You list looks pretty good for the most part, though I added a few things to it (which are in bold):
1934- Great Depression, Referendum on New Deal
1938- Unemployment going back up to 18% , FDR court packing scheme,
1942- World War 2, The Politics of Wartime Rationing
1946- Beginning of the Cold War, Postwar Economic Reconversion
1950- China Falling to Communists, Korean War, Soviet Nuke Test
1954- McCarthyism, Beginnings of Civil Rights Movement
1958- Recession, Sputnik, Civil Rights
1962- Civil Rights, Cuba
1966- Vietnam War, Civil Rights, The Great Society Social Programs
1970- Vietnam War, Civil Rights (specifically the issue of desegregation busing)
1974- Watergate, Inflation
1978- Bad Economy, Energy Crises
1982- Horrendous Economy, Millatery Spending
1986- Iran-Contra, Good Economy, Winding Down of the Cold War, High Budget Deficit
1990- Gulf War, Economy, Taxes
1994- Contract With America, Clinton Tax Increases, Clinton Healthcare Plan
1998- Clinton's Impeachment, Budget Surplus and Good Economy
2002- War on Terrorism, Iraq Invasion
2006- Iraq War, Opposition to Bush
2010- Horrendous Ecomomy , Deficits, Obamacare
2014- Obamacare, Isis
I'd add Social Security to 1982, 1986, and even 2006. I'd replace bad economy with inflation in 1978.
