twister
Milton Bradley released it in 1966.
Lite-Brite
Came out in 1967.
Hot Wheels
Mattel launched them in 1968.
Fashion
Miniskirts
Hemlines went up and stayed up.
Go-go boots
White, shiny and ready to dance.
Tie-dye
Every shirt a one-of-a-kind swirl.
Mod style
Bold shapes, bold colors, London cool.
Food and diner
Pop-Tarts
Kellogg’s toaster pastry arrived in 1964.
Gatorade
Created in 1965 at the University of Florida.
Big Mac
Went on sale nationwide in 1968.
Sports
Clay beats Liston
Cassius Clay won the heavyweight title on February 25, 1964.
Super Bowl I
The Packers beat the Chiefs on January 15, 1967.
Jets win Super Bowl III
Joe Namath’s Jets upset the Colts.
The Miracle Mets
The Mets won the 1969 World Series.
Tech and gadgets
Telstar
Relayed the first live transatlantic TV pictures in 1962.
Compact cassette
Philips introduced it in 1963.
Touch-tone phones
Push buttons arrived on November 18, 1963.
ARPANET
Sent its first message on October 29, 1969.
What it cost back then
Stamp and wage on January 1 of each year.
| Year | Stamp | Minimum wage |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 4¢ | $1.00 |
| 1961 | 4¢ | $1.00 |
| 1962 | 4¢ | $1.15 |
| 1963 | 4¢ | $1.15 |
| 1964 | 5¢ | $1.25 |
| 1965 | 5¢ | $1.25 |
| 1966 | 5¢ | $1.25 |
| 1967 | 5¢ | $1.25 |
| 1968 | 5¢ | $1.40 |
| 1969 | 6¢ | $1.60 |
Then vs now: a stamp is 82¢ today (since July 12, 2026) and the federal minimum wage is $7.25.
See what everything cost the year you were born →Sources: Wikipedia, Billboard year-end charts, USPS postage history, US Department of Labor and US EIA.
’60s stories
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