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Fifty-two American hostages held in Iran released.
Earlier, on November 17, Khomeini had ordered the release of 13 hostages, all women or African Americans, on the grounds that they were unlikely to be spies (another hostage, who became gravely ill, was released on July 11, 1980, producing the final number of 52 hostages) -
Reagan inaugurated
The first inauguration of Ronald Reagan as the 40th president of the United States was held on Tuesday, January 20, 1981, at the West Front of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. This was the first inauguration to be held on the building's west side. -
Spending speech (increase defense, decrease taxes)
Reagan proposes increased defense spending, and decreased taxes and domestic spending in speech to Congress. -
Soviet grain embargo lifted
The United States grain embargo against the Soviet Union was enacted by Jimmy Carter in January 1980 in response to the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. It remained in effect until Ronald Reagan ended it in 1981 upon taking the office of president. -
Reagan shot
Reagan is shot in the chest by John Warnock Hinckley Jr. -
Reagan and air-traffic controllers strike
Reagan orders the dismissal of 13,000 PATCO air traffic controllers out on strike, citing their violation of a federal law against industry strikes. -
Sandra Day O’Connor nominated to Supreme Court
Reagan nominates Sandra Day O'Connor to fill the seat of retiring Supreme Court justice Potter Stewart, making O'Connor the first woman to sit on the Supreme Court. -
Tax Equity & Fiscal Responsibility Act
Reagan signs the Tax Equity & Fiscal Responsibility Act (TEFRA). -
Military buildup (B-1 Bomber and MX missiles)
Reagan declares that the United States will produce the B-1 bomber and MX missiles as part of military buildup. -
Sanctions on Poland
Reagan imposes economic sanctions on Poland following that government's imposition of martial law. -
Reagan delivers his first State of the Union
Reagan calls for “New Federalism” in his State of the Union address, advocating less federal spending and more state initiative to solve social and economic problems. -
Reagan addresses Parliament in England
Reagan becomes the first U.S. President to address the combined Houses of Parliament, taking Britain's side in the Falkland Islands conflict with Argentina. -
Strategic Defense Initiative
Reagan urges development of the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), an attempt to create a high-technology anti-ballistic missile shield to protect the United States from nuclear attack. -
Suicide bombers attack U.S. Marines in Lebanon (1983)
The attack killed 307 people: 241 U.S. and 58 French military personnel, six civilians, and two attackers. -
Invasion of Grenada
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The US government defended its invasion of Grenada as an action to protect American citizens living on the island, including medical students. Deputy Secretary of State Kenneth W. Dam said that action was necessary to "resolve" what Article 28 of the charter of the Organization of American States (O.A.S.) -
Farm credit crises (Feb 1985)Farm credit crises (Feb 1985)
A farm crisis describes times of agricultural recession, low crop prices and low farm incomes. The most recent US farm crisis occurred during the 1980s. -
Social Security reform becomes law
The Social Security Disability Benefits Reform Act of 1984 was signed into law by then-U.S. President Ronald Reagan on 9 October 1984. ... It has been described as "one of the key pieces of social welfare legislation" enacted toward the end of Reagan's first term in office. -
Embargo on Nicaragua
The United States embargo against Nicaragua was declared by then-U.S. President Ronald Reagan on May 1, 1985, and prohibited all trade between the U.S. and Nicaragua. In a strategy similar to the embargo against Cuba, it was intended to undermine the Sandanista government which came to power in 1979.