What happened in 1990 Major News Stories include East and West Germany reunite, Mecca Stampede kills thousands, Iraq Invades Kuwait, Hubble Space Telescope placed in orbit, Tim Berners-Lee publishes formal proposal for the WWW, Strangeways Prison Rioting, Channel Tunnel French and English sides connect together, First in-car Satellite Navigation System goes on sale, Depletion of the Ozone Layer is discovered above the North Pole,
Yemen -- North and South Unite
North and South Yemen, also known as the Yemen Arab Republic and the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen, are unified as the Republic of Yemen in May. North Yemen had been a part of the Ottoman Empire prior to its independence in 1918 after the Ottoman collapse. South Yemen had been a part of the British Empire until 1967 when it became an independent socialist republic. In 1990, the two nations decided to merge under the leadership of Ali Salem al Beidh (from South Yemen) and Ali Abdullah Saleh (from North Yemen). After the announcement, the new nation was to go through a 30 month transitional period.
Iran - Manji-Rudbar Earthquake
1. Iran is hit with a 7.4 magnitude earthquake on June 21st.
2. The earthquake hit near the Caspian Sea, northwest of Tehran and near the cities of Rudbar and Munjil.
3. The earthquake effected an area of about 20,000 square miles, destroying thousands of homes. An estimated 400,000 people were left homeless after the disaster.
4. The death toll was estimated between 35,000 and 50,000 people and up to 135,000 people were injured.
Switzerland -- World Wide Web
Tim Berners-Lee publishes his formal proposal for the World Wide Web during November. Berners-Lee’s proposal outlined a plan for a system that would use hypertext, web pages, browsers, and web servers to share documents across the internet. Berners-Lee had first proposed his idea to colleagues at CERN in Switzerland who then worked with him to develop the system for about two years before it became functional. His original goal was to make the sharing of documents easy and universal for scientists and education purposes around the globe but had acknowledged the potential for commercial involvement. The creation of the World Wide Web has since formed the standard for how we access and use the internet.
United States - Hubble Space Telescope
NASA’s STS-31 mission deploys the Hubble Space Telescope during April. The mission launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The sophisticated space telescope was carried on the Space Shuttle Discovery and deployed by the five person crew who also filmed the process using IMAX cameras. The Hubble telescope was the first space telescope put into orbit that could be repaired by astronauts when maintenance was needed. The mission lasted five days and successfully returned to Earth, landing at the Edwards Air Force Base in California.
The most complete skeleton of a T-Rex is found in South Dakota ( Sue ).
More Information and Timeline for Sue the T. Rex.
One of the largest and most well-preserved Tyrannosaurus Rex fossilized skeletons is found by paleontologist Sue Hendrickson near Faith, South Dakota in August of 1990. The skeleton was named “Sue” after the person who discovered it. “Sue” was over 90 percent complete and measured about thirteen feet all and forty feet long. A team of six uncovered the skeleton over about seventeen days to remove “Sue” from the bluff where she was discovered. Chicago’s Field Museum eventually purchased the specimen for over 8 million dollars and spent tens of thousands of hours preserving and assembling one of the most important dinosaur discoveries to ever be seen.
Opposition Parties in South Africa are legalized Nelson Mandella released from prison and becomes leader of the African National Congress ( ANC ).
More Information for Nelson Mandela.
During February of 1990 Nelson Mandela was released from prison in South Africa after 27 years of imprisonment. Mandela had been one of the prominent leaders in the anti-apartheid movement. He joined the movement in 1944 and soon became the deputy national president of the oldest black political organization in South Africa, the African National Congress (ANC). In 1964, he was imprisoned for his involvement in a paramilitary branch of the ANC that had been retaliating against the government for an attack on peaceful protesters. After Mandela’s release, he became the head of the anti-apartheid movement and helped negotiate its end. In 1994 he became the first black president of South Africa after being elected in the first multiracial elections.
