70's, 80's, 90's, 00's Timeline

  • Jimmy Carter Elected President

    Jimmy Carter Elected President
    Jimmy Carter took office on this day after beating Gerald Ford in the election!
  • Star Wars Movie Premier

    Star Wars Movie Premier
    The original "Star Wars" film, now known as "Episode IV: A New Hope," premiered in US theaters on May 25, 1977. The film quickly became a major cultural phenomenon, launching the Star Wars franchise.
  • Three Mile Island Meltdown

    Three Mile Island Meltdown
    Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station in Pennsylvania suffered a nuclear meltdown due to equipment failures and design flaws.
  • Mount. St. Helens Eruption

    Mount. St. Helens Eruption
    A series of Volcanic Eruptions that occurred in the State of Washington, killing 57 people.
  • Iran Hostages Released

    Iran Hostages Released
    After the 444-day captivity began in Tehran, 52 U.S. Diplomats and Citizens were returned home.
  • Assassination Attempt on President Reagan

    Assassination Attempt on President Reagan
    John Hinckley Jr would attempt to kill President Ronald Reagan in an act to impress Jodie Foster.
  • Iran/ Contra Affair

    Iran/ Contra Affair
    The Iran-Contra affair was a scandal that occurred during the Reagan administration involving the secret sale of arms to Iran, with the goal of securing the release of American hostages held in the Middle East.
  • Challenger Shuttle Explosion

    Challenger Shuttle Explosion
    73 Seconds after liftoff, 7 on board members were killed after the failure of the O-Ring seal in the Challenger Shuttle.
  • Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster

    Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster
    This was a catastrophic nuclear accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine, then part of the Soviet Union. The accident was triggered by a power surge during a safety test on the RBMK reactor at low power. A flawed reactor design and inadequate training of operators contributed to the severity of the event.
  • George H.W. Bush Elected President

    George H.W. Bush Elected President
    George H.W. became president after beating Michael Dukakis in 1988.
  • Fall of the Berlin Wall

    Fall of the Berlin Wall
    The Fall of the Berlin Wall, a pivotal event in history, marked the end of the Cold War division between East and West Germany.
  • Start of the Persian Gulf War

    Start of the Persian Gulf War
    The invasion of Kuwait led to a United Nations Security Council embargo and sanctions on Iraq and a U.S.-led coalition air and ground war.
  • Rodney King Decision & L.A. Riots

    Rodney King Decision & L.A. Riots
    Just a couple of days after the verdict of Rodney King's trial, riots broke out in the area of Watts in L.A. This would last several days, until it was eventually settled down.
  • Original U.S.A. Olympic Basketball Dream Team

    Original U.S.A. Olympic Basketball Dream Team
    In 1992, the USA basketball team had its first-ever All-Pro NBA National Team. This team consisted of Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and many other NBA Legends.
  • Bill Clinton Elected President

    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.
  • Launch of Google

    Launch of Google
    Larry Page and Sergey Brin founded what would eventually become the biggest global browser ever.
  • Bill Clinton Impeached by the House of Representatives

    Bill Clinton Impeached by the House of Representatives
    Bill Clinton was impeached due to perjury and obstruction of justice.
  • World Trade Center/Pentagon/Shanksville, PA Attacks

    World Trade Center/Pentagon/Shanksville, PA Attacks
    Terrorists affiliated with Al-Qaeda hijacked the U.S. commercial airlines and attacked the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon in DC, and Shanksville.