The Year 1980 From The People History

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 seize Iran embassy and hostages in London leading to the British SAS storming embassy and releasing hostages

• Japan becomes the worlds largest auto producing country

• 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 on May 18th 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

• Mini Gold Rush in Australian outback after gold is discovered.

• 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

• Right wing terrorists explode a bomb at Bologna railway station, Italy killing over 70

• 6.0 earthquake strikes southern Italy causing the death of more than 3,000 people

• Rioting Liberty City, Miami on on May 17th leaves 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
• 3M begins sales of it's latest product Post-It Notes invented by Arthor Fry and Spencer Silver

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

Check out our Television Programmes From The 80s whenever possible we have included a trailer to jog your memory. Series trailers and more information are found on the decade they started.

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