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Operation Eagle Claw
Operation Eagle Claw, an operation undertaken by the Carter administration with the goal of saving 52 American hostages in Tehran, Iran, resulted in a failed rescue mission. -
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan was inaugurated as the 40th President of the United States after defeating the incumbent Jimmy Carter in the presidential election of 1980. -
Sandra Day O'Connor Appointed to Supreme Court
The U.S. Senate confirmed Sandra Day O'Connor as the first female Supreme Court justice after Reagan nominated her for the position a month prior. -
Beirut Barracks Bombing
A suicide bombing took place at the United States Embassy in Lebanon after President Reagan sent U.S. Marines to the country as peacekeepers the year before. -
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Iran-Contra Affair
The political scandal referred to as the "Iran-Contra Affair" took place as Oliver North and the Reagan administration raised funds to support the Nicaraguan rebels known as "Contras" by selling arms to Iran. -
George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush, formerly Reagan's vice president, was inaugurated as the 41st President of the United States after running against Micheal Dukakis in the presidential election of 1988. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall came down after dividing Germany for more than 20 years, an event which is known for symbolizing the fall of communism in Europe and which led to the end of the Cold War soon after. -
Collapse of the Soviet Union
The Soviet Union dissolved into a Commonwealth of Independent States after experiencing a number of radical reforms as put into place by General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev. -
Columbine High School Massacre
The fourth-deadliest school shooting to ever take place in the United States occurred at Columbine High School in Columbine, Colorado with murderers Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. -
9/11 Terrorist Attacks
The deadliest terrorist attack in history took place as planes hijacked by Al-Queda terrorists crashed into the United States World Trade Center and the Pentagon building.