1965

What Was Happening in 1965

Swinging London was the centre of the world as miniskirts, pop art, and youthful rebellion redefined the culture.

Born in

By the Numbers in 1965

World Population

UK Life Expectancy

55.5 years

US Life Expectancy

56.0 years

Gold Price (per oz)

$35.72

Dow Jones Index

727

US National Debt

Sovereign Nations

108

How Much Did Things Cost in 1965?

ItemUKUS
Average house price£3,620$14,000
Average salary£960$6,450
Pint of milk5½d$0.13
Loaf of bread7½d$0.21
Dozen eggs4s 2d$0.53
Pint of beer1s 7d$0.33
Gallon of petrol/gas5s 0d$0.31
Cinema ticket3s 9d$0.85

Technology and Inventions in 1965

The first spacewalk was achieved, early minicomputers appeared, and colour television was expanding in America. The UK was still broadcasting in black and white. The word 'software' entered common usage as computers became essential business tools.

  • Alexei Leonov performed the first spacewalk from Voskhod 2
  • Ed White performed the first American spacewalk during Gemini 4
  • The first commercial communications satellite, Early Bird (Intelsat I), launched
  • DEC introduced the PDP-8, considered the first successful minicomputer

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More About 1965

What Was Happening — A journey through the years