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Chronology of Jimmy Carter’s Presidency

1977

  • January 20 - Inaugurated President
  • February 2 - Signs Emergency Natural Gas Act; “Fireside Chat”
  • March 30 - Soviet Union rejects SALT II proposals
  • April 4 - Sadat and Carter meet in Washington
  • April 6 - Carter signs Reorganization Act
  • April 18 - Second Address to the Nation on Energy
  • May 7 - London Economic Summit
  • June 30 - Carter halts B-1 Bomber Production
  • July 19 - Begin and Carter meet in Washington
  • August 4 - Department of Energy established
  • September 7 - Panama Canal Treaty signing
  • September 21 - Bert Lance resigns
  • September 27 - Agreement with Soviet Union on SALT II
  • October 5 - Signs International Covenant on Human Rights
  • November 19 - Sadat visits Israel

1978

  • March 16 - Senate ratifies first Panama Treaty
  • September 4 - Camp David Summit begins
  • September 17 - Camp David Accords signed
  • October 13 - Civil Service Reform Act Signed
  • October 15 - Congress passes first energy package
  • December 15 - Announces normalization of relations with People’s Republic of China

1979

  • January 16 - Shah leaves Iran
  • January 19 - Deng Xiaoping visits Washington
  • February 1 - Khomeini returns to Iran
  • March 8 - Trip to Egypt and Israel
  • March 26 - Egyptian-Israeli Peace Treaty signing
  • March 28 - Three Mile Island nuclear incident
  • April 5 - Address to the Nation on Energy
  • June 12 - Carter proposes National Health Plan to Congress
  • June 18 - Signing of SALT II Treaty in Vienna with Brezhnev
  • July 3 - Cancels energy speech; begins meetings at Camp David on state of the administration
  • July 15 - Address to the Nation—the “malaise” speech
  • July 17 - Announces Cabinet and senior staff changes
  • August 15 - Andrew Young resigns as Ambassador to the United Nations
  • August 31 - Soviet troops reported in Cuba
  • October 17 - Department of Education established
  • October 20 - Decision to admit the Shah to the United States for medical treatment
  • November 4 - American Embassy in Teheran overrun
  • December 27 - Soviet invasion of Afghanistan begins

1980

  • January 4 - Address to the Nation on Soviet invasion of Afghanistan; sanctions announced
  • January 20 - First caucuses in Iowa
  • January 21 - State of Union Message outlining “Carter Doctrine”
  • February 20 - Decision to boycott 1980 Summer Olympic Games in Moscow
  • March 14 - Anti-inflation program announced; balanced budget sent to Congress
  • April 11 - Decision to attempt hostage rescue mission
  • April 21 - Vance resigns as Secretary of State
  • April 24 - Rescue Mission fails
  • May 18 - Mount St. Helens erupts
  • July 16 - Republicans nominate Ronald Reagan
  • July 22 - Carter statement on Billy Carter’s relations with Libya
  • August 13 - Democratic Convention nominates Jimmy Carter
  • September 22 - Iraq invades Iran
  • October 28 - Carter - Reagan debate
  • November 4 - Reagan defeats Carter in election
  • December 2 - Carter signs Alaska Lands Bill
  • December 7 - Carter warns Soviets against military intervention in Poland
  • December 11 - Carter signs Superfund Bill to clean up toxic waste dumps

1981

  • January 16 - Final terms for release of American hostages negotiated
  • January 20 - 12 noon - Ronald Reagan inaugurated as President
  • January 20, 12:20pm EST - hostages released in Teheran
  • January 21 - President Reagan sends Carter to Germany to welcome hostages home
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