-
Period: to
The 1980's
-
Ted Turner Establishes CNN
This event changed the way people watched television in 1980. It encouraged them to switch from antenna to paid cable which really helped the economy. -
The Space Shuttle Columbia is Launched
This not only provided countless jobs to boost the economy, it interested people who normally weren't so they contributed to programs and tuned into television as well. This really boosted the economy in 1981 -
Vietnam War Memorial opens in Washington, D.C.
This memorial not only brought in more American church revenue, it also brought in international church revenue because so many people came to see it and honor the dead. It was also the first memorial we put up for something we weren't really proud of and it was a huge turning point for how Vietnam vets were treated. -
The first commercial cell phone call is made
Not only did this change the way people communicated for thousands of years to come, it was a huge boost to the economy. Everyone wanted to buy and own their own cell phones, even if it was just one for the whole house to use. This was a major innovation for the world. -
Steve Jobs introduces the first Macintosh computer
The first computer boosted the economy by creating jobs for people to make them, it made people want to start buying computers which put money into the circle, and it was an invention that changed technology forever -
Microsoft introduces Windows.
This was a huge break though for the world of computers, it made stronger and faster connections more possible, it created a wider use of the internet, and it opened up the possibilities for personal phone, laptops, tablets, ect. This was huge for the economy, and the world of technology. -
Space Shuttle Challenger explodes shortly after lift-off
This event hurt the economy a little bit because it used a lot of donated (because NASA runs on donations) money to build the rocket and it unfortunately killed all 7 members which NASA also had to pay for. It was a horrible disaster, and a major tragedy for everyone associated with it and the economy -
U.S. stock market plunges on Black Monday.
This was the largest percentage drop in stock market history. It occurred on October 19, 1987, when the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 22.61 percent, falling 508 points to 1738.74. The S&P 500 fell 20.4 percent, dropping 57.64 points to 225.06. This ruined the economy for two plus years before they could regain control of the cycle. -
George Bush Sr. elected president of the United States.
Even though he won the election, a lot of people didn't agree with Bush's politics. He was never good enough to follow up Reagan who was a rock star. People became less confident in the economy, and less confident in local and international trade. They didn't feel confident in their spending power so they stopped spending, which slowed the flow of money into the government, causing it to drop. -
Exxon Valdez spills millions of gallons of oil on Alaskan coastline.
Not only did this event cause the economy to loose millions of dollars in oil purchasing, it costed so much money to clean it up. It caused stock prices to drop, and it messed up a lot of ocean life. It also cause problems with fishing businesses and other industries that deal with the ocean. It was a huge crisis and caused America o loose a lot of money.
