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Historical Context for January 24, 1980

In 1980, the world population was approximately 4,447,606,236 people[†]

In 1980, the average yearly tuition was $738 for public universities and $3,225 for private universities. Today, these costs have risen to $9,750 and $35,248 respectively[†]

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Headlines from January 24, 1980

G.E. Bests Pratt in Bid On Air Force Jet Engines

By Special to The New York Times

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23--A joint venture between General Electric and Snecma, the Paris-based aviation company,, has bested Pratt Whitney, the nation's leading producer of aircraft engines, in a competition to build new engines for the Air Force's KC-135 aerial tanker.

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CARTER WARNS U.S. WOULD USE ARMED FORCE TO REPEL A SOVIET THRUST AT PERSIAN GULF; CALLS FOR RENEWAL OF DRAFT REGISTRATION; THREAT TO OIL CITED Aide Calls State of Union Address an Ultimatum on Area's Security Reaction Split on Partisan Lines Carter Warns U.S. Would Act to Repel a Soviet Thrust Soviet Forces Near Key Strait Conciliatory Note Sounded 'Some Basic Questions' Raised Focus Is Almost Entirely Foreign

By Terence Smith Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23--President Carter, asserting that the Soviet forces in Afghanistan pose a "grave threat" to the Middle East oilfields, declared tonight that the United States would use "any means necessary, including military force" to repel an attack on the Persian Gulf.

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NO IMMEDIATE NEED FOR CALL-UP IS SEEN; Current Forces Termed Adequate --Preparedness Is Stressed Forces Called Adequate for Now Carter Seeks Revived Registration For a Draft, Stressing Preparedness Problems Meeting Goals The President's Options Republican Candidates' Stances Reasons for Recruiting Problems

By Richard Halloran Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23--President Carter announced tonight that he would ask Congress for legislation and funds to begin registering the nation's youth for possible military conscription.

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The Carter Doctrine; Stern Warning on Gulf Area Is in Sharp Contrast To Nixon's Avoidance of Regional Confrontation News Analysis Call for Draft Registration Carter Doctrine Is in Contrast With Strategy of '70s

By Hedrick Smith Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23--It was a serious warning that President Carter issued to the Soviet Union tonight, an echo of President Truman facing Soviet threats to Greece and Turkey in 1947 and Presi dent Eisenhower dealing with the instability of the Middle East a decade later.

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I was wondering if anything interesting on the news was going on when I was born, and decided to create this website for fun. The purpose is to show people what was going on when they were born. With this website I've found out that it was a pretty slow news day on my birthday, but I bet it would feel cool to know a historical event happened on your birthday.

The data used in this project is provided by the New York Times API. They have by far the best API I was able to find, with articles dating back to the 1950s. There weren't any other major newspapers that had an API with close to as much data. The closest was the Guardian API, but theirs only went back to the 1990s. I decided to only use articles from the New York Times because their API was by far the best. This tool works if you have a birthday after the 1950s or so.

Some important dates in history I'd recommend looking up on this website are:

  • 9/11/2001: The September 11 Attacks happened on this day, the news articles from this date provide great context to the tragedy our nation suffered and the immediate response from the American people. The headlines capture the shock, confusion, and unity that emerged in the aftermath of this devastating event.
  • 7/20/1969: The historic Apollo 11 moon landing, when humans first set foot on another celestial body. The articles from this date showcase humanity's greatest achievement in space exploration and the culmination of the space race.
  • 11/9/1989: The fall of the Berlin Wall, marking the beginning of the end of the Cold War. The coverage provides fascinating insights into this pivotal moment in world history and the emotions of people as decades of division came to an end.
  • 1/20/2009: Barack Obama's inauguration as the first African American President of the United States, a watershed moment in American history that represented a major milestone in the ongoing journey toward racial equality.
  • 8/15/1969: The Woodstock Music Festival began, marking a defining moment in American counterculture and music history. The coverage captures the spirit of the era and the unprecedented gathering of young people.

These historical events are just a few examples of the fascinating moments in history you can explore through this tool. Whether you're interested in your own birthday, significant historical dates, or just curious about what was making headlines on any given day, this website offers a unique window into the past through the lens of contemporary news coverage.

You can read more on our blog.