Nov 9
Fall of the Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall fell as East Germany opened its borders. The Cold War was ending. Crowds danced on the wall with sledgehammers. The world watched in disbelief.
🇺🇸United States · 80s
The Wall Falls
Berlin, Batman, and the end of the Cold War.
What happened
4 milestones of 1989
Jun 4
Tiananmen Square Massacre
Chinese troops opened fire on pro-democracy protesters in Tiananmen Square, Beijing. The 'Tank Man' image became one of the most powerful photographs of the 20th century.
State violence against civilians — honor the protesters, acknowledge censorship
Mar 24
Exxon Valdez Oil Spill
The Exxon Valdez tanker ran aground in Alaska, spilling 11 million gallons of crude oil. The worst environmental disaster in US waters at the time.
Environmental disaster — acknowledge lasting ecological damage
Oct 17
San Francisco Earthquake
A 6.9 earthquake struck during the World Series at Candlestick Park. 63 killed, section of Bay Bridge collapsed. The nation watched live on ABC.
What was playing
70% local · 30% international
What was in cinemas
Batman
Tim Burton — Jack Nicholson as the Joker. Batmania swept the country.
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Steven Spielberg — Harrison Ford and Sean Connery. The perfect adventure sequel.
When Harry Met Sally
Rob Reiner — 'I'll have what she's having.' The modern romantic comedy.
Dead Poets Society
Peter Weir — 'O Captain! My Captain!' Robin Williams at his most inspiring.
The Little Mermaid
John Musker — Box office hit in the US — TMDB 7.4
What was on TV
The Simpsons
1989-present — Debuted as shorts on the Tracey Ullman Show, then got its own series in December.
Seinfeld
1989-1998 — The pilot aired in July. The show about nothing was just beginning.
America's Funniest Home Videos
1989-present — Bob Saget and camcorder chaos. YouTube before YouTube.
How much things cost
Currency: USD
Gallon of milk$2.34
Gallon of gas$1.00
Movie ticket$3.97
New house (median)$120,000
Inflation: 4.8%
Economy growing but the savings & loan crisis was draining $124 billion from taxpayers.
Then vs. Now
Inflation-adjusted values
Gallon of milkBLS
1989 (USD)
$2.34
→
Today's value ($)
--
Gallon of gasEIA
1989 (USD)
$1.00
→
Today's value ($)
--
Movie ticketNATO
1989 (USD)
$3.97
→
Today's value ($)
--
New house (median)Census Bureau
1989 (USD)
$120,000
→
Today's value ($)
--
Technology
World Wide Web
Tim Berners-Lee proposed the World Wide Web at CERN. The world didn't notice yet.
Game Boy
Nintendo's handheld console launched with Tetris. Everywhere, everyone, all the time.
GPS satellites
The first Block II GPS satellite launched — civilian navigation was coming.
Pop Culture
Fashion
Oversized blazersAcid-washed everythingHigh-waisted jeansScrunchies
Slang
Diss— To disrespect someone
Talk to the hand— I'm not listening
Phat— Cool, attractive
Behavior
- The Berlin Wall's fall was celebrated in living rooms across America
- Nintendo ruled kids' free time
- The environmental movement gained mainstream traction after the Valdez spill
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