1980-1990 OVERVIEW

Politics, World Events, Culture, & Sports

US Politics Presidential Election of 1980 Jimmy Carter v. Ronald Reagan Reagan ran a campaign focused on lowering taxes

to stimulate the economy, less government interference, state’s rights, and stronger national defense.

Reagan won the 1980 election 489 electoral votes to Carter’s 49

Reagan was 69 years old when he took office In his inaugural address he said, “In this present

crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.

Assassination Attempt 69 days into Reagan’s first term there was

an assassination attempt by John Hinckley outside the Washington Hilton Hotel and Reagan, his press secretary and a Washington police officer were all shot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6CNRlQG0mg

Reagan was close to death but was stabilized at the hospital and had surgery.

He was released 12 days later His approval ratings went up to 73% His assassin was charged not guilty by

reason of insanity http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=N1Jid5uRFo4

Reaganomics Unemployment rate went from 7.5%

down to 5.4% GDP growth of almost 8% Inflation was 12.5 when Reagan took

office and when he left it was 4.4% He supported a free-market system Cut taxes to help stimulate the

economy-”trickle down” theory He froze min. wage, cut govt. assistance

programs, and cut rent subsidies in half.

Reagan cont. Built up US armed forces Appointed the first female Supreme

Court justice Cold War-predicted Communism

would collapse Korean Air Lines Flight 007 Reagan Doctrine Strategic Defense Initiative Election of 1984 v. Walter Mondale Reagan won 49 of the 50 states Immigration-Immigration Reform

and Control Act War on Drugs

George H.W. Bush Election of 1988 George H.W. Bush v.

Michael Dukakis Bush won 426 to 111 Berlin Wall and collapse of Soviet Union Debt problem Panama (we’ll talk more about

him in the next section)

Foreign Affairs

Lebanese Civil War 1983 Operation Urgent Fury

(Grenada) 1983 Challenger Explosion Libya bombing Iran-Contra affair Berlin Wall torn down 1989-

end of Cold War Panama

Technology Arcade games and video

games growing in popularity Nintendo Personal computers-Windows Walkman and Boomboxes VHS

Entertainment

80s filmE.T., The Breakfast Club, Dirty Dancing,

Footloose, The Terminator, Rambo, Top Gun

TVCable tv became much more popularTalk shows gained popularity (The

Tonight Show)Cosby Show, The Facts of Life, Star

Trek, Saved by the Bell, The Simpsons

Music MTV launched and music videos took off Popular Artists of the 80s

Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Prince, Madonna, Queen, Guns N’Roses, AC/DC

Rock and Heavy Metal Popular Techno dance music took off Hip Hop emerged

Run DMC, LL Cool J, The Fresh Prince, Beastie Boys, Public Enemy etc.

Musical Deaths John Lennon assassinated in 1980 Marvin Gaye shot Bon Scott (AC/DC) alcohol poisoning Bob Marley from Melanoma

Fashion

Fashion trendsteased hair, perms, flat

tops, and mulletsripped jeans, neon

clothes, shoulder pads, jumpsuits, jean jackets, leg warmers, off the shoulder shirts etc.

Headbands, Aviators, slap bracelets

Sports 1984 Olympics in L.A. were

boycotted by the Soviet Union Michael Jordan enters the NBA

scene Mike Tyson became the

youngest boxing heavyweight champion at 20

San Francisco 49s won the Super Bowl 4 times in the 80s led by Joe Montana

Pete Rose breaks record for most career hits in MLB but in 1989 is banned from baseball for gambling

Magic Johnson and Larry Bird

Other Events

Mt. St. Helen’s erupted killing 57 people Earthquake struck San Francisco Bay

during the World Series 65 killed Titanic was discovered on the bottom of

the North Atlantic floor