The idea of computer animation has been around for a very long time, but it didn't become reality until 1974, when the first computer animated film was created. In 1986 Pixar was founded and changed society's view on computer animation and visual effects forever. Since then, more movies have started in include computer animated effects and the effects keep improving with each new movie.
Learn more on these sites:
http://www.fullsail.edu/degrees/computer-animation-bachelors
http://www.a-website.org/persist/comanim.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/28234/frames/history/computer.html
http://animation.about.com/od/tutorials/a/introduction.htm
www.your3dsource.com/earliest-computer-animation.html
http://www.fullsail.edu/degrees/computer-animation-bachelors
http://www.a-website.org/persist/comanim.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/28234/frames/history/computer.html
http://animation.about.com/od/tutorials/a/introduction.htm
www.your3dsource.com/earliest-computer-animation.html