1980s US Politics

	The 1980s
		1980s CE

1980 After defeating Senator Edward M. Kennedy for the Democratic presidential nomination, lost the election to Ronald Reagan by a wide margin. 489-49EV	1981 Ronald Reagan 1st Lady: Nancy On January 20, inaugurated as the 40th president. Moments later, 52 Americans, held hostage in Iran since November 1979, were released. In July, nominated Sandra Day O'Connor as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.
1982	1983 With U.S. forces participating in a multinational peacekeeping force in Lebanon, 241 U.S. servicemen are killed in terrorist attack in October. Later in October, U.S. troops invade the Caribbean island of Grenada in an "effort to restore order and democracy."
1984 Reelected in a landslide 525-13EV Walter F. Mondale .	1985 In November, met with Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev.
1986 In January, seven American astronauts lost their lives in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. American warplanes bombed "terrorist-related targets" in Libya, in April. Second summit meeting with Gorbachev in Iceland. The Iran-Contra affair becomes public.	1987 Stock market collapse in October raises doubts about Reagan's economic program. Arms-control agreement signed with the USSR in December.
1988 Goodwill visit to Russia in the spring. Supports George Bush in the presidential election. 426-111EV Michael Dukakis	1989 George Bush 1st Lady: Barbara Savings and loan bail-out plan passed. Exxon Valdez leaves history's largest oil spill in Alaska. Federal minimum hourly wage increased. Authorized the use of U.S. troops to oust Panama's General Manuel Noriega.

1980s