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Fifty-two Americans held hostage held in Iran
52 United States diplomats and citizens were held hostage after militants seized them as the U.S embassy in Tehran. They were released after 444 days -
Farm Credit Rises
Massive grain stockpiles and a grain contract with the Soviet Union lead to agricultural prosperity and economic inflation. This was followed by the Federal Reserves response and resulted in high interest rates that made history -
Reagan Inaugurated
Held on a Tuesday, at the West front of the United States Capitol in Washington D.C. This was the first inauguration held on the west side of the building -
Spending Speech
A plan was outlined for U.S. economic recovery in a 4,445 word speech, calling for large cuts to taxes and federal spending, described as one of the most comprehensive economic proposals since FDR had announced his New Deal program -
Attempted Assassination of Reagan
Reagan was shot and injured by John Hinckley Jr. in Washington D.C as he was returning to his limousine. The motive was to impress actress Jodie Foster, planning the assassination after watching the movie Taxi Driver -
The Soviet Grain Embargo Was Lifted
Enacted by Jimmy Carter in January 1980 in response to the invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. It remained in effect until 1981 when Reagan ended it upon taking office -
Air-traffic controllers Strike
Reagan fired 11,345 air traffic controllers who refused or ignored the order to return to work, banning them from federal service for life. -
Sandra Day O'Connor nominated to the Supreme Court
Nominated into the Supreme Court by Reagan, fulfilling his 1980 campaign promise to appoint a woman to the highest court in the U.S -
The Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act
Also known as TEFRA, it is a United States federal law that rescinded some effects of the Kemp-Roth Act that had passed the year before. It was sponsored by Representative Pete Stark of California -
Reagan addresses England Parliament
Reagan addresses the British Parliament at the Royal Gallery in the Palace of Westminster, London. He had suggested the Soviet bloc was weakening from within itself -
Reagan Prohibits Abortion Assistance
A bill endorsed by Reagan that prohibited the use of federal money by the poor trying to pay for Medicaid abortions or abortion coverage -
Strategic Defense Initiative
Nicknamed the "Star Wars program", was a proposed missile defense system intended to protect the U.S. from attack by intercontinental ballistic missiles and submarine-launched ballistic missiles. -
Social Security Reform Becomes Law
Made comprehensive changes in Social Security coverage, financing, and benefit structure. Passed by Congress and signed into law by Reagan -
Suicide Bombers attack Marines in Beirut, Lebanon
Two truck bombs struck buildings housing American and French service members of the Multinational Force. The detonation ripped the two-story building from its foundation, killing 241 military personnel -
Invasion of Grenada
The United States and a coalition of six Caribbean nations invaded the island nation of Grenada. Code-named Operation Urgent Fury, and resulting in military occupation within days. -
Nicaragua Embargo
The United States embargo against Nicaragua was implemented by Reagan, prohibiting all trade between the two places. It was intended to undermine the Sandanista government, which had come into power in 1979 -
Gorbachev hold summit in Switzerland
A Cold-War era meeting in Geneva, Switzerland. Reagan and Gorbachev met for the first time to discuss international diplomatic relations and the arms race. -
Space Shuttle Challenger Explosion
A fatal accident in the United States space program. The shuttle broke apart approximately 73 seconds into its launch and flight, killing all seven of the members on board. -
Reagan delivers his first State of the Union
Taking place on a Tuesday, the State of the Union Address was given in the chamber of the United States House of Representatives -
South African Sanctions
Reagan vetoed legislation that would have imposed new economic sanctions against Pretoria. Reagan stated that the United States could not "turn it's back and walk away" from South Africa -
Reagan and Gorbachev meet in Iceland
A meeting held in Reykjavík, Iceland, almost resulting in a sweeping nuclear arms-control agreement in which the nuclear weapons of both parties would be dismantled -
Water Quality Control Act
The House of Representatives had voted to override Reagan's veto of a bill that was aimed for the cleanup of the nations water, at a cost of 20 billion dollars. -
Sanctions on Poland
Reagan had lifted the sanctions on Poland, restoring the economic privileges taken away in December 1981, after the Polish government suppressed the solidarity movement -
Tower Commission Report
Concluded that the CIA Director William Casey, who had supported the Iran-Contra arrangement, Should have taken order of the operation, and make the president aware of the risks, notifying Congress as legally requiredd -
Iran-Contra Affair
Also known as the Iran-Contra scandal, the McFarlane affair, or the Iran-Contra, was a political scandal of the United States that had occurred during Reagan's second term. It was a secret arms deal that traded missiles and more in order to free some Americans held hostage -
West Berlin Wall Speech
Reagan stood in front of the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin to make his famous speech, challenging Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin wall -
Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty
An arms control treaty between the United States and Soviet Union, signed by President Reagan and General Gorbachev -
Reagan Visits the Soviet Union
Reagan visited the Soviet Union and attended a meeting with Mikhail Gorbachev, known as the Moscow Summit. He is the first American president to visit the Soviet Union since Nixon, fourteen years prior -
Military Buildup
Reagan presided over the largest defense buildup during peacetime in history, an 180 billion dollar expansion over six years. This included the B-1 bomber, the B-2 stealth bomber, and various conventional weapon programs -
Reagan Leaves Office
Reagan left office while holding an approval rating of 68%, and handed over the presidency to George W. Bush. He eventually died of Alzheimer's.