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Mount St. Helens Erupts
On May 18, 1980, at around 8:30 am, Mount St. Helens in Skamania County, Washington erupted, killing 57 people and is estimated to have killed thousands of animals. It is known as the most deadly/disastrous volcanic eruption to date in the US. -
Ronald Reagan Becomes President
Ronald W. Reagan became the 40th president of the United States on January 20, 1981. He succeeded former president Jimmy Carter, and became known for his present-day, conservative views. -
Challenger Explodes
On January 28, 1986 the Challenger space shuttle exploded 73 seconds after launch while being broadcasted to millions all over America. There were seven passengers, all of whom were killed from the explosion. -
Berlin Wall Falls
On November 9, 1989, the Berlin Wall fell/crumbled due to civil unrest and political change in Germany. This event began the end of Communism, yet it was gradual and not an immediate effect. -
Hubble Telescope is Launched
The Hubble Space Telescope was launched into orbit on April 24, 1990. Since then, it has allowed us to see some of the most intricate details of space, as it was one of the largest and most efficient telescopes of its time. -
Soviet Union Dissolves
On December 26, 1991, the Soviet Union dissolved. This happened for several reasons, but the main one was the rise in democracy throughout the union, which led to the downfall of Communism and the de-escalation of the practice that had been so prevalent. -
Oklahoma City Bombing
On April 19, 1995, Timothy Mcveigh along with Terry Nichols parked a car full of explosives that went off at approximately 9:02 am, killing around 170 people in the Oklahoma City area. -
9/11 Attacks on Twin Towers
On September 11, 2001 several members of an Islamic terrorist group, al-Qaeda, hijacked several public US airline planes intending to hit important US military buildings. Three of these attacks were successful, striking the Twin Towers and Pentagon, but the fourth plane landed in a field in Pennsylvania.