United States - NASA Launches Ulysses Probe
The joint ESA / NASA space probe "Ulysses" was launched.
More Information for Ulysses Probe
1. The Ulysses space craft was launched in 1990 and was a joint effort between the ESA and NASA.
2. The probe’s mission was studying the Sun and solar system’s magnetic field, also known as the heliosphere.
3. The European Space Agency’s (ESA) space probe “Ulysses” reached its southern most latitude in its orbit around the Sun during September of 1994.
4. The Ulysses mission was only expected to last for five years but it continued for about eighteen years and ended in 2009.
Cost of Living 1990
How Much things cost in 1990
Yearly Inflation Rate USA5.39%
Year End Close Dow Jones Industrial Average 2633
Interest Rates Year End Federal Reserve 10.00%
Average Cost of new house $123,000.00
Average Income per year $28,960.00
Average Monthly Rent $465.00
Cost of a gallon of Gas $1.34
Price for a new Isuzu Rodeo $12,4900.00
IBM PS1 Computer From $999.00 - $1,999.00
Below are some Prices for UK guides in Pounds Sterling
Average House Price 72,290
Gallon of Petrol 1.86
Yearly Inflation Rate UK 9.5%
Interest Rates Year End Bank of England 13.88%
FTSE 100 Average 2250
1990 Childrens Toys Page
2 examples from Childrens Toys From The 1990 Page
Atari Lynx Portable Color Entertainment System
Manufacturer: Atari
Price: $169.99
Description Delivers exceptional game play and excitement. High-definition, full color LCD display offers dramatic graphics; built-in 8-directional joypad for maximum control during play; volume control; jack that accommodates standard headphones for private game play; and multi-player capability with Comlynx cable. Function buttons include pause, restart, flip, brightness, and fire button.
New Kids On The Block Play Figures
Price: $19.99 each
Description They come dressed in their favorite concert fashion outfits. Each includes a fifteen minute cassette tape interview of that particular Kid. Choose from Danny, Donnie, Joe, Jordan, and Jonathan.
The demolition of the Berlin Wall officially begins during June.
More Information for the demolition of the Berlin Wall.
The official demolition of the Berlin Wall begins in June of 1990. The wall had been built in 1961 by the Communist-run East Germany to prevent defectors from traveling over the border to Capitalist-run West Germany. Control of the Berlin Wall ended in November of 1989 when it was announced that East German citizens would be allowed to cross the border with complete freedom. The removal of the wall began in June of 1990 and by October, the reunification of West and East Germany was completed. Demolition on the wall was finished in 1992.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is closed to the public due to safety concerns of it falling over.
More Information and Timeline for the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
In January of 1990 the Leaning Tower of Pisa is closed to visitors for the first time due to fears over the safety and stability of the building. Engineers worked on restructuring and stabilizing the building by taking some of the weight out of the tower and straightening it by about eighteen inches. By December of 2001 it was reopened to the public and declared to be stable for at least another few hundred years. The Leaning Tower of Pisa had originally been constructed over a span of about 200 years between the 1170’s and the 1370’s and the tilt began to form almost immediately, caused by the building of a poor foundation on too soft of soil.
Other Major Events From 1990
Iraq invasion of Neighboring Kuwait
Saddam Hussein orders Iraq invasion of Neighboring Kuwait
Operation Desert Shield
Operation Desert Shield Begins as the United States and UK send troops to Kuwait
Poland Lech Walesa
Lech Walesa becomes president of Poland
U.S. Saturn Cars
The Saturn range of cars are launched by GM
Iran Earthquake
Earthquake in Iran kills 50,000
The Simpsons
Americas Favorite animated family "The Simpsons " is aired on Fox for the first time
U.S. Major Recession
The US Enters a Major Recession
Burma Elections
The National League for Democracy NLD wins free elections by a landslide majority, but the military regime has refused to hand over power.
