Toys 1990s Technology also had a major impact on Popular 1990s Toys with computer gaming systems and the games available increasing in price with vastly improved graphics and gaming capabilities. Plus talking dolls, bears and other similar toys caused queues over the peak Christmas Period with parents searching for available stock





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Events 1990's 1990 Nelson Mandela is released from prison in South Africa and becomes the leader of the ANC. Tim Berners-Lee publishes a formal proposal for the World Wide Web. East and West Germany are reunited after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Margaret Thatcher resigns from her position as Prime Minister in the United Kingdom. One of the most completed T. Rex fossils is found in South Dakota and it is named "Sue" after the paleontologist that discovered it. 1991 The Internet becomes available for unrestricted commercial use. Croatia, Macedonia, and Slovenia become independent from the former Yugoslavia. The lead singer of the band Queen, Freddie Mercury, dies from AIDS. Operation Desert Storm takes place in Iraq and Kuwait. Boris Yeltsin becomes Russia's first elected President. 1992 The European Union is created when the Maastricht Treaty is signed. Democrat Bill Clinton is elected as the United States President. The Mall of America opens in Minnesota. Euro Disney is opened in France. Bosnia and Herzegovina declare independence. 1993 Czechoslovakia separates into the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Hubble Telescope is repaired in space by a crew on the Space Shuttle Endeavour. NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) is signed into law. Intel introduces the Pentium Microprocessor. Russia and the United States sign the START II Treaty. 1994 Nelson Mandela becomes the President of South Africa after being elected in the country's first multi-racial elections. The 1994 FIFA World Cup is held in the United States and Brazil wins the title. The 1994 Major League Baseball season is cancelled when the Players Association goes on strike. Genocide and Civil War take place in Rwanda with an estimated 500,000 or more people killed. The Channel Tunnel is completed and opens, connecting France and England. 1995 The American Space Shuttle Atlantis docks with the Russian Mir Space Station for the first time. The online auction website Ebay is founded. The Java Programming Language is released. The first Trans-Pacific hot air balloon solo flight is completed by Steve Fossett. The World Trade Organization ( WTO ) is created. 1996 Princess Diana and Prince Charles get divorced. The internet search engine "Ask Jeeves" is created. The Summer Olympics are held in Atlanta, Georgia. Kofi Annan becomes the Secretary General of the United Nations. Bill Clinton is elected for a second term as the United States President after he defeats Bob Dole.



1997 Madeleine Albright is appointed as the first female Secretary of State in the United States. Scotland creates its own Parliament. The first Harry Potter book is published by author J.K. Rowling. Scientists at the Roslin Institute unveil "Dolly" the first successfully cloned sheep. The Hale-Bopp comet makes its closest approach to Earth. 1998 The search engine Google is founded. Apple Computers reveals the iMac computer. The United States has a budget surplus for the first time in thirty years. Ireland and the United Kingdom sign the Belfast Agreement, also known as the Good Friday Agreement. Central American countries are devastated by Hurricane Mitch. 1999 President Bill Clinton faces impeachment proceedings. The file-sharing service Napster is created. The Dow Jones closes above 11,000 for the first time. Helen Clark becomes the first female Prime Minister elected in New Zealand. Eleven countries begin to use the Euro as their currency. Other After a number of years fighting between Iran and Iraq , Saddam Hussein needed additional funds and invaded neighboring oil rich Kuwait, The UN showed it's strength and a coalition force fully backed by the United Nations first bombed and then a month later mounted a ground attack to send the Iraq army back to Iraq and retook possession of Kuwait . ( This was known as The Gulf War )



In Rwanda and other countries in Africa including Zaire Ethnic Conflict between the majority Hutu and minority Tutsi caused upwards of the death of 500,000



In what was Yugoslavia more ethnic outbreaks occurred between Serbs and Croats and Muslims, Yugoslavia was eventually broken up following the breakup of Communism in Eastern Europe. Fighting continued through the first half of the 90's in what was called The Bosnian War as struggles for power and control and combined with the fighting between the various ethnic groups led to many atrocities and ethnic cleansing .



After many years of white rule and Apartheid in South Africa following economic sanctions applied by the US and the EEC. In the early 90's a referendum among the minority white population decided in favor of a new multiracial constitution , Black Political leaders were released from jail and the political parties were made legal , the most important being the ANC led by Nelson Mandella . In 1994 after the first democratic elections the ANC was voted into power



In the early 90's from 1990 - 1995 many in the UK were effected by the boom in house prices coming to an end and house prices falling which left many with negative equity. House prices suffered sharp falls, particularly in southern Britain. The causes for house prices falling were due to a number of factors including, high interest rates, 1990 an inflation rate of over 10%, and the previous house price boom making many believe that property prices would continue to be the best form of investment and borrowers ending up with mortgage payments that were difficult to service.



