fardell24

North America
United States
After a long process of negotiation, and a second referendum, Chihuahua leaves the Union, which now has 45 States.

The Sound of Music becomes the most popular movie of all time. (Albeit, it would later be surpassed by Avatar, Titanic and various Star Wars and Marvel movies).

United States vs. Alabama Board of Education. The Supreme Court rules that segregationist policies in Education are unconstitutional. The last remnants of segregation in rural Alabama schools is abolished. (But of course, the racism doesn't go away...)

As computer technology advances, the integrated circuit (or microchip) is invented. This would lead to greater growth in technology. The Co-founder of Intel, Gordon Moore would predict that the density of transistors would double every 18 months. (A prediction that would last nearly five decades.)

Another technology that is spreading through the United States is Color Television. The new sets continue to sell highly as consumers (usually their children) want to see Color, the new thing. One series that switches to color film in it's newest season this year is Star Trek. Co-incident with the shift to color, is the Enterprise undergoing a minor refit (with a colorful Bridge that would become the most iconic in the franchise, even though it isn't the original), Mr. Spock becoming first officer, and William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk replacing Jeffrey Hunter as Captain Christopher Pike.

Central America
In Panama, the percentage of native speakers of Darien Norse drops below 0.9 percent.

South America
Bolivia drops it's claim over the Attacama region.

Africa
The War of Moroccan Independence continues.

Europe
Negotiations to form a trade block are ongoing in Strasbourg (and Brussels).

United Kingdom, and Ireland
The Troubles, having been a low level conflict so far, intensify. Unionists start attacking targets in Galway. And the IRA begins attacking targets in England. (Mainly in London, but also in Manchester, Liverpool and Sheffield.)

After years of discussions, the United Kingdom and Denmark resolve their territorial dispute. (The UK claim over the Faeroe Islands and Iceland, and the Danish claim over the Shetlands, part of southern Norway and Bermuda.)

These have an effect on the General Election in this year. The coalition of the Conservative and Imperial Parties is defeated by Labour. Anthony Eden looses the Prime Ministership to Harold Wilson. The once powerful Imperial Party looses all its seats, and would never regain a seat, becoming a spent force by the mid 1980s.

Eastern Europe
A Sapmi inspired rebellion is defeated in Lithuania.

Asia
The Korean war continues. Try as they might, the Chinese backed North are unable to take Seoul. (Even with the use of chemical weapons...)

Russia prepares for war against the Central Asian Union. Not only are they after oil, but also Uranium deposits...

Oceania
Western Australia gains full independence from the United Kingdom.

In related news, the Transcontinental railway from the South Australian port city of Port Augusta to the Western Australian Gold mining city of Kalgoorlie opens...

In Ballarat, the second-last native speaker of Victorian Gaelic dies.

The conversion of the Nyngan – Burke railway from Broad Gauge to Standard Gauge starts, after the completion of the conversion of the line between Narromine and Nyngan.

The population of Armidale reaches 16000.

The population of the city of Dubbo reaches 25000.

Burrendong Dam, southeast of Wellington is completed, turning the Macquarie downstream into a regulated river. This dam would but one contribution to the overall degradation of the Murray-Darling Basin that would be more obvious in the decades to come. An immediate effect is that river traffic between Wellington and Bathurst is no longer possible. However, the river traffic between Bathurst and Mudgee (on the Cudgegong River, which flows into the Macquarie just upstream of Burrendong) continues for a few more decades.
(Many would continue to use the River Cruises from the Burrendong Recreation Area to the various vineyards near Mudgee until the mid '90s.)