1968

What Was Happening in 1968

A year of assassinations, revolution, and upheaval as the post-war order cracked from Prague to Paris to Chicago.

Born in

By the Numbers in 1968

World Population

UK Life Expectancy

55.8 years

US Life Expectancy

56.4 years

Gold Price (per oz)

$36.09

Dow Jones Index

794

US National Debt

Sovereign Nations

119

How Much Did Things Cost in 1968?

ItemUKUS
Average house price£4,330$15,600
Average salary£1,170$7,500
Pint of milk6½d$0.14
Loaf of bread9½d$0.22
Dozen eggs4s 8d$0.62
Pint of beer2s 0d$0.36
Gallon of petrol/gas5s 7d$0.34
Cinema ticket5s 0d$1.05

Technology and Inventions in 1968

Apollo missions were building towards the Moon landing. The Boeing 747 jumbo jet was unveiled. The computer mouse was demonstrated publicly for the first time, and Intel was founded. Nuclear power stations were providing a growing share of electricity.

  • Apollo 8 became the first manned spacecraft to orbit the Moon
  • Douglas Engelbart demonstrated the computer mouse, hypertext, and video conferencing
  • Intel Corporation was founded by Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore
  • The Boeing 747 jumbo jet was unveiled to the public

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More About 1968

What Was Happening — A journey through the years