1

Mississippi Goddam, Nina Simone

Image: Alano Oliveira

Nina Simone was an outspoken soul, and her 1963 song, "Mississippi Goddam," is considered by many to be her first song about civil rights. The tune was written as a response to the murder of civil rights activist Medgar Evers , as well as other tragedies that involved the movement during the volatile and ever-changing social dynamics of the decade.

As time went on, Nina Simone continued to send a message through her music, specifically regarding activism and social injustice issues.

2

The Times They Are a-Changin', Bob Dylan

Image: Chris Boland

Never one to keep his mouth shut when it came to topics that he found worth communicating, Bob Dylan wrote this song about the changing tide in America , where young people were voicing their displeasure on issues such as war and racism.

The song is considered one of the greatest of all time. It's also one of the most covered—thanks to the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Joan Baez, and Tracy Chapman.

3

Fortunate Son, Creedence Clearwater Revival

Image: Austin Prock

Anti-Vietnam songs were a staple of 1960s and '70s culture. However, this Creedence Clearwater Revival hit stands out as one of the more mainstream songs that continues to be heard today.

The tune enjoyed prominence in movies like Forrest Gump and has been covered countless times by such bands as Dropkick Murphys.

4

Give Peace a Chance, Plastic Ono Band

Image: Erin Song

One of the most popular anti-war songs of all time, which always makes an appearance in the event of conflict, is "Give Peace A Chance."

While this timeless classic was recorded by the Plastic Ono Band, the writing credit is actually shared between John Lennon and Paul McCartney, marking the beginning of a post-Beatles world.

5

Get Up, Stand Up, The Wailers

Image: Bill Fairs

Bob Marley wrote this classic track in collaboration with his bandmate Peter Tosh. The song was reportedly inspired by Marley’s tour in Haiti . He was taken aback by the country's high level of poverty, as well as the class system.

It has since become a long-time favorite of the band and a staple of Marley's live shows during his lifetime.

6

Ronnie, Talk To Russia, Prince

Image: DJ Johnson

Prince had many hits but this one was not among them. In fact, we can safely assume that The Purple One wrote this song for the express purpose of communicating his political feelings in the most direct possible way. And, being Prince, that had to be done through a song.

"Ronnie, Talk To Russia" is, as the name implies quite obviously**, a straight shout-out to former president Ronald Reagan**. It addresses America's relationship with Russia and the heightened tensions of the time due to the nuclear threat.

7

Born in the U.S.A., Bruce Springsteen

Image: Jose Antonio Gallego Vázquez

Having just mentioned the case of an artist who used music to speak to Ronald Reagan, we now turn to one who was very upset when Reagan spoke about him. The reason for this conflict originated from what may be the most misunderstood and seemingly patriotic song in music history.

"Born In The U.S.A." is a Bruce Springsteen classic that sounds very anthemic but is, in fact -yet another- anti-Vietnam tune.

8

Peace Sells, Megadeth

Image: Juan Di Nella

Megadeth’s frontman Dave Mustaine has never been one to shy away from political commentary, and this song is, perhaps, the most famous example. "Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying" packs his thoughts on government corruption, failing foreign policy, and more , with catchy riffs and an infectious bass line.

The song’s direct and provocative lyrics resonated with many listeners and became a defining anthem of the thrash metal genre.

9

Fight The Power, Public Enemy

Image: Nicholas Green

It is hard to think of a more straightforward political message in a song title than "Fight The Power" released as a single in 1989. Public Enemy was all about the message, and taking down the establishment, big government, and abuse of authority were usually central themes.

The song is one of the group's most famous and influential tracks, and gained additional prominence when it was featured in Spike Lee's film Do the Right Thing.

10

Killing in the Name, Rage Against the Machine

Image: Jordy

Another highly political band, Rage Against The Machine, created this song, which is fitting for the current political and social climate. Police brutality and systemic racism are at the forefront of the message , delivered with massive guitar hooks and aggressive vocals.

Most of RATM’s catalog delves into these kinds of themes with varying success but this song was a hit when it first came out and still remains a fan favorite.

1

Monopoly

Monopoly is iconic. Almost everybody has played it at least once. Monopoly was created in 1935 and has since remained popular worldwide . The goal is to become the wealthiest player. How? Well, you have quite a few options.

You can buy properties, build houses and hotels, and collect rent. And you must avoid bankruptcy. Monopoly encourages you to use strategic thinking, though you’ll need a bit of luck as well. It also triggers tons of conversations and negotiations with other players, which makes playing it really fun.

2

Scrabble

If you like word games, you’ve played Scrabble. Although the game is about words, you have to think strategically with your use of allotted letter tiles. It’s the typical "easy to learn, difficult to master" situation. One of the best things about Scrabble is that, even though its rules are simple, every game feels different and you can replay it endlessly.

3

The Game of Life

The Game of Life is another staple and one of the best-selling board games in the country . The concept that its creator, Milton Bradley, came up with was pretty unique: experiencing life’s different milestones through a board game.

This means things like choosing a career, getting married, buying a home, retiring, etc. You just need to spin the colourful wheel and face the different events, making decisions that will impact your life in the game as you get closer to retirement.

4

Clue

Clue has been a family favorite for generations. It was created in 1949, inviting players to step into the shoes of a detective who has to solve a murder . Clue can offer tons of fun, as you and other players move around a mansion trying to find different clues to determine who committed the crime. Unlike other games on this list, you don’t need to be lucky here. Clue is all about studying the clues carefully, taking notes, and using your deduction skills.

