Download Goal 12 - cfhssocialstudies

Goal 12
The United States
Since the Vietnam War
United States since the Vietnam War (1973-present) - The learner
will identify and analyze trends in domestic and foreign affairs of
the United States during this time period.
Objectives
12.01 Summarize significant events in foreign policy since the
Vietnam War.
12.02 Evaluate the impact of recent constitutional amendments,
court rulings, and federal legislation on United States' citizens.
12.03 Identify and assess the impact of economic, technological,
and environmental changes in the United States.
12.04 Identify and assess the impact of social, political, and
cultural changes in the United States.
12.05 Assess the impact of growing racial and ethnic diversity in
American society.
12.06 Assess the impact of twenty-first century terrorist activity on
American society.
Foreign Policy since Vietnam
In 1975, President Ford signed the Helsinki Accords, which kept borders of Europe the same,
basically keeping the Iron Curtain up.
In 1977, Jimmy Carter’s decision to “give back” the Panama Canal to the Panamanians was
controversial, although some historians say it improved U.S. –Latin American relations! Carter,
also hearing of the plight of political prisoner Nelson Mandela, condemned the policy of
apartheid, which enforced racial segregation of the majority of the population. Eventually,
apartheid in South Africa is eliminated!
Issues in the Middle East: Politics of
OIL
Since 1948, when the UN created the nation of
Israel there has been conflict in the Middle East. Many
Arab countries do not recognize Israel’s right to exist
and because the U.S. supports Israel, many countries
are hostile to the United States, too.
Yassir Arafat created the Palestinian
Liberation Organization (PLO), a group that wants
to establish an independent Palestinian homeland.
There is a history of military conflicts between Arabs
(Muslims) and Israel (Jews). It’s not all about religion,
in most cases, it’s about land. In 1973, Egypt and
Syria attacked Israel. The Yom Kippur War was
quickly won by Israel and this caused problems for the U.S. because by the early 1970s, the
United States depended on the Middle East for a third of its oil. The OPEC Oil Embargo of
1973-1974 caused huge problems, namely inflation and a world-wide economic downturn. The
energy crisis provided evidence that the U.S. should conserve oil.
Hated enemies, Egypt and Israel were weary of fighting. In 1978, the U.S. takes a
leadership role as President Jimmy Carter hosts the Camp David Accords which led to a peace
treaty between the leader of Israel, Begin, and Sadat, leader of Egypt. This is considered the
greatest achievement of Carter’s presidency.
Our relationship with Iran deteriorated in 1979 when the militant Islamic leader
Ayatollah Khomeini seized power from the Shah of Iran (ruling king) who was in the U.S.
seeking medical treatment. The “revolutionaries” were insulted that the U.S. allowed the Shah
into the U.S. and before you know it, the US Embassy in the capital of Iran, Tehran, was
captured. 52 Americans were held for 444 days. This is known as the Iranian Hostage Crisis.
President Carter tried to negotiate the hostages’ release, but failed. In an act of defiance against
Carter, the hostages were released on President Ronald Reagan’s inauguration day. This is
considered the greatest failure of Carter’s presidency. (Reagan won the Election of 1980.)
What 4 “Issues/events” is Carter remembered for?
1.
2.
3.
4.
2
The Collapse of Communism
In 1980, President Ronald Reagan bluffed the Soviet Union into believing the U.S. had
this “secret weapon,” the Strategic Defense Initiative, nicknamed “Star Wars.” The new
system would blow anything out of the sky before it was in U.S. airspace. This meant that if the
Soviets tried to strike the US with a nuclear weapon, the US would simply destroy it mid-air.
The Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev decided he could not keep pace with U.S. military
spending. He established policies of glasnost and perestroika which are plans to restructure
Soviet society. In fact, it was the beginning of the end for the old U.S.S.R! The financial
structure of the Soviet Union was struggling.
In 1988, the Soviet Union started to walk away from the financial responsibility of the
Eastern European satellite nations. Hungary, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Romania all began to
assert its independence. In 1989, the Berlin Wall fell and with it, the symbolic fall of
communism! In 1990, East and West Germany reunited and in 1991, the U.S.S.R broke up!
President Ronald Reagan is given credit for the fall of communism because he took such a strong
stance against it. But let’s be real people. The Soviets were too poor to keep up with the US.
