The 1990s was truly the electronic age. The World Wide Web was born in 1992, changing the way we communicate (email), spend our money (online gambling, stores),and do business (e-commerce). By 1994, 3 million people were online. And by 1998, this figure increased to 100 million people. It is estimated that in 2001, some 1 billion people will be connected. Internet lingo like plug-ins, BTW (by the way), GOK (God only knows), IMHO (in my humble opinion), FAQS, SPAM, FTP, ISP, and phrases like "See you online" or "The server's down" or "Bill Gates" became part of our everyday vocabulary. We signed our mail with a :-) smile, a ;-) wink, or a :-* kiss.And - everyone has a cell phone.

EVENTS

In the 1990's the United States played the role of world policeman, sometimes alone but more often in alliances. The decade began with Sadam Husein's invasion of Kuwait and the resultant Gulf War. In 1993 the war was in the African country of Somalia, as the television images of starving children led to an attempt to oust the warlord, General Adid. By September, 1994, the U.S. was once again sending troops to a foreign country to overthrow a military dictatorship, this time in Haiti. In 1996 about 20,000 American troops were deployed to Bosnia as part of a NATO peace keeping force. In late March 1999, the U.S.joined NATO in air strikes against Yugoslavia in an effort to halt the Yugoslavian government's policy of ethnic cleansing in its province of Kosovo. The decade was to end much as it began with U.S. forces deployed in many countries, and the U.S. playing arbitrator, enforcer, and peace keeper throughout the world.

The 90s have been called the Merger Decade. On the domestic front some big issues were health care, social security reform, and gun control - unresolved and debated during the whole decade. Violence and sex scandals dominated the media starting with the Tailhook affair in which Navy and Marine Corps fliers were accused of sexually abusing 26 women. President Clinton kept the gossip flowing as several women accused him of sexual misconduct. The ten years ended with this presidentnarrowly surviving a trial to remove him from office for perjury and obstruction of justice. President Clinton's escapades were proving to be a hindrance to his Vice President Al Gore's campaign for the oval office and polls were reporting that 70% of the American people were saying that they were "tired of the Clintons".

Violence seemed a part of life. In 1992 South-Central Los Angeles rioted after four white policemen were acquitted of video-taped assault charges for beating a black motorist, Rodney King. 1993 brought terrorism to the American shores as a bomb was detonated in the garage beneath the World Trade Center. That same month of February saw four agents of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms killed during an unsuccessful raid on the Branch Davidian cult compound in Waco, Texas led by David Koresh. Americans were glued to their TV sets in 1995 as the football hero, O.J. Simpson, was tried for the murder of his ex-wife, Nicole, and her male friend, Ron Goldman. This trial pointed out the continued racial division in the country as most blacks applauded the not guilty verdict while most whites thought an obviously guilty man had gotten away with murder. The shock of thebombing of the AlfredP.MurrahFederalBuilding in Oklahoma City on April 19,1995, was compounded by the revelation that the perpetrators were not foreign terrorists but were U.S. citizens led by a U.S. Army veteran, Timothy McVeigh. In the months between February 1996 and April 1999 there were at least fourteen incidents of school shootings with the most lethal being on April 20, 1999 when 14 students and 1 teacher were killed and23 wounded at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado.
There was good news, too. The booming economy led to record low unemployment.Minimum wage was increased to $5.15 an hour. The stock market reached an all time high as individuals learned to buy and trade via the internet. Americans enjoyed the country's affluence by traveling more (up 40% since 1986), by reveling in sporting events such as the Atlanta Summer Olympics -1996, and by "consuming" as never before.America faced the new millennium with an open, diversified society, a functioning democracy, a healthy economy, and the means and will, hopefully, to face and overcome its problems.

FADS & FASHION
For youth, the fashion of the decade began with Grunge on one hand and preppie on the other. Hip Hop style was popular. Boys' jeans have grown bigger and bigger, worn low on the hips, and girls are wearing bellbottoms and poor boy tops reminiscent of the 70's. Designers included Liz Claiborne, DKNY,and Tommy Hilfinger.Dress down Fridays became commonplace andgradually developed into a more casual work dress code altogether, with 53% of companies allowing casual dress in 1998, up from 7 % in 1992. Khaki pants and polo shirts or denim shirts were the work-place norm. New fabrics such as microfiber and tencel competed with the ever-popular cotton and linen. Consumer spending on clothing dropped from 4.6% in 1990 to 1% in 1995.While interest in health and nutrition has increased, obesity was at a record high. Fads include Tae-bo, in-line skates, beanie babies, Furby, Tickle Me Elmo, WWJD, Yo-yos, tattoos and body piercing, and the ubiquitous video games.

