1985 in the United States

1985 in the United States
Year	1985
President	Ronald Reagan
Vice president	George H. W. Bush
Events	Live Aid, TWA Flight 847, MOVE bombing, Grammy Awards of 1985

1985 in the United States was a year marked by significant geopolitical events, technological breakthroughs, and vibrant cultural milestones. The second term of President Ronald Reagan continued to define the era, with his administration navigating foreign crises and domestic policy debates. The year saw tragedies like the MOVE bombing in Philadelphia and the hijacking of TWA Flight 847, but also unifying global spectacles like Live Aid. In popular culture, the rise of MTV and blockbuster films solidified the decade's distinctive aesthetic.

Events

The year began with the second public inauguration of Ronald Reagan on January 20, held indoors at the United States Capitol due to frigid weather. In May, a violent confrontation between the Philadelphia Police Department and the radical group MOVE culminated in the controversial MOVE bombing, which destroyed dozens of homes in West Philadelphia. That summer, the hijacking of TWA Flight 847 by Hezbollah militants gripped the nation for 17 days, ending in Beirut. In a starkly different global event, the dual-venue Live Aid concert in July, organized by Bob Geldof, featured iconic performances from artists like Madonna and Bruce Springsteen to raise funds for famine in Ethiopia. In October, the Achille Lauro hijacking concluded with U.S. fighter jets forcing the plane carrying the perpetrators to land in Sicily.

Politics and law

President Ronald Reagan and Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev held their first summit in Geneva in November, initiating a thaw in Cold War tensions. Domestically, the Gramm–Rudman–Hollings Balanced Budget Act was signed into law, aiming to reduce the federal deficit. The Reagan administration was embroiled in the ongoing controversy of providing covert aid to the Contras in Nicaragua, a policy that would later explode into the Iran–Contra affair. In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court of the United States decided in Wallace v. Jaffree that an Alabama moment-of-silence law was unconstitutional, reinforcing the separation of church and state. The year also saw the formation of the Commission on the Bicentennial of the United States Constitution, chaired by former Chief Justice Warren E. Burger.

Science and technology

The technological landscape was revolutionized with the founding of AOL (then Quantum Computer Services), which would become a gateway to the internet for millions. In September, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ship NOAAS *Discoverer* located the wreck of the *Titanic* using a remote-controlled submersible. The Food and Drug Administration approved the first commercial test for HIV, a critical step in public health. In computing, Microsoft released the first version of Windows, version 1.0, while Richard Stallman published the GNU Manifesto, laying the groundwork for free software. The Space Shuttle program conducted several missions, though the year was shadowed by the upcoming *Challenger* disaster in 1986.

Culture and society

American cinema was dominated by blockbusters like *Back to the Future*, directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Michael J. Fox, and The Breakfast Club from John Hughes. Television saw the debut of the innovative, critically acclaimed series *Moonlighting* with Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis. In music, the charity single We Are the World, written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and recorded by USA for Africa, became a global phenomenon. The Grammy Awards of 1985 honored artists like Tina Turner and Prince. The first WrestleMania, promoted by the World Wrestling Federation and featuring Hulk Hogan, was held at Madison Square Garden, ushering in the era of sports entertainment.

Sports

In professional football, the San Francisco 49ers, led by quarterback Joe Montana, won Super Bowl XIX in January, defeating the Miami Dolphins. The World Series was won by the Kansas City Royals over the St. Louis Cardinals in a thrilling seven-game series. The NBA Finals saw the Los Angeles Lakers, featuring Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, triumph over the Boston Celtics in six games. In college football, the Oklahoma Sooners were crowned national champions after winning the Orange Bowl. The Kentucky Derby was won by the horse Spend a Buck, who set a track record at Churchill Downs.

Deaths

Notable deaths included actor and comedian Phil Silvers (March), best known for his role as Sergeant Bilko. Pioneering singer and actress Ethel Merman died in February. The literary world lost novelist and essayist Elaine de Kooning in February and Southern writer Flannery O'Connor (who had died in 1964) saw a resurgence of interest. The year also saw the passing of World War II military leader and former Supreme Allied Commander Mark W. Clark in April, and renowned fashion designer Louise Dahl-Wolfe in December. In sports, baseball legend Roger Maris, who held the single-season home run record, died in December.

Category:1985 in the United States Category:1980s in the United States