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Bakke v. University of California is Decided
This U.S. Supreme Court happened because 35-year-old man Allan Bakke had been rejected by UC Davis twice, even though he had exceeding college GPA and test scores. The reason was that the school had a number of minority students they could accept. The Supreme Court ruled that a university's use of racial "quotas" in its admissions process was unconstitutional, but a school's use of "affirmative action" to accept more minority applicants was constitutional in some circumstances. -
Moral Majority is Founded
The organization was founded by Minister Jerry Falwell. It quickly grew to several million members, was credited with playing an important role in the election of Republican Ronald Reagan as president in 1980; it remained a force in American politics during the first half of the 1980s but was disbanded in 1989 after Falwell declared that it had accomplished its mission. Social Event -
The Walkman Releases to the Public
A personal stereo cassette created by Sony Corporation that sparked a revolution in personal electronics with the introduction of the first personal stereo cassette player. After the initial release, Sony representatives simply approached pedestrians on the streets of Tokyo and gave them a chance to listen to the Walkman, the product took off, selling out available stocks before the end of August and signaling the beginning of one of Sony’s greatest success stories. Social -
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1980's-90's Important Events
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Yuppies
A slang term denoting the market segment of young, arrogant and obnoxious urban professionals which originated in the 1980s and is used to refer to young urban professionals who are successful in business and considerably affluent. Yuppies were often associated with wearing high fashion clothing, driving BMWs, and gloating about their successes. Social -
Microsoft Makes A Deal with IBM
Microsoft's Co-Founders Bill Gates and Paul Allen signed an important deal with IBM, which added a necessary tech aspect to a corporate behemoth while putting Gates and Microsoft on the map. Social Event -
Sandra Day O' Connor is Nominated to Supreme Court
O’ Connor was the first woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court when President Ronald Reagan nominated her in 1981. She also served two terms as an Arizona State Senator before her nomination. Political & Social Event -
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Reaganomics Era
The nickname for the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981, the goal of Reaganomics was to reduce the growth of government spending, reduce the federal income tax and capital gains tax, reduce government regulation, and tighten the money supply in order to reduce inflation. It was a sign of Conservatism. Even to this day, the results of Reaganomics whether it was positive or negative is still debated today. Reaganomics ended in 1989 when President Regan’s 2nd term ended. Economic Event -
MTV Launches on Air (Social Event)
Music Television goes on the air for the first time ever, with the words (spoken by one of MTV’s creators, John Lack): “Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll.” The Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star” was the first music video to air on the new cable television channel, which initially was available only to households in parts of New Jersey. MTV went on to revolutionize the music industry and become an influential source of pop culture and entertainment in the U.S. and other parts of the world. -
Michael Jackson releases "Thriller"
This was the American singer’s sixth studio album Jackson and Epic Records had released. It produced seven singles: "The Girl Is Mine", "Billie Jean", "Beat It", "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' ", "Human Nature", "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)", and "Thriller". All the singles reached the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, setting the record for the most top 10 singles from an album, with "Beat It" and "Billie Jean" reaching number one on the chart. Social -
Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) is Announced
Also known as the ‘Star Wars’ Defense Plan, this was an anti-ballistic missile program initiated by President Ronald Reagan that was designed to shoot down nuclear missiles in space. Political Event -
Sally Ride Goes To Space
Ride became the first American woman to fly to space. She was an astronaut on a space shuttle mission. Her job was to work the robotic arm. She used the arm to help put satellites into space. She flew on the space shuttle again in 1984. Social Event -
Madonna Releases "Madonna"
The self-titled debut album signed the beginning of the iconic American singer-songwriter-actress' era as the “Queen of Pop” that has been happening since the ’80s. Social Event -
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Iran-Contra Affair
A secret U.S. arms deal that traded missiles and other arms to free some Americans held hostage by terrorists in Lebanon, but also used funds from the arms deal to support armed conflict in Nicaragua. The controversial deal—and the ensuing political scandal—threatened to bring down the presidency of Ronald Reagan. Political & Economic -
Challenger Incident
The NASA space shuttle "Challenger", during its 10th launch, exploded 73 seconds after liftoff, killing the seven crewmembers and changing NASA's space program forever. Salvage crews spent several weeks recovering pieces of the shuttle and carefully bringing up the remains of the seven astronauts. Remains that could be identified were turned over to the families, while the rest were buried in a monument to the Challenger crew at Arlington National Cemetery on May 20, 1986. Social -
Pixar Animation Studio is Founded
The famous computer animation studio and now-Disney Subsidiary was founded by Steve Jobs, Alvy Ray Smith, Edwin Catmull and Alexander Schure. The studio has animated famous movies such as the Toy Story series, Finding Nemo, and Monsters Inc. -
George H.W. Bush makes his “Read My Lips… No New Taxes” Promise