LONG LIVE DEMOCRACY!
President Reagan felt it was necessary to help the Contras of Nicaragua. In Spanish,
contra means against. In this case, the Contras were against the Marxist/communist style
government in power, the Sandinistas. Congress decided to block all money to the Contras for
political reasons. At the same time, there were some Americans held as hostages in Lebanon (it
is in the Middle East). Reagan advisors devised a plan to “sell weapons” to Iran (our bitter
enemy) who was in a war against Iraq in order for the Iranians to help get the Americans
released. The profit made from the sale of the weapons would be transferred to the Contras,
killing two birds with one stone! But after a Congressional inquiry, the payment to the Contras
was considered illegal. Reagan was not implicated in the scheme called the IRAN CONTRA
AFFAIR but many people did get into legal trouble, even prison!
3
In 1989, Chinese students attempted to force democracy onto the Communist
government. Hundreds of people were killed and thousands were put in prison. Citizens
watched the students’ protest in Tiananmen Square. The “rebellion” was crushed and China is
still a communist country today.
In 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait, a tiny country to the
south. The UN ordered Iraq to leave the country, but
Saddam Hussein ignored the order. The Persian Gulf
War lasted a few months, Iraq withdrew from Kuwait. The
Persian Gulf War was split into two operation names. The
first was Operation Desert Shield, in which the US helped
the Kuwaitis. The second was Operation Desert Storm, in
which the US drove Iraq out of Kuwait. The US left
Saddam Hussein in power. President George H.W. Bush led the US through the Persian Gulf
War.
Judicial and Legislative Action since Vietnam
1981: Sandra Day O’Connor was appointed by Ronald Reagan as the first woman
Supreme Court Justice.
Geraldine Ferraro was the first woman to be nominated for the office of Vice President
by a major party, the Democrats.
Remember, since the 1970s, minority rights advanced. Swann v
Charlotte-Mecklenburg continued to desegregate schools by forced busing.
In 1989, flag burning became a major topic of discussion.
The Texas v Johnson decision said that flag burning is
protected under the 1st Amendment.
In 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed the American with Disabilities
Act. It forbids anyone from discriminating against people with physical and
emotional disabilities.
Remember, affirmative action is an idea in which certain minority groups get extra
consideration due to years of past discrimination. However, in 1978, the US Supreme Court put
limits on affirmative action by ruling in Regents of the University of California, v Bakke,
white citizens can not be rejected based on race alone because that is “reverse discrimination.”
Two Amendments have been approved since 1970: the 26th Amendment, which drops
voting age from 21 to 18 and the 27th Amendment, which states IF Congress votes itself a pay
raise, the pay increase would not occur until the next congressional election. The original
amendment was written in 1789 and wasn’t passed until 1992!
Review
1. 1st Female on Supreme Court?
2. Ruling in Texas v. Johnson?
4
Economics since 1970
During President Richard M. Nixon’s presidency, inflation and
unemployment rose in the U.S. This economic combination is known
as Stagflation and it crippled the U.S. Morale was low. Ford’s
answer: W.I.N. or Whip Inflation NOW campaign. But, we still had
problems! Jimmy Carter took office and he, too, had troubles.
Nothing seemed to work! A huge part of the problem was the price of
oil. In 1979, OPEC doubled the price of a barrel of oil and interest
rates were high and people were not buying goods and services.
When Ronald Reagan became president, he supported “Trickle-down” economics aka
“Supply-side economics” aka “Reaganomics.” Whew, that’s a lot of names, but you got to
know them all. Basically it goes like this:
1. Give TAX CUTS to big businesses which provides $$ for businesses to invest.
2. New jobs will be created and those new employees have $$ to spend and the
economy will grow!
This did stimulate the economy, but Reagan also cut spending for social programs and he
believed in deregulation, like the airline industry. He thought that healthy competition would
lower prices for consumers. He also increased military spending, which his critics did not like!
President William (Bill) Clinton supported a free trade agreement called NAFTA. The
North American Free Trade Agreement opens trade between USA, Mexico, and Canada.
Some said American companies would leave the U.S. for cheaper labor costs. Others said it
would keep illegal immigration low. NAFTA is still active.
The maps above show the migration of people from the NE “Rust Belt” to the Southwest/east
“Sunbelt.” This migration was due to many things.
