Resurgence of Conservatism Life in the 1980s

A Decade of Indulgence Technology and the Media In the 1980s, technology began transforming broadcast news and entertainment. Rap music was a new sound of the 1980s. Heavy bass and very rhythmic sounds, rap artists did not usually sing but rather spoke over the music and rhythmic beats. Rap’s lyrics frequently focused on the African American experience in the inner city. The first video arcade game was a game called pong.

A Society Under Stress Crime and Drugs Drug abuse in the 1980s made many city neighborhoods dangerous. Drug users often committed crimes in order to get money for drugs, and dealers backed by street gangs fought to protect their territory. Drug use spread from cities to small towns and rural areas.

A Society Under Stress Problems With Alcohol Abuse of alcohol was a serious concern, teenagers with fake identification cards could easily buy beer and other alcoholic beverages. In 1984 Congress cut highway funds to any state that did not raise the legal drinking age to 21.

A Society Under Stress A Deadly Epidemic AIDS weakens the immune system, lowering resistance to illness. In the United States, AIDS were first noticed among homosexual men. The stonewall riot marked the beginning of a gay activist movement. In 1987, more than 28,000 cases if AIDS were diagnosed in the United States, and between 1981 and 1988, the Center for Disease Control identified more than 100,000 cases.

Social Activism Secretary of the Interior James Watt encouraged development. Congress, under pressure from environmental groups, blocked many of Watt’s plans. The environmental movement born in the 1970s continued to grow in the 1980s.

Social Activism Rocking for Good Causes Bruce Springsteen, a social activist, he gave concerts to benefit food banks and the homeless. To help starving people in Ethiopia, Irish rocker Bob Geldof organized musicians in England to present “Band Aid” concerts in 1984.

A New Era in Space The Space Shuttle After the series of moon landings of the 1970s, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) concentrated on the space shuttle. In 1983 Sally Ride became the first American woman in space. Christa McAuliffe, a teacher from New Hampshire, joined six others on the Challenger. The shuttle lifted off the launch pad and the exploded, all on board were killed. The worst disaster in the country’s history of space exploration.

A New Era in Space A Home in Space The space program continued to undertake shuttle flights, some of them to carry satellites into orbit. Space stations- orbiting platforms where continuous observation of the universe could take place. American achievements in space symbolized the optimistic attitude of the Reagan administration that Americans could accomplish anything they were determined to do.

Essay Question Describe five new developments in media news and entertainment that occurred in the 1980s.

Essay Question Describe five new developments in media news and entertainment that occurred in the 1980s. In the 1980s, technology began transforming broadcast news and entertainment. New technology divided the broadcast media into smaller audience segments. Cassette tapes and the Sony Walkman made music portable. By the end of the 1980s, many homes also had video cassette recorders. In the 1980s, cable and satellite television rapidly expanded. Dozens of channels offered programs for specialized audiences. Ted Turner Cable News Network became the first all-news television network. In 1985 CNN introduced the first phone-in television talk show. In 1981 MTV went on the air , mixing songs with video images to create music videos. Home videogames developed quickly, and video arcades became the new spot for young people to meet in the 1980s.