Credit Crunch
The Federal Reserve announces the Term Securities Lending Facility, offering Treasury securities in exchange for less-liquid collateral held by primary dealers.
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
2008 in United States of America — Page 2
Explore 196 historical events and records for United States of America in 2008.
Historical records for United States of America in 2008
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 196 unique records.
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March
Term Securities Lending Facility
The Federal Reserve announces the Term Securities Lending Facility, offering primary dealers temporary exchanges of less-liquid securities for Treasury securities in order to ease strains in secured funding markets.
Bear Stearns
Bear Stearns is bailed out with emergency funding from JP Morgan and the NY Fed
Bear Stearns Liquidity Crisis
Bear Stearns receives emergency secured funding after counterparties withdraw financing.
Credit Crunch
Bear Stearns is bailed out with emergency funding from JP Morgan and the NY Fed
Bear Stearns
Bear Stearns is sold to JP Morgan Chase for just $240 million under Fed pressure in an emergency rescue takeover
Bear Stearns Rescue
The Federal Reserve supports the Bear Stearns transaction to reduce systemic financial risk.
Bear Stearns Takeover
JPMorgan Chase agrees to acquire Bear Stearns with Federal Reserve assistance.
Credit Crunch
Bear Stearns is sold to JP Morgan Chase for just $240 million under Fed pressure in an emergency rescue takeover
Primary Dealer Credit Facility
The Federal Reserve creates the Primary Dealer Credit Facility to provide overnight secured funding to primary dealers, extending central-bank liquidity support to a critical part of the securities-market infrastructure.
Tesla Roadster
Tesla begins regular production of the Roadster electric sports car
Credit Crunch
The Federal Reserve lowers the federal funds target by three-quarters of a percentage point following the emergency rescue of Bear Stearns.
Methane in Exoplanet Atmosphere
Swain leads Hubble observations detecting methane in HD 189733b, the first organic molecule identified in an exoplanet atmosphere.
Credit Crunch
Henry Paulson proposes sweeping reforms to banking controls
Credit Crunch
Henry Paulson proposes sweeping reforms to banking controls
Financial Regulation Plan
Proposes a broad redesign of financial regulation after months of credit-market stress
April
Death of Charlton Heston
Death of Charlton Heston
Credit Crunch
JP Morgan profits dive 50 per cent
Credit Crunch
The Federal Reserve reduces the federal funds target to two percent as the economy weakens and credit conditions remain unusually strained.
May
Same-Sex Marriage
The California Supreme Court ruling permits same-sex marriages in the state
Phoenix Mars Lander
NASA's Phoenix lander touches down near the Martian north pole
June
Democratic Nomination
Clinches enough delegates to become the Democratic presidential nominee
Campaign Suspension
Suspends her presidential campaign and endorses Barack Obama
iPhone 3G
Introduces the iPhone 3G and the App Store model
Tha Carter III
Releases Tha Carter III under the stage name Lil Wayne
US Open
Wins the US Open after an eighteen-hole playoff and sudden-death hole
NBA Finals
Helps the Boston Celtics defeat the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals
WALL-E
Directs WALL-E for Pixar, combining animation with environmental themes
July
Mercury Volcanism
MESSENGER images provide strong evidence for ancient volcanic activity on Mercury, including identified volcanic vents.
Credit Crunch
US home loan giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac lose half their value and appear on the brink of collapse
Fannie Mae
US home loan giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac lose half their value and appear on the brink of collapse
FISA Amendments Act
Signs surveillance legislation updating rules for foreign intelligence collection
Freddie Mac
US home loan giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac lose half their value and appear on the brink of collapse
Credit Crunch
Paulson announces a plan seeking congressional authority to support Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac through expanded Treasury lending and potential equity purchases.
The Dark Knight
Stars as Batman in The Dark Knight, one of the year's major films
The Dark Knight
Directs The Dark Knight, which becomes a major critical and commercial success
Credit Crunch
President Bush agrees to back deal to save Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
Credit Crunch
Wall Street shares tumble as the International Monetary Fund warns the US housing crisis is not over
Credit Crunch
Bush signs the Housing and Economic Recovery Act, granting the Treasury emergency authority to support Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Housing and Economic Recovery Act
Signs legislation strengthening federal powers over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.