-
Star Wars
The initial proposal to develop technology to intercept incoming missiles, the Strategic Defense Initiative Program, or Star Wars, is made by President Ronald Reagan. -
Ronald Reagan wins reelection
President Ronald Reagan wins reelection over Democratic challenger Walter F. Mondale -
Windows operating system released
The first version of the Windows operating system for computers is released. -
Black Monday
The stock market crash known as Black Monday occurs on the New York Stock Exchange, recording a record 23% drop in one day. -
George HW Bush wins 1988 Presidential Election
George Herbert Walker Bush, claims victory in the presidential election over Democratic challenger Michael S. Dukakis -
The Berlin Wall Falls
After thirty-eight years of restricting traffic between the East and West German sides of the city, the wall begins to crumble when German citizens are allowed to travel freely between East and West Germany. One day later, the influx of crowds around and onto the wall begin to dismantle it, ending its existence. -
Waco Standoff
The fifty-one day standoff begins when the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms try to arrest the Branch Davidian leader David Koresh for federal arms violations in Waco, Texas. Four agents and five members of the cult are killed in the raid -
9/11
Islamic terrorists hijack 4 U.S. planes and crash them into the Pentagon and the World Trade Center in New York City. The attack of two planes levels the World Trade Center and the crash of one plane inflicts serious damage to the Pentagon in Virginia, causing 3,000 deaths. The fourth plane is heroically crashed by passengers into a Shanksville, Pennsylvania cornfield. The plot is attributed to the Al-Qaeda organization led by Osama Bin Laden.