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Ronald Reagan is inaugurated as the 40th president; He is later shot in the chest by John Hinckley, Jr.
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Space shuttle Challenger explodes 73 seconds after liftoff, killing all seven crew members; It is the worst accident in the history of the U.S. space program.
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George H. W. Bush is inaugurated as the 41st president; He later signs legislation to provide for federal bailout of nearly 800 insolvent savings and loan institutions on August 9th.
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Bill Clinton is inaugurated as the 42nd president; House of Representatives votes to impeach him on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice on December 19th, 1998.
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Bombing of federal office building in Oklahoma City kills 168 people; The blast was set off by anti-government militant Timothy McVeigh, who in 2001 was executed for his crimes.
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George W. Bush is inaugurated as the 43rd president; His election provokes controversy after Supreme Court rules against ballot recount in certain Florida counties.
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Two hijacked jetliners ram twin towers of World Trade Center in worst terrorist attack against U.S.; a third hijacked plane flies into the Pentagon, and a fourth crashes in rural Pennsylvania. More than 3,000 people die in the attacks.
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U.S. and Britain launch air attacks against targets in Afghanistan after Taliban government fails to hand over Saudi terrorist Osama bin Laden, the suspected mastermind behind the Sept. 11 attacks.