PUSH FACTORS: Harsh climate, factories closing, high cost of living
PULL FACTORS: Great climate, corporations moving south, low cost of living.
The World of Technology
The 1990s were a time of incredible economic growth, partly because
of the computer revolution and the expansion of the internet. Bill Gates and
Microsoft revolutionized the modern era much like Rockefeller during the
Gilded Age.
5
The Environment
Pollution, acid rain, recycling, going green, the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), etc are terms which
concentrate on the environment. During this period, people became
aware of the dangers of man-made pollution. Nuclear power was
once thought to be the answer to our energy needs, but after an
“accident” at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant, people
questioned if it was safe enough. Those fears were compounded by
the absolutely tragic Chernobyl disaster in the Ukraine.
Cultural Changes: Racial and Ethnic Diversity
The United States has become a more culturally diverse nation in recent years. During
the 1970s, immigrants came from Asia and South America. During the 1980s and 1990s
American schools introduced a multicultural curriculum and some states even offer bilingual
education. No Child Left Behind is a federally managed law which makes schools accountable
for their student’s learning and penalizes schools which do not “make the grade!”
Also during the 1990s, Hispanic/Latin Americans replaced African Americans as the
“majority minority.”
The Global War on Terrorism
Terrorism is defined as the act of creating fear and panic amongst the general population,
usually by violent means and it deliberately targets civilians. The reasons why people resort to
terrorism are many, but it is certainly based on ideology, not money or notoriety.
Terrorism is not new in our nation’s history, but the last ten years has been a challenge to
keep the balance between “freedoms” and “security” reasonable. Let’s take a chronological look
at terrorist attacks in the USA since 1993:
Feb. 26, 1993: New York City: bomb exploded in basement garage of World Trade
Center, killing 6 and injuring at least 1,040 others. In 1995, militant Islamist Sheik Omar
Abdel Rahman and 9 others were convicted of conspiracy charges, and in 1998, Ramzi
Yousef, believed to have been the mastermind, was convicted of the bombing. al-Qaeda
involvement is suspected.
April 19, 1995: Oklahoma City: car bomb exploded outside federal office building,
collapsing wall and floors. 168 people were killed, including 19 children and 1 person
who died in rescue effort. Over 220 buildings sustained damage. Timothy McVeigh and
Terry Nichols were later convicted in the antigovernment plot.
Sept. 11, 2001: New York City, Arlington, Va., and Shanksville, Pa.: hijackers
crashed 2 commercial jets into twin towers of World Trade Center; 2 more hijacked jets
were crashed into the Pentagon and a field in rural Pennsylvania. Total dead and missing
numbered 2,992: 2,749 in New York City, 184 at the Pentagon, 40 in Pa., and 19
hijackers. Islamic al-Qaeda terrorist group blamed. Osama Bin Laden ‘s al-Qaeda is
blamed in the attacks and an all out effort to find him leads to Afghanistan. The
repressive government in Afghanistan, the Taliban, had allowed al-Qaeda to set-up
terrorist training camps and refused to hand over Bin Laden. American forces overthrew
6
the Taliban and captured many terrorists. Meanwhile, back in the United States, in
response to the September 11 attacks, our government set-up the Department of
Homeland Security so that all policing agencies can keep each other informed.
President Bush pushed through the Patriot Act which gave law enforcement greater
powers to eavesdrop on suspected terrorists. The criticism is that the law violated
personal privacy rights. With the philosophy, named the Bush Doctrine, of the United
States being “pro-active preemption” versus “re-active tragedy” Iraq was invaded in
March of 2003. Iraq, along with North Korea and Iran were labeled the “Axis of Evil”
by the Bush Administration.
Presidential Issues since 1970
1970s: When Spiro Agnew resigned from being Richard Nixon’s VP, Nixon appointed
Gerald Ford to the VP position. When President Nixon resigned, Gerald Ford became the US
President! Ford tried to win re-election, but the pardon of Richard Nixon and an unstable
economy ruined his chances, Jimmy Carter, Democrat, won in 1976.
Jimmy Carter was a one term president. He did a few things which make him notable,
for both good and bad reasons. You be the judge!
1. He gave amnesty to Vietnam draft-dodgers who fled to Canada to escape the Vietnam War.
2. He “gave” the Panama Canal Zone back to Panama a few years before the lease was up!
3. He tried to free the hostages in Iran, but it turned tragic when the rescuers were killed in an
accident.
