In the 1980s, a new conservatism arose in social, economic and political life, characterized by the policies of U.S. President Ronald Reagan and U.K. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. For some, the 1960s and 1970s had been a troubling time that undermined Americans’ confidence in their fellow citizens and in their government.
The 1980s, often remembered for its materialism and consumerism, also saw the rise of the “yuppie,” an explosion of blockbuster movies and the emergence of cable networks like CNN and MTV, which introduced the music video and launched the careers of many iconic artists. The AIDS crisis of the 1980s would go on to kill more than 700,000 people in the United States alone.
These wonderful photos were found by Thomas Hawk that show what life looked like in the 1980s.
