1980s: Conservatism, Cold War and Computers

ACT UP activists hang a "silence = death" banner on the White House gates in 1992.

AIDS Crisis Timeline

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, a virus that had previously appeared sporadically around the world began to spread throughout the United States. Originally identified as a “gay disease” because gay men were one of the primary groups afflicted, HIV and the syndrome it causes, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, were unknown in 1981 but […]

The Central Park Five

When Trisha Meili’s body was discovered in New York City’s Central Park early in the morning on April 20, 1989, she had been so badly beaten and repeatedly raped that she remained in a coma for nearly two weeks and retained no memory of the attack. The brutal assault of the 28-year-old white investment banker, […]

The 1980s

Reagan Revolution The populist conservative movement known as the New Right enjoyed unprecedented growth in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It appealed to a diverse assortment of Americans including evangelical Christians, anti-tax crusaders, advocates of a more powerful American presence abroad, disaffected white liberals and defenders of a free market with few if any regulations. Did You […]

Chernobyl

Where Is Chernobyl? Chernobyl is located in northern Ukraine, about 80 miles north of Kiev. A small town, Pripyat, was constructed a few miles from the site of the nuclear plant to accommodate workers and their families. Construction of the Chernobyl power plant began in 1977, when the country was still part of the Soviet […]

4:44 minTV-PG

What Was the Iran-Contra Affair?

Learn about the Iran-Contra Affair under President Reagan who secretly supported an anti-Communist group in Nicaragua and funneled weapons to Iranian terrorists in exchange for American hostages. Discover how Lt. Col. Oliver North was found guilty.

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Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

Oil Spill Cleanup In the months after the Exxon Valdez oil spill, Exxon employees, federal responders and more than 11,000 Alaska residents worked to clean up the oil spill. Exxon payed about $2 billion in cleanup costs and $1.8 billion for habitat restoration and personal damages related to the spill. Cleanup workers skimmed oil from […]

President Reagan At Press ConferenceUnited States President Ronald Reagan announces the resignation of national security adviser Robert McFarlane standing beside him to be replaced with Vice Admiral John Poindexter. McFarlane and Poindexter were key figures in the Iran-Contra affair during Reagan's term.

Iran-Contra Affair

Reagan Doctrine The Iran-Contra Affair, also known as “The Iran-Contra Scandal” and “Irangate,” may not have happened were it not for the political climate in the early 1980s. President Ronald Reagan, who won the White House in 1980, wasn’t able to maintain the political momentum for his Republican colleagues, and the GOP was swept from […]

History of AIDS

What is HIV? The human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, is a virus that attacks the immune system, specifically CD4 cells (or T cells). The virus is transmitted through bodily fluids such as blood, semen, vaginal fluids, anal fluids, and breast milk. Historically, HIV has most often been spread through unprotected sex, the sharing of needles […]

Just Say No

The 80s Crack Epidemic In the early 80s, a cheap, highly addictive form of cocaine known as “crack” was first developed. The popularity of crack led to an increase in the number of Americans who became addicted to cocaine. In 1985, the number of people who said they used cocaine on a routine basis increased […]

2:00 minTV-PG

Challenger Explosion

On January 28, 1986, the tenth mission of the space shuttle Challenger ended in tragic disaster. We remember the seven astronauts who lost their lives that day, including Christa McAuliffe, who was chosen by NASA to pioneer its Teacher in Space program.

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28th January 1986: The space shuttle Challenger (STS-51L) takes off from the Kennedy Space Centre, Florida. 73 seconds later the shuttle exploded, killing its seven crew members. (Photo by MPI/Getty Images)

Challenger Explosion

Space Shuttle Program In 1976, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) unveiled the world’s first reusable manned spacecraft, known as the space shuttle. Five years later, flights began when the space shuttle Columbia embarked on a 54-hour mission. Launched by two solid-rocket boosters and its main engines, the aircraft-like shuttle entered into orbit around […]