4. He was responsible for the successful Camp David Accords, a peace treaty signed by Egypt
and Israel.
Ronald Reagan was president during most of the 1980s. He was a Republican and
believed in “New Federalism” which meant that the federal government would transfer
responsibility back to the states for social (welfare) and economic well being of the people. He
cut federal welfare spending and increased military spending.
George Bush (I) was Reagan’s VP and was a one term president. He made a declaration:
“Read MY lips! NO NEW TAXES!” and soon after, taxes were raised and people remembered
and many did not vote for him! Also, a third party candidate, H Ross Perot challenged Bush and
took away votes from the President, which caused Bill Clinton, the Democrat, to win. What
other presidential election have we studied that showed the effects of a third party?
Bill Clinton was a two term president for most of the 1990s. He had incredible
economic growth and a national deficit turned into a surplus and things looked great. However,
Clinton’s foreign policies were not generally considered successful for he involved American
forces in Yugoslavia and retreated quickly after the Black Hawk Down Military Disaster and did
not intervene in the Rwanda genocide, which killed 800,000 people in less than a year. President
Clinton was impeached for not telling the truth under oath.
George Bush’s (II) presidency was overshadowed by the events of September 11, 2001.
He was a two term president.
7
Presidential REVIEW!!
37th President: _________ to __________
Name: __ __ __ __ __ Party: _____________
*Ran a “Law and ________” campaign!
*Opened _____________________
* ____________________was his downfall!
*First President to __________________!
“I am NOT a __ __ __ __ __!”
38th President: __________ to _________
Name: __ __ __ __ Party: _______________
*First President NOT to be ____________ as Vice-President or
__________________.
*Runs for re-election and _____________
because he _______________ Nixon!
Slogan “W.I.N” ________________________!
39th President: _________ to __________
Name: __ __ __ __ __ __ Party: __________
*Gave back the _______________________!
*Gave _______________ to draft dodgers!
*Helped ______________ & ______________ sign a peace
treaty called the ______________________________________!
*President during the _____________ ______________ Crisis!
40th President: __________ to _________
Name: __ __ __ __ __ __ Party: __________
Liberal or Conservative? (circle one)
*He cut _____________ programs, but increased
______________ spending!
*He believed in “___________-down” economics aka
“__________-_________” aka “____________________”
“. . . TEAR DOWN THIS __ __ __ __!”
8
41st President: _________ to __________
Name: __ __ __ __ Party: ______________
*Berlin Wall ___________!
* _____________ Gulf War President!
*____ Term President
“Read my lips: _____ ______ _______!”
42nd President: ________ to __________
Name: __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Party: ______
*Signed ____________, free trade between USA, Canada, &
Mexico!
* Sent troops to __________________ to stop ethnic cleansing
*Was __________________ because he lied under oath!
43 President: ________ to _________
*Set performance standards for schools called the
_________________________Act.
* Endorsed the ___________________Act which increased
wiretap power of federal govt.
*Cabinet level dept which coordinates US security:
_________________________
44th President: ________
*First ______________ _______________ President in US
history.
*Issues in the first 100 days:
Economy
Universal health care
Wars in Iraq & Afghanistan
Guantanamo Bay
9
Since Vietnam Questions for you to Answer!
Question
Answer
The Afghanistan government pre 9-11-01
Free trade between Mexico, Canada &
USA
The education law of George Bush (II)
He is/was the leader of al-Qaeda
Increases wire tap power of government
Nationality of most Sept 11 hijackers?
Which election is considered the closest in
US history?
Group responsible for Sept. 11, 2001?
Who broke promise of no new taxes?
Who lied under oath and was impeached?
World wide connection of computers?
Who made personal computing easy?
What symbolized the end of communism in
Europe?
First woman Supreme Court Justice?
Location of Prodemocracy rallies in China?
Dictator in Iraq who invaded Kuwait?
Reagan’s laser-guided missile system?
Idea that people will work more to make
and spend more if taxes are low?
Symbolized apartheid in South Africa
Soviet leader who used glasnost?
Who told Gorbachev to “tear down this
wall?”
Where did the “Rust Belt” people move?
10
Knew it or not?
Yes or No!
Group that put an oil embargo on the US?
Court case about White House tapes?
