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U.S. Invasion of Panama
The U.S. invasion of Panama began at the end of the year, following the beginning of the 90's. The U.S. would invade Panama to overthrow its dictator Manuel Noriega who was involved in drug trafficking and suppressing democracy. Noriega would become overwhelmed and eventually surrender on the 3rd of January, 1990. -
Passage of the American With Disabilities Act
The ADA was passed by congress and signed by president Bush which granted the first comprehensive civil rights law for Americans with disabilities. The law eliminated any type of discrimination towards Americans with disabilities in employment and public spaces that are open to the general public. -
Rodney King Beating/ L.A. Riots
Rodney King, an African American construction worker in the city of Los Angeles was beaten brutally by four police officers. A recording of the beating was released which resulted in the trial of the four officers. Three of the cops were acquitted and one of the trials failed to reach a verdict. The result of the court cases would ignite the L.A. Riots in which 63 people were killed and more than 2,000 injured. The riots would last for 6 days until the U.S. armed forces would involve themselves. -
U.S. Soldiers in Somalia/Blackhawk Down
On October 3rd, American troops were sent to Somalia to capture Mohamed Farrah Aidid, who was the leader of the Habr Gidr Clan. The operation was meant to last no more than one hour but the militia in Somalia proved to be a greater threat. A rescue operation was then put into place and it would be days of constant fighting before the troops could be rescued. -
Passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement
NAFTA was an agreement to eliminate any barriers or obstacles involved with trading with Canada and Mexico. It was passed and signed by president George H.W Bush, Canadian prime minster Brian Mulroney, and Mexican president Carlos Salinas de Gortari. -
O.J. Simpson Trial
The trial of O.J. Simpson would stem from his suspected involvement in the murder of his wife and her lover. Simpson would then be on caught on live TV, in a low speed pursuit. The evidence of the murder would stack against him. However Simpson had gathered a team of expert lawyers who would be commonly referred to as the dream team. The verdict would have his murder counts acquitted. -
Explosion of TWA Flight 800
On July 17th, 1996, TWA Flight 800 would lift off from JFK Nation Airport. 12 minutes after the takeoff the plane would explode due to a suspected fuel tank explosion. At first, it was suspected that terrorist were behind the act but no evidence arose which would help support the claim. No survivors were left as all 230 passengers sadly died on the plane. -
Olympic Park Bombing
On July 27th, 1996. A domestic terrorist identified as Eric Rudolph would plan an attack at the 1996 Summer Olympics with the use of a pipe bomb. The bomb killed one person and injured 11 others along with another dying from a heart attack. -
Murder of JonBenét Ramsey
JonBenét Ramsey was an American beauty queen who was murdered. She was murdered in the basement of her home. Her death resulted from asphyxiation and a blow to the head. Next to her was a handwritten ransom note. Originally the parents were suspected of the murder but were dropped off due to DNA analysis. The case is still unsolved to this day. -
Murder of James Byrd
James Byrd was an African American who was tragically lynched by three white supremacists. The three convicts dragged Byrd behind a truck for miles until Byrd's head was severed along the way. The court trial after the lynching would help result in the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. -
Murder of Matthew Shepard
Matthew Shepard was a college student in Wyoming who was openly gay among his peers. After a night at a bar, he was lured and robbed by two men. Shepard would be beaten heavily throughout the robbery and would be pistol whipped multiple times in the head. The blows to his skull caused massive damage to his brain stem which he would later succumb to his injuries in a hospital. Shepard's death would later spark major controversy with anti-gay churches and the LGBT community. -
NATO Bombing in Yugoslavia
On March 20th, NATO would permit air strike bombings in Yugoslavia, after information about a new deal of ethnic cleansing was is process against Kosovar Albanians. -
Columbine Massacre
In a high school located in Colorado, two students named Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris began a shooting spree upon their fellow classmates which resulted in the death of 12 students and one teacher and wounded many others. After their spree of murder, both shooter committed suicide at around 12PM. The tragedy that occurred at Columbine would spark a national debate about gun control.