The 90's saw a world wide increase of the use, production, and smuggling of the drug trade, with the drugs becoming more addictive and destructive. Many initiatives were tried to stop the growth and production but at this point in time it is still an increasing problem in our society . Possibly still the best chance of stemming the growth is through education .



One area that caused major concern was the increase in Aids in Africa and into the developed world .





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Sporting Changes In The 90's Baseball

Players go on strike again in 1994 / 1995 Fans Fed Up With the greed of Players and Owners show their frustration and attendance Drops 20% .



Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire Chase Maris record of 61 home runs in one season ( set in 1961 ) in 1998 with Mark McGwire winning with 70 home runs for the year.



Basketball

Michael Jordan and Chicago Bulls won six titles in the 90's 91, 92, 93, 96, 97 and 98



The decade also saw the creation of the “Dream Team,” the 1992 Olympic men’s basketball team, many think the greatest team of players ever to play on one team, they destroyed the competition and of course won the gold medal in Barcelona.



After strikes by players during the last few decades, owners turn the tables when they Lockout the Players in 1998.



Association Football (Soccer)

Soccer Hooliganism continues through to the mid 90's and attendance falls due to concerns by most ordinary fans.



English Premier League Created in early 90's breaking away from earlier financial commitments made by the FA and the Football League allowing them to negotiate with Rupert Murdoch’s Sky Sports for £304 million over three years



UEFA Champions League created taking control of the TV rights to the tournament



US tries once again to launch Soccer with the Major League Soccer (MLS) which is still in place today.



American Football

College Football headed by Nebraska and Florida State.



Dallas Cowboys after having a rough period in the late 80's gain a new owner who brings in new management helping the Cowboys to win the 92, 93 and 96 Super Bowls



Ice Hockey

NHL Expands and Labor Unrest by Players with two lockouts in the decade



Patrick Roy considered by many to be the best Goaltender of all Time



Soviets lose dominance as Pro Players allowed in World Championships and Olympics



For More Sporting history, Origins, Events and Changes, Please Check Out Our New



Players go on strike again in 1994 / 1995 Fans Fed Up With the greed of Players and Owners show their frustration and attendance Drops 20% .Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire Chase Maris record of 61 home runs in one season ( set in 1961 ) in 1998 with Mark McGwire winning with 70 home runs for the year.Michael Jordan and Chicago Bulls won six titles in the 90's 91, 92, 93, 96, 97 and 98The decade also saw the creation of the “Dream Team,” the 1992 Olympic men’s basketball team, many think the greatest team of players ever to play on one team, they destroyed the competition and of course won the gold medal in Barcelona.After strikes by players during the last few decades, owners turn the tables when they Lockout the Players in 1998.Soccer Hooliganism continues through to the mid 90's and attendance falls due to concerns by most ordinary fans.English Premier League Created in early 90's breaking away from earlier financial commitments made by the FA and the Football League allowing them to negotiate with Rupert Murdoch’s Sky Sports for £304 million over three yearsUEFA Champions League created taking control of the TV rights to the tournamentUS tries once again to launch Soccer with the Major League Soccer (MLS) which is still in place today.College Football headed by Nebraska and Florida State.Dallas Cowboys after having a rough period in the late 80's gain a new owner who brings in new management helping the Cowboys to win the 92, 93 and 96 Super BowlsNHL Expands and Labor Unrest by Players with two lockouts in the decadePatrick Roy considered by many to be the best Goaltender of all TimeSoviets lose dominance as Pro Players allowed in World Championships and OlympicsFor More Sporting history, Origins, Events and Changes, Please Check Out Our New Sports History Section.



Technology 1990's The 90's saw the growth of the World Wide Web and the Personal Computer PC, In 1991 when the WWW first became available for the public it grew dramatically with users multiplying at the rate of about 3500 times a year , by the year 2000 there were an estimated 295 million users on the Internet. This in turn caused a continuing revolution in communication and business.



Possibly the field of Medical Science and the advances made in the late 90's will have the biggest impact on our society with 2 advances that leave us with moral and political questions for the future.



1. Cloning is the ability to clone one animal from the cell of another animal. A sheep later called Dolly which was cloned from the cell of an adult Ewe and was fused with an unfertilized egg cell from which the nucleic DNA had been removed.



2. Stem Cell Research In 1998 stem cells derived from the human embryo were first isolated, and research to help in many of the diseases and illnesses we suffer from is currently underway. But any research has a reliance on the use of a human embryo which is morally repugnant to many in our society.



Many believed prior to this that this was the stuff of science fiction. The human race will need to wrestle with the moral dilemmas social and political implications of this technology for many years to come.



