Nov 4
Iran Hostage Crisis Begins
Iranian revolutionaries seized the US Embassy in Tehran, taking 52 Americans hostage. The crisis would last 444 days and define Carter's presidency. 'America Held Hostage' became the nightly news.
🇺🇸United States · 70s
The Hostage Crisis
Iran hostages, Three Mile Island, and disco dies at Comiskey Park.
What happened
5 milestones of 1979
Mar 28
Three Mile Island Nuclear Accident
A partial meltdown at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania became the worst nuclear accident in US history. No one was killed, but it effectively ended the American nuclear power expansion.
Year-round
Second Oil Crisis
The Iranian Revolution disrupted oil supplies, sending gas prices soaring again. Long lines at gas stations returned. Odd-even rationing. Carter told Americans to turn down their thermostats.
Sep 7
ESPN Launches
ESPN began broadcasting 24-hour sports from a small studio in Bristol, Connecticut. Everyone laughed. Within a decade, it changed how America consumed sports — and changed sports itself.
Jul 12
Disco Demolition Night
A Chicago DJ blew up a crate of disco records at Comiskey Park. A riot followed. The White Sox forfeited the game. Disco's commercial reign was over — killed by a stunt at a baseball stadium.
What was playing
70% local · 30% international
What was in cinemas
Alien
Ridley Scott — 'In space, no one can hear you scream.' Sigourney Weaver vs. the Xenomorph.
Apocalypse Now
Francis Ford Coppola — 'I love the smell of napalm in the morning.' Vietnam as fever dream.
Kramer vs. Kramer
Robert Benton — Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep. Divorce as national drama. Won Best Picture.
Mad Max
George Miller — Mel Gibson in the Australian outback. Post-apocalyptic action was born.
Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Robert Wise — The Enterprise returned. Trekkies rejoiced. The franchise lived long and prospered.
What was on TV
The Dukes of Hazzard
1979-1985 — Bo and Luke Duke, the General Lee, and Boss Hogg. Good ol' boy fun.
Knots Landing
1979-1993 — Dallas spinoff that became the more critically acclaimed show.
Dallas
1978-1991 — 'Who shot J.R.?' became the biggest TV cliffhanger in history.
Three's Company
1977-1984 — John Ritter's physical comedy made it a ratings juggernaut.
M*A*S*H
1972-1983 — Alan Alda's anti-war comedy was still essential viewing.
How much things cost
Currency: USD
Gallon of milk$1.45
Gallon of gas$0.86
New house (median)$62,900
New car (average)$5,770
Loaf of bread$0.33
Movie ticket$2.51
Inflation: 11.3%
Double-digit inflation returned. Paul Volcker took over the Fed and began the painful war on inflation.
Then vs. Now
Inflation-adjusted values
Gallon of milkBLS
1979 (USD)
$1.45
→
Today's value ($)
--
Gallon of gasEIA
1979 (USD)
$0.86
→
Today's value ($)
--
New house (median)Census Bureau
1979 (USD)
$62,900
→
Today's value ($)
--
New car (average)BLS
1979 (USD)
$5,770
→
Today's value ($)
--
Loaf of breadBLS
1979 (USD)
$0.33
→
Today's value ($)
--
Movie ticketNATO
1979 (USD)
$2.51
→
Today's value ($)
--
Technology
Sony Walkman
The Walkman launched in Japan. Personal portable music changed everything.
Visicalc
The first spreadsheet program for personal computers. The 'killer app' that made PCs essential for business.
ESPN
24-hour sports television launched from Bristol, Connecticut.
Voyager 1 at Jupiter
Voyager 1 flew past Jupiter, sending back stunning images of the gas giant and its moons.
Pac-Man development
Namco began developing Pac-Man in Japan. It would launch in 1980 and become the biggest arcade game ever.
Pop Culture
Fashion
Punk safety pins and torn clothesJogging suits (running boom)Feathered hair for men and women
Slang
Grody— Gross, disgusting
Psych!— Just kidding! Gotcha!
Bogus— Fake, unfair
Behavior
- Disco backlash was partly fueled by homophobia and racism
- 'Rapper's Delight' introduced hip hop to mainstream America
- The running/jogging craze took off with millions hitting the streets
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