Ban on the Trade of Ivory
A Formal Ban on the Trade of Ivory is introduced
UK Poll Tax
Poll Tax introduced in UK causing mass demonstrations who claimed the tax moved the tax burden from the rich to the poor
World
Industrialized countries agree to stop dumping waste into the oceans of the world.
John M. Poindexter
John M. Poindexter ( Former national security adviser ) is convicted on multiple felony counts
UK Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher announces her resignation as British PM after John Major is chosen to lead the country and conservative party.
Saudi Arabia stampede Mecca
A stampede of religious pilgrims in a pedestrian tunnel in Mecca on July 2 leaves 1,400 dead
U.S. Happy Land
A fire at an unlicensed social club called "Happy Land" in New York City kills 87
South Africa Nelson Mandella
Opposition Parties in South Africa are legalized Nelson Mandella released from prison and becomes leader of the African National Congress ( ANC )
East and West Germany reunite
East and West Germany reunite including currency and economies
U.S. President George Bush
President George Bush and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev sign a historic agreement to end production of chemical weapons
UK poll tax demonstrations
Throughout the year demonstrations are held in cities in the UK in protest at the new poll tax
Philippines earthquake
Philippines, an earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter Scale kills over 1600
Russia Mikhail Gorbachev
Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to lessen Cold War tensions and reform his nation
Tim Berners-Lee
Tim Berners-Lee publishes a more formal proposal for the World Wide Web and the first web page is written
Channel Tunnel
Channel Tunnel workers from the United Kingdom and France meet 40 meters beneath the English Channel seabed, establishing the first ground connection between the United Kingdom and the mainland of Europe since the last ice age
Isabella Gardner Museum
Art thieves steal 12 works of art from the Isabella Gardner Museum in Boston
Strangeways Riot
Prisoners Riot in Strangeways Prison in Manchester, England keeping control of the prison for 25 days
Namibia
Namibia Gains Independence From South Africa
Boris N. Yeltsin
Boris N. Yeltsin becomes president of the Russian republic.
1990 World Cup
West Germany Wins 1990 World Cup in Italy
Supergun
Customs officers seize the barrel ( 130 feet long )of a "Supergun" bound for Iraq
UK heat wave
Great Britain is gripped by a heat wave and the highest recorded temperatures in British History are recorded of 37.1C, or 99F in Nailstone, Leicestershire
Technology 1990's
The Space Shuttle Discovery places the Hubble Space Telescope in orbit revolutionizing astronomy.
Tim Berners-Lee publishes a more formal proposal for the World Wide Web and the first web page is written
Microsoft Releases Windows 3.0
A 16 megabit chip is shown for the first time
The First Known Case of AIDS is traced back to 1959
The Space Probe Voyager launched in 1977 photographed the Solar System at a distance of 3.7 miles from the SUN
18 years after its launch the US Space Probe Pioneer reaches a distance of 46.5 billion miles beyond all planetary orbits
Depletion of the Ozone Layer is discovered above the North Pole
The First in-car Satellite Navigation System is sold by Pioneer
Popular Culture 1990
The Sci/Fi Channel on Cable TV starts transmitting
Twin Peaks premieres on ABC
The Milli Vanilli duo's producer reveals that the Grammy winning pop duo were lip synching in the songs on the album which gained them the award
Popular Films
Home Alone
Ghost
Dances with Wolves
Pretty Woman
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
The Hunt for Red October
Total Recall
Die Hard 2
Dick Tracy
Edward Scissorhands,
The Godfather Part III
Popular Musicians
Tears For Fears
Kylie Minogue
Janet Jackson with " Black Cat "
Jon Bon Jovi with " Blaze of Glory "
Erasure
Maxi Priest
Rod Stewart
Depeche Mode
The Blues Brothers
Garth Brooks
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Billy Joel
Phil Collins
Vanilla Ice with " Ice Ice Baby "
Whitney Houston
Aerosmith
Cher
Dannii Minogue
Mariah Carey
The B-52's
Major World Political Leaders 1990
Australia Prime Minister Bob Hawke
Brazil President José Sarney
Till 15 March
Brazil President Fernando Collor
From 15 March
Canada Prime Minister Brian Mulroney
China Chairman of the People's Republic of China Yang Shangkun
France President François Mitterrand
Germany Chancellor Helmut Kohl
India Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh
Till 10 November
India Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar
From 10 November
Italy Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti
Japan Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu
Mexico President Carlos Salinas de Gortari
Russia / Soviet Union General Secretary of the CPSU Mikhail Gorbachev
South Africa State President Frederik Willem de Klerk
United States President George H. W. Bush
United Kingdom Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher
Till 28 November
United Kingdom Prime Minister John Major
From 28 November
FAQs
What happened in 1990s pop culture? ›
The 1990s was a decade where pop culture took flight, we all made some Friends, dance moves were born and fast-food got even bigger. Although they ended more than 20 years ago, some of these American icons remain just as relevant today. Iconic shows such as Rugrats (1991), Doug (1991), Hey Arnold!
