WE DIDN’T START THE FIRE

By: Christopher Robertson + Griffin Jennings

CHAPTER 1: J.F.K. BLOWN AWAYBy the fall of 1963, President John F. Kennedy and his political advisers were preparing for the next presidential campaign. Then, on November 12, he held the first important political planning session for the upcoming election year. At the meeting, JFK stressed the importance of winning Florida and Texas and talked about his plans to visit both states in the next two weeks. Mrs. Kennedy would accompany him on the swing through Texas, which would be her first extended public appearance since the loss of their baby, Patrick, in August. On November 21, the president and first lady departed on Air Force One for the two-day, five-city tour of Texas. A light rain was falling on Friday morning, November 22, but a crowd of several thousand stood in the parking lot outside the Texas Hotel where the Kennedys had spent the night. A platform was set up and the president, wearing no protection against the weather, came out to make some brief remarks. Crowds of excited people lined the streets and waved to the Kennedys. The car turned off Main Street at Dealey Plaza around 12:30 p.m. As it was passing the Texas School Book Depository, gunfire suddenly reverberated in the plaza. Bullets struck the president's neck and head and he slumped over toward Mrs. Kennedy. The governor was also hit in the chest. The car sped off to Parkland Memorial Hospital just a few minutes away. But little could be done for the President. A Catholic priest was summoned to administer the last rites, and at 1:00 p.m. John F. Kennedy was pronounced dead. Though seriously wounded, Governor Connally would recover.

Billy Joel probably included this because, Kennedy’s assassination had blown away

everyone in America in 1963.

CHAPTER 2: JAMES DEAN

James Dean was a movie star who became a symbol of young people for his role in the movie Rebel Without a Cause.

After completing his next movie Giant, Dean decided to drive his new 1955 Porsche Spyder to Salinas, California to enter in a sports car race there. His mechanic rode with him. On the way there, Dean's car was struck by another vehicle which crossed the centerline. James Dean was the only one killed in the accident. The driver of the other car had minor injuries, while the mechanic was thrown from the car and suffered some broken bones.

Billy Joel probably included this because, he was a famous actor that died very abruptly in 1955.

CHAPTER 3: ELVIS PRESLEY

Elvis Aaron Presley) was an American musician and actor. Regarded as one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century, he is often referred to as "the King of Rock and Roll", or simply, "the King". Presley was scheduled to fly out of Memphis on the evening of August 16, 1977, to begin another tour. That afternoon, Ginger Alden discovered him unresponsive on his bathroom floor. Attempts to revive him failed, and death was officially pronounced at 3:30 pm at Baptist Memorial Hospital.

Billy Joel probably included this because, this music artist’s death greatly influenced America in

CHAPTER 4: CASTRO

Fidel Castro had been a wealthy lawyer, advocating social justice and protesting the influence of the United States in Cuba. He became involved in political activism and led the revolution to overthrow Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista in 1959. He was then sworn in as the Prime Minister of Cuba. Moving toward Communism, he alienated the United States. Castro was also known for his long-winded speeches.

Billy Joel probably included this because, he was a very prominent communist leader at

the time.

CHAPTER 5: REAGAN

Ronald Wilson Reagan was an American politician and actor who was 40th President of the United States from 1981 to 1989. Prior to his presidency, he was the 33rd Governor of California from 1967 to 1975, following a career as a Hollywood actor and union leader. In his presidency, Reagan had put many actions into plan, but his most impressive thing he did was ending the cold war.

Billy Joel probably included this because, he was an important leader who led America to the end

of the cod war.

CHAPTER 6: JUAN PERÓN

Juan Perón was a popular leader in Argentina, elected first in 1946 and then again in 1952. Perón pursued social policies aimed at empowering the working class. His wife Evita was known for helping the poor. He was strongly anti-American and anti-British, confiscating much of the British and American-owned assets in Argentina. In 1955, he was overthrown by a military coup. It wasn't until 1973 that he returned to power. He died shortly afterward in 1974.

Billy Joel probably included this because, he was a popular leader that greatly influenced Argentina.

