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Period: to
1990-2014
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Hubble Space Telescope
The Hubble Space Telescope, named after the astronomer Edward Hubble, was launched by NASA into space on April 24, 1990 and has continued orbiting the earth since. The telescope is able to take high-resolution photos, allowing scientists to learn even more about the world outside our own. -
Rwanda Civil War
Beginning in Oct of 1990, President Habyarimana of Rwanda, Africa, began turning Hutus of the country against the Tutsis, causing civil war. This battle between the two divided Rwanda for over 4 years. On April 6, 1994, the President's plane was shot down and he was killed, turning the war into a massive massacre of Hutus, who were blamed for the death. This shocked the world, including the US who didn't know how to take action. This failure to do anything was declared America’s biggest regret. -
Gulf War 1991
In 1990, Saddam Hussein, leader of Iraq, ordered the invasion of Kuwait, and surrounding nations requested help from the U.S. as well as other nations in the west. The United Nations demanded Hussein to withdraw by January 1991; however, Hussein did not withdraw, causing the U.S. to attack for 42 days until Iraqi forces fled from Kuwait. The war went on to about February/March 1991. This is significant because it was somewhat of a success for the U.S. and caused more unrest in the Middle East. -
Cell Phones & GPS
The first cell phone came about in the US in 1973, invented by Martin Cooper and produced by Motorola. This new invention changed the world of communication completely, allowing users to connect with one another on the go. -
Rodney King/LA Riots
These riots in Los Angeles, California began in April of 1992 when 4 police officers were acquitted of assaulting and using excessive force on Rodney King, a black man who was apart of a high speed chase. After the officers were acquitted, protesting the ruling. These riots didn’t stop until May 4, 1992, resulting in many arrests, injuries, and deaths. Though violent, these protests resulted in the retirement of the four officers, increased amount of minorities serving as police officers. -
1992 Dream Team
The 1992 American Men’s Olympic Basketball team was named the “Dream Team” because they remained undefeated throughout the games. This team was the first to include NBA players and has been called “the greatest sports team ever assembled.” These repeated victories for the team strengthened America’s patriotism. -
NAFTA
The North American Free Trade Agreement eliminated all trade restrictions and tariffs among the countries of North America (Canada, U.S., Mexico) allowing the continent to become one giant market of free trade. President Clinton signed this document into law on December 8, 1993. -
OJ Simpson Case
On June 12, 1994 in Los Angeles, California, Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman were murdered, resulting in the accusation that Nicole’s husband, ex-football player OJ Simpson, was the killer. The trial that ensued was televised and captured the attention of almost every American. Finally, on October 3, 1994, OJ Simpson was ruled not guilty for the murders. This iconic case was the most publicized in US history, and is so easily recognized because of how entertaining it was. -
Murder of Selena
Selena, a Mexican-American singer, was killed on April 1, 1995 in Corpus Christi, Texas. The murder was Yolanda Saldivar, supposedly Selena’s best friend, who claimed it was an accident. This event caused great distress for Selena’s fans, friends, and family, and was significant because of how popular Selena was. -
Oklahoma City Bombing
This bombing took place on April 19, 1995 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. On this day, a truck loaded with bombs, set up by anti-government extremists Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nicholas, blew up in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. This explosion destroyed the building and killed 168 people. This attack on the U.S. was the worst one to take place before 9/11. -
1996 Atlanta Olympic Bombing
During the 1996 summer Olympics, a bomb was placed in Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, Georgia. About 20 minutes before the bomb was detonated, an anonymous 911 call was made warning that the bomb would go off in 30 minutes. A security guard discovered the bomb in a backpack before it was detonated, allowing the park to be mostly cleared before it exploded. This bombing caused increases in security everywhere, especially for the next Olympic games. -
The Day I was Born
I was born in Austin, TX on January 30, 1997. On this day in the U.S., the Minuteman III, a test missile, was launched from California. The price of a gallon of gas was about $1.28. The federal minimum wage during this time was $4.75. The median family income for the U.S. was just under $52,000. The movie Star Wars premiered January 31st, making it the most popular movie of the week. The high temperature for the day was about 61 degrees while the low was about 42 degrees. -
Clinton Impeachment
On December 19, 1998, President Bill Clinton was impeached for lying about his affair with an intern under oath. The affair began in November of 1995 and continued until April 1996 when the intern, Monica Lewinsky, was moved to the Pentagon. With the affair over, Lewinsky told one of her co-workers about it, who recorded these conversations and later used them to prove Clinton and Lewinsky guilty of the affair. -
Black Hawk Down
