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Period: to
The Resurgance of Conservatism and The New Millenium
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Mt. St. Helens volcano erupts
In terms of economic impact, the Mount St. Helens eruption was the most destructive in U.S. history. Fifty-seven people are known to have died. More than 200 homes were destroyed. More than 185 miles of roads and 15 miles of railways were damaged. Ash clogged sewage systems, damaged cars and buildings, and temporarily shut down air traffic over the Northwest. -
Reganomics
During the campaign of 1980, Ronald Reagan announced a recipe to fix the nation's economic mess. He claimed an undue tax burden, excessive government regulation, and massive social spending programs hampered growth. Reagan proposed a phased 30% tax cut for the first three years of his Presidency. The bulk of the cut would be concentrated at the upper income levels. The economic theory behind the wisdom of such a plan was called supply-side or trickle-down economics. -
Reagan wins presidency over Jimmy Carter
The contest was between incumbent Democratic President Jimmy Carter and his Republican opponent, former California Governor Ronald Reagan, as well as Republican Congressman John B. Anderson, who ran as an independent. Reagan, aided by the Iran hostage crisis and a worsening economy at home, won the election in a landslide, receiving the highest number of electoral votes ever won by a nonincumbent presidential candidate. -
John Lennon is shot
John Lennon focused on humanitarian and social activism.
The Beatles‘ musician John Lennon was shot and killed outside of his New York City apartment on the night of Dec. 8, 1980. -
Superfund
Superfund is the name given to the environmental program established to address abandoned hazardous waste sites. This law was enacted in the wake of the discovery of toxic waste dumps such as Love Canal and Times Beach in the 1970s. It allows the EPA to clean up such sites and to compel responsible parties to perform cleanups or reimburse the government for EPA-lead cleanups. -
AIDS Epidemic begins
The history of HIV and AIDS in the USA began in 1981, when the United States of America became the first country to officially recognise a strange new illness among a small number of gay men. Today, it is generally accepted that the origin of AIDS probably lies in Africa -
Sandra Day O'Connor appointed to Supreme Court
Sandra Day O'Connor was nominated to the Supreme Court by President Reagan on August 19, 1981. O'Connor went on to serve on the Supreme Court for a quarter century, where she had a major influence on the court's decisions. As a moderate, she often provided the deciding vote on many of the court's cases. She also helped inspire a generation of women to pursue careers in law -
"Evil Empire" Speech
The speech was not mainly about the cold war, the Soviet Union, or international affairs, however. It was about moral values, particularly how they underlay American democracy and how political disagreements were often, at bottom, moral conflicts. Reagan delivered the speech at a time when his defense and foreign policies divided the American people. -
Reagan Proposes ‘Star Wars’ Missile Defense System
President Ronald Reagan proposed the development of the technology to intercept enemy nuclear missiles. White House officials said the new program might involve lasers, microwave devices, particle beams and projectile beams. These devices, most of which are in a very early stage of development, in theory could be directed from satellites, airplanes or land-based installations to shoot down missi -
Sally Ride first American woman to travel into space
At 32, Ride experienced her first spaceflight as a mission specialist on STS-7, NASA's seventh shuttle mission, aboard the space shuttle Challenger. The mission launched on June 18, 1983 and returned to Earth on June 24. -
Reagan re-elected as president
Reagan carried 49 of the 50 states, becoming only the second presidential candidate to do so after Richard Nixon's victory in the 1972 presidential election. Reagan touted a strong economic recovery from 1970s stagflation and the 1981-82 recession -
Hole in the Ozone layer discovered
Discovering the Antarctic atmospheric ozone hole was a stunning geophysical surprise of global proportions with potentially disastrous consequences. The large area of depleted ozone at the bottom of the globe aroused a worldwide scurry to understand the phenomenon. It has led to MANY acts towards preserving the earth and its resources -
First Reagan-Gorbachev summt meeting
For the first time in eight years, the leaders of the Soviet Union and the United States hold a summit conference. Meeting in Geneva, President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev produced no earth-shattering agreements. However, the meeting boded well for the future, as the two men engaged in long, personal talks and seemed to develop a sincere and close relationship -
Iran Contra Affair
The scandal began as an operation to free seven American hostages being held by a group with Iranian ties connected to the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution. It was planned that Israel would ship weapons to Iran, and then the United States would resupply Israel and receive the Israeli payment. -
Black Monday
October 19, 1987, has come to be known as "Black Monday." It was on this day that the stock market again crashed, precipitating one of the first finacial crises of the modern globalized era, as the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) dropped 508 points, or 22.6% of its value. -
Bush defeats Dukakis for presidency
Bush capitalized on a good economy, a stable international stage, and on President Ronald Reagan's popularity, running an aggressive campaign. No candidate since the election has managed to equal or surpass Bush's number of electoral votes won or popular vote percentage. -
National Space Council
The National Space Council was a body within the Executive Office of the President of the United States, which existed from 1989 to 1993 during the administration of George H.W. Bush. It was a modified version of the earlier National Aeronautics and Space Council (1958-1973). -
Exxon Valdez Spills Millions of Gallons of Oil on Coastline
In March 1989, the Exxon Valdez supertanker ran aground on Bligh Reef, ruptured and spilled 11 million gallons of crude oil into Alaska's Prince William Sound. The spill was the worst that had occured up to that point in American history, damaging more than 1,300 miles of shoreline -
Penry v. Lynaugh
At the time of Penry’s trial, under Texas law, the jury was not allowed to consider Penry’s mental retardation or abusive childhood when deciding his sentence. The jury could only consider if Penry had killed on purpose, without provocation, and whether or not he was likely to commit more crimes. This was a problem because it violated Amendment 8
If the jury had been able to consider mitigating evidence, then Penry’s sentence probably would have been life in prison, not death. -
Savings and Loan Bailout approved
The savings and loan crisis of the 1980s and 1990s was the failure of about 747 out of the 3,234 savings and loan associations in the United States. A savings and loan or "thrift" is a financial institution that accepts savings deposits and makes mortgage, car and other personal loans to individual members -
Berlin Wall is torn down
on November 9, 1989 Thousands of East Berliners went to the border crossings. At Bornholmer Strasse the people demanded to open the border and at 10.30 pm the border was opened there.