George H. W. Bush's infamous promise delivered during his acceptance speech at the 1988 Republican National Convention became the campaign pledge that may have helped win him the election. POLITICAL & SOCIAL; -
Nintendo is Founded
The Japanese consumer electronics and video game company was founded by Fusajiro Yamauchi in Kyoto, Japan. The Nintendo Playing Card Company was a small business that would go on to revolutionize gaming around the world. Social -
Invasion of Panama
The United States invaded Panama in an attempt to overthrow military dictator Manuel Noriega, who had been indicted in the United States on drug trafficking charges and was accused of suppressing democracy in Panama and endangering U.S. nationals. Noriega’s Panamanian Defense Forces (PDF) were promptly crushed, forcing the dictator to seek asylum with the Vatican nuncio in Panama City, where he surrendered on January 3, 1990. -
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AIDS Epidemic
The AIDS epidemic affected many people around the world in the 90s. By 1993, over 2.5 million cases of HIV/AIDS had been confirmed worldwide. By 1995, AIDS was the leading cause of death for Americans age 25 to 44. Countless deaths in the U.S. entertainment industry, the arts and among professional athletes deeply affected these communities ― and the rate of death would not slow significantly until 1997. Social Event -
Persian Gulf War Ends (Part 1)
Iraqi president Saddam Hussein ordered the invasion and occupation of neighboring Kuwait in early August 1990. Alarmed by these actions, fellow Arab powers such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt called on the United States and other Western nations to intervene. Hussein defied United Nations Security Council’s demands to withdraw from Kuwait by mid-January 1991, and the Persian Gulf War began with a massive U.S.-led air offensive known as Operation Desert Storm. -
Persion Gulf War Ends (Part 2)
After 42 days of relentless attacks by the allied coalition in the air and on the ground, U.S. President George H.W. Bush declared a cease-fire on February 28; by that time, most Iraqi forces in Kuwait had either surrendered or fled. Though the Persian Gulf War was initially considered an unqualified success for the international coalition, simmering conflict in the troubled region led to a second Gulf War–known as the Iraq War–that began in 2003. Political -
Rodney King is Assulted By L.A.P.D
Rodney King was caught by the Los Angeles police after a high-speed chase. The officers pulled him out of the car and beat him brutally, while amateur cameraman George Holliday caught it all on videotape. The four L.A.P.D. officers involved were indicted on charges of assault with a deadly weapon and excessive use of force by a police officer. However, after a 3-month trial, a predominantly white jury acquitted the officers, inflaming citizens and sparking the violent 1992 Los Angeles riots. -
Nirvana Releases Album "Nevermind"
This was the punk rock band's most successful album, selling over 30 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums ever. Their most successful song, "Smells Like Teen Spirit", is among the best-selling singles of all time, having sold 8 million copies. -
The USSR Collapses
There have been reasons why the Soviet Union collapsed, but many point fingers at 8th and final USSR leader, Mikail Gorbachev. Gorbachev allowing elections with a multi-party system, creating a presidency for the Soviet Union to begin a slow process of democratization, and the Perestroika political and economic reforms to kickstart Soviet economy, eventually destabilized Communist control and led to its demise. Political & Social Event -
NAFTA is Signed
The North American Free Trade Agreement is a treaty signed by Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America. The agreement came into force on January 1, 1994, and superseded the 1988 Canada–United States Free Trade Agreement between the United States and Canada. Political & Economic -
Contract of America is Advocated For
This was a legislative agenda advocated for by the United States Republican Party during the 1994 Congressional election campaign. Written by Newt Gingrich and Dick Armey, and in part using text from former President Ronald Reagan's 1985 State of the Union Address, the Contract detailed the actions the Republicans promised to take if they became the majority party in the United States House of Representatives for the first time in 40 years. Political -
Nelson Mandela is Elected as President of South
Nelson Mandela was the country's first black head of state and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election. His government focused on dismantling the legacy of apartheid by tackling institutionalized racism and fostering racial reconciliation. Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. -
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Lewinsky-Clinton Scandal
This scandal involved White-house intern Monica Lewinsky and US President Bill Clinton. The two had a sexual relationship spanning from 1995-1997. In 1998, when news of his extramarital affair became public, Clinton denied the relationship before later admitting to “inappropriate intimate physical contact” with Lewinsky. The House of Representatives impeached the president for perjury and obstruction of justice, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Political & Social Event -
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Internet/Dot Com Boom
This was a stock market bubble caused by excessive speculation in Internet-related companies in the late 1990s, a period of massive growth in the use and adoption of the Internet. Between 1995 and its peak in March 2000, the Nasdaq Composite stock market index rose 400%, only to fall 78% from its peak by October 2002, giving up all its gains during the bubble. Economic -
Balanced Budget Act is Signed into Law
This act was signed into law by President Bill Clinton. The act had the largest reductions in federal Medicaid spending in Medicaid since 1981. It also allows states to require most Medicaid beneficiaries to enroll in managed care organizations that do business only with Medicaid. Social & Economic Event
