Unforgettable Events That Happened In The 80s

The 80s was a busy decade for music, film, popular culture, and of course politics. There was a lot of political change that took place during the 80s all over the world and this article will highlight some of the most memorable events that defined not only a decade but the years to come.

The first Macintosh computer

The first Apple Macintosh computer was launched in January 1984 for $2,500.00, it was named the Macintosh 128K. This was the first successful mass-market desktop to computer to have a graphical user interface, built-in screen, and mouse. Not to mention it was the first in a long line of Macintosh computers that went on to change the way people work and created an unstoppable empire guided by creator and founder Steve Jobs.

Chernobyl

In April 1986 the world woke up to the worst nuclear disaster in its history. One of the reactors at the Chernobyl power plant in Ukraine had failed and resulted in radioactive substances being expelled. The explosion caused the instant death of two onsite workers and the radiation poisoning of hundreds of others. It resulted in over 350,000 people having to be resettled and the total abandonment of some Ukrainian towns, which remain uninhabited today.

Live Aid

On the 13th of July 1985, the world came together to watch an 80s rock concert that was designed to raise money for famine-stricken countries. The worldwide event raised over $150 million and set the precedent for international fundraising efforts to come. Live Aid also stood out for the show-stopping and mesmerizing performance of Freddie Mercury, which remains an unforgettable act that is still talked about today.

The fall of the Berlin wall

Undoubtedly one of the most monumental moments in recent history was the fall of the Berlin wall that took place in 1989. The fall of the Berlin wall led to the reunification of Germany and the eventual fall of the Soviet Union, and the end of the cold war. This carved the way for some of the biggest political changes and landscaping the world had seen for decades, the after-effects of which are still being felt in modern-day Europe, and the world, today.

The Tiananmen Square Protests

At the very end of the decade in 1989 thousands of students stood in protest to demand greater political freedoms and democracy in China. The protest led to martial law being imposed and a considerable loss of life. It was a display of military might seldom seen in capital cities. The protest has had a knock-on effect for citizens ever since. Following the protests, the Government insisted that all social organizations be registered to avoid political upheaval. This was the case for the new movement Falun Gong, which emerged shortly after the protests and attracted thousands of followers. As a result, it became viewed as a threat to the Chinese government. Falun Gong is closely associated with Shen Yun, a production about life in China before communism, which is currently banned in China. Exampling how the after-effects of the protest are still influencing China today.

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