Why America Ran Out of Gas in 1973

Out of gas, in June 1973. The Arab oil embargo did not begin until October. So why were Americans already waiting at the pump? Using dated National Archives photographs, presidential addresses, federal law and Federal Energy Office records, this documentary follows three problems that collided in 1973 and 1974: an energy system with little spare capacity, an oil-price shock that took crude from about $3 a barrel to nearly $12, and a federal formula that allocated gasoline based on 1972 sales. The Long American History: evidence-led films about the people, decisions and systems that shaped America. CHAPTERS 00:00 An Empty Pump in June 00:47 The Missing Cushion 01:52 October: The Price of Oil Quadruples 02:39 Who Got the Gas? A Formula From 1972 04:27 Five Gallons and 55 MPH 06:03 The Embargo Ended. The Problem Didn't. 07:30 What the Gas Lines Revealed KEY SOURCES Oil Embargo, 1973-1974: https://history.state.gov/milestones/... Oil Shock of 1973-74: https://www.federalreservehistory.org... Address to the Nation About Policies To Deal With the Energy Shortages: https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/docum... Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act, Public Law 93-239: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/S... Emergency Petroleum Allocation Act of 1973, Public Law 93-159: https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/S... Sawhill Announces Gasoline Markups, Allocations, E-74-73: https://fraser.stlouisfed.org/title/p... Simon Orders More Gas to Twenty-Six States and District of Columbia, E-74-82: https://fraser.stlouisfed.org/title/p... Address to the Nation About National Energy Policy: https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/docum... OUT OF GAS signs in Portland: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/548174 Bird's-eye view of a Portland gasoline station: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/555457 ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE AND IMAGES When the Circuit Breaks: America's Energy Crisis (Part I). Concept Films, Inc. / Prelinger Archives / Internet Archive (1975): https://archive.org/details/WhentheC1975 When the Circuit Breaks: America's Energy Crisis (Part II). Concept Films, Inc. / Prelinger Archives / Internet Archive (1975): https://archive.org/details/WhentheC1... Utility Work on Aurora. Courtesy of the Seattle Municipal Archives, Item 33 / Seattle City Light, 1971: https://archive.org/details/SMA_33 Photographs: David Falconer / EPA DOCUMERICA / National Archives, NAIDs 548174 and 555457. The 1975 educational film and the 1971 Seattle footage are context, labeled on screen; they are not footage of specific 1973 gas lines. MUSIC Starlight on the Water by Chris Haugen. YouTube Audio Library. #OilCrisis #AmericanHistory #Documentary