1960s: Following years of heated protests and demonstrations, the United States passes the Civil Rights Act. The Act enforces the constitutional right to vote, guarantees relief against discrimination in public accommodations, and authorizes the Attorney General to initiate suits to protect constitutional rights in public facilities and public education.

Today: Some states have enacted hate crime legislation, which penalizes criminals for committing crimes based on a person's race, sexuality, religion, gender, ancestry, or national origin.

1960s: The space race between the Soviet Union and the United States gathers momentum, as the Soviets send the first man into space to circle the earth, and the Americans land a man on the moon.

Today: The space race of the 1960s has given way to international cooperation to explore the heavens. Led by the United States, the International Space Station draws upon the scientific and technological resources...