The 1980s will always be remembered as a decade that renewed America's sense of opportunity and created new confidence in its future as well as its leaders. Considered by many to have been marked by prosperity, many fashion statements were made and music was produced that stood out from all others (Smolan and Cohen). But with good always comes bad, and this decade had its downfalls that separated it from the rest, raising the bar and setting the bar for decades to come. Despite some disastrous events that surprised the world, the 80s were also spontaneous when it came to fashion, music and games that would change their industry forever. Overall, this decade became one of the most prosperous America has ever seen. During the 1980s, Americans faced disastrous events that left them speechless and exasperated. One event in particular was the shocking explosion of the Challenger. At 11:38 a.m., Cape Canaveral launched a $1.2 billion rocket toward the Moon on January 28, 1986 (Maxon). Everything was going smoothly until, at a height of 47,000 feet and a speed of 1,977 mph, a small flame erupted in the rocket's booster, igniting half a million gallons of fuel (Kallen, 102). No more than 15 seconds later, the Challenger explodes, instantly killing all seven of its passengers as chunks of metal descend through the air and zigzag ferociously. After this incident, Regan ordered new boosters to be redesigned and fortunately, nothing like that ever happened (Kallen, 103). While America's heart was still bruised, the AIDS epidemic did not make the healing process any easier. The government neglected AIDS because it was believed that only homosexuals could contract the disease. Over time, people came middle of paper......data has now given us the ability to speak with relatives and friends who live millions of miles away (Bondi, 286). No one could have imagined that you could send an instant message to someone who lives in Germany and get a response within seconds. The creation of iPods and mp3 players, which evolved from portable players and CDs, gave people the ability to listen to their favorite music on the go (Feinstein, 19). Once again, this decade has proven that they are a force to be reckoned with. The 80s were a time of survival of the fittest, overcoming obstacles, and raising the bar for generations to come. Despite all this disaster, the 80s found their place. Spontaneous fashions and successful innovations lit the flame that still burns today in everything that happens. This decade, more than any other, showed what it really had to offer.