2. Time Period #
US History Unit 8

3. 1986
Explosion at the nuclear power plant in Chernobyl in the USSR spreads radiation over Russia and Europe, 135,000 people evacuated.
Nintendo introduces the hand-held Game Boy.
Youtube – 2:40

4. 1986
The first teacher in space, high school history teacher, Christa McAuliffe
The space shuttle Challenger explodes after launch from Cape Canaveral killing all seven aboard.
Youtube – 2:53
The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster occurred on January 28, 1986, when the NASA Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, leading to the deaths of its seven crew members, which included five NASA astronauts and two payload specialists.
The spacecraft disintegrated over the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Cape Canaveral, Florida
Disintegration of the vehicle began after an O-ring seal in its right solid rocket booster failed at liftoff.
New Hampshire's Christa McAuliffe, a member of the Teacher in Space program, on the Challenger crew
Due to McAuliffe's presence on the mission, NASA arranged for many US public schools to view the launch live on NASA TV
As a result, many who were schoolchildren in the US in 1986 did in fact have the opportunity to view the launch live. Children were even more likely than adults to have seen the accident live, since many children—48 percent of nine to thirteen-year-olds, according to a New York Times poll—watched the launch at school

5. 1986
Iran Contra Affair
Secret initiative to send arms to Iran revealed. Reagan denies exchanging arms for hostages. Later the diversion of funds to the Nicaraguan Contras (Rebels) is revealed.

6. 1. 3. Pro-Iranian group, Hezbollah, kidnap seven American
2. US embargo forbidding sale of weapons to Iran
4. Reagan sells arms to Iran at high prices in exchange for the release of the hostages 1.

7. 1987 Ronald Reagans ‘Peace through Strength” policy:
Largest peacetime military buildup in US history
$1,500,000,000 (1.5 trillion) spent in 5 years
Believed that the Soviet defense spending would cause the communist system to collapse
Regan speaking at the Berlin Wall
Youtube 1:43

8. 1987
DNA is used in a criminal court case for the first time.

9. 1987
Nancy Reagan begins “the War on Drugs” with major “Just Say No!” campaign.
Crack cocaine becomes an increasing problem in U.S. cities.

10. 1988 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGQNOqCKkxU
George Bush elected U.S. President.
Youtube – 5:25

11. 1989
In response to massive protests, the East German government allows their citizens to cross into West Berlin. Shortly, the Berlin Wall is torn down.
Youtube – 5:56
Youtube – 3:55

12. 1989
The oil tanker Exxon Valdez runs aground and spills 11 million gallons of crude oil in Alaska.
Youtube 3:12

13. Top 10 Defining Moments of 1980s America
Youtube 4:00 Remembering 80’s