HISTORIC DOCUMENTS

The Americans With Disabilities Act, effective in July, 1990, began the decade on a positive note by protecting the rights of all Americans with physical or mental disabilities. Introduced first as a policy for the military, in September, 1993, a law called" don't ask, don't tell," directed people to keep their sexuality hidden if they intended to stay in military careers. An important gun control bill aimed at protecting all Americans became law in 1994. The Brady Bill provides a five day waiting period when purchasing a gun. In January, 1994, the North American Free Trade Agreement was intended to eliminate barriers to trade between neighboring countries, particularly Mexico and Canada.
In 1994, Republicans won a majority in Congress for the first time in forty years. Part of the reason for the party's success was a ten point plan called the Contract with America which outlineda promise to reshape government by decentralizing federal authority, giving states and local government more control over taxes, and social programs, and by improving the way government did business.

On December 31, 1999, at noon, the UnitedStatereturned management and control of the Panama Canal and the Canal Zone to Panama. This ends a remarkable period of 85 years in which the United States' control over the waterway served as a powerful reminder of the strength of the U.S. in the Western Hemisphere. The handover has not been without controversy.

PEOPLE & PERSONALITIES

  • President and Mrs. George Bush ( 1988 - 1992)
  • President and Mrs. Bill Clinton (1992-2001).

A development in the nineties which made politics more interesting to the average person was the cross over from the business world and the entertainment world to politics. Beginning with President Ronald Reagan, the stage was set for performers likeJesse Ventura,Warren Beatty and Jane Alexander to become more publicly involved in government. Businessmen Ross Perot and Donald Trump felt they had abilities which made them natural leaders and viable candidates for public office. Politicians have always had an audience, but during the nineties colorful personalities likeNewt Gingrich,Pat Buchanan, Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rush Limbaugh have made politics a "born again" entertainment forum for the average American.

Dominating the world of technology were Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. Successful women includedOprah Winfrey and Martha Stewart.Michael Jordon and Tiger Woods were heroes for all young athletes.Two important loses were Jackie Kennedyto cancer and later her son, John F. Kennedy in a plane crash.

MUSIC

There were more music choices available than ever, although radio stations tended to find a niche and stick to it rather than playing a mix. Latino music grew in popularity. Country became more mainstream, and Grunge and Gansta appeared. R&B and hip-hop remained popular, as did movie soundtracks. Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men led the charts with "One Sweet Day." Selena was the top Latin singer until her untimely death in 1995. Other popular artists included Hootie & the Blowfish, Alanis Morrisette, Janet Jackson, Garth Brooks, Celine Dion and Madonna.The Spice Girls were a group created by the music industry for their diversity and sex appeal.

The recording industry faced severe tribulation as CD burners became commonplace. It was easy to make a high quality copy of a CD. Napster, Morpheus and Kazaa offered online file sharing, in effect offering free downloads of music to anyone wanting to copy it. The recording industry, seeing falling sales, fought back with lawsuits.

In 1993, Gordon Shaw published a study on the Mozart Effect, a correlation between classical music and mathematical aptitude He discovered that college students and rats improve test scores by as much as 30% after listening to the music.

A sampling of musicians that define the decade:

ALTERNATIVE COUNTRY
Son Volt
Uncle Tupelo
Whiskeytown / AUSTIN MUSIC
Willie Nelson
DamnationsTX
The Gourds
Kelly Willis
Austin SXSW
Beaver Nelson
Junior Brown
Bottle Rockets / CLASSIC ROCK
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Rolling Stones
Jethro Tull
Grateful Dead / COUNTRY
Garth Brooks
Dwight Yoakum
Lyle Lovett
Shania Twain
Dixie Chicks
George Strait
Billy Ray Cyrus / GRUNGE
Nirvana
Pearl Jam
Sound Garden
METAL
Metallica
Guns 'n Roses / POP
Oasis
Mariah Carey
Spice Girls
Hanson / SALSA
Selena
Julio Iglesias
Gloria Estevan
Ricky Martin
Buena Vista Social Club / TECHNO-DANCE
Nine Inch Nails
Beastie Boys
Ministry
Will Smith / CLASSICAL
Boston Symphony
Yo-Yo Ma
Edgar Meyer

TELEVISION

Televisiongraced 98% of the households in the U.S. in 1998, with the average viewer spending seven hours a day watching 'the tube'. In 1996, the television industry announced aTV Parental Guideline rating system. News or news magazine shows like 60 Minutes, 20/20, and Dateline NBCwere popular.As cable expanded to include 74% of U.S. households, it gave rise to networks dedicated to a particular theme such as sports,nature, golf, cooking,women, history, and science fiction. CNN had live coverage of the Gulf War in 1991. And, did you, too, stay up to hear Dave Letterman's List? The industry continued to push the envelop with hot topics like:

  • Sexual orientation (Ellen and Will and Grace) .
  • Nudity (NYPD Blues)
  • Sexual themes and innuendoes (Friends)
  • Foul Language (NYPD Blues)
  • Crude behavior (Men Behaving Badlyand South Park)
  • Violence(NYPD Blues)
  • Political Incorrectness (Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher)

FILM

  • Academy Award Winning Movies

1990 Dances with Wolves
1991 Silence of the Lambs
1992 Unforgiven / 1993 Schindler's List
1994 Forrest Gump
1995 Braveheart / 1996 The English Patient
1997 Titantic
1998 Shakespeare in Love
1999 American Beauty