That moment meant the end of the Berlin Wall.
Soon other border crossing points opened the gates to the West -
Hubble Space Telescope
The effort cost $1.5 billion and has provided more than just pretty pictures, the more than 45 terabytes of data collected has provided insight into the universe, from objects as close as the moon to the most remote galaxies, with incredible photos of supernovas and nebulas in between. -
Persian Gulf War
Iraqi military forces invaded and occupied Kuwait.
U.S. involvement in the situation was immediate, as Sheikh Jaber Al Sabah, the Emir of Kuwait, met with then-Secretary of Defense Richard Cheney to request U.S. military assistance, and President George Bush condemned Iraq's actions. -
Operation Desert Storn
Kuwait was a major supplier of oil to the United States. The Iraqi takeover posed an immediate threat to neighboring Saudi Arabia, another major exporter of oil. If Saudi Arabia fell to Saddam, Iraq would control one-fifth of the world's oil supply. All eyes were on the White House, waiting for a response. President Bush, who succeeded President Reagan, stated simply: "This will not stand." -
Soviet Union collapses and The Cold War ends
In December of 1991, as the world watched in amazement, the Soviet Union disintegrated into fifteen separate countries. Its collapse was hailed by the west as a victory for freedom, a triumph of democracy over totalitarianism, and evidence of the superiority of capitalism over socialism. -
27th Amendment is ratified
The Amendment requires that no change in compensation for a Representative or a Senator ”shall take effect, until an election of representatives shall have intervened.” The amendment was originally proposed in 1789 by James Madison, as part of his list of twelve amendments to the Constitution. -
Planned Parenthood v.Casey
In Casey v. Planned Parenthood (1992), the Supreme Court affirmed the basic ruling of Roe v. Wade that the state is prohibited from banning most abortions. Casey also ruled, however, that states may regulate abortions so as to protect the health of the mother and the life of the fetus, and may outlaw abortions of "viable" fetuses. -
Clinton wins the presidency
It was held on Tuesday, November 3, 1992. There were three major candidates: Incumbent Republican President George H. W. Bush; Democratic Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton, and independent Texas businessman Ross Perot.Clinton won a plurality in the popular vote, and a wide Electoral College margin. -
World Trade Center is bombed
The World Trade Center bombing of occurred shortly after the US presidential election. The incoming Bill Clinton was confronted with a new menace: Islamic terror had for the first time carried out a major strike on US soil. The first new president after the end of the Cold War and the previous president’s announcement of a ‘new world order’ was given a stark reminder that with the Soviet Union out of the way the US still faced a clear and present danger. -
Battle of Mogadishu
More commonly referred to as Black Hawk Down.