Who? “Whip Inflation Now!”
Greatest achievement of Carter?
Became President when Nixon resigned?
Nixon’s scandal?
Which country formally recognized Israel’s
right to exist at Camp David?
A govt. plan to help minorities overcome
past discrimination
Who started Vietnamization?
He opened China, we got Pandas!
Who called the USSR the “Evil Empire?”
Who called N Korea, Iran, and Iraq the
“Axis of Evil?”
Who? “The Humanitarian President.”
Who? Tough on communists, spent $$$ on
defense!
His presidency proclaimed the “end to big
government.”
He believed in the Supply-side economics
DID NIXON GET IMPEACHED?
Who? Iranian Hostage Crisis?
Who? Iran-Contra Affair?
What nation did Iraq invade in 1990?
What nation did the US invade in 2003?
In ’79, where did the US faced a hostage
crisis?
He sponsored SALT I and believed in
détente.
Who appointed Sandra Day O’Connor?
11
Term: can’t reject solely on race alone.
WHO?
Who?
Who gave amnesty to draft dodgers?
Who? Sent soldiers to Yugoslavia?
12
Goal 12
The United States
since the Vietnam War
United States since the Vietnam War (1973-present) - The learner will identify and analyze
trends in domestic and foreign affairs of the United States during this time period.
Objectives
12.01 Summarize significant events in foreign policy since the Vietnam War.
12.02 Evaluate the impact of recent constitutional amendments, court rulings, and federal
legislation on United States' citizens.
12.03 Identify and assess the impact of economic, technological, and environmental changes in
the United States.
12.04 Identify and assess the impact of social, political, and cultural changes in the United
States.
12.05 Assess the impact of growing racial and ethnic diversity in American society.
12.06 Assess the impact of twenty-first century terrorist activity on American society.
TEACHER KEY
Foreign Policy since Vietnam
In 1975, President Ford signed the Helsinki Accords which kept borders of Europe the same,
basically keeping the Iron Curtain up.
In 1977, Jimmy Carter’s decision to “give back” the Panama Canal to the Panamanians was
controversial, although some historians say it improved U.S. –Latin American relations! Carter,
also hearing of the plight of political prisoner Nelson Mandela, condemned the policy of
apartheid, which enforced racial segregation of the majority of the population. Eventually,
apartheid in South Africa is eliminated!
Issues in the Middle East: Politics of oil.
13
Since 1948 when the UN created the nation
of Israel there has been conflict. Many Arab
countries do not recognize Israel’s right to exist and
because the U.S. supports Israel, many countries are
hostile to the United States, too.
Yassir Arafat created the Palestinian
Liberation Organization (PLO), a group that wants
to establish an independent Palestinian homeland.
There is a history of military conflicts between
Arabs (Muslims) and Israel (Jews). It’s not all about
religion, in most cases, it’s about land. In 1973,
Egypt and Syria attacked Israel. The Yom Kippur
War was quickly won by Israel and this caused
problems for the U.S. because by the early 1970s,
the United States depended on the Middle East for a
third of its oil. The OPEC Oil Embargo of 1973-1974 caused huge problems, namely inflation
and a world-wide economic downturn. The energy crisis provided evidence that the U.S. should
conserve oil.
Hated enemies, Egypt and Israel were weary of fighting. In 1978, the U.S. takes a
leadership role as Jimmy Carter hosts the Camp David Accords which led to a peace treaty
between the leader of Israel, Begin and Sadat of Egypt. This is considered the greatest
achievement of Carter’s presidency.
Our relationship with Iran deteriorated when, in 1979, the militant Islamic leader
Ayatollah Khomeini seized power from the Shah of Iran (ruling king) who was in the U.S.
seeking medical treatment. The “revolutionaries” were insulted that the U.S. allowed the Shah
into the U.S. and before you know it, the US embassy in the capital of Iran was captured. 52
Americans were held for 444 days. This is known as the Iranian Hostage Crisis. In an act of
defiance against Carter, the hostages were released on Reagan’s inauguration day. This is
considered the greatest failure of Carter’s presidency.
What 4 “Issues/events” is Carter remembered?
