1980s review Social Chernobyl disaster leads to call for increased safety with nuclear reactors Exxon-Valdez oil

ldez oil spill is extremely devastating to Alaskas ecosystem The Cosby Show portrays family life of African-Americans John Lennon assassinated Personal computers become wildly popular Space exploration increases but experiences setback with Challenger tragedy Miracle on Ice leads to an increased sense of patriotism The rise in popularity of cocaine turns cities like Miami into warzones and inspires Nancy Reagans Just Say No campaign Discovery of AIDS creates panic and paranoia among many Americans Seinfeld becomes one of the most popular sitcoms of all-time Michael Jordan, Mike Tyson, and Wayne Gretzky become sports icons

Political Fall of the Berlin Wall foreshadows the later fall of the USSR Failed assassination attempt on Reagan by John Hinckley Election of 1980- Reagan over Jimmy Carter in landslide Election of 1984- Reagan over Walter Mondale in landslide Election of 1988- George H.W. Bush over Michael Dukakis in landslide Called the Reagan Revolution Sandra Day O Connor becomes 1st female supreme court justice USSR tries to reform government through Glasnost and Perestroika Signing of INF treaty eases American fear of war with USSR Economic The beginning of this decade started with a devastating recession causing widespread inflation, unemployment, and a savings/loan crisis Reagan introduces Reaganomics as an attempt to combat the economic slump Unemployment starts to decline starting in 1988 Recession ends around 1983 and leads to long period of economic growth and prosperity Reagan advocates for deregulation in order to enforce policies reminiscent of laissez faire economics Cars start out struggling but quickly rebound and become major industries while competing against foreign nations for car sales in the US