Shortly after the assault began, Somali militia and armed civilian fighters managed to shoot down two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. The subsequent rescue operation to secure and recover the crews of both helicopters drew the raid, intended to last no more than an hour, into an overnight standoff in the city. The battle resulted in 18 deaths, 80 wounded, and one helicopter pilot captured among the U.S. raid party and rescue forces. -
The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act is signed into law
the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, which instituted background checks on firearm purchasers in the United States. The law, which went into effect on Feb. 28, 1994, requires prospective handgun buyers to wait up to five business days — while authorities do a check — before the sale is completed or blocked. -
NAFTA is signed into law
NAFTA, a trade pact between the United States, Canada, and Mexico, eliminated virtually all tariffs and trade restrictions between the three nations. The passage of NAFTA was one of Clinton's first major victories as the first Democratic president in 12 years--though the movement for free trade in North America had begun as a Republican initiative. -
The World Trade Organization is created
The only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations. The goal is to help producers of goods and services, exporters, and importers conduct their business. -
Bill Clinton re-elected as president
The contest was between the Democratic national ticket of President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore, and the Republican national ticket of former Senator Bob Dole for President and former Housing Secretary Jack Kemp from for Vice President. Businessman Ross Perot ran as candidate for the Reform Party with economist Pat Choate as his running mate. Bill Clinton went on to win re-election with a substantial margin in the popular vote and electoral college. -
Impeachment of Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton, was impeached by the House of Representatives on two charges, one of perjury and one of obstruction of justice, on December 19, 1998. Two other impeachment articles. The charges arose from the Lewinsky scandal and the Paula Jones lawsuit.He was acquitted by the Senate on February 12, 1999 -
Columbine High School Shooting
Klebold and Harris had killed 12 fellow students and a teacher, and had wounded another 23 people. Then, around noon, they turned their guns on themselves and committed suicide.The awful crime captured the nation's attention, prompting an unprecedented search--much of it based on false information--for a scapegoat on whom to pin the blame. -
George W. Bush wins presidency over Albert Gore
The incumbent President, Bill Clinton, was vacating the position after serving the maximum two terms allowed by the Twenty-second Amendment. Bush narrowly won the election, with 271 electoral votes to Gore's 266. -
9/11
the 9/11 attacks resulted in 2,977 fatalities, including all 246 passengers aboard the four planes, another 2,606 people in New York City, and 125 at the Pentagon. The 9/11 attacks were part of the worldwide jihad that Islamic fundamentalists have long been waging against so-called “infidel” nations in every region of the globe. The United States responded to the attacks by launching its War on Terror, invading Afghanistan to depose the Taliban regime that had provided a safe haven for al Qaeda -
War in Afghanistan
The intervention in the Afghan Civil War by the United States and its allies, following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, to dismantle Al-Qaeda, the Islamic terrorist organization led by Osama bin Laden and to remove from power the Taliban -
Patriot Act is passed
During the weeks immediately following the 9/11 attacks, comprehensive legislation to close the loopholes in America's existing national-security laws was drafted in the form of the USA PATRIOT Act. The PATRIOT Act was no dramatic departure from existing legislation. Indeed, its key provisions were incorporated from an anti-terrorism measure that had been passed by Congress and signed into law by former President Bill Clinton -
Formation of Code Pink
It is primarily focused on anti-war issues, but has also taken positions on gun control, social justice, Palestinian statehood, green jobs and health care issues. The organization advertises itself as women-initiated and mainly composed of women. -
Space Shuttle Columbia explodes
The Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated over Texas and Louisiana during re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere, resulting in the death of all seven crew members. Debris from Columbia fell to Earth in Texas. A debris field has been mapped along a path stretching from south of Fort Worth to Hempill, Texas, as well as into parts of Louisiana. -
The Iraq War
The first was an invasion of Ba'athist Iraq starting on 20 March 2003 by an invasion force led by the United States. Officially ended December 18th 2011 -
Hurricane Katrina
The storm itself did a great deal of damage, but its aftermath was catastrophic. Levee breaches led to massive flooding, and many people charged that the federal government was slow to meet the needs of the people affected by the storm. -
Nancy Pelosi is sworn in as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives
Served as the 60th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011. She was the first woman to hold the office and to date is the highest-ranking female politician in American history. -
NASA spacecraft lands on Mars
Mars’s surface is currently far too cold for life to exist, but in the past, the planet’s axis might have periodically tipped over so that its north pole pointed at the sun during summer. That could have warmed the ice into liquid water.With liquid water comes the possibility of life -
District of Columbia v. Heller
The District of Columbia has a ban on handguns, and in addition prohibits them from being in the home unless they are disabled. Respondent Heller brings an action claiming that this complete ban violates the 2nd Amendment right to keep and bear arms -
Barack Obama is elected president
He was elected the 44th President of the United States on November 4, 2008, and sworn in on January 20, 2009. The first African-American president in America -
H1N1 deemed a global pandemic
11 June 2009 – The A(H1N1) influenza outbreak has officially reached global pandemic levels, the public health arm of the United Nations announced today, as it raised its warning system to Phase 6. -
Deepwater Horizon oil spill
Considered the largest accidental marine oil spill in the history of the petroleum industry. A massive response ensued to protect beaches, wetlands and estuaries from the spreading oil utilizing skimmer ships, floating booms, controlled burns and 1.84 million US gallons of oil. After several failed efforts to contain the flow, the well was declared sealed on 19 September 201 -
Don't Ask Don't Tell is repealed
The "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) policy, which has been in effect since the Clinton administration. The repeal came after thousands of miltary men and women were discharged over seventeen years for being gay, including many high-ranking service members.