Black Hawk Down, published in 1999, is the true story of the US military mission to capture a Somali warlord. The novel, written by Mark Bowden, describes the details of the close combat battle between the US soldiers and the local militia of Mogadishu. The book was later turned into a movie (2001). This event was the most intense close combat battle since the Vietnam War. -
Columbine HS Tragedy
On April 20, 1999, a school shooting took place in Columbine, Colorado. The shooters were two of the high school’s seniors, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. They set multiple bombs as well as shot and killed 13 people and themselves. They could never be questioned, so their reasons for doing this are still unclear. However, in their journals, they said they wanted to do something greater than the OK City bombing. This event caused an increase in security in schools and more anti-bullying programs. -
2000 Presidential Election- Bush/Gore
The Election of 2000 was the first time when the popular vote of the winner (Bush) was less than that of the loser (Gore). Similarly, the electoral vote was incredibly close: Bush with 271 and Gore with 266 votes. The election came down to the electoral college vote in Florida. It was eventually ruled too close to call, and Bush was declared the winner of the election. Gore and his campaign sued for a recount, and it was was the first time the Supreme Court became involved in the election. -
9/11
The terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in New York City took place on September 11, 2001. This event involved the entire nation, especially those working in the towers or those with family/friends working in the towers or on the planes that crashed. 19 members of the extremist group al-Qaeda hijacked four plans, and they flew two into the Twin Towers. This event is significant not only because it was a horrible tragedy, but also because it caused airlines to enforce stricter policies. -
Global War on Terrorism
This “war” is the term, first used by President George W. Bush, to describe the military campaign launched to defeat militant organizations. This campaign began on September 20, 2011, just nine days after the September 11th attack on the Twin Towers in New York City. Many nations are involved in this “war,” including those apart of NATO (North American Continent) and those in the east. This War on Terror has encouraged much involvement of the U.S. in the Middle East during times of conflict. -
Iraq War 2002
The U.S. first became involved in the Iraqi War in Oct of 2002 when Congress authorized military force in Iraq. Iraqi forces, led by Saddam Hussein, began causing unrest in this region of the world; therefore, the United Nations had to take action and the war began. In 2008, President Bush declared normalcy returning to Iraq, and, in Dec 2011, all U.S. troops were withdraw, bringing an end to the war. This event was a victory for the U.S., creating the US—Iraq Status Forces Agreement. -
Waco Tragedy- Branch Davidian
On Feb 28, 2003, the federal bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) attacked the Branch Davidian religious compound in Waco, TX. This raid was carried out because, according to the ATF, the religious group was manufacturing nuclear weapons as well as illegal drugs, but no evidence was found for these claims. Afterwards the government refused to take responsibility for the many injured and the loss of nearly 100 men, women, and children, causing Americans to become angry with the gov't. -
Human Genome Project
First beginning in the US in 1990, this project’s goal was to completely understand all the genes of human beings. Scientists studied and experimented for over one hundred years until, in April of 2003, the project was completed. The conclusion of the HGP means for the first time we have a better understanding not only of how the human body works, but also of how it is built. -
Hurricane Katrina
On Aug 29, 2005, this category 3 hurricane hit the Gulf Coast, causing massive flooding, destroying homes, and injuring/killing many people. This disaster forced many people living in Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana to leave behind homes in search of a new and safer area. This hurricane reached about 90,000 square miles of the U.S., swallowing nearly everything in its path. -
2008 Presidential Election- Obama/McCain
The 2008 Presidential Election was between Barack Obama and John McCain. This election was the first time a black man ran for president. Obama won with a popular vote of nearly 70,000,000 and an electoral vote of 365, while McCain had a popular vote of nearly 60,000,000 and an electoral vote of 173. The election of a minority into presidency showed a change in America. -
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela, born in 1918, is the former South African president who died on December 5, 2013 at the age of 95. Before his presidency, Mandela served as a South African activist against the nation’s oppressive regime. Mandela was a victor for peace and justice not only in South Africa, but also around the world. His actions throughout his life are admired by many, so the United Nations declared an international holiday in his name. -
My Most Recent Birthday
On this day, I was living in Austin, TX. I went to school and then came home to have dinner and open presents with my mom. On this day, a snowstorm blasted Atlanta, Georgia, forcing people to be trapped in their homes or schools. The price of a gallon of gas was $3.30 and the federal minimum wage was about $7.25 per hour. The median family income about $52,477. A popular movie that came out was That Awkward Moment. The high temperature was approximately 62 degrees while the low was 39 degrees.