The Collapse of Communism:
In 1980, Ronald Reagan bluffed the Soviet commies into believing the U.S. had this
“secret weapon,” the Strategic Defense Initiative, nicknamed “Star Wars” would blow anything
out of the sky before it was in U.S. airspace. The Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev decided he
could not keep pace with U.S. military spending. He established policies of glasnost and
perestroika which are plans to restructure Soviet society. In fact, it’s the beginning of the end
for the old U.S.S.R!
In 1988 the Soviet Union started to walk away from the financial responsibility of the
Eastern European satellite nations. Hungary, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Romania all began to
assert its independence. In 1989, the Berlin Wall fell and with it, the symbolic fall of
communism! LONG LIVE DEMOCRACY! In 1990, East and West Germany reunited and in
1991, the U.S.S.R broke up!
President Reagan felt it necessary to help the Contras of Nicaragua. In Spanish, contra
means AGAINST. In this case, the Contras were against the Marxist/communist style
14
government in power, the Sandinistas. Congress decided to block all money to the Contras for
political reasons. At the same time, there were some Americans held as hostages in Lebanon
(Mideast). Reagan advisors devised a plan to “sell weapons” to Iran (our bitter enemy) who was
in a war against IRAQ in order for the Iranians to help get the Americans released. The profit
made from the sale of the weapons would be transferred to the Contras, killing two birds with
one stone! But after a Congressional inquiry, the payment to the Contras was considered illegal.
Reagan was not implicated in the scheme called the IRAN CONTRA AFFAIR but many people
did get into legal trouble, even prison!
In 1989 Chinese students attempted to force democracy onto the Communist government.
Hundreds of people were killed and thousands were put in prison. Citizens watched the students’
protest in Tiananmen Square. The “rebellion” was crushed and China is still a communist
country!
In 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait, a tiny country to the south. The UN ordered Iraq to leave the
country, but Saddam Hussein ignored the order! The Persian Gulf War lasted a few months,
Iraq withdrew from Kuwait and Saddam was still in power!
Judicial and Legislative Action since Vietnam
1981: Sandra Day O’Connor was appointed by Ronald Reagan as the first woman Supreme
Court Justice.
Geraldine Ferraro was the first woman to be nominated for the office of Vice President by a
major party, the Democrats.
Remember, since the 1970s, minority rights advanced. Swann v Charlotte-Meck continued to
desegregate schools by forced bussing. In 1989, flag burning became a major topic of discussion.
The Texas v Johnson decision said that flag burning is protected under the 1st Amendment. In
1990, President Bush (I) signed the American with Disabilities Act. It forbids anyone from
discriminating against people with physical and emotional disabilities.
15
Remember, affirmative action is an idea in which certain minority groups get extra
consideration due to years of past discrimination. However, in 1978, the US Supreme Court put
limits on affirmative action by ruling in Regents, U of C, v Bakke, white citizens can not be
rejected based on race alone because that is “reverse discrimination.”
Two Amendments have been approved since 1970: the 26th Amendment which drops voting age
from 21 to 18 and the 27th Amendment which states IF Congress votes itself a pay raise, the pay
increase would not occur until the next congressional election. The original amendment was
written in 1789 and wasn’t passed until 1992!
Economics since 1970
During Nixon’s presidency, inflation and unemployment rose in the
U.S. This economic combination is known as Stagflation and it
crippled the U.S. Morale was low. Ford’s answer: W.I.N. or Whip
Inflation NOW campaign. But, we still had problems! Jimmy
Carter took office and he, too, had troubles. Nothing seemed to
work! A huge part of the problem was the price of oil. In 1979,
OPEC doubled the price of a barrel of oil and interest rates were
high and people were not buying goods and services.
When Reagan became president, he supported “Trickle-down”
economics aka “Supply-side economics” aka “Reaganomics.”
Basically it goes like this:
3. Give TAX CUTS to big businesses which provides $$ for businesses to invest.
4. New jobs will be created and those new employees have $$ to spend and the
economy will grow!
This did stimulate the economy, but Reagan also cut spending for social programs and he
believed in deregulation, like the airline industry. He thought that healthy competition would
lower prices for consumers. He also increased military spending, which his critics did not like!
President Clinton supported a free trade agreement called NAFTA. The North American Free
Trade Agreement opens trade between USA, Mexico, and Canada. Some say American
companies will leave the U.S. for cheaper labor costs. Others said it will keep illegal immigration
low. NAFTA is still active.
