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Historical Context for February 19, 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 February 19, 1980

INFORMER FOR F.B.I. SUSPECTED OF USING ABSCAM IN SWINDLES; Businessmen Say That He Posed as Agent of Fictitious Sheik, Bilked Them of $150,000 Executive of Fictitious Company No Comment From Justice F.B.I. Investigating Reported Swindles by an Ex-Informer Indignation From Businessmen Chase Declines to Comment To Begin Serving Sentence Other Legal Problems

By Leslie Maitland

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is looking into whether a man it had employed as an informer used inside information about the Government's Abscam operation to work private swindles for his own financial gain.

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U.N. Plan Reported to Set Feb. 27 As Deadline for Hostages' Release; Militants Must Be Persuaded U.N. Plan Reported to Set Feb. 27 for Hostage Release Flight to Iran Arranged No Written Confirmation Carter Withholding Comment

By Bernard D. Nossiter Special To the New York Times

UNITED NATIONS, N.Y., Feb. 18-- The American hostages in Iran must be released within a specific period of time or the United Nations inquiry commission will abandon its task, officials here said today.

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Pentagon Activates Strike Force; Effectiveness Believed Years Off; Fighting a 'Half War' Projecting Force Abroad Pentagon Activating Strike Force; Effectiveness Is Believed Years Off New Interest Aroused First Tasks Listed Potential Contributors Chosen

By Richard Halloran Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18--Secretary of Defense Harold Brown has ordered the highly publicized Rapid Deployment Force to begin operating March 1, but it will take several years to fashion a force fully capable of striking swiftly into such remote regions as the Persian Gulf.

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TRUDEAU'S LIBERALS RECEIVE A MAJORITY IN CANADIAN VOTING; CLARK IS SWEPT OUT OF OFFICE Victors Win Nearly Half of Popular Vote While the Conservatives Receive Only 28 Percent Opposition to Energy Price Rises To Step Down During Term Trudeau's Party Wins Majority in Canadian Voting Sharp Conflict With Alberta

By Henry Giniger Special To the New York Times

OTTAWA, Tuesday, Feb. 19--Former Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau and his Liberal Party, rejected by voters only nine months ago, were returned triumphantly to office yesterday with a majority Government.

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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.