CHAPTER 7: SPUTNIK

he Soviet Union inaugurates the “Space Age” with its launch of Sputnik, the world’s first artificial satellite. The spacecraft, named Sputnik after the Russian word for “satellite,” was launched at 10:29 p.m. Traveling at 18,000 miles an hour, its elliptical orbit had an apogee of 584 miles and a perigee of 143 miles. Visible with binoculars before sunrise or after sunset, Sputnik transmitted radio signals back to Earth strong enough to be picked up by amateur radio operators. Those in the United States with access to such equipment tuned in and listened in awe as the beeping Soviet spacecraft passed over America several times a day. In January 1958, Sputnik’s orbit deteriorated, as expected, and the spacecraft burned up in the atmosphere.

Billy Joel probably included this because the Sputnik was the first big event in the race to space.

CHAPTER 8: SPACE MONKEY

Starting in 1948. a number of monkeys had been sent into space in various rockets, but unfortunately all died during their flights. It wasn't until 1959 that Able, a rhesus monkey, and Miss Baker, a squirrel monkey, became the first monkeys to successfully travel in space and successfully return to Earth.

The most famous "space monkey" was Ham, who was sent up in an American space satellite for a suborbital flight, as a prelude to sending a man in space. Ham was not really a monkey, but a chimpanzee. The actual year he went into space was 1961.

Billy Joel probably included this because, this monkey was an important part in the race to space.

CHAPTER 9: HEMINGWAY

Ernest Hemingway was an American novelist, short story writer, and journalist. His economical and understated style had a strong influence on 20th-century fiction, while his life of adventure and his public image influenced later generations. Hemingway produced most of his work between the mid-1920s and the mid-1950s, and won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954. He published seven novels, six short story collections, and two non-fiction works. Additional works, including three novels, four short story collections, and three non-fiction works, were published posthumously. Many of his works are considered classics of American literature. In the early morning hours of July 2, 1961, Hemingway "quite deliberately" shot himself with his favorite shotgun. Despite the doctors finding that Hemingway "had died of a self-inflicted wound to the head", the initial story told to the press was that the death had been "accidental“.

Billy Joel probably included this because, he was a famous and influential author that had suicided

causing a big fuss once the public found out.

CHAPTER 10: ENGLAND’S GOT A NEW QUEEN

On February 6, 1952, Queen Elizabeth 2 ascended to the throne upon the death of her father, King George 6. Her coronation didn't take place until June 2, 1953. This was a great event, not only in Britain but in all the countries of the British Commonwealth. It was also big news in the United States and many other countries as well. Filmed documentaries of the event circulated in Commonwealth countries for a long time after the event and every school child was taken to organized cinema screenings in school time.

Billy Joel probably included this because, when a new King or Queen is put into power it is an important point in time.

CHAPTER 11: MICKEY MOUSE

Sometimes parents have to explain things to their kids in more child-friendly terms. During World War II, that meant outfitting a child with a weird Mickey Mouse gas mask. It was 1942, just about a month after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Fearing imminent chemical attack on American soil, the government issued thousands of gas mask to civilians. But the smallest citizens couldn't fit into the regulation-sized masks. They were too heavy and too big. Plus, aren't those things scary? Well, while the Mickey Mouse mask might have soothed children, it was possibly scarier for mom and dad. Designed to fit kids 18 months to four years old, the mask was supposed to be worn as a sort of game, to take away some of the fear out of a chemical attack. With Disney's approval, Sun Rubber Company produced 1,000 of these strange masks in 1942. In 1944, it actually won the Army-Navy E for Excellence for producing them.

Billy Joel probably included this because, Disney, a popular business made gas masks so that people

wouldn’t have to scared about the ongoing war.

CHAPTER 12: CHILDREN OF THALIDOMIDE

Thalidomide was a medication intended for pregnant women to combat morning sickness and as an aid to help them sleep. Unfortunately, inadequate tests were performed to assess the drug's safety. Between 1957 and 1962, children of women who took the drug thalidomide during pregnancy were born with severe deformities, including only stubs for arms. Because of this tragedy, the drug was taken off the market in 1962. Of the 10,000 children born with birth defects, only 5000 lived beyond childhood.

After years of research on the uses of thalidomide, it was allowed to be used to prevent nausea in chemotherapy patients, as well as treating painful skin conditions. In 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted approval for thalidomide in special cases.

Billy Joel probably included this because, these deformed children shocked the nation when it was made

public that it was happening because of the drug thalidomide.