The maps above show the migration of people from the NE “Rust Belt” to the Southwest/east
“Sunbelt.” This migration was due to many things.
PUSH FACTORS: Harsh climate, factories closing, high cost of living
PULL FACTORS: Great climate, corporations moving south, low cost of living.
16
The World of Technology
The 1990s were a time of incredible economic growth, partly because of the computer revolution
and the expansion of the internet. Bill Gates and Microsoft revolutionized the modern era much
like Rockefeller during the Gilded Age.
The Environment
Pollution, acid rain, recycling, going green, the EPA, etc are terms
which concentrate on the environment. During this period, people
became aware of the dangers of man-made pollution. Nuclear
power was once thought to be the answer to our energy needs, but
after an “accident” at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant,
people questioned if it was safe enough. Those fears were
compounded by the absolutely tragic Chernobyl disaster in the
Ukraine.
Cultural Changes: Racial and Ethnic Diversity
The United States has become a more culturally diverse nation in recent years. During the
1970s, immigrants came from Asia and South America. During the 1980s and 1990s American
schools introduced a multicultural curriculum and some states even offer bilingual education.
No Child Left Behind is a federally managed law which makes schools accountable for their
student’s learning and penalizes schools which do not “make the grade!”
Also during the 1990s, Hispanic/Latin Americans replaced African Americans as the “majority
minority.” This change has consequences for both groups.
The Global War on Terrorism
Terrorism is defined as the act of creating fear and panic amongst the general population, usually
by violent means and it deliberately targets civilians. The reasons why people resort to terrorism
are many, but it is certainly based on ideology, not money or notoriety.
Terrorism is not new in our nation’s history, but the last ten years has been a challenge to keep
the balance between “freedoms” and “security” reasonable. Let’s take a chronological look at
terrorist attacks in the USA since 1993:
Feb. 26, 1993: New York City: bomb exploded in basement garage of World Trade
Center, killing 6 and injuring at least 1,040 others. In 1995, militant Islamist Sheik Omar
Abdel Rahman and 9 others were convicted of conspiracy charges, and in 1998, Ramzi
Yousef, believed to have been the mastermind, was convicted of the bombing. al-Qaeda
involvement is suspected.
April 19, 1995: Oklahoma City: car bomb exploded outside federal office building,
collapsing wall and floors. 168 people were killed, including 19 children and 1 person
who died in rescue effort. Over 220 buildings sustained damage. Timothy McVeigh and
Terry Nichols were later convicted in the antigovernment plot.
17
Sept. 11, 2001: New York City, Arlington, Va., and Shanksville, Pa.: hijackers
crashed 2 commercial jets into twin towers of World Trade Center; 2 more hijacked jets
were crashed into the Pentagon and a field in rural Pennsylvania. Total dead and missing
numbered 2,992: 2,749 in New York City, 184 at the Pentagon, 40 in Pa., and 19
hijackers. Islamic al-Qaeda terrorist group blamed. Osama Bin Laden ‘s al-Qaeda is
blamed in the attacks and an all out effort to find him leads to Afghanistan. The
repressive government in Afghanistan, the Taliban, had allowed al-Qaeda to set-up
terrorist training camps and refused to hand over Bin Laden. American forces overthrew
the Taliban and captured many terrorists. Meanwhile, back in the United States, in
response to the September 11 attacks, our government set-up the Department of
Homeland Security so that all policing agencies can keep each other informed.
President Bush pushed through the Patriot Act which gave law enforcement greater
powers to eavesdrop on suspected terrorists. The criticism is that the law violated
personal privacy rights. With the philosophy, named the Bush Doctrine, of the United
States being “pro-active preemption” versus “re-active tragedy” Iraq was invaded in
March of 2003. Iraq, along with North Korea and Iran were labeled the “Axis of Evil”
by the Bush Administration.
Presidential Issues since 1970
1970s: When Spiro Agnew resigned from being Richard Nixon’s VP, Nixon appointed Gerald
Ford to the VP position. When President Nixon resigned,
Gerald Ford became the US President! Ford tried to win re-election, but the pardon of Richard
Nixon and an unstable economy ruined his chances, Jimmy Carter, Democrat, won.
Jimmy Carter was a one term president. He did a few things which make him notable, for both
good and bad reasons. You be the judge!
