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Hostages in Iran Released
52 hostages were taken from the US Embassy in Tehran in November 1979 and after 444 days they are released. -
Reagan's First Inauguration
Reagan is inaugurated as the 40th president of the United States -
Address to the Nation on the Economy
Reagan outlined a plan for U.S. economic recovery. He called for large cuts to taxes and federal spending. -
Reagan Shot
John Hinckley Jr. fired at the President and his security team. Reagan was wounded when one of the bullets ricocheted off of the limousine, striking him under the left armpit. After twelve days in the hospital, he was able to return to the White House. -
Soviet Grain Embargo Lifted
Reagan lifted the grain embargo against the Soviet Union put in place by Jimmy Carter in 1980. -
Reagan Fires Striking Air Traffic Controllers
Reagan administration fired the 11,345 striking air traffic controllers who had ignored the order to return to work and banned them from federal service for life. -
Sandra Day O'Connor Nominated to Supreme Court
Fulfilled his 1980 campaign promise to appoint the first woman to the highest court in the United States -
Reagan Asks For 100 MXs, 100 B1 Bombers
President Reagan asked for approval to build 100 MX land-based missiles and 100 B1 bombers under a $180.3 billion program to upgrade the nation's nuclear forces. -
Sanctions on Poland
Reagan ordered a series of economic reprisals against the Polish government -
Reagan's First State of the Union
Reagan delivered his first State of the Union address in a televised prime-time speech -
Reagan addresses Parliament in England
Reagan speaks to Parliament about leaving communism and offering a strategy to end the Cold War -
Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act
Federal law that rescinded some of the effects of the Kemp-Roth Act passed the year before.TEFRA was created in order to reduce the budget gap by generating revenue through closure of tax loopholes, introduction of tougher enforcement of tax rules, and raising some rates, especially corporate rates. -
Strategic Defense Initiative
Proposed U.S. strategic defensive system against potential nuclear attacks from the Soviet Union -
Social Security Amendments
Made comprehensive changes in Social Security coverage, financing, and benefit structure. -
Beirut Barracks Bombings
A suicide bomber drives a truck packed with explosives into the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut, killing 241 U.S. military personnel. -
Invasion of Grenada
The United States and a coalition of six Caribbean nations invaded the island nation of Grenada to protect U.S. citizens there and to prevent the island's use as a base for Soviet and Cuban aggression in the Western Hemisphere. -
Farm Credit Crisis
Farm debt for land and equipment purchases soared during the 1970s and early 1980s. -
Embargo on Nicaragua
The United States embargo against Nicaragua prohibited all trade between the U.S. and Nicaragua. It was intended to undermine the Sandinista government which came to power in 1979. -
Geneva Summit of 1985
Meeting in Geneva, Switzerland between U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev. The two leaders met for the first time to hold talks on international diplomatic relations and the arms race. -
Space Shuttle Challenger Explosion
President Ronald Reagan delivered a televised eulogy after the Challenger disaster. "The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives. 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."" -
South African Sanctions
Imposed sanctions against South Africa and stated five preconditions for lifting the sanctions that would essentially end the system of apartheid. Prohibited loans to, other investments in, and certain other activities with respect to, South Africa, and for other purposes. -
Reykjavík Summit
Meeting between U.S. President Ronald Reagan and General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev -
Democrats Gain Seats
Democrats gained a net eight seats, and recaptured control of the Senate from the Republicans with a 55–45 majority. -
Iran–Contra Affair
Between 1981 and 1986, senior administration officials secretly facilitated the sale of arms to the Khomeini government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which was the subject of an arms embargo. -
Water Quality Control Act
Directs the States to establish numerical criteria, based on EPA's national water quality criteria, for toxic pollutants which could otherwise interfere with designated water uses. -
Tower Commission Concludes Report
Report concluded that members of the NSC staff were responsible for the secret diversion of funds and that President Reagan was out of touch with the actions of his own government in the White House. -
Berlin Wall Speech in West Berlin
"Tear down this wall!" speech. Reagan called for the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, to open the Berlin Wall. -
INF Treaty
Reagan and Gorbachev signed the INF Treaty in Washington, D.C. 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
Reagan Administration prohibited most of the nation's family planning clinics from providing advice or other assistance that would help women obtain abortions. -
Moscow Summit
A meeting between U.S. President Ronald Reagan and General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev where they finalized the INF Treaty after the U.S. Senate's ratification of the treaty in May 1988. -
Reagan's Farewell
Farewell address delivered from the Oval Office at the close of his second term, President Ronald Reagan reflected on his presidency, highlighting what he saw as his two “greatest triumphs”, the American economic recovery over the 1980s and the recovery of American morale following the Vietnam War.