Any year other than 1968.
1
For America 1955. The country was at the height of it's powers on the World stage, and the average American could really think that he lived in the greatest country in the World. New inventions like Air conditioning, Television and the telephone ushered in golden age of delights and comfort.
For me 1977, i was 13 and 1977 was a sweet beautiful time to be 13.
For me 1977, i was 13 and 1977 was a sweet beautiful time to be 13.
2
whichever year painless dentistry became the norm.
3
1969. The year an American landed on the moon and people everywhere in the world thought that humanity's future was even further to the stars.
Look at as now. What do we as a species dream about? Survival? Avoiding war?
What a comedown in less than 50 years.
Look at as now. What do we as a species dream about? Survival? Avoiding war?
What a comedown in less than 50 years.
3
If I may be permitted to write about a few years then I would say 1963-1965.
The best year starts with the March On Washington in 1963 and ends with the sharp escalation of the war in Vietnam in 1965.
The US was finally ending its apartheid state in the South along with deep commitments to end poverty throughout the nation. This was done during 1963-1965.
The good years ended with LBJ's decision, and it was his, to escalate the war in Vietnam. This was in direct opposition of his having run as the "Peace" candidate against Goldwater in 1964.
It was the best of times and the worst of times was shortly to arrive.
Four dead in Ohio and millions and millions in Southeast Asia.
The best year starts with the March On Washington in 1963 and ends with the sharp escalation of the war in Vietnam in 1965.
The US was finally ending its apartheid state in the South along with deep commitments to end poverty throughout the nation. This was done during 1963-1965.
The good years ended with LBJ's decision, and it was his, to escalate the war in Vietnam. This was in direct opposition of his having run as the "Peace" candidate against Goldwater in 1964.
It was the best of times and the worst of times was shortly to arrive.
Four dead in Ohio and millions and millions in Southeast Asia.
2
Futurists Yes the movie theaters had one screen but I could go on a Saturday at 9:00 and stay until about 3PM watching at least four to six cartoons and two movies for 25 cents. My mother saved up all week just to get us out of her hair for most of the day.
There was FM but it was monopolized by talk radio and preachers.
I was in New York City. We had 6 television stations. Some like WOR didn't come on until the afternoon and the evening was baseball or Million Dollar Movie. The stations went of the air by midnight playing the Star Spangled Banner and came on at 6AM the same way. Then the Sermonette and the crop news. NYC was surrounded by farms in New Jersey, Connecticut and Long Island.
No fake "Reality" shows.
1912 and before. No Income Tax.
There was FM but it was monopolized by talk radio and preachers.
I was in New York City. We had 6 television stations. Some like WOR didn't come on until the afternoon and the evening was baseball or Million Dollar Movie. The stations went of the air by midnight playing the Star Spangled Banner and came on at 6AM the same way. Then the Sermonette and the crop news. NYC was surrounded by farms in New Jersey, Connecticut and Long Island.
No fake "Reality" shows.
1912 and before. No Income Tax.
1776, of course.
1943. The year of my birth! But for that year,no me.
1
A tough one indeed. It certainly doesn't feel like any of the years that I can remember. That being said, listening to my parents, and older people, it'd have to be sometime in the 1950's. Everything was so cheap, and there didn't seem to be to much violent crime, I mean people talk about how they'd leave there doors unlocked on there houses and cars! The elderly were respected more. Kids weren't punks back then. So based on that and a few other things I'm gonna say 1956, cause that's the year I was conceived and the King, Elvis Presley was starting to make rock and roll history!!
1
@Gary
It's a safe assumption your parents are not black.
It's a safe assumption your parents are not black.
6
Election Day, 1980 made all the difference in America for the 20th Century. That day of rebirth meant that we would indeed survive the threat of Soviet nuclear weapons that had hung over us since the 1950's. Without President Reagan's defeat of Soviet communism, nothing we have today might still be there.
But the two absolute keys for American history were the outcome of the Battle of Yorktown and Lincoln's election to the Presidency. But the top date for humanity was the morning of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
But the two absolute keys for American history were the outcome of the Battle of Yorktown and Lincoln's election to the Presidency. But the top date for humanity was the morning of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
1
The living standards of most Americans have been declining since Reagan was elected. Wealth didn't trickle down. A poor choice for year. As far as the defeat of Communism, it was JFK who stood nose-to-nose with the Soviet Union. Gorbachev had more to do with the dismantling of the USSR. By 1980 100,000 Americans had died in the "Cold War" in Korea and Viet Nam and trillions had been spent. Like Bill Maher said "Reagan is like the guy who came off the bench with 2 minutes left, his team up by 20 points and sinks the last basket." Like Nixon's name being on the plaque on the moon. How about 1865 as our greatest year?
6
America’s greatest year? I have no idea. But I do know one thing. New York Times wouldn't ask that about Britain.
Make America Great (Britain) again.
Britain certainly has its "finest hour." Going back a way, the English (not to be confused with the British, who didn't exist at the time) were nostalgic for Agincourt for a long time.
"When was America's greatest year?" For me, it's 1781 because that's when America won the Revolutionary War with its victory at Yorktown. (The treaty which ended the war wasn't signed until 1783, but its outcome was decided at Yorktown.) That year was when the independent country known as the United States of America effectively came into being.
"When was America greatest?" For me, it's 1945 - and August 14, 1945 was perhaps the greatest day, at worst one of the two greatest days, in U.S. history (the other being July 20, 1969).