1974
Centuries: 19th century - 20th century - 21st century
Decades: 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s - 1970s - 1980s 1990s 2000s
Years: 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 - 1974 - 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
Events:
- (Date unknown) - Turkey invades the country of Cyprus, occupies the northern third of the island, and declares the founding of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
- February 5 - Patricia Hearst, the 19-year-old daughter of publisher Randolph Hearst, is kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army
- April 25 - Portuguese democratic revolution.
- May 18 "Smiling Buddha" nuclear weapon test by India
- July 30 - The House Judiciary Committee adopts three articles of impeachment charging President Richard M. Nixon with obstruction of justice, failure to uphold laws, and refusal to produce material subpoenaed by the committee. He announces he will resign the next day, the first president to do so. Vice President Gerald R. Ford is sworn in as 38th President of the United States on August 9.
- The Milgram experiment first described by Yale University psychologist Stanley Milgram in his 1974 book Obedience to Authority; An Experimental View.
- Ethiopian Emperor Haile Sellassie ousted in a coup by the Derg.
- September 8 - President Gerald Ford grants a "full, free, and absolute pardon" to ex-president Nixon.
Births:
- February 11 - D'Angelo, singer.
- April 28 - Penelope Cruz, actress
- July 14 - Princess Victoria Bernadotte, Crown Princess of Sweden
Deaths:
- February 11 - Anna Q Nilsson, actress.
- November 11 - Alfonso Leng, Chilean composer
- November 13 - Vittorio De Sica, Italian director
Sport:
- January 14 - Super Bowl VIII Miami Dolphins (24) def. Minnesota Vikings (7)
- West Germany wins Football World Cup on home ground
- British Commonwealth Games held in Christchurch, New Zealand