Stuff and MapSense

For Lab 3 I mapped the 1980 presidential election. I was sixteen years old and it was the first time that I was really aware of what was going on. I chose a yellow color scheme because for me it was a yellow election. That year, 1979-80, was the year of the “Iranian Hostage Crisis”. 52 American hostages were being held in Tehran and Ronald Reagan promised to get them released. That year, for the first time, yellow ribbons appeared tied to telephone poles and streets signs. The image was taken from a song that had recently been popular called “Tie a Yellow Ribbon” (much like “I’m proud to be an American” came out again after 9/11) and it signified the desire of the American people to have their people returned. The day that Reagan was inaugurated the hostages were freed. Anytime I think of that election I see yellow.