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Major Events of September 2008: Key Historical Moments from the Month

Each month is marked by defining moments that shape the course of history. Whether through political shifts, cultural movements, or world-changing events, these periods leave a lasting impression. Dive into the most important events from September 2008 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

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Major Events of September 2008: Key Historical Moments from the Month

  • 01 Sep 2008 Hurricane Gustav Devastates Louisiana: Hurricane Gustav made landfall in Louisiana as a Category 2 hurricane, causing extensive damage estimated at US$372 million to crops and forcing an unprecedented evacuation of 1.9 million people, which was the largest evacuation in the state's history.
  • 02 Sep 2008 Google Launches Chrome Web Browser: Google introduces its innovative web browser, Google Chrome, marking a significant moment in internet browsing technology and challenging established browsers like Internet Explorer and Firefox.
  • 03 Sep 2008 John McCain Endorsed for 2008 Presidential Election: The Republican Party officially endorsed Senator John McCain from Arizona as their candidate for the 2008 United States Presidential Election.
  • 04 Sep 2008 McCain Accepts Republican Presidential Nomination: Senator John McCain officially accepts the nomination of the Republican Party for the 2008 United States Presidential Election, marking a significant moment in the presidential campaign.
  • 05 Sep 2008 McCain-Palin Republican Presidential Ticket: Arizona Senator John McCain is officially nominated as the Republican Party's presidential candidate, with Alaska Governor Sarah Palin selected as his vice presidential running mate for the 2008 United States presidential election.
  • 06 Sep 2008 Zardari Elected President of Pakistan: Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, was elected as Pakistan's new president, securing 481 out of 702 votes in the Electoral College. This marked a significant political transition for the country.
  • 07 Sep 2008 US Government Intervenes in Mortgage Crisis: The United States government takes control of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two largest mortgage financing companies, in a critical move to stabilize the financial system during the subprime mortgage crisis.
  • 08 Sep 2008 2008 South Ossetia War: Conflict between Russia and Georgia involving the disputed territories of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, marking a significant geopolitical tension in the Caucasus region.
  • 09 Sep 2008 Stock Market Crash Following Financial Institutions' Collapse: The Dow Jones Industrial Average experienced its largest single-day point loss of 777.68 points, triggered by the bankruptcies of Lehman Brothers and Washington Mutual, signaling a critical moment in the 2008 financial crisis.
  • 10 Sep 2008 Large Hadron Collider First Proton Acceleration: The Large Hadron Collider at CERN in Geneva successfully began accelerating protons, marking a groundbreaking moment in particle physics with the ability to measure events within an incredibly minute timeframe of a millionth of a billionth of a billionth of a second.
  • 11 Sep 2008 Pentagon Memorial Dedicated to 9/11 Victims: The Pentagon Memorial in Washington, DC was opened to the public, commemorating the 184 victims who lost their lives during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the Pentagon.
  • 12 Sep 2008 Lehman Brothers Bankruptcy: Lehman Brothers filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, a pivotal moment that triggered the Global Financial Crisis. This event marked the beginning of a severe economic downturn with worldwide repercussions.
  • 13 Sep 2008 Hurricane Ike Devastates Texas Gulf Coast: Hurricane Ike made a catastrophic landfall on the Texas Gulf Coast on September 13, 2008, as a powerful Category 2 hurricane. The storm caused extensive damage to Galveston Island, Houston, and surrounding coastal areas, leading to widespread destruction of infrastructure, property, and disrupting the lives of thousands of residents.
  • 14 Sep 2008 AIG Emergency Loan Request: During the height of the 2008 financial crisis, American International Group (AIG) requested a substantial $40 billion emergency loan from the United States Federal Reserve, signaling the severe financial distress facing major financial institutions at the time.
  • 15 Sep 2008 Lehman Brothers Bankruptcy Triggers 2008 Financial Crisis: Lehman Brothers, a 158-year-old American investment bank, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, marking the largest bankruptcy in U.S. history. With assets of approximately US$639 billion and only US$30 billion in equity, the collapse signaled the deepening of the subprime mortgage crisis and sparked a global financial meltdown.
