1980s America – Popular Culture



Name____________________________________ Date_______

H US History Flores

1980s America – Popular Culture and Prominent Issues

Thinking Skill – Identify and explain characteristics of 1980s popular culture

Objective – Gather and organize information and data

Directions: Answer the following questions as you visit each of the stations describing 1980s America.

Station 1 – National Debt and Deficit

1. What is the national debt as of May 23, 2014? What is each American’s share of the debt?

2. Who owns the largest slice of the “National Debt pie”? What foreign countries own the largest portion of US debt? Why might this alarm some Americans?

3. What is the difference between national debt and national deficit?

4. Examine the graphs depicting the national debt. Why is the top graph distorted (misleading)? After examining the lower graph, how would you describe the national debt over time?

5. Examine the cartoon. Throughout the 1990s there was debate over a “Balanced Budget Amendment” that would require the federal government to spend no more than it takes in via taxes. What are the pros and cons to such an amendment? Would you be in favor or opposed to a Balanced Budget Amendment?

Station 2 – Cartoons

Choose five different cartoons and, based on their description, explain how they were a product of, or reflected, the 1980s. (Example: G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero- represented return to hero status of American soldier –post Vietnam– in Cold War era of good [US] vs. evil [USSR], generally encouraged patriotism)

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Station 3 – Fashion and Fads

11. What fashions and fads have been reborn since the 1980s?

12. Which fashions and/or fads are you unfamiliar with? Find a classmate who can describe that fashion and/or fad.

13. Which fashions and/or fads of the 1980s were just plain bad ideas?

Station 4 – Movies

What facets of 1980s society did each of the following movies reflect? (The Breakfast Club is completed as an example.)

14. E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial

15. The Breakfast Club- Depicts complex, evolving relationships among and between

teenagers coming of age in a decade known for individuality and selfishness.

16. Rambo: First Blood Part II

17. Wall Street

18. Do The Right Thing

Station 5 – Slang

Create three sentences that incorporate as many 1980s slang terms as possible.

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Station 6 – MTV: Music Television

22. How does former VJ Martha Quinn link MTV to the Cold War?

23. How did Michael Jackson’s music videos –especially Thriller –influence MTV programming?

24. Provide evidence of MTV’s influence on popular culture (according to former VJ Mark Goodman).

Station 7 –Yuppie Culture

25. What were key characteristic traits of yuppies?

26. Why did the term yuppie carry negative connotations by the end of the decade?

Station 8 – National Budget Simulation

So you think balancing the budget is easy? Try your hand at this simulation that asks you to merely reduce the national debt to 60% of the Gross Domestic Product for the next fiscal year. Read the background (Stabilize the Debt) and the directions (Your Challenge) before you begin. Make decisions with respect to the budget in 8 different areas. Use the info link if you are unclear about an option. Click next to move to the next topic. When you finish, use your results page to answer the questions below.

27. Were you successful in reducing the budget to 60% of GDP by 2021? How much (in billions of dollars) were you below/above the target?

28. Where did your most significant savings come from (by category)? Did you increase spending in any category? Which one(s)?

29. Compare/contrast your savings in revenue and spending. Which was greater?

30. In your opinion, which of the 8 section(s) of the budget must be changed the most to reduce the national debt? Why?

EXTRA CREDIT: 1980s Popular Music

How many song titles and/or artists can you identify? Earn up to 5 extra credit points for identifying both over the next two days.

Song Title Artist/Group

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