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52 American hostages held in Iran released
Americans were taken hostage after militant Iranian students stormed the U.S embassy over shah's tension, leading to the hostages being held for 444 days until the U.S paid a ransom of 8 billion dollars. -
Reagan Inaugurated
Reagan was sworn into office and became the 40th president of the United States -
Spending speech
Reagan proposed to congress to increase defense spending and decrease taxes and domestic spending -
Reagan shot
Ronald Reagan was shot by John W. Hinkley Jr after he gave his speech at the Washington Hilton hotel -
Soviet grain embargo lifted
Reagan lifts the grain embargo that Jimmy carter placed on the Soviet Union. -
Reagan and air traffic controllers strike
Reagan fired over 13,000 PATCO air traffic controllers after they went on strike. By doing so they violated the law and as much as Reagan didn't want to fire them he must uphold the law. -
Sandra Day O’Connor, first woman on Supreme Court
Nominated by Reagan to become the supreme court justice, making her the first woman to sit on the supreme court -
Military buildup (B-1 Bomber and MX missiles)
The United States will start to produce B-1 bomber and MX missiles in order to build up the military -
Sanctions on Poland
Regan imposes economic sanctions under the impositions of martial law -
Reagan delivers his first State of the Union
Reagan called for “New Federalism”, advocating less federal spending and more state initiative to solve social and economic problems -
Reagan addresses Parliament in England
Reagan becomes the first U.S. President to address the combined Houses of Parliament, taking Britain's side in the Falkland Islands conflict with Argentina -
Tax Equity & Fiscal Responsibility Act
reduce the budget gap by generating revenue through the closure of tax loopholes, the introduction of tougher enforcement of tax rules -
Strategic Defense Initiative
Reagan urges the development of the Strategic Defense Initiative and attempts to create a high-technology anti-ballistic missile shield to protect the United States from nuclear attack. -
Social Security reform becomes law
President Reagan signs social security into law -
suicide bombers attack U.S. Marines in Lebanon (1983)
A truck over 2000 lbs of explosives barreled through the capital of Lebanon killing 241 servicemen -
Invasion of Grenada
U.S. forces invade the island nation of Grenada to overthrow the military government and vanquished the small town with little to no effort -
Farm credit crisis
Eases tensions on a loan-guarantee program, but rejects provisions for additional funding -
Embargo on Nicaragua
A trade embargo was placed on Nicaragua in an attempt to undermine the Sandinista government. (This embargo was later found to be in violation of international law) -
Space Shuttle Challenger explosion (Reagan Speech)
“The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives,” Reagan said. “We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye and ‘slipped the surly bonds of earth’ to ‘touch the face of God.'” - Washinton Post -
South African sanctions
Limited economic sanctions against South Africa after the South African government declares martial law. -
Democrats gain seats (Midterm elections-Nov 1986)
Democrats gain control of the senate -
U.S. illegally sells arms to Iran (Iran-Contra Affair)
Reagan informs Congress that the United States secretly sold arms to Iran in violation of federal laws prohibiting arms deals with Iran. The administration denies that the sales were part of an attempt to secure the release of American hostages held by Iranian-backed forces. -
Water Quality Control Act
A water pollution administration that creates grants for construction of sewage treatment works, requires the establishment of water quality criteria -
Tower Commission concludes report (1987)
CIA Director William Casey, who supported the Iran-Contra arrangement, should have taken over the operation, made the president aware of the risks, and notified Congress as legally required. -
Berlin Wall Speech in West Berlin (1987)
"Gorbachev, tear down this wall" -
Gorbachev, Reagan signed treaty (1987)
INF Treaty ( The final treaty eliminated an entire class of nuclear weapons, restricting the deployment of both intermediate and short-range land-based missiles worldwide.) -
Reagan prohibits abortion assistance (1988)
a bill that would prohibit the use of federal money for Medicaid abortions for the poor, coverage of abortions in health insurance plans for government workers, research on abortion, and population control programs abroad that promote abortion -
Reagan visits Soviet Union (1988)
a summit meeting between U.S. President Ronald Reagan and General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev -
Reagan says farewell
President Reagen bids a farewell to the presidency