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Mt. Saint Helens became the most destructive volcanic eruption in U.S. history. 57 people died in the incident.
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Becomes the 40th president of the United States.
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52 American hostages are released by Iran after negotiations between the U.S. and Iran. These hostages were captured from a U.S. embassy in Tehran.
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Sandra Day O'Connor becomes the first female appointed as a supreme court justice.
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President Reagan announces a defense plan called "star wars". The actual name of the plan is the SDI (Strategic Defense Initiative) and was constructed to develop a new anti-ballistic defense system.
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A suicide bombing attack on a U.S. embassy in Beirut, Lebanon is the deadliest attack on a U.S. diplomatic mission. 63 were killed, 17 of those were Americans.
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The NET (Nintendo Entertainment System), created in Japan, is a new 8-bit video game console. Released in North America in 1985, and in 1986 for Europe.
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Space shuttle "Challenger" explodes during lift off, killing all on board.
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The tax reform of 1986 is passed. This reform simplified the tax code. Referred to as the "Reagan tax cuts"
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U.S. president Reagan gives a speech in west Berlin, calling for the general secretary of the communist party of the Soviet union to open up the barrier that has divided west and east Berlin.
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Becomes the 41st president of the U.S.
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This amendment is finally passed 202 years after its first proposal by James Madison. This amendment keeps the U.S. congress from giving itself any midterm or retroactive pay raises.
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This bombing in Oklahoma City on the Alfred P. Murrah federal building kills 168 people. Many of who were young children. This is the worst tragedy before 9/11 on U.S. soil.
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42nd U.S. President Bill Clinton is accused of having sexual relations with White house intern Monica Lewinsky.
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The fourth deadliest school shooting in U.S. history at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado happens. Leaves 15 students dead.
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The deadliest terrorist attack happens on U.S. soil. 4 planes are hijacked, two flown into the Twin Towers in New York City, one into the Pentagon, and the fourth crashed into a field in Pennsylvania.