India, Pakistan tests five of its own nuclear weap-
ons. The United States, Japan, and other nations
respond by imposing economic sanctions upon
Pakistan. (Oct. 31) Iraq touches off an interna-
tional disarmament crisis when it announces that
it will no longer cooperate with United Nations
weapons inspectors.
Government and politics: (Jan. 26) In a televised
speech, President Clinton denies he had “sexual
relations” with Monica Lewinsky, a former White
House intern. (Jun. 25) The U.S. Supreme Court
declares the Clinton line-item veto unconstitu-
tional. (Jul. 28) Lewinsky receives immunity in ex-
change for providing testimony to a grand jury
about her relationship with President Clinton.
(Aug. 17) President Clinton testifies he had an
“improper physical relationship” with Lewinsky.
He goes on television that night to admit that
he “misled people” about his affair with the
former intern. (Aug. 20) The Supreme Court of
Canada rules Quebec cannot legally secede from
the nation without the federal government’s ap-
proval. (Nov. 3) Former professional wrestler
Jesse Ventura is elected governor of Minnesota.
(Dec. 19) The House of Representatives im-
peaches President Clinton for obstruction of jus-
tice and perjury regarding his relationship with
Lewinsky.
Military and war:(Feb.) The U.S. Senate passes Res-
olution 71, urging President Bill Clinton to “take
all necessary and appropriate actions to respond
to the threat posed by Iraq’s refusal to end its weap-
ons of mass destruction programs.” (Feb. 20)
Iraqi president Saddam Hussein tries to prevent
military action by the United States and Great
Britain by negotiating a deal with U.N. secretary
general Kofi Annan that will enable weapons
inspectors to return to Baghdad. (Aug. 7) The
American embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania,
and Nairobi, Kenya, are bombed, killing more
than two hundred people and injuring more than
forty-five hundred others. The bombings are
linked to Osama Bin Laden, the head of al-
Qaeda, a Muslim extremist group. (Aug. 20) In
retaliation for the August 7 embassy bombings,
the United States launches cruise missile attacks
against alleged al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan
and a suspected chemical plant in Khartoum, Su-
dan. (Nov. 20) A court in Taliban-controlled Af-
ghanistan declares accused terrorist Osama Bin
Laden “a man without a sin” in regard to the Au-
gust 7 U.S. embassy bombings. (Dec. 16-19) Presi-
dent Bill Clinton orders American and British air
strikes on Iraq in response to that nation’s failure
to cooperate with U.N. weapons inspectors.
Society:(Feb. 10) Maine voters repeal a gay rights
law enacted in 1997—the first state to abandon
such legislation. (Jun. 2) California voters ap-
prove a proposition that abolishes the state’s bi-
lingual education program. (Jul. 10) The Roman
Catholic diocese of Dallas, Texas, agrees to pay
$23.4 million to nine former altar boys who al-
leged that they were sexually abused by a former
priest. (Oct. 6) Matthew Shepard, a gay college
student, is found tied to a fence near Laramie,
Wyoming, and dies six days later. The hate crime
spurs public reflection about homophobia in the
United States.
Business and economics:(Mar. 4) The U.S. Su-
preme Court concludes that federal laws banning
sexual harassment in the workplace apply when
both parties are of the same sex. (Apr. 7) Citicorp
and Travelers Group announce a planned merger,
which would create Citigroup, the world’s largest
financial services corporation. (May 18) The U.S.
Department of Justice and twenty states file an an-
titrust lawsuit against Microsoft. (Sept. 7) Google
Inc., a search engine company, is founded in
Menlo Park, California. Google will eventually be-
come the largest search engine and one of the
most frequently visited sites on the World Wide
Web. (Nov. 9) A federal judge orders Merrill
Lynch, Goldman Sachs, and many other broker-
ages to pay more than one billion dollars to inves-
tors who claim they were the victims of a NASDAQ
price-fixing scheme.
Transportation and communications:(Jan. 28) Ford
Motor Company announces it will acquire Volvo
Cars for $6.45 billion. (Jun. 5) Workers at a Gen-
eral Motors Corporation factory in Flint, Michi-
gan, go out on strike. The strikers will eventually
be joined by workers in five other plants and will
be off the job for seven weeks. (Sept. 2) Pilots for
Air Canada go on strike for the first time in the
company’s history. (Nov. 12) Daimler-Benz and
Chrysler Corporation complete their merger,
creating DaimlerChrysler.
Science and technology:(Jan. 6) The Lunar Pros-
pector spacecraft is launched into orbit around
the Moon. The probe later finds evidence ofThe Nineties in America Time Line 1039