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Assassination Attempt on President Reagan
On March 30, 1981, Ronald Reagan, the president of the United States, was shot and wounded by John Hinckley Jr. in Washington D.C., as Reagan was returning to his limousine after a speaking engagement at the Washington hilton hotel. -
Jimmy Carter Elected President
Carter, a Democrat from Georgia, took office following his narrow victory over Republican incumbent president Gerald Ford in the 1976 presidential election. His presidency ended following his landslide defeat in the 1980 presidential election to Republican Ronald Reagan, after one term in office -
Star Wars Movie Premier
The first Star Wars movie, Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, was released in 1977, marking the debut of the iconic franchise. Initially released simply as Star Wars, it was later retitled Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope in 1981. The film was a huge success, becoming a cultural phenomenon and spawning countless spin-offs, video games, and a merchandising emp -
Three Mile Island Meltdown
The Three Mile Island accident, a partial nuclear meltdown that occurred at Unit 2 of the Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station in Pennsylvania on March 28, 1979, was the worst commercial nuclear power plant accident in U.S. history. It was caused by a combination of equipment failures, design flaws, and operator errors. While a partial meltdown occurred, the accident did not cause any significant off-site radiation releases or health impacts. -
Mount. St. Helens Eruption
The 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens was a catastrophic event that triggered a massive debris avalanche, a lateral blast, and a plume of ash that covered vast areas. The eruption, on May 18, 1980, was preceded by two months of increased seismic activity and the formation of a bulge on the volcano's north flank. The eruption was triggered by a magnitude 5.1 earthquake and the subsequent landslide, which caused a lateral blast that devastated a 17-mile area. -
Iran Hostages Released
The Iranian hostages were released on January 20, 1981, following a 444-day captivity that began with the takeover of the U.S. embassy in Tehran. The release occurred minutes after Ronald Reagan's inauguration as president, ending the crisis that had plagued President Jimmy Carter's administration. -
Iran/ Contra Affair
The Iran-Contra affair was a US government scandal where senior officials secretly sold weapons to Iran in exchange for the release of American hostages held in Lebanon. The profits from these arms sales were then diverted to support the Nicaraguan Contras, a group fighting the Sandinista government, despite a congressional ban on such aid. The scandal, which came to light in 1986, revealed a pattern of deception, lying to Congress, and abuse of presidential power. -
Challenger Shuttle Explosion
The Space Shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after liftoff on January 28, 1986, killing all seven crew members aboard. The disaster was caused by a failure in one of the solid rocket boosters, specifically the O-rings, which were meant to seal the joints between booster sections. Cold weather at the time of launch caused the O-rings to become brittle and fail to seal properly, leading to a leak that ignited the fuel tank and caused the shuttle to break apart. -
Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster
The Chernobyl disaster, which occurred on April 26, 1986, at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine (then part of the Soviet Union), resulted from a flawed reactor design and operator error, leading to a steam explosion and fire that released vast amounts of radioactive material into the atmosphere. The accident caused immediate deaths, long-term health problems, and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people. -
George H.W. Bush Elected President
Bush, a Republican from Texas and the incumbent vice president for two terms under President Ronald Reagan, took office following his landslide victory over Democratic nominee Michael Dukakis in the 1988 presidential election. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
The fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989, marked the end of the Cold War division between East and West Germany, and it was a pivotal moment in history. Initially erected in 1961 to prevent East Germans from fleeing to the West, the wall became a symbol of repression and political division. The East German government's unexpected decision to open the border led to joyous reunions and the eventual dismantling of the wall, which was followed by Germany's reunification on October 3, 1990 -
Start of the Persian Gulf War
The Gulf War was an armed conflict between Iraq and a 42-country coalition led by the United States. -
Rodney King Decision & L.A. Riots
Protesters threw objects at passing cars, set fires to buildings, and rioters of all races looted the stores in the area. At the conclusion of the six days of unrest, sixty-three people were dead, over 7,000 were arrested, and an there was an estimated $1 billion in property damage -
Original U.S.A. Olympic Basketball Dream Team
The "Dream Team," the 1992 U.S. Olympic Men's Basketball team, was the first time that the NBA's best players were allowed to compete in the Olympics. This team featured some of the biggest names in basketball history, including Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and many others. They went on to win an Olympic gold medal in Barcelona, winning all eight of their games with ease -
Bill Clinton Elected President
Clinton was elected president in the 1992 election, defeating the incumbent Republican Party president George H. W. Bush, and the independent businessman Ross Perot. He became the first president to be born in the Baby Boomer generation and the youngest to serve two full terms. -
Launch of Google
Google was officially launched on September 4, 1998, when Google Inc. was incorporated in Menlo Park, California. The company was founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin to develop and market Google Search. The domain name google.com was registered on September 15, 1997. -
Bill Clinton Impeached by the House of Representatives
Bill Clinton was impeached by the House of Representatives on December 19, 1998, on two articles of impeachment: perjury and obstruction of justice. These charges stemmed from his relationship with Monica Lewinsky and his testimony in the Paula Jones lawsuit. While impeached, he was later acquitted by the Senate. -
World Trade Center/Pentagon/Shanksville, PA Attacks
Two hijacked planes crashed into the World Trade Center towers in New York City, a third plane hit the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and a fourth crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvani