Country by Leaders
Indira Gandhi was the first female prime minister of this South Asian nation.
What is India? Gandhi served a total of four terms as the Indian prime minister, from 1966 to 1977 and again from 1980 to 1984, when she was assassinated.
A zany children’s story with many made-up words,
There’s a Wocket in My Pocket was written by this author famous for his rhymes
Who is Dr. Seuss? In 1984, Seuss was awarded a
Pulitzer Prize citation for his contribution to children’s education and entertainment.
Arnold Schwarzenegger helped popularize this sport and athletic competition in the 1970s and ’80s.
What is bodybuilding? The sport was recognized in
1998 by the International Olympic Committee.
From 1977 to 1981, this man lived at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Who is Jimmy Carter? He is the nation’s longest-lived president.
This term from 1975 does not actually refer to one who quantifies legumes, but more often to an accountant or bureaucrat
What is bean counter? Some sources believe the term comes from a German word that was also used to mean “a nitpicker.”
Yogi Berra managed both of these New York baseball teams during his career
Who are the Mets and Yankees? Berra also coached the Houston Astros from 1986 until his retirement in 1992
Among this nation’s long list of prime ministers are John Turner, Pierre Trudeau, and Brian Mulroney.
What is Canada? Trudeau’s son Justin became Canada’s 23rd prime minister in 2015.
These choose-your-own-adventure detective books were published from the 1960s through the early 2000s by author Donald Sobol.
What are the Encyclopedia Brown books? Sobol started his career as a reporter for the New York Sun.
This popular sport of the 1970s was invented by Joseph Sobek, an avid tennis player who wanted to find a use for rubber balls.
What is racquetball? Tracing its roots back as far as
the 12th century, this sport took off with national tournaments in the early ’70s.
This cartoon family’s address changes throughout the television series’ run, but you can always find them in the town of Bedrock
Who are the Flintstones? Two of their addresses were 245 Cave Stone Road and 222 Rocky Way.
From 1972, this tech term refers to a small and flexible plastic disk used for storing information.
What is floppy disk? According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the earliest evidence of the word floppy is found in the writings of George Eliot
This hockey record-setter won the Stanley Cup nine times as a coach and was awarded NHL Coach of the Year twice—as coach of the Canadiens in 1977 and of the Red Wings in 1995.
Who is Scotty Bowman? Though Bowman dreamed of playing hockey himself, he began coaching after a severe head injury in his youth.
Mao Zedong (MOW tseh-DONG), known as Chairman Mao, ruled this country from 1949 until his death in 1976.
What is China? Famously, President Nixon visited China in 1972 and met with Chairman Mao.
Published in 1982 by Puffin Books, the Roald Dahl book The BFG stands for this.
What is “the big, friendly giant?” The story centers around a girl befriending the BFG and helping him stop the evil giants.
This iconic exercise fad incorporates jazz dancing and music.
What is Jazzercise? The popular exercise of the 1970s and ’80s was invented by Judi Sheppard Missett.
The real-life Kirkeby mansion in Bel Air, California, was the filming site for this TV show starring the Clampett family.
What is The Beverly Hillbillies? In 2019, the mansion sold for around $150 million, a record-setting price in the state
This two-word term refers to the “authorized absence
from employment” granted to a father when his child is born
What is paternity leave? The term can be traced back to the Guardian in 1973.
Most often associated with his time as the Alabama Crimson Tide head football coach from 1958–1982, he accumulated 323 victories across his coaching career.
Who is Bear Bryant? His nickname came from an incident during his teen years in which he wrestled a circus bear.
This nation’s leaders have included King Juan Carlos I and Prime Minister Adolfo Suarez, both in power in the early ’80s.
What is Spain? Juan Carlos I is credited for his role in Spain’s peaceful transition to democracy.
Husband and wife Stan and Jan wrote a series of books featuring this bear family, including The Spooky Old Tree and The Big Honey Hunt.
Who are the Berenstain Bears? The authors named the bear family after their own last name.
Although this organization has been around since 1844, it was not until 1978 that we got a song-and-dance routine to go along with it.
What is the YMCA? In the mid-1970s, the YMCA founded the Youth Basketball Association in partnership with the NBA.
Still standing on the Warner Bros. Ranch is Darrin and Samantha’s home at 1164 Morning Glory Circle, from this TV series.
What is Bewitched? Next door to the house in real life is the house where Gidget was filmed.
This is a three-word cold weather phrase for the 1978–1979 strikes across Great Britain.
What is winter of discontent? The strikes of the late ’70s are credited with changes in the UK’s government in early 1979
He was head coach at the University of Southern California for over a decade before becoming the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ head coach in 1976.
Who is John McKay? He won four national championship titles with USC.
This country’s leaders have included Georges
Pompidou (JORI PAAM-pi-doo) from 1969–1974 and Valery Giscard d’Estaing (vah-leh-REE zhees-KAR deh-STANG) from 1974–1981.
What is France? During Pompidou’s presidency, he
notably strengthened the nation’s economy.
First published in 1974, Where the Sidewalk Ends is a collection of this artist’s drawings and poetry.
Who is Shel Silverstein? He is also the author of another children’s classic, The Giving Tree.
In the 1960s and ’70s, this was a popular exercise for many, especially double Dutch games.
What is jump rope? Although originally popular with
boys, girls began to jump rope for exercise when they were excluded from sports like football and hockey
The Munsters’ mansion is located at this number on Mockingbird Lane.
What is 1313? A fan of the show renovated her home to be a near-exact replica, located in Waxahachie, Texas.
This term was defined in 1974 and refers to a display screen that works by tactile input.
What is touch screen? An early touch screen was created by Dr. G. Samuel Hurst in 1970.
This Pittsburgh Steelers head coach from 1969–1991 led the team to four Super Bowl victories.
Who is Chuck Noll? Before Noll took over the Steelers and shaped a strong team, they were known for their “lovable losers” image.
On October 24, 1970, Prime Minister Golda Meir of
this nation attended a White House dinner.
What is Israel? The dinner was in celebration of the
United Nations’ 25th anniversary.
This 1985 classic centers around a magical train to the North Pole.
What is The Polar Express? Written by Chris Van Allsburg, in 2004 it was adapted to a film that features the voice of Tom Hanks.
Conceived by Dr. Kenneth Cooper and meaning
“using oxygen,” this type of exercise was popularized by Jane Fonda and Richard Simmons.
What is aerobics? In the 1980s, step aerobics emerged as an offshoot of aerobics classes.
Residents of this famous London address include Harold Wilson and John Major.
What is 10 Downing Street? This has been the residence of the British prime minister since 1735.
Also called “docs,” the Oxford English Dictionary traces this shoe brand to 1969. It was popular throughout the ’70s.
What are Dr. Martens? The name of this heavy footwear comes from a real person, Dr. Klaus Maertens.
He coached Cincinnati’s “Big Red Machine” from 1970–1978, including two World Series championship wins.
Who is Sparky Anderson? Anderson was named MLB Manager of the Year twice and inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000.
On January 7, 1989, this man became the 125th emperor of Japan
Who is Emperor Akihito (ah-kee-HEE-toh)? According to tradition, he is the 125th direct descendant of Jimmu, the first emperor of Japan.