This is a list of important events the occured during 1996. Exact dates are listed when known.

• Smashing Pumpkins Drummer Arrested
  July 1996- Jimmy Chaimberland, the drummer for the rock band Smashing Pumpkins, was arrested for posession of a controlled substance after the body of traveling keyboardist Jonathan Melvoine was discovered in a NYC hotel room. A week later Billy Corgan, D'Arcy Wretsky and James Iha would fire Jimmy saying that "Jimmy's insidious battle with drugs and alcohol has nearly ruined everything we are and stand for."
  
  
• Sheryl Crow Album Banned From Wal-Mart
  Sheryl Crow's self--titled album was taken off the shelves of every Wal-Mart department store in the continental US due to some lyrics that the major retail chain didn't like. Some of the head haunchoes at Wal-Mart were offended by the lyric: "Watch our children kill each other with the guns that they brought at the local Wal-Mart." A spokes person for Wal-Mart said that the particular lyric in question basically stated that Wal-Mart: "doesn't take care of their customers!" A spokes person for A&M records called the ban on Sheryl's album: "extreme" and they said that they would stand behind Sheryl!
  
  
• The unabomber, Kaczynski arrested in Montanna
  
  
• US Military barracks destroyed in Saudia Arabia
  A truck bomb exploded outside the barracks, killing 19, June 27th.
  
  
• Flight 800 from New York crashes
  Killing all aboard, July 18th.
  
  
• The author of Primary Colors is revealed
  The fictional account of a presidental election which resembled the Clinton election, was revealed to be written by Joe Klien of Newsweek.
  
  
• Olympic Park bombing
  After killing one person, a security guard named Richard Jewell came under suspicion initially but was cleared in the incident. No one has been convicted of setting the bomb.
  
  
• Muppets Tonight Pays Their Respect
  Muppets Tonight creator Brian Henson decided to hold off airing an episode of the show which contained a spoof of the movie "Speed" until after the aniversary of the Oklahomma bomb blast that killed 138 people. Brian said that he held off airing the episode out of respect for the families of the victims of the horrendous act of terrorism.
  
  
• Port Arthur Massacre
  The Port Arthur Massacre in Hobart, Australia, when lone gunman Martin Bryant randomly shoots 34 people dead during an 18-hour spree at the historic site in Tasmania. Three of the dead include a mother and her two children, both less than 8. After a seige which lasted well into the night, Bryant is eventually arrested. At his trial, he laughs and giggles before being sentenced to prison forever.
  
  
• Ebonics
  The Oakland, California School board elects to recognize black english, termed Ebonics as a separate language.
  
  
• O.J. Simpson trial begins
  The OJ Simpson trial begins when OJ is charged with murder
  
  
• Divorce!
  Princess Diana and Prince Charles are divorced. She has her 'HRH' removed.
  
  
• Women's Softball Makes Its Debut In 1996 Olympics
  Women's softball finally becomes an Olympic event in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atanta, Georgia. The U.S.A. team will go on to win gold by defeating China.
  
  
• Rapper Tupac Shakur Is Gunned Down.
  The gangster rapper is gunned down after leaving a boxing match in Las vegas.
  
  
• Blizzard of 1996
  In early January 1996, a record blizzard shut down the Northeast with big snowfall totals. Up to 2 feet fell in Washington and New York, while downtown Philadelphia saw almost 3 feet. Up to 40 inches of snow fell in the mountains of West Virginia. The Northeast was shut down for several days as two more storms would come.
  
  
• Valujet crash (Flight 8592)
  May 11, 1996- Valujet crashes into the Florida Everglades killing all 110 on board. Improperly stored oxygen generating canisters were the source of the fire.
  
  
• Nasa Uncover Possible Ancient Life In Martian Rock
  Scientists at NASA released a study describing possible microbe fossils found on a meteorite which was strewn from the planet Mars. This event marked the first scientific evidence for the possibility of extraterrestrial life.
  
  
• 1996 Atlanta Olympics bombing
  Two people were killed and nearly 200 injured when a bomb exploded in a crowded pavillion at the Atlanta 2000 Summer Olympics. Police would later arrest Eric Rudolph for the criminal act in late May of 2003.
  
  
• Microsoft vs Dept of Justice
  1997 was when the US Dept of Justice announced proceedings against Microsoft Corporation in its Antitrust Suit on its Windows operating system and its corporate practises. Settlement was 4 years later in Nov 2001.
  
  
• Lance Armstrong Got Cancer
  Lance Armstrong was diagnosed with cancer
  
  
• Nintendo 64 Released
  The Nintendo 64 is released. Gamers rejoice.
  
  
• Cloned Sheep Dolly Created
  Dolly was first created by cloning adult sheep cells, her birth was announced in 1997
  
  
• Madeline Albright Chosen As First Female Sofs.
  Political figure Madeline Albright is chosen as first female Secretary of State.
  
  
• JonBenét Ramsey
  A beauty pageant contestant who was found murdered in the basement of her parents' home in Boulder, Colorado, United States, eight hours after being reported missing. The case drew national attention in the United States when no suspect was charged and suspicions turned to possible family involvement. The tantalizing clues of the case inspired numerous books and articles that attempt to solve the mystery.
  
  
• First 3D Game
  The first complete 3d game 'Quake' was release. It sent shockwaves through the gaming industry and the many great mods were made of this including 'Half Life'. Although this may not be important news, it still was something new I guess.
  
  
• Dunblane Massacre
  The Dunblane massacre was a multiple murder-suicide which occurred at Dunblane Primary School in the Scottish town of Dunblane on 13 March 1996. It remains the deadliest attack on children in United Kingdom history. Sixteen children and one adult were killed, as well as the attacker who committed suicide.
  
  
• Sports Titles
  NBA: Chicago Bulls vs. Seattle Supersonics Series: 4-2 NCAA Football: Florida Record: 12-1-0 Heisman Trophy: Danny Wuerffel, florida, QB points: 1,3 Stanley Cup: Colorado Avalanche vs. Florida Panthers Series: 4-0 Super Bowl XXX: Dallas Cowboys vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Score: 27-17 US Open Golf: Steve Jones Score: 278 Course: Oakland Hills CC Location: Bloomfield Hills, MI World Series: New York Yankees vs. Atlanta Braves Series: 4-2
  
  

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