1980

Israel opens its 1st embassy in an Arab country - Egypt
Chinese team participates in the Winter Olympics
Global eradication of smallpox declared
Polish strikes inspire Solidarity movement
Solidarity Union extracts major concessions from Polish government
8-year Iran-Iraq war begins
Rhodesia renamed Zimbabwe
Eric Heiden wins 5 gold medals for speed skating in the Winter Olympics
Residents' severe health problems linked to Love Canal, N.Y., chemical dump
US breaks diplomatic ties with Iran
US boycotts Summer Olympics to protest the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
Mt. St. Helens erupts
John Lennon of The Beatles killed
Ronald Reagan elected President
Songs - "Call Me", "Sailing", "The Rose", "Starting Over"
Broadway - "42nd Street"
Films - "The Empire Strikes Back", "Raging Bull", "Ordinary People", "Coal Miner's Daughter", "Urban Cowboy"
TV - "Magnum P.I."
Christina Ricci, Venus Williams, and Macauley Culkin born
Jimmy Durante, Shah of Iran William O. Douglas, Henry Miller, Jesse Owens, Jean Piaget, Erich Fromm, Jean-Paul Sartre, Alfred Hitchcock, Steve McQueen, Mae West, and Marshall McLuhan die