5

Battleship

Who didn’t love Battleship as a kid? There was nothing like pretending to be a naval commander and trying to sink your opponent's ships. Battleship was originally a pencil-and-paper game, but in 1967, Milton Bradley released the plastic board game. The game is simple: you and the opposing player arrange your fleet of ships on a hidden grid, and then take turns calling out coordinates to try to locate and sink each other's vessels . Once all your ships have been sunk, you lose.

6

Sorry!

Hearing "sorry" while playing Sorry! was very frustrating but fun. Created by Parker Brothers in 1934 and based on the older game Ludo, the premise of Sorry! is simple: draw cards and be the first player to get all three of your pawns to their "home." But it’s not that easy, because if another player lands on your tile, they’ll say "sorry" and your pawn is sent back to its own start . It's a perfect game to play with kids and have a laugh with the whole family.

7

Risk

If you like war-themed games, you probably played Risk. When it was released in America in 1959 by Parker Brothers, Risk became the definitive world-conquest game , allowing you to build armies and engage in battles against other players to conquer territories across the world map. Risk is all about knowing when to establish alliances, when to betray your allies, and when to attack. It can get a little complex, especially in longer games that can sometimes take several hours to finish.

8

Connect Four

Connect Four can be learned in minutes, though it can have more depth than it initially seems. It was released in 1974 by Milton Bradley, and the goal is simple: dropping colored discs into a vertical grid to try to connect four in a row . It’s perfect for a quick game if you don’t want to spend time explaining rules. But the game becomes a little more complex when you realize that the key to winning is planning several moves ahead, making it almost a mathematical challenge.

9

Trouble

You may remember Trouble because of the iconic Pop-O-Matic Bubble . Unlike other games where you normally roll the dice with your hands, Trouble (released in 1965 by Kohner Brothers) had this plastic dome that was not only satisfying to press but also very practical. It was in the middle of the board, which gave the game a faster pace. Trouble’s rules were similar to Sorry!, where players have to move their four pawns around the board until the finish, though with plenty of unexpected twists along the way.

10

Mouse Trap

Released in 1963 by Ideal Toy Company, Mouse Trap was a board game that felt like a giant toy . Perfect to play with kids, this game works a little differently than most board games. The goal is to assemble different parts to capture other players’ mice. The last remaining player with an uncaught mouse wins. What made Mouse Trap actually fun was not only playing the game, but playing with the different parts and assembling and triggering the chain-reaction, Rube Goldberg-like machine.

1

World’s first national park

Image: Kedar Gadge

In March 1872, Congress passed the law establishing Yellowstone National Park as a protected public reservation: the first national park ever created on Earth.

By dedicating 2.2 million acres to preservation rather than development, the U.S. set a precedent for conservation worldwide, inspiring national park systems around the world.

2

First sustained and controlled, powered airplane flight

Image: History in HD

In 1903, the Wright brothers successfully flew a powered, heavier-than-air controlled aircraft , known as the Wright Flyer, at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

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That breakthrough marked the beginning of the aviation age and forever redefined travel, warfare, and global communication.

3

Self-service grocery store

Image: Raul Gonzalez Escobar

In 1916, American grocers opened the self-service supermarket. Instead of clerks fetching food, customers helped themselves to the items they wanted from the shelves.

This change transformed retail: it lowered costs, sped up shopping, and laid the foundation for modern supermarkets all over the world.

4

First cinema house

Image: Elijah Mears

New York City saw the first public "movie theater" in 1894, when a parlor opened using the Kinetoscope, a peep-box device for viewing short motion pictures .

That small parlor marked the beginning of the cinema business, an idea that would grow into a global film-making and entertainment industry.

5

Drive-in movie theater

Image: Josh Sanabria

One could argue that with the rise of cinemas and the boom in automobiles, the drive-in theater was an obvious business idea. But somebody had to do it first.

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In 1933, Richard Hollingshead Jr. opened the first drive-in theater in New Jersey , where people watched films from their cars.

6

First affordable and mass produced car

Image: Andrew Lancaster

In 1908, the U.S. auto industry delivered the Ford Model T, the first reliable, affordable automobile that was mass-produced for everyday Americans (and not just millionaires).

It revolutionized transportation by enabling mobility for the masses, reshaping how Americans lived, worked, and traveled across the country.

7

Fast food

Image: Jonathan Borba

As it couldn’t be otherwise, this concept was born in America. In 1916, a Wichita stand began selling hamburgers prepared hygienically and cooked quickly : The foundation for what became the fast food culture.

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That modest stand evolved into larger chains and helped launch a global phenomenon of quick and affordable meals.

8

Film studios

Image: Vincentas Liskauskas

Another concept spawned from a previously mentioned American first, the commercial moving pictures studio was all ours. During the late 19th century, the U.S. saw the creation of the first film studio system .

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This early film production set the stage for storytelling, entertainment, and cultural exports that would spread worldwide.

9

Diving flippers

Image: Jakob Owens

In 1717, long before modern diving became common, the U.S. saw the first patent for swim-fins (flippers) , attributed to none other than the great Benjamin Franklin.

A small invention, perhaps, but one that revolutionized swimming, diving, and underwater exploration equipment worldwide.

10

Standardized patent-office system

Image: Ray Shrewsberry

When the U.S. patent law was reformed in 1836, a central patent office was established, creating a system to review, grant, and catalogue inventions in a formal and systematic manner .

This institutional framework helped make the U.S. a global hub of invention and innovation, sustaining centuries of technological growth.