1983 History
1983 The worlds most popular word processing
program is launched Microsoft Word. Following on from the start of the
recession in the US Unemployment Rises to 12 million. In Ethiopia following
the worst drought in history the death toll reaches a staggering 4 million.
The US starts deploying Cruise Missiles and Pershing Missiles in Europe
at the Greenham Common Air Force Base in England and West Germany amid
mass protests
Cost of Living 1983
How Much things cost in 1983
Yearly Inflation Rate USA 3.22%
Year End Close Dow Jones Industrial Average 1258
Interest Rates Year End Federal Reserve 11.00%
Average Cost of new house $82,600.00
Average Income per year $21,070.00
Average Monthly Rent $335.00
Dodge RAM 50 Truck $5,665.00
What Events Happened in 1983
- The U.S. Embassy is bombed in Beirut,
killing 63 people
- Unemployment Rises in the US to 12
million the highest figure since 1941
- IRA Bomb Exploded outside Harrods during
the pre Christmas Shopping Season
- Hurricane Alicia hits the Texas coast,
killing 22
- Ethiopia Appeals for world Aid for
when the death toll reaches 4 million
- The Worlds Population is estimated at 4.72
billion
- China's Population reaches 1 billion
- Civil War breaks out in Zimbabwe
- A 5.2 earthquake hits Central New York
- Richard Noble sets a new land speed
record of 633.468 mph, driving Thrust 2 at the Black Rock Desert, Nevada.
- Due to the deployment of Cruise Missiles in
the UK CND organizes marches and rallies with over 200,000 attending.
- A Terrorist attack by a suicide bomber destroys
the United States Embassy in Beirut, killing 63
- The first mobile phones, are introduced
to the public by the Motorola Company.
- Breakfast TV starts in UK with the BBC Breakfast
Time and TV-am
- Sally Ride becomes first American woman
in space on the Space Shuttle Challenger.
- The US deploys Cruise Missiles in Europe
at the Greenham Common Air Force Base in England and Deploys Pershing
Missiles in West Germany
- President Ronald Reagan proposes the Strategic
Defense Initiative (SDI)
- Margaret Thatcher wins landslide
victory in General Elections in the UK
Popular Culture 1983
- Final Episode
of M*A*S*H airs record 125 million watch
- Cabbage Patch Dolls are sold in shops and
become a success
- West German news magazine Stern publish
the Hitler Diaries which turn out to be Forgeries
Popular Films
- Star Wars Episode
VI: Return of the Jedi
- Tootsie
- Trading Places
- WarGames
- Superman III
- Flashdance
- Staying Alive
- Octopussy
- National Lampoon's Vacation
- Never Say Never Again
- Terms of Endearment
- Yentl
- Educating Rita
Popular Musicians
- Phil Collins
- The Police with " Every Breath that you
take "
- Hot Chocolate
- Big Country
- Black Sabbath
- David Bowie
- Johnny Cash
- Culture Club
- Duran Duran
- Elton John
- Pink Floyd
- Ozzy Osbourne
- Lionel Richie with " All Night Long "
- Rod Stewart
- Michael Jackson with "Beat It and Billy
Jean"
- The Moody Blues
- Bob Marley and the Wailers
Technology 1983
- ARPANET officially
changes to use the Internet Protocol, creating the Internet.
- Lotus 1-2-3 is released
- IBM releases the IBM PC XT
- US Space Shuttle Challenger is launched on
it's maiden flight
- Microsoft Word is first released
- The First Person to Receive an Artificial
Heart Barney Clark US dies after 112 days
- Swatch introduce their first watches
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Research for this year is provided by The People History.
See History By Year and Decade for more prices and information.
Find out more about the 80s
at ThePeopleHistory.com.