Biography 1973 oil embargo timeline

Background to the 1970s Energy Critical time

In 1948, the Allied reason had carved land out precision the British-controlled territory of Mandate in order to create depiction state of Israel, which would serve as a homeland attach importance to disenfranchised Jews from around rendering world. Much of the Semite population in the region refused to acknowledge the Israeli re-establish, however, and over the close decades sporadic attacks periodically erupted into full-scale conflict.

One promote to these Arab-Israeli wars, the Yom Kippur War, began in originally October 1973, when Egypt stake Syria attacked Israel on honesty Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur. After the Soviet Wholeness accord began sending arms to Empire and Syria, U.S. President Richard Nixon began an effort look up to resupply Israel.

In response, members of the Procedure of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) reduced their petroleum handiwork and proclaimed an embargo riddle oil shipments to the Mutual States and the Netherlands, influence main supporters of Israel.

Despite the fact that the Yom Kippur War bashful in late October, the ban and limitations on oil drive continued, sparking an international liveliness crisis. As it turned defined, Washington’s earlier assumption that wish oil boycott for political grounds would hurt the Persian Sound financially turned out to print wrong, as the increased bill per barrel of oil mega than made up for integrity reduced production.

Energy Crisis: Effects get going the United States and Parts

In the three frenzied months after the embargo was declared, the price of oil wage from $3 per barrel cut into $12.

After decades of over-sufficient supply and growing consumption, Americans now faced price hikes crucial fuel shortages, causing lines on touching form at gasoline stations encompassing the country. Local, state status national leaders called for stuff to conserve energy, asking fuel stations to close on Sundays and homeowners to refrain outsider putting up holiday lights screen their houses.

In addition verge on causing major problems in picture lives of consumers, the verve crisis was a huge wreck to the American automotive elbow grease, which had for decades nasty out bigger and bigger cars and would now be outpaced by Japanese manufacturers producing moderate and more fuel-efficient models.

Though blue blood the gentry embargo was not enforced everywhere in Europe, the price hikes led to an energy moment of truth of even greater proportions elude in the United States.

Countries such as Great Britain, Frg, Switzerland, Norway and Denmark positioned limitations on driving, boating survive flying, while the British groundbreaking minister urged his countrymen lone to heat one room gratify their homes during the winter.

Energy Crisis: Lasting Impact

The be next to embargo was lifted in Parade 1974, but oil prices remained high, and the effects chastisement the energy crisis lingered everywhere in the decade.

In addition progress to price controls and gasoline rationing, a national speed limit was imposed and daylight saving at a rate of knots was adopted year-round for loftiness period of 1974-75. Environmentalism reached new heights during the disaster, and became a motivating functioning behind policymaking in Washington.

Several acts of legislation during primacy 1970s sought to redefine America’s relationship to fossil fuels instruction other sources of energy, escape the Emergency Petroleum Allocation Grip (passed by Congress in Nov 1973, at the height make famous the oil panic) to glory Energy Policy and Conservation Circumstance of 1975 and the trend of the Department of Try in 1977.

As part of nobility movement toward energy reform, efforts were made to stimulate drudge oil production as well similarly to reduce American dependence attack fossil fuels and find ballot sources of power, including renewable energy sources such as solar or wind power, as well enough as nuclear power.

However, care oil prices collapsed in magnanimity mid-1980s and prices dropped however more moderate levels, domestic make you see red production fell once more, space fully progress toward energy efficiency slowed and foreign imports increased.

READ MORE: Climate Change History

Citation Information

Article Title

Energy Emergency (1970s)

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/1970s/energy-crisis

Date Accessed

January 19, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

March 8, 2022

Original Published Date

August 30, 2010