1980 As the continued miniaturisation continues new technology allows for new consumer products that could never have existed to appear including Domestic Camcorders and Fax Machines , One other notable is the release of the Pac-Man arcade game. Politics enters the Olympic games with the boycott by the US of the Moscow Olympics and War breaks out between Iraq and Iran. This was also a bad year for natural disasters including Mount St. Helens eruption and a major heat wave in the US.
Yearly Inflation Rate USA13.58%
Year End Close Dow Jones Industrial Average 963
Interest Rates Year End Federal Reserve 21.50%
Average Cost of new house $68,700.00
Average Income per year $19,500.00
Average Monthly Rent $300.00
Cost of a gallon of Gas $1.19
Average cost new car $7,200.00
Mens Casual Shirt $14.00
Below are some Prices for UK guides in Pounds Stirling
Average House Price 13,650
Gallon of Petrol 0.79
Yearly Inflation Rate UK 18%
Interest Rates Year End Bank of England 14.00%
Cost of Living 1980
How Much things cost in 1980Yearly Inflation Rate USA13.58%
Year End Close Dow Jones Industrial Average 963
Interest Rates Year End Federal Reserve 21.50%
Average Cost of new house $68,700.00
Average Income per year $19,500.00
Average Monthly Rent $300.00
Cost of a gallon of Gas $1.19
Average cost new car $7,200.00
Mens Casual Shirt $14.00
Below are some Prices for UK guides in Pounds Stirling
Average House Price 13,650
Gallon of Petrol 0.79
Yearly Inflation Rate UK 18%
Interest Rates Year End Bank of England 14.00%
What Events Happened in 1980
- Start of Iran -- Iraq War
- Zimbabwe formerly Rhodesia gains independence
- Majority black rule in Zimbabwe
- Solidarity Trade Union Formed in Poland and shipyard workers go on strike
- Failed operation by US to free hostages in Iran
- Yassar Arafat is elected the President of the Palestinian National Council
- Ronald Reagan Elected President of the USA
- Terrorists sieze Iran embassy and hostages in London leading to the British SAS storming embassy and releasing hostages
- Japan becomes the worlds largest auto maker
- US leads boycott of Moscow Olympics in protest at Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
- Mariel boat lift mass exodus of political refugees from Cuba to the United States
- Spain and United Kingdom agree to reopen the border between Gibraltar and Spain, closed since 1969.
- Mount St. Helens erupts in Washington killing 57
- Latest Cencus reveals US Population is 226,504,825
- Severe Summer Heat Wave in Southern US Causes 1,117 deaths in 20 States
- Iran and Iraq begin a war that lasts 8 years
- US Passes "Crude Oil Windfall Profits Tax Act" to tax high profits by oil companies
- The Killer Clown ( John Wayne Gacy Jr ) sentenced to death for the murder of 33 boys and young men.
- Former Beatle John Lennon is shot to death
- Israel Replaces the Pound with a new currency the Shekel
- Fire Destroys the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas
- Rioting Liberty City, Miami leaving 18 dead
- A severe and destructive thunderstorm strikes four counties in western Wisconsin
- Hurricane Allen hits landfall on Haiti and Jamaica
- Alexander Kielland platform capsized in the North Sea with the loss of 123
- The Winter Olympic Games are held in Lake Placid, New York, United States
Technology
- First available Domestic Camcorders available in Japan
- First Available Fax Machines in Japan
- 30% of US car sales are imports
- In Mexico first ever natural birth in captivity of a Giant panda
- Voyager 1 probe sends the first high resolution images of Saturn back to scientists and confirms the existence of Janus, a moon of Saturn.
- Release of Pac-Man arcade game
- CNN becomes the first 24hrs News Station
- Digital Equipment Corporation, Intel and Xerox introduce the DIX standard for Ethernet
Popular Culture 1980
- Millions of viewers tune into the TV soap opera Dallas to learn who shot lead character J.R. Ewing.
- John Lennon is shot outside his New York apartment
Popular Films
- Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
- Superman II
- Nine to Five
- Raging Bull
- Coal Miner's Daughter
Popular Musicians
- ABBA
- AC/DC
- Adam and the Ants
- Black Sabbath
- Blondie with " Call Me "
- David Bowie
- The Cars
- Eric Clapton
- Alice Cooper
- Elvis Costello
- KC and The Sunshine Band
- Michael Jackson
- Queen with " Another One Bites the Dust "
- Pink Floyd
- Diana Ross " Upside Down "
- Paul McCartney
- Olivia Newton-John with " Magic "
- Electric Light Orchestra
- David Bowie
- The Police
