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Mt Saint Helen's Eruption
On May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens became the largest and most destructive volcanic eruption in U.S. history. By the end of its cycle of fire and fury, 57 people had died. -
1980 US Presidental Election
The 1980 United States presidential election was the 49th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 1980. Republican nominee Ronald Reagan defeated incumbent Democrat Jimmy Carter. -
Iran Releases Hostages
The Iran hostage crisis negotiations were negotiations in 1980 and 1981 between the United States Government and the Iranian Government to end the Iranian hostage crisis. The 52 American hostages, seized from the US Embassy in Tehran in November 1979, were finally released on 20 January 1981. -
MTV Signs On
On this day in 1981, MTV: Music Television goes on the air for the first time ever, with the words (spoken by one of MTV’s creators, John Lack): “Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll.” The Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star” was the first music video to air on the new cable television channel, which initially was available only to households in parts of New Jersey. -
Sandra Day O'Conner Joins US Supreme Court
She is the first female member of the Supreme Court. -
Beirut barracks bombing
On October 23, 1983, two truck bombs struck buildings in Beirut, Lebanon, housing American and French service members of the Multinational Force in Lebanon (MNF), a peacekeeping operation during the Lebanese Civil War. The attack killed 307 people: 241 U.S. and 58 French peacekeepers, 6 civilians, and 2 attackers. -
Chrysler Unveils Mini-Vans
The Dodge Caravan and the Plymoth voager are released to the public as 1984 models. -
Ninendo Entertainment System Released
The Nintendo Entertainment System (abbreviated as NES) is an 8-bit video game console, which released in North America in 1985, and in Europe throughout 1986 and 1987. The console was initially released in Japan as the Family Computer (abbreviated as Famicom) in 1983. -
Challenger Crash
Challenger Explosion CNN VideoOn Jan. 28, 1986 the space shuttle Challenger exploded during lift off, killing all on board including school teacher Christa McAuliffe. -
FOX Signs On
First major network to host nightly programming. FOX is still around today. -
Tax Reform Act of 1986 Passed
Simplified the tax code and broadedned the tax base. It was referred to as "Reagan tax cuts". -
"Tear down this wall"
"Tear down this wall!" is a line from a speech made by U.S. President Ronald Reagan in West Berlin on Friday, June 12, 1987, calling for the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, to open up the barrier which had divided West and East Berlin since 1961. -
Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty
Agreement between US and USSR. Limits ground intermidiate range nuclear weapons -
1988 Presidental Election
The 1988 United States presidential election was the 51st quadrennial United States presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 8, 1988. Incumbent Vice President George H. W. Bush, the Republican nominee, defeated Democratic Governor Michael Dukakis of Massachusetts -
Don't ask Don't tell
Act which prohibits homsexual people from serving in the US armed forces. -
Oklahoma City Bombing
The Oklahoma City Bombing was an attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. 168 people were killed including 19 children under the age of 6. It was the worst tragedy on US soil before 9/11. -
Lweinsky Scandal
Scandal that alleged that Bill Clinton had sexual contact with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. -
Columbine Massacre
Fourth deadliest school shooting in US history. 15 peoeple killed total including the shooters. -
9/11 Terrorist Attacks
four airplanes were hijacked and two destroyed the twin towers in NYC, one crashed into the Pentagon, and the fourth was crahed in a field in PA after the passenges on board took over the aircraft.