  • 16 Sep 2008 US Government Bails Out AIG: The U.S. Federal Reserve Board announced an unprecedented $85 billion loan to American International Group (AIG), simultaneously acquiring a 79.9% equity stake in the company. This emergency intervention was a critical moment in the 2008 financial crisis.
  • 17 Sep 2008 Dow Jones Experiences Significant Drop: The Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted by 440 points as the Federal Reserve's bailout of American International Group failed to reassure nervous investors, reflecting the deepening financial crisis.
  • 18 Sep 2008 SEC Implements Emergency Short Selling Ban: The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission declared an emergency ban on short selling financial sector stocks, a dramatic intervention aimed at stabilizing financial markets during the ongoing economic crisis.
  • 19 Sep 2008 Financial Market Emergency Measures: In response to the 2008 financial crisis, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the United Kingdom Financial Services Authority took immediate emergency action to temporarily prohibit short-selling of financial company stocks, aiming to stabilize volatile markets.
  • 20 Sep 2008 Bush Administration's Mortgage Crisis Intervention: President George W. Bush requested Congressional approval for a $700 billion financial package to address the subprime mortgage crisis, a critical moment in the 2008 financial meltdown.
  • 21 Sep 2008 Chinese Milk Contamination Scandal: A major public health crisis erupted in China when nearly 13,000 children were hospitalized after consuming milk from the Sanlu Group, which was contaminated with the industrial chemical melamine. Four children tragically died, exposing serious food safety failures.
  • 22 Sep 2008 Islamabad Marriott Hotel Bombing: A devastating terrorist attack at the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, Pakistan, killed at least 53 people and wounded over 250. A truck carrying 1,300 pounds of explosives rammed into the hotel, killing several foreigners including the Czech ambassador. The attack was seen as a warning from Islamist militants against the Pakistani government's cooperation with the United States.
  • 23 Sep 2008 Financial Crisis Bailout Negotiations: Intense negotiations continued on Capitol Hill regarding the Bush administration's proposed $700 billion financial industry bailout. Wall Street experienced extreme volatility, with the stock market dropping nearly 400 points, oil prices surging, and the dollar experiencing its steepest one-day decline since 2001.
  • 24 Sep 2008 Global Financial Crisis Escalates: The subprime mortgage crisis continued to intensify, causing widespread economic uncertainty and potential systemic risk in the global financial system.
  • 25 Sep 2008 Washington Mutual Bank Failure: U.S. regulators seized Washington Mutual, the largest bank failure in American history, and sold it to JPMorgan Chase & Company for US$1.9 billion. The bank had $307 billion in assets and $188 million in deposits, representing a critical moment in the 2008 financial crisis.
  • 26 Sep 2008 Washington Mutual Bank Seizure: The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) seizes Washington Mutual and sells the majority of the bank to JPMorgan Chase, marking a significant moment in the ongoing subprime mortgage crisis.
  • 27 Sep 2008 Death of Paul Newman, Legendary Hollywood Actor: Iconic American actor and director Paul Newman passed away from cancer in Connecticut at the age of 83. Known for his remarkable performances in classic films such as 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof', 'The Hustler', 'Cool Hand Luke', 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid', 'The Sting', and 'The Color of Money', Newman was a Hollywood legend renowned for his acting prowess and philanthropic efforts.
  • 28 Sep 2008 US Financial Crisis Response: US Congress and the George W. Bush Administration reached an agreement on the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, a critical bailout package designed to rescue financial institutions during the subprime mortgage crisis.
  • 29 Sep 2008 US House Rejects Bailout Plan: The United States House of Representatives' initial rejection of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act triggers a significant stock market crash during the early stages of the Great Recession.
  • 30 Sep 2008 Irish Banking Deposit Guarantee: The Irish government announced a comprehensive state guarantee covering deposits in major Irish banks, including Allied Irish Banks, Bank of Ireland, and others, totaling approximately €400 billion. This unprecedented move aimed to stabilize the financial sector during the global economic crisis.