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Historical Context for December 6, 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 December 6, 1980

U.S. Suspends New Aid to Salvador Till American Deaths Are Clarified; Role of Security Forces Hinted U.S. Suspends New Aid to Salvador Till American Deaths are Clarified Official Warns of Coup Threat Junta Member in Panama

By Juan de Onis Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5--The United States suspended new military and economic aid to El Salvador today pending clarification of the role of Salvadoran security forces in the killing of three American nuns and a lay missionary.

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SOVIET BLOC NATIONS MEET UNEXPECPEDLY ON CRISIS IN POLAND; DIPLOMATS SPLIT ON MEANING All Warsaw Pact Countries Attend and Express Their Confidence in the Kania Government A Western Assessment Detente Is Again Endorsed A Parallel With Czechoslovakia Soviet Bloc Nations Meet Unexpectedly on Crisis in Poland Tension and Rumor Fill the Air Americans Hold a Dimmer View Union Rules Out New Strikes

By R.w. Apple Jr. Special To the New York Times

MOSCOW, Dec. 5--The leaders of the Soviet Union and its Eastern European allies held a surprise meeting here to discuss the problems in Poland and expressed confidence tonight that the Poles would overcome their crisis and that the workers would "assure the country's development along the socialist path."

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PROSECUTOR DOUBTS A COMPUTER CAUSED FIRE THAT KILLED 26; Source of Westchester Hotel Blaze Is Still Under Investigation-- No Code Violation Found Cause Still Not Determined Computer Doubted as Cause Of Westchester's Hotel Fire Gulliver's Fire Recalled No Records Available

By M.a. Farber Special To the New York Times

WHITE PLAINS, Dec. 5--The Westchester District Attorney said today that the fire that killed 26 people at a hotel conference center near here yesterday had not been touched off by computer equipment used by the Arrow Electronics Corporation.

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Percy Said to Tell Soviet He Favors Palestinian State Headed by Arafat; Expected to Head Committee PERCY SAID TO FAVOR STATE LED BY ARAFAT Palestinian Federation Seen

By Bernard Weinraub Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5--Messages to the State Department from Thomas J. Watson Jr., the American Ambassador to the Soviet Union, disclose that Senator Charles H. Percy told Soviet leaders two weeks ago that he favored a Palestinian state with Yasir Arafat, head of the Palestine Liberation Organization, as its elected leader.

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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.