By The Year: Defining Moments

Jan 20, 1993 – Bill Clinton appointed President
April 6, 1994- death of Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana sparks Rwandan Genocide
May 19, 1995 – Balamurali Ambati, world’s youngest doctor graduates from Mount Sinai at age 17
Aug 6, 1996 – NASA announces that life may have existed on Mars
Mar 4, 1997 – federally funded human cloning research banned by President Clinton
Oct 31, 1998 – Iraq ends cooperation with United Nations weapons inspectors.
Mar 20, 1999 – First Legoland outside of Europe opens in Carlsbad, California.
May 24, 2000 – After 22 years of occupation, Israeli troops withdraw.
September 11, 2001- two planes were hijacked by two terrorists and crashed into the World Trade Center killing approximately 2,900
2002 – The first season of Fox network’s “American Idol” premieres, setting a precedent for many reality show competitions.
2003 – Saddam Hussein is captured by U.S. forces in Iraq and later sentenced to death for “crimes against humanity.”
July 10, 2004 – Martha Stewart is sentenced to five months in prison for insider trading.
Aug 25, 2005 – Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans, causing an estimated $81.2 billion of damage and killing an estimated 1836 people.
Aug 24, 2006 – Pluto loses its title as the 9th planet of the Solar System as it is deemed a “dwarf planet” by The International Astronomical Union.
May 4. 2007 – Socialite Paris Hilton is sentenced to 45 days in jail for driving with a suspended license.
Nov 4, 2008 – Barack Obama is elected as the nation’s first African American President.
Sep 13, 2009 – Musician Kanye West interrupts Taylor Swift at MTV’s Video Music Awards as she gives an acceptance speech.
Mar 6 2010 – An oil rig belonging to BP explodes in the Gulf of Mexico, leaking an estimated amount of 4,900,000 barrels of oil over a period of 86 days, dubbing it the largest accidental oil spill in the history of the United States.

Source: HistoryOrb.com
By Features Editors Lindsay Croon and Karolina Zydziak