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Historical Context for September 11, 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 September 11, 1980

JAVITS NOW SEEKING A 'MIDDLE COALITION' IN WAKE OF DEFEAT; HOLDS ONLY THE LIBERAL LINE Senator Wants to Maintain Center, With D'Amato on Right and Rep. Holtzman on Left Independent Group Planned Badly Beaten in G.O.P. Primary, Javits Seeks a 'Coalition of the Middle Murphy Renominated Heavy Turnout in Liberal Areas Javits Backer Promises Aid

By Maurice Carroll

New York confronted a new political situation yesterday as Senator Jacob K. Javits, badly beaten in the Republican primary, sought to carve out what his campaign manager called "a coalition of the middle."

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Two Panels Vote to Overrule Carter And Bar Atomic Fuel Sale to India; Problems for Pakistan Now Likely to Block Sale Panels Vote to Overrule Carter on Sale of Fuel to India

By Bernard Gwertzman Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, Sept. 10--The Carter Administration was dealt a sharp setback today when both the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee voted to reject the projected sale of 38 tons of enriched uranium to India.

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PRESIDENT REJECTS TW0 NEW PROPOSALS FOR 3-MAN DEBATES; Both Reagan and Anderson Assail Carter Move--Proceed With Plans to Face Each Other Reagan Presses Attack Compromise Proposals Carter Camp Rejects 2 New Compromise Plans for Presidential Debates

By Hedrick Smith Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, Sept. 10--President Carter's campaign rejected two new compromise proposals for debates today and came under renewed attack from both Ronald Reagan and John B. Anderson, who made plans to go ahead with a two-man debate without the President.

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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.