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2009 in the United States

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Events from the year 2009 in the United States.

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The inauguration of Barack Obama as the president, occurred on January 20. The nation, still recovering from the Great Recession, received various economic stimuli through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and similar legislation, which most notably gave Americans tax credits. Though the recession officially ended in June of this year, it did not come without this year's share of bankruptcies and dissolutions, most notably Circuit City and the Chicago Cubs.

The year also saw the roots of various movements which would come to define the next ten years, including the Tea Party movement, and the beginning of the legalization of same-sex marriage. The Democratic Party gained a filibuster-proof supermajority of seats within the Senate, enabling the passage of the Affordable Care Act the following year. The year's second G20 summit was also held in the city of Pittsburgh. Culturally, the nation was wracked by the death of Michael Jackson, which triggered an immense response around the world and caused some websites to crash due to an overflow of traffic.

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Incumbents

Federal government

George W. Bush (R-Texas) (until January 20)
Barack Obama (D-Illinois) (starting January 20)
Dick Cheney (R-Wyoming) (until January 20)
Joe Biden (D-Delaware) (starting January 20)
More information Governors and lieutenant governors ...
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Events

January

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January 16: Electronics retailing company Circuit City closed all of its U.S. stores in the wake of a bankruptcy issue, after nearly 60 years in business.
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January 20: Barack Obama becomes the 44th U.S. president.
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January 20: Joe Biden becomes the 47th U.S. vice president.

February

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February 12: 2009 U.S. penny commemorating 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birth

March

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March 7: Kepler space telescope launch

April

May

Voice of America news headlines for May 5, 2009
Voice of America news headlines for May 6, 2009
Voice of America news headlines for May 14, 2009
Voice of America news headlines for May 20, 2009
Voice of America news headlines for May 27, 2009
  • May 5 In Illinois, Nicole Abusharif is convicted of the 2007 murder of her domestic partner Rebecca Klein, having suffocated her victim to death. She is later sentenced to serve 50 years imprisonment.[40]
  • May 11
  • May 13 A tornado outbreak devastates the north and northeastern Missouri towns of Green City, Novinger, and Kirksville, killing three. Tornadoes are also reported in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Illinois.[43]
  • May 14 Federal transportation officials reveal that low pay leading to sleep deprivation, and failure to pass flight certification tests were factors leading to the crash of Continental Connection Flight 3407 near Buffalo that killed 50 people.[44]
  • May 19 President Obama announces vehicle emissions and mileage requirements. Under the new federal rules, vehicles will use 30 percent less fuel and emit one third less carbon dioxide by 2016. The changes will add $1,300 to the cost of each new vehicle.[45]
  • May 21 The Senate passes a bill to impose new regulations on the credit card industry, curbing some fees and interest hikes and requiring more transparent disclosure of account terms.[46]
  • May 29 – Pixar Animation Studios' tenth feature film, Up, is released in theaters.
  • May 31 Physician George Tiller, known for giving late-term abortions, is murdered during a Sunday service at his church in Wichita, Kansas.[citation needed]

June

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June 25: Death of Michael Jackson

July

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July 3: Sarah Palin resigns as Alaska's governor
  • July 3 Alaska Governor Sarah Palin unexpectedly announces her resignation, effective July 26, 2009, citing the costs and distractions of battling frivolous ethics investigations launched against her,[52] and prompting several media outlets to speculate that she is preparing for a presidential run in 2012.
  • July 7
    • A public memorial service is held for musician Michael Jackson. It is called one of the most prominent funerals of all time, potentially reaching over 2.5 billion people worldwide.[53]
    • After an eight-month recount battle, Al Franken is sworn in as the junior senator of Minnesota, giving Democrats a majority of sixty seats.[citation needed]
  • July 22 Microsoft releases Windows 7.[54]

August

September

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September 2: Protesters at a health care reform town hall meeting in West Hartford, Connecticut
September 29: The tsunami from an earthquake is caught on film in Pago Pago in American Samoa.

October

November

November 5: Fort Hood shooting

December

  • December 1 Virginia's smoking ban for most restaurants and bars goes into effect. The bill had broad public support.[87]
  • December 5 – The University of Cincinnati college football team walks into Pittsburgh and defeats the Panthers 45-44. Pike to Binns. Game. Blouses.
  • December 11 – Walt Disney Animation Studios' 49th feature film, The Princess and the Frog, is released in theaters. This marks Disney's first theatrical hand-drawn animated feature since Home on the Range in 2004.
  • December 18 Avatar, directed by James Cameron, is released in theaters and later becomes the highest-grossing film of all time.[citation needed]
  • December 25

Ongoing

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Births

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Ayelet Galena

Deaths

January

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John Updike

February

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James Whitmore

March

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Natasha Richardson

April

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Bea Arthur

May

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Dom DeLuise

June

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David Carradine
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Farrah Fawcett
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Michael Jackson

July

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Robert McNamara
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Walter Cronkite

August

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Ted Kennedy

September

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Henry Gibson
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Patrick Swayze

October

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Al Martino

November

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John Allen Muhammad

December

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Jennifer Jones
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Brittany Murphy
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See also

References

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