1980

The dawn of a new decade—a conservative revolution sweeps America and Britain, 24-hour news changes media forever, and the Middle East erupts in war that will shape the region for decades.

---

🌍 Key World Events

Date	Event	Why It Matters
Sep 22	Iran-Iraq War begins	Saddam Hussein invades Iran, starting eight-year conflict that kills over a million people and destabilizes Middle East.
Jul 19	Moscow Olympics boycotted by U.S.	America and 65 other nations skip games to protest Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, politicizing Olympics during Cold War.
Nov 4	Ronald Reagan elected President	Conservative Republican defeats Jimmy Carter in landslide, promising to restore American confidence and confront Soviet Union.
Apr 18	Zimbabwe gains independence	Former Rhodesia becomes Zimbabwe under Robert Mugabe after years of guerrilla war, ending white-minority rule.
Apr 24	U.S. hostage rescue fails in Iran	Operation Eagle Claw ends in disaster, killing 8 servicemen and deepening Carter’s political troubles.
Aug 14	Solidarity movement emerges in Poland	Lech Wałęsa leads shipyard strikes, creating first independent trade union in Soviet bloc and challenging communist authority.

---

🧪 Science & Technology

• CNN launches (Jun 1) — First 24-hour television news network revolutionizes journalism and creates non-stop news cycle.
• Pac-Man released (May 22 in Japan) — Arcade game becomes cultural phenomenon, helping establish video games as mainstream entertainment.
• Post-it Notes begin national rollout by 3M after regional success.
• Voyager 1 reaches Saturn (Nov 12), sending back stunning images of ringed planet and its moons.
• Mount St. Helens erupts (May 18) — Volcanic explosion kills 57 people and devastates Washington state landscape.

---

🎨 Culture & Society

• “The Empire Strikes Back” becomes summer blockbuster — Star Wars sequel reveals Darth Vader’s shocking secret.
• John Lennon assassinated (Dec 8) — Former Beatle shot outside NYC apartment by obsessed fan, shocking music world.
• “Who shot J.R.?” — Dallas cliffhanger becomes TV phenomenon with record 83 million viewers watching resolution.
• Rubik’s Cube craze sweeps world — Hungarian puzzle becomes best-selling toy, challenging millions to solve colorful cube.
• “Raging Bull” released — Martin Scorsese’s boxing biopic showcases Robert De Niro’s transformative performance.

---

👶 Notable Births

Name	Born	Legacy
Macaulay Culkin	Aug 26	Child star of “Home Alone” franchise.
Christina Aguilera	Dec 18	Grammy-winning pop singer.
Ryan Gosling	Nov 12	Actor and musician.

---

⚰️ Notable Deaths

• John Lennon (Dec 8) — Beatles legend and peace activist assassinated at age 40 in New York City.
• Marshal Tito (May 4) — Yugoslav leader who held multi-ethnic nation together for 35 years.
• Jean-Paul Sartre (Apr 15) — Existentialist philosopher and Nobel Prize-refusing author.
• Steve McQueen (Nov 7) — “King of Cool” action star dies of cancer at 50.

---

📚 Quick Facts & Trivia

• Reagan Revolution: Reagan’s landslide victory (489-49 electoral votes) began conservative era that transformed American politics.
• Miracle on Ice: U.S. Olympic hockey team’s upset victory over Soviet Union (Feb 22) became defining moment of American pride during troubled times.
• Iran Hostage Crisis: 52 Americans held since Nov 1979 remained captive throughout 1980, dominating headlines and dooming Carter’s re-election.
• CNN’s Impact: Ted Turner’s 24-hour news network faced skepticism but would revolutionize how breaking news is covered.
• Solidarity’s Significance: Polish union’s success inspired other Eastern European resistance movements, contributing to Soviet bloc’s eventual collapse.
• Economic Turmoil: High inflation and unemployment (“stagflation”) dominate American economy, contributing to Carter’s defeat.