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Historical Context for October 20, 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 October 20, 1980

REAGAN CALLS PEACE HIS FIRST OBJECTIVE IN ADDRESS TO NATION; COUNTERS CARTER'S CHARGES Talk Outlines a Bipartisan Foreign Policy -- Pledges Arms Talks Based on U.S. Strength Reagan Calls World Peace His First Objective and Outlines Bipartisan Foreign Policy Strength and Peace 'I Will Sit Down With the Russians'

By Douglas E. Kneeland Special To the New York Times

ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 19 -- Ronald Reagan, strongly defending his commitment to peace, went on the offensive tonight to try to blunt the issue, which has shown signs of dominating the closing days of the Presidential campaign.

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Carter Is in Trouble With Voters In Two Major Sections of Florida; Reagan Leads in Newspaper Poll The Crucial States: Florida Carter Is in Trouble With Voters in Two Crucial Sections of Florida Problems of Disaffection A Longtime Democratic Stronghold Carter to Campaign Tuesday

By Dudley Clendinen Special To the New York Times

MIAMI, Oct. 19 -- President Carter, who captured Florida's 17 electoral votes by a margin of 5 percent of the popular vote in 1976, has serious problems in the two areas that provided his slim margin four years ago, the northern tier and Dade County.

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President Suggests Reagan's Policy Could Lead to a 'Nuclear Precipice'; Prepares for Campaign Trip Timing of Reagan Speech Carter Suggests Reagan's Policy Could Lead U.S. to a 'Nuclear Precipice' 'A Very Risky Gamble' Problem in Persian Gulf

By Steven R. Weisman Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 -- President Carter, moving further to make the strategic arms treaty with the Soviet Union a major issue of his re-election campaign, charged today that Ronald Reagan's attitudes toward arms control could push the United States closer to a "nuclear precipice."

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Fouts Is Key To 44--7 Romp; Chargers, Behind Fouts, Rout Giants, 44-7 Charger Receivers Thrive Cappalletti Scores Chargers Beat the Clock Simms Hit and Fumbles Giants-Chargers Summary Scoring Giants Notes Giants Statistics

By Malcolm Moran Special To the New York Times

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 19 -- The cannon, which is located in the corner of the end zone in San Diego Stadium, shatters a peaceful, hilly setting each time the Chargers score a touchdown or a field goal or win a football game.

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Muskie Assures Iran on U.S. Role; Expectations Not Raised Muskie Assures Iran on Neutrality Planes Sent at Saudis' Request

By Bernard Gwertzman Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 -- Secretary of State Edmund S. Muskie sought to reassure the Iranians today that by sending radar surveillance planes to Saudi Arabia the United States was not taking sides in Iran's conflict with Iraq. He also said that the United States shared Iran's concerns about Jordan's outspoken support of Iraq.

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Stevens Pact Is Ratified, Encouraging Unions in South; Workers Approve J.P. Stevens Accord 'It Feels Real Good' Dramatic Shift in Position

By Philip Shabecoff Special To the New York Times

ROANOKE RAPIDS, N.C., Oct. 19 -- Laughing and cheering as they stood in a grimy high school auditorium, union workers voted unanimously today to approve the first collective bargaining contract accepted by the J.P. Stevens Company, which had long been a symbol of adamant resistance to unionization in the South.

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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.