What major events happened in the year 1990? ›Important events of 1990 include the Reunification of Germany and the unification of Yemen, the formal beginning of the Human Genome Project (finished in 2003), the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope, the separation of Namibia from South Africa, and the Baltic states declaring independence from the Soviet Union ...
What important events happened in 1990 in America? ›July – The United States enters the early 1990s recession. July 2 – A U.S. District Court acquits Imelda Marcos on racketeering and fraud charges. July 4 – SK8-TV debuts on Nickelodeon. July 9–11 – The 16th G7 Summit is held in Houston.
What were the 1990s known for? ›Known as the "post-Cold War decade", the 1990s are often culturally defined as the period from the Revolutions of 1989 that marked the end of the Cold War until the Global War on Terror ("GWOT"), which included the September 11 attacks, the War in Afghanistan, and the Iraq War.
What crisis happened in 1990? ›The United States entered recession in 1990, which lasted 8 months through March 1991. Although the recession was mild relative to other post-war recessions, it was characterized by a sluggish employment recovery, most commonly referred to as a jobless recovery.
What was the biggest news story in the 1990s? ›The saga of then-President Bill Clinton's affair with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky grabbed the public's attention in the late '90s, eventually leading to the second impeachment of a US president in American history.
What caused 1990 inflation? ›Pessimistic consumers, the debt accumulations of the 1980s, the jump in oil prices after Iraq invaded Kuwait, a credit crunch induced by overzealous banking regulators, and attempts by the Federal Reserve to lower the rate of inflation all have been cited as causes of the recession.
What happened to the Internet in 1990? ›In 1990, ARPANET is decommissioned. Tim Berners-Lee and his colleagues at CERN develop hypertext markup language (HTML) and the uniform resource locator (URL), giving birth to the first incarnation of the World Wide Web.
What was the major cause of the 1990 recession? ›postwar recession, the 1990-91 downturn was exacerbated by several external factors such as the Persian Gulf crisis, the savings and loan col- lapse, and continued job cutbacks as a result of lower defense spending.
What was a popular trend in the 1990s? ›Slip dresses, bomber jackets, scrunchies and plaid flannel shirts were all the rage during the '90s — and many of these fashion trends are working their way back into vogue (although some of these pieces may have never left your closet).
What movements occurred in the 1990s? ›
Recurring activist themes in the 1990s included labor rights, global issues, and LGBTQ rights. A series of protests regarding global issues — ranging from the CIA's activities in Central America to the detainment of Haitian refugees in U.S. military installations — occurred throughout the decade.
What revolution happened in 1990? ›| Mongolian Revolution of 1990 | |
|---|---|
| Location | Mongolia |
| Resulted in | Mongolia transitions to a multi-party system Multi-party elections held in June 1990 End of Soviet influence in Mongolia Dissolution of the Mongolian People's Republic with the adoption of a new constitution on 12 February 1992 |
| Parties to the civil conflict | |