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Top Baby Names for Boys
Michael
Jason
Christopher
David
James
John
Robert
Brian
Matthew
Daniel
Top Baby Names for Girls
Jennifer
Amy
Melissa
Heather
Angela
Michelle
Kimberly
Jessica
Lisa
Amanda
The KODAK EK6 Instant Camera is introduced in 1976 and sells for $69.50.
In 1976, the microwave becomes more commonly owned than the dishwasher, reaching about 52 million U.S. households.
General Mills introduces Cinnamon Nut Cheerios.
Perrier Water is introduced in the United States.
The orange colored M&M is introduced
American Country Countdown -
Top 10 songs of ‘76
1. Convoy – C.W. McCall
2. Good Hearted Woman – Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson
3. The Door is Always Open – Dave & Sugar
4. I’ll Get Over You – Crystal Gayle
5. Teddy Bear – Red Sovine
6. El Paso City – Marty Robbins
7. (I’m A) Stand By My Woman Man – Ronnie Milsap
8. I Don’t Want to Have to Marry You – Jim Ed Brown & Helen Cornelius
9. One Piece At a Time – Johnny Cash
10. Stranger – Johnny Duncan
Billboard’s Hot 100 (top 10) of 1976
Silly Love Songs – Wings
Don’t Go Breaking My Heart – Elton John & Kiki Dee
Disco Lady – Johnnie Taylor
December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night) – The Four Seasons
Play That Funky Music – Wild Cherry
Kiss and Say Goodbye – The Manhattans
Love Machine – The Miracles
50 Ways to Leave Your Lover – Paul Simon
Love is Alive – Gary Wright
A Fifth of Beethoven – Walter Murphy & The Big Apple Band
Jimmy Carter is nominated for President at the Democratic National Convention in New York City and wins the election on November 2, 1976, becoming the first candidate from the deep South to win since the Civil War. (The first presidential election we were allowed to vote in).
The United States Treasury Department reintroduces the two-dollar as a Federal Reserve Note on Thomas Jefferson’s 233rd birthday as part of the United States Bicentennial celebration.
Syria intervenes in the Lebanese Civil War in opposition to the Palestine Liberation Organization whom it had previously supported.
North Vietnam and South Vietnam unite to form the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
AVERAGE ANNUAL INCOMES
President of the United States = $200,000.00
Vice President of United States = $62,500.00
Senator = $44,600.00
Overall average income = $14,958.00
School Teacher = $13,354.00
Clerical Worker = $8,082.00
Retail Employee = $11,150.00
Construction Worker = $14,753.00
State & Local Government Employee = $11,600.00
Random Facts
Cost of Movie Ticket = $2.13
U.S. Postage = 13¢
Mail handled by USPS = 89,767,903,000 pieces
Life Expectancy = 72.9 years
Babies Born = 3,168,000
US Population = 218,035,164
Unemployment = 7.7%
Minimum Wage $2.30/hr
Dow Average = 982
* Mike Schmidt, of the Philadelphia Phillies, hits four consecutive home runs in a game against the Chicago Cubs.
* Sparky Lyle, of the New York Yankees, breaks Hoyt Wilhelm’s American League Record of 154 career saves.
* The National Basketball Association and the American Basketball Association agree on the ABA-NBA merger.
* The Summer Olympics were held from July 17 through August 1, 1976, in Montreal, Ontario, Canada. Gold medal winners include Nadia Comăneci in Women’s Gymnastics, becoming the first person to score a perfect 10 at the Olympics; Sugar Ray Leonard, Leon Spinks, Michael Spinks, Leo Randolph, and Howard Davis, Jr., in Boxing; Bruce Jenner in the Decathlon; and the U.S. Men’s swimming team in all but one event, in which John Naber won Silver. Greg Louganis also won Silver in Diving. He was 16 years old.
* The Winter Olympics were held from February 4 through February 15, 1976, in Innsbruck, Austria. Gold medal winners include Austrian Franz Klammer in the Men’s Downhill – Alpine Skiing; Dorothy Hamil in Women’s Figure Skating; British skater John Curry in Men’s Figure Skating; and the team from the USSR in hockey.
* The Cincinnati Reds won the World Series, sweeping the series in four consecutive games.
* The Pittsburgh Steelers took Super Bowl X on January 18, 1976, against the Dallas Cowboys.
Final score? 21-17.
* The Montreal Canadiens swept their series to win the Stanley Cup against the Philadelphia Flyers.
* Tony Dorsett won the Heisman Trophy.
* Bjorn Borg was the winner at Wimbledon.
Movies
* On March 29, 1976, the Oscars honored the movies from 1975. Winners include Jack Nicholson (Best Actor for “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”); Louise Fletcher (Best Actress for “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”); Milos Forman (Best Director for “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”); and “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest won for Best Movie.
* Other popular movies included “All the President’s Men;” “Rocky;” “Taxi Driver;” “Carrie;” and “The Omen.”
* Released in NYC on November 20, 1976, and the rest of the country on December 3, 1976, Rocky becomes the highest grossing film of 1976. And, on March 29, 1977, Rocky was named the Best Picture of 1976.
* George Lucas began filming "Star Wars - A New Hope" in March of 1976.
Television
1. All In The Family
2. Laverne & Shirley
3. Happy Days
4. M*A*S*H
5. One Day At a Time
6. The Mary Tyler Moore Show
7. Kojak
8. Starsky & Hutch
9. The Bob Newhart Show
10. Welcome Back, Kotter!
More random facts
Stretch Armstrong was introduced.
The Ramones released their first self-titled album
Apple Computer Company is formed by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak.
The first class of 81 women is inducted at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD.
The Chimpanzee is placed on the list of endangered species.
The first outbreak of Ebola virus occurs in Zaire.
“Laverne and Shirley” debuted.
The Video Home System (VHS), a consumer-level video standard developed by JVC, is introduced.
Slime, a toy product, is introduced by Mattel and is sold in a plastic garbage can.
The first generation Honda Accord is launched and the Nissan Maxima makes its debut.
The orange colored M&M is introduced.
Viking 1 and Viking 2 spacecraft land on Mars, with Viking 2 touching down at Utopia Planitia, taking the first close-up color photos of the planet’s surface.
Famous people born in 1976 include Peyton Manning, Melissa Joan Hart, Colin Farrell, Fred Savage, Ryan Reynolds, and Reese Witherspoon.
Hank Aaron hit his 755th and final home run on July 20.
The Eagles released their “Hotel California” album.
The Concorde made its first commercial flight.
“Roots,” the miniseries based on Alex Haley’s book, debuted.
