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Jimmy Carter Elected President
Jimmy Carter -a democrat from Georgia- wins the 1976 presidential election over his opponent Gerald Ford (republican). -
Star Wars Movie Premier
The film "Star Wars" premieres and quickly becomes widely popular, launching a major pop franchise. -
Three Mile Island Meltdown
A partial nuclear meltdown at Unit 2 of the Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station occurred near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It didn't result in widespread health effects or injuries, but it was still a major event in U.S. nuclear power history. -
Mount. St. Helens Eruption
The deadliest and most destructive volcanic eruption in United States history. Resulted in 57 fatalities and billions of dollars in damage. -
Iran Hostages Released
52 American hostages are released minutes after Ronald Reagan took office as the 40th President of the United States. They are released by the U.S. Embassy in Tehran were released after 444 days of captivity. This event marked the end of the Iran Hostage Crisis, which had begun on November 4, 1979. -
Assassination Attempt on President Reagan
John Hinckley Jr. attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan, injuring a bodyguard in the process. He was found not guilty by reason of insanity and was committed to a mental hospital. -
Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster
A catastrophic nuclear accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine (then part of the Soviet Union). It was the result of a steam explosion and fire that released radioactive materials into the environment, leading to a major health crisis and lasting environmental contamination. -
Iran/ Contra Affair
The secret sale of arms to Iran to secure the release of American hostages held in the Middle East during the Reagan administration. -
Challenger Shuttle Explosion
A US space shuttle explodes 73 seconds after launch on national television. On this shuttle, there was a science teacher named Krista Mcollive who was on board the Challenger when it blew up. (This is why everyone is watching.) The explosion kills all seven of the people on board. -
Bill Clinton Elected President
Democrat Bill Clinton defeated the incumbent Republican Party president George H. W. Bush in the 1992 presidential election. He became the first president to be born in the Baby Boomer generation and the youngest to serve two full terms. -
George H.W. Bush Elected President
George Herbert Walker Bush, a Republican from Texas, won the presidential election over Democratic nominee Michael Dukakis. Bush was the incumbent vice president for two terms under President Ronald Reagan, and he served as the 41st president of the United States from 1989 to 1993. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
The fall of communist regimes in Eastern Europe and the triumph of democratic ideals. The fall of the wall signified the end of the Cold War and the division between East and West Germany. -
Start of the Persian Gulf War
The start of a conflict between Iraq and a 42-country coalition led by the United States after the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq. (led by Saddam Hussein) -
Rodney King Decision & L.A. Riots
Rodney King, a motorist in LA, was severely beaten by white police officers after a high-speed chase. Vidos show that the beating is excessive, but the police officers are acquitted of all charges of assault with a deadly weapon and excessive use of force. This caused outrage in the Black and Latino communities in LA and led to widespread protests and riots. -
Original U.S.A. Olympic Basketball Dream Team
The 1992 U.S. men's basketball team that competed in the Barcelona Olympics. This team was made up of Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, Clyde Drexler, Patrick Ewing, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Christian Laettner, Karl Malone, Chris Mullin, Scottie Pippen, David Robinson, and John Stockton. -
Bill Clinton Impeached by the House of Representatives
The impeachment of President Bill Clinton by the House of Representatives after the Monica Lewinsky scandal. He was acquitted on both charges in a Senate trial and stayed in office. -
Launch of Google
Larry Page and Sergey Brin launch a web-based search engine. This -Google- quickly becomes successful and is the most used search engine today. -
World Trade Center/Pentagon/Shanksville, PA Attacks
Several of the US's most important buildings are the targets of terrorist attacks led by Islamic extremist group al Qaeda—founded by Osama bin Laden—hijacked four commercial passenger airplanes and crashed them into the buildings.