Energy Crisis of the 1970s

The Energy Crisis of the 1970s was marked by a dramatic increase in oil prices and shortages of fuel. In 1973, an OPEC oil embargo targeted countries supporting Israel in the Yom Kippur War, leading to skyrocketing gas prices and long lines at gas stations in the U.S. and other nations. The crisis highlighted the West's dependence on Middle Eastern oil and spurred shifts towards energy conservation, alternative energy sources, and fuel-efficient cars. A second crisis in 1979, following the Iranian Revolution, further intensified concerns about energy security and led to lasting changes in energy policy and consumption habits.