1980 represented the 1980th year of the Gregorian Calendar's Anno Domini, or the Common Era. The 1980 Summer Olympics took place in Moscow, then part of the USSR, while the Winter Olympics took place in Lake Placid, USA.http://www.moscow-life.com/moscow/olympic-games

In terms of natural disasters, 1980 was the year that Italy saw earthquakes that killed 2,600 people, while Category 5 Hurricane Allen struck the Caribbean, one of the strongest hurricanes in recorded human history.http://www.hurricaneville.com/allen.htmlAdditionally, in 1980, the volcano on Mt St Helens erupted in Washington State.http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/mshnvm/

For domestic political action, 1980 was the year that then US President Jimmy Carter signed the bill that gave $1.2 Billion in Federal loans to the Chrysler corporation, drawing comparisons to the Recession in the late 2000's in which Chrysler was again forced to rely on federal aid to bail out their bankrupt corporation.http://uspolitics.about.com/od/economy/a/chryslerBailout.htm

In terms of international events, 1980 was the year that Saddam Hussein, then leader of Iraq, launched his attack on Iran, which would result in a drawn-out war that continues to spark conflict on the Iran-Iraq Border.http://www.iranchamber.com/history/iran_iraq_war/iran_iraq_war1.phpIn 1980, rebels in Afghanistan seized a Soviet tank and began to assert their resistance and guerilla warfare against the Soviet occupants, which would echo the continuing conflict in Afghanistan after 9/11.http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/afghanistan/cs-invasion.htm

On December 8th, 1980, singer John Lennon, of the world-famous and beloved band The Beatles was shot to death by Mark David Chapman.http://www.john-lennon.com/theassassinationofjl.htm

• Jan. 09: Sergio Garcia - Golfer
• Jan. 15: Matt Holliday - Oakland A's
• Feb. 12: Christina Ricci - Black Snake Moan
• Feb. 27: Chelsea Clinton - Daughter of Bill Clinton
• Feb. 27: Bobby Valentino - Musician
• Mar. 07: Laura Prepon - That '70s Show
• Mar. 09: Chingy - Rapper
• Mar. 21: Ronaldinho - Soccer player
• Apr. 08: Katee Sackhoff - Battlestar Galactica
• Apr. 21: Tony Romo - Dallas Cowboys
• Apr. 21: Vincent Lecavalier - Tampa Bay Lightning
• Apr. 22: Courtney Friel - Fox News Channel
• Apr. 26: Channing Tatum - Stop Loss
• Apr. 26: Jordana Brewster - The Fast and the Furious
• Jun. 24: Minka Kelly - Friday Night Lights
• Jul. 07: Michelle Kwan - Figure Skater
• Jul. 18: Kristen Bell - Veronica Mars
• Jul. 20: Gisele Bundchen - Supermodel
• Aug. 26: Macaulay Culkin - Home Alone
• Dec. 19: Jake Gyllenhaal - Brokeback Mountain

• Mar. 31: Jesse Owens - Olympian
• Apr. 29: Alfred Hitchcock - Director
• Aug. 12: Tex Avery - Animator, Droopy Dog
• Dec. 08: John Lennon - The Beatles

• Jan. 05: KC and the Sunshine... - Please Don't Go
• Jan. 12: Rupert Holmes - Escape
• Jan. 19: Michael Jackson - Rock With You
• Feb. 16: Captain and Tennille - Do That to Me...
• Feb. 23: Queen - Crazy Little Thing Called Love
• Mar. 22: Pink Floyd - Another Brick in the Wall
• Apr. 19: Blondie - Call Me
• May 31: Lipps Inc - Funkytown
• Jun. 28: Wings - Coming Up
• Jul. 19: Billy Joel - It's Still Rock and Roll to Me
• Aug. 02: Olivia Newton John - Magic
• Aug. 30: Christopher Cross - Sailing
• Sep. 06: Diana Ross - Upside Down
• Oct. 04: Queen - Another One Bites the Dust
• Oct. 25: Barbra Streisand - Woman in Love
• Nov. 15: Kenny Rogers - Lady
• Dec. 27: John Lennon - Starting Over Billboard: Historical Billboard Charts

1. Nine to Five 1980
2. Superman II
3. Stir Crazy
4. Airplane 1980
5. Any Which Way You Can IMBD: Top Grossing Films of 1980

• Presented on: March 31, 1981
• Best Picture: Ordinary People
• Lead Actor: Robert De Niro in Raging Bull
• Lead Actress: Sissy Spacek in Coal Miner's Daughter
• Best Director: Robert Redford for Ordinary People
• Best Documentary: From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China directed by Murray LernerRopesofSilicon: Complete Oscar winners list

• 1980 Moscow Olympics
• 1980 Lake Placid Olympics

• Stanley Cup - NHL: New York Islanders
• World Series - MLB: Philadelphia Phillies
• NBA Finals - NBA: Los Angeles Lakers
• Super Bowl - NFL: Pittsburgh Steelers

• NHL MVP: Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers
• MLB AL MVP: George Brett, Kansas City Royals
• MLB NL MVP: Mike Schmidt, Philadelphia Phillies
• NBA MVP: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, LA Lakers
• NFL MVP: Brian Sipe, Cleveland Browns

• Chemistry: Paul Berg, Walter Gilbert, Frederick Sanger
• Economics: Lawrence Klein
• Literature: Czeslaw Milosz
• Medicine: Baruj Benacerraf, Jean Dausset, George Snell
• Peace: Adolfo Esquivel
• Physics: Val FitchNoblePrize.org: 1980 Noble Winners

• January 6: Jimmy Carter signs a bill authorizing $1.2 Billion in federal loans to the failing Chrysler corporation.

• February 22: During the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics the United States hockey team defeats the heavily favorite Soviet Union team. The win will forever be known as the Miracle On Ice.

• September 22: Iraq under Saddam Hussein launches a full scale invasion against Iran

• November 4: Republican Ronald Reagan defeats Jimmy Carter during the General Election to become the 40th President of the United States

• November 23: A series of earthquakes devastated southern Italy, killing some 2,600 people.

Rebels in Afghanistan seize a Soviet tank and begin their successful fight for independence from the Soviet Union. http://www.ena.lu/war-afghanistan-1980-020703590.html