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

  • Jimmy Carter Elected President

    Jimmy Carter Elected President
    Jimmy Carter won the 1976 US presidential election against Gerald Ford, securing the Democratic nomination and becoming the 39th president.
  • 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
    The Three Mile Island incident, a partial nuclear meltdown at Unit 2 of the Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station.
  • Mount. St. Helens Eruption

    Mount. St. Helens Eruption
    The 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens was a major volcanic event that resulted in significant damage and loss of life, making it the deadliest and most destructive eruption in US history. The eruption, which occurred on May 18, 1980, was preceded by two months of intense activity, including numerous earthquakes and small explosions.
  • Iran Hostages Released

    Iran Hostages Released
    The 52 American hostages held captive at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran were released on January 20, 1981, after 444 days of captivity.
  • Assassination Attempt on President Reagan

    Assassination Attempt on President Reagan
    John Hinckley Jr., the man who shot President Ronald Reagan in 1981, is currently living in Williamsburg, Virginia.
  • Challenger Shuttle Explosion

    Challenger Shuttle Explosion
    The Space Shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after liftoff on January 28, 1986, killing all seven astronauts on board, including schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe. The disaster occurred due to the failure of O-ring seals in one
  • Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster

    Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster
    The Chernobyl disaster, which occurred on April 26, 1986, at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Soviet Ukraine (now Ukraine), was a severe nuclear accident resulting from a steam explosion and fire that released a large amount of radioactive material into the environment.
  • Iran/ Contra Affair

    Iran/ Contra Affair
    During the Reagan administration, senior Reagan Administration officials secretly facilitated the sale of arms to Iran, the subject of an arms embargo in hopes of securing the release of hostages and allowing U.S. intelligence agencies to fund the Nicaraguan Contras.
  • Fall of the Berlin Wall

    Fall of the Berlin Wall
    The Berlin Wall fell on November 9, 1989, marking a pivotal moment in history. East German border guards opened the border, allowing East Berliners to cross into West Berlin and, by extension, to visit West Germany.
  • George H.W. Bush Elected President

    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.
  • Rodney King Decision & L.A. Riots

    Rodney King Decision & L.A. Riots
    The uprising in Los Angeles was the result of years of mistreatment by the police, racist policies with housing and employment, and economic decline in the Black community.
  • 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. He became the first president to be born in the Baby Boomer generation and the youngest to serve two full terms.
  • 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, which began on January 16, 1991, and ended with an Iraqi defeat and retreat from Kuwait on February 28, 1991.
  • Original U.S.A. Olympic Basketball Dream Team

    Original U.S.A. Olympic Basketball Dream Team
    The original USA Olympic basketball team, was the 1992 squad that featured a roster of NBA all-stars.
  • Launch of Google

    Launch of Google
    Google officially launched its search engine on September 4, 1998, after being incorporated on that date. The company was founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, and their initial investment came from Andy Bechtolsheim, co-founder of Sun Microsystems.
  • Bill Clinton Impeached by the House of Representatives

    Bill Clinton Impeached by the House of Representatives
    Yes, Bill Clinton was indeed impeached by the House of Representatives on December 19, 1998
  • World Trade Center/Pentagon/Shanksville, PA Attacks

    World Trade Center/Pentagon/Shanksville, PA Attacks
    In total, 2,753 people died in the Twin Towers during the September 11 attacks.