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Jimmy Carter, a former governor of Georgia, was elected as the 39th President of the United States. His presidency is notable for its focus on human rights, energy conservation, and the Camp David Accords. -
The release of George Lucas's "Star Wars" changed the film industry, creating a blockbuster culture and leading to major advancements in special effects. -
The Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania suffered a partial meltdown, leading to a major nuclear crisis in the U.S. -
The eruption of Mount St. Helens in Washington state was the deadliest and most economically destructive volcanic event in U.S. history. -
Fifty-two American diplomats and citizens were held hostage in Iran for 444 days. Their release overlapped with the inauguration of President Ronald Reagan, which many deem suspicious. -
President Ronald Reagan was shot and wounded by John Hinckley Jr. Though he had life-threatening injuries, he later recovered and joked about the situation. -
The Iran-Contra Affair involved the confidential sale of arms to Iran, which was then used to fund Contra rebels in Nicaragua. -
The Space Shuttle Challenger disintegrated shortly after launch, killing all seven crew members, including teacher and first civilian in space, Christa McAuliffe. NASA subsequently put the space shuttle program on a 32-month hiatus. The program was then ended altogether in 2011. -
A fatal nuclear accident in Chernobyl, Ukraine, caused widespread radioactive contamination. The radiation went 500 kilometers and into places like the UK and Finland. -
George H.W. Bush became the 41st President of the United States. His presidency marked the end of the Cold War, major foreign policy changes, and the initiation of the Gulf War in response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. -
The Berlin Wall's fall led the end of the Cold War and the division between Eastern and Western Europe as well as leading to the reunification of Germany and major shifts in European politics. -
Led by Saddam Hussein, the Persian Gulf War began when Iraq invaded Kuwait. A U.S.-led coalition intervened to liberate Kuwait. -
The USA Men’s Olympic Basketball Dream Team, consisting of NBA stars like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird, was formed for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. -
The acquittal of four LAPD officers in the brutal beating of Rodney King set off widespread riots in Los Angeles. -
Bill Clinton won the presidency as a centrist Democrat with a focus on economic issues. His time in office was marked by economic prosperity. -
Google was founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin while they were PhD students at Stanford University. -
Bill Clinton was impeached on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice related to his extramarital affair with Monica Lewinsky. However, he was later acquitted by the Senate. -
The 9/11 attacks were a series of coordinated terrorist attacks by al-Qaeda, resulting in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people. This event affected U.S. domestic policy and foreign relations, leading to the War on Terror and changes in security measures.