The 90's also saw the development and growth of Genetic engineering or genetic modification (GM) Foods and the growth of the new science of Biotechnology. GM is used to help make plants resistant to herbicides and insecticides, by the late 90's about 100.00 million acres were planted with Soybean, Maize, Cotton, Canola, and it is estimated that over 60% of products on U.S. grocery shelves include GM ingredients.



The first cases of Avian Flu were found in China in the late 70's and China ordered the killing of all chickens in it's territory following the first cases of human deaths. There are 15 types of bird, or avian, flu. The most contagious strains, which are usually fatal in birds, are H5 and H7. The type currently causing concern is the deadly strain H5N1, which can prove fatal to humans.



The 90's saw the growth of many technology companies from small beginnings to a market dominant position , possibly the best example is Microsoft who from small beginnings now have their operating systems installed on 80% of the world's computers. Microsoft managed to provide users with the technology they wanted at an affordable price but also due to it's strength in the market leaves little room for new companies to emerge. After many years of being the hero of people and governments , both the United States and the European Union are attacking Microsoft for the restraint of competition.



The biggest assistance for many of the technological advances in the 90's was the improvements in communication including Internet access, allowing a global sharing of information and Mobile Communications, in the late 80's mobile phone technology was still in it's infancy but by the end of the 1990's owning a mobile phone was a fact of life, they are now part of everyday life, If you love them or hate them depends on your view of privacy including your own and others.



Possibly the field of Medical Science and the advances made in the late 90's will have the biggest impact on our society with 2 advances that leave us with moral and political questions for the future.1.is the ability to clone one animal from the cell of another animal. A sheep later calledwhich was cloned from the cell of an adult Ewe and was fused with an unfertilized egg cell from which the nucleic DNA had been removed.2.In 1998 stem cells derived from the human embryo were first isolated, and research to help in many of the diseases and illnesses we suffer from is currently underway. But any research has a reliance on the use of a human embryo which is morally repugnant to many in our society.Many believed prior to this that this was the stuff of science fiction. The human race will need to wrestle with the moral dilemmas social and political implications of this technology for many years to come.

Popular Culture 1990's Television Trends of the 1990s



The 1990s was an important decade in the history of television. Many programs that defined the decade are still popular even years after the last episodes were aired. Seinfeld – which has often been voted as the best show in the history of television – began and ended its nine seasons during the 1990s. In a way, Seinfeld redefined the sitcom genre by its seemingly pointless plots and unwavering characters.



Other shows came to a dramatic end in the 1990s, too. For the better part of the decade, NBC dominated Thursday nights with their “Must See TV” lineup. The Cosby Show led this lineup for many years, but it aired its last episode in the spring of 1992. Cheers was also a part of the NBC Thursday night lineup, but this show ended its nine-year run in 1993. In addition, Johnny Carson also said his final on-air joke in May of 1992, making way for Jay Leno to replace him on The Tonight Show.



Television in the 1990s also created a great deal of controversy. Beavis and Butthead – an animated program on MTV – was blamed for a young boy burning down his family’s mobile home. South Park also continued to push the envelope with child characters who were sassy and rebellious against their parents and teachers.



The reality show genre became widely popular in the 1990s and its popularity still continues to this day. MTV created the first popular reality show with The Real World. Other networks followed suit with CBS’s widely popular Survivor, which helped to pave the way for the plethora of reality shows on television today.



Children also benefited from the available programs of the 1990s. The Tiny Toons Adventures was a different take on the characters made popular by the Looney Toons. The Animaniacs, Family Guy, and King of the Hill also redefined animated television with wittier dialogue that was meant to entertain adults while still being appealing for children to watch.



Music of the 1990s



90's Music



The 1990s was an important decade in the history of television. Many programs that defined the decade are still popular even years after the last episodes were aired.– which has often been voted as the best show in the history of television – began and ended its nine seasons during the 1990s. In a way, Seinfeld redefined the sitcom genre by its seemingly pointless plots and unwavering characters.Other shows came to a dramatic end in the 1990s, too. For the better part of the decade, NBC dominated Thursday nights with their “Must See TV” lineup. Theled this lineup for many years, but it aired its last episode in the spring of 1992.was also a part of the NBC Thursday night lineup, but this show ended its nine-year run in 1993. In addition, Johnny Carson also said his final on-air joke in May of 1992, making way for Jay Leno to replace him on TheTelevision in the 1990s also created a great deal of controversy.– an animated program on– was blamed for a young boy burning down his family’s mobile home.also continued to push the envelope with child characters who were sassy and rebellious against their parents and teachers.The reality show genre became widely popular in the 1990s and its popularity still continues to this day.created the first popular reality show with. Other networks followed suit with CBS’s widely popular, which helped to pave the way for the plethora of reality shows on television today.Children also benefited from the available programs of the 1990s. Thewas a different take on the characters made popular by thealso redefined animated television with wittier dialogue that was meant to entertain adults while still being appealing for children to watch.