United States of America Timeline
1900's continued
- (1986) The space shuttle, Challenger, exploded shortly after take off from Cape Canaveral, killing all seven crew members; U. S. warplanes bombed cities in Libya; the Irangate scandal was uncovered - proceeds from secret sales of U. S. arms to Iran were used illegally to fund Contra rebels in Nicaragua
- (1989) The oil tanker, Exxon Valdez, ran aground in Prince William Sound, and spilled more than 10 million gallons of oil, the largest in U. S. history
- (1991) U.S. led an international coalition in military operations (Desert Storm) to drive Iraqis out of Kuwait
- (1993) A bomb exploded in the basement of the World Trade Center, killing 6 people, injuring 1,000 and causing more than $500 million in damages; federal agents stormed the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas killing 80 cult members; the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was enacted, with the intention of creating a free-trade bloc between the U. S., Canada and Mexico
- (1995) A bomb in the federal office building in Oklahoma City exploded, killing 168 people
- (1998) U.S. and Britain launched air strikes against weapon sites in Iraq
- (1999) 14 students and 1 teacher were killed and 23 others wounded in a shooting at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado; U. S. and China signed trade agreement
- (2001) Four passenger aircraft were hijacked, two crashed into the World Trade Center, one into the Pentagon and the fourth in a field in Pennsylvania. 3,025 people were killed. The U. S. led massive air strikes at targets in Afghanistan to help defeat the Taliban and to find Osama Bin Laden, who was suspected of being responsible for the attacks on the U. S.; energy giant, Enron, declared bankruptcy after false accounting was discovered
- (2002) Department of Homeland Security created
- (2003) The space shuttle, Columbia, exploded upon reentry into the earth's atmosphere killing the seven crew members; the war against Iraq began
- (2004) Four hurricanes devastated Florida and southern areas of the U. S.
- (2005) Hurricane Katrina hit the coasts of Louisiana and Mississippi, 80% of New Orleans was flooded, hundreds of people were killed
- (2006) Millions of immigrants and supporters staged protests against the U. S. government's plans to criminalize illegal immigrants
- (2007) Wildfires in California caused over 500,000 to leave homes; bridge across Mississippi River in Minneapolis collapsed, 7 killed, 60 injured; gunman at Virginia Tech campus killed 33
- (2008) Financial crises forced Lehman Brothers to file bankruptcy; investors lost over $50 billion in Ponzi scheme by Bernard Madoff; Barack Obama elected President of the United States
- (2009) US Airways plane crashed into New York's Hudson River, all on board survived; General Motors filed for bankruptcy protection; President Barack Obama awarded Nobel Peace Prize; US Army major killed 13, injured 30 at Fort Hood Military Base in Texas; incident on international Northwest Airlines flight was failed bomb attack
- (2010) Catastrophic explosion on oil rig in Gulf of Mexico killed 11, injured 17, caused major ecological and financial damages; mine explosion in West Virginia killed at least 25; Health care bill passed
- (2011) Occupy Wall Street movement attracted thousands of demonstrators in New York City
- (2011) Last US troops left Iraq after invasion nine years ago
- (2011) US forces killed terrorist Osama bin Laden
- (2012) US soldier killed 16 Afghan civilians in Kandahar