1. He gave amnesty to Vietnam draft-dodgers who fled to Canada to escape the Vietnam War.
2. He “gave” the Panama Canal Zone back to Panama a few years before the lease was up! 3. He
tried to free the hostages in Iran, but it turned tragic when the rescuers were killed in an accident.
4. He was responsible for the successful Camp David Accords, a peace treaty signed by Egypt
and Israel.
Ronald Reagan was president during most of the 1980s. He was a Republican and believed in
“New Federalism” which meant that the federal government would transfer responsibility back
to the states for social (welfare) and economic well being of the people. He cut federal welfare
spending and increased military spending.
George Bush (I) was Reagan’s VP and was a one term president. He made a declaration: “Read
MY lips! NO NEW TAXES!” and soon after, taxes were raised and people remembered and
many did not vote for him! Also, a third party candidate, H Ross Perot challenged Bush and
took away votes from the President and Bill Clinton, the Democrat, won!
Bill Clinton was a two term president for most of the 1990s. He had incredible economic
growth and a national deficit turned into a surplus and things looked great. However, Clinton’s
foreign policies were not generally considered successful for he involved American forces in
Yugoslavia and retreated quickly after the Black Hawk Down Military Disaster and did not
intervene in the Rwanda genocide which killed 800,000 people in less than a year. President
Clinton was impeached for not telling the truth under oath. He was not convicted and many
claim it was political.
18
George Bush’s (II) presidency was overshadowed by the events of September 11, 2001. He was
a two term president.
Presidential REVIEW!!
37th President: 1968 to 1974
Name: NIXON Party: (R)
*Ran a “Law and ORDER” campaign!
*Opened CHINA
* WATERGATE was his downfall!
*First President to RESIGN!
“I am NOT a C-R-O-O-K!
38th President: 1974 to 1976
Name: FORD Party: (R)
*First President NOT to be ELECTED as Vice-President or
PRESIDENT.
*Runs for re-election and LOSES
because he PARDONED Nixon!
Slogan “W.I.N” WHIP INFLATION NOW!
39th President: 1976 to 1980
Name: CARTER Party: (D)
*Gave back the PANAMA CANAL!
*Gave AMNESTY to draft dodgers!
*Helped EGYPT & ISRAEL sign a peace treaty called the
CAMP DAVID ACCORDS!
*President during the IRANIAN HOSTAGE Crisis!
40th President: 1980 to 1988
Name: REAGAN Party: (R)
Conservative? (circle one)
*He cut SOCIAL programs, but increased MILITARY
spending!
*He believed in “TRICKLE-down” economics aka “SUPPLYSIDE” aka “REGANOMICS”
“. . . TEAR DOWN THIS WALL!”
19
41st President: 1988 to 1992
Name: BUSH Party: (R)
*Berlin Wall FALLS!
* PERSIAN Gulf War President!
* 1 Term President
“Read my lips: NO NEW TAXES!
42nd President: 1992 to 2000
Name: CLINTON Party: (D)
*Signed NAFTA, free trade between USA, Canada, & Mexico!
* Sent troops to YUGOSLAVIA to stop ethnic cleansing
*Was IMPEACHED because he lied under oath!
43 President: 2000 to 2008
*Set performance standards for schools called the
_________________________Act.
* Endorsed the ___________________Act which increased
wiretap power of federal govt.
*Cabinet level dept which coordinates US security:
_________________________
44th President: 2008
*First AFRICAN-AMERICAN
President in US history.
*Issues in the first 100 days:
Economy
Universal health care
Wars in Iraq & Afghanistan
Guantanamo Bay
QUESTIONS FOR CLARIFICATION:
Since Vietnam Questions for you to Answer!
20
Question
Answer
The Afghanistan government pre 9-11-01
Free trade between Mexico, Canada & USA
The education law of George Bush (II)
He is/was the leader of al-Qaeda
Increases wire tap power of government
Nationality of most Sept 11 hijackers?
Which election is considered the closest in US
history?
Group responsible for Sept. 11, 2001?
Who broke promise of no new taxes?
Who lied under oath and was impeached?
World wide connection of computers?
Who made personal computing easy?
What symbolized the end of communism in
Europe?
First woman Supreme Court Justice?
Location of Prodemocracy rallies in China?
Dictator in Iraq who invaded Kuwait?
Reagan’s laser-guided missile system?
Idea that people will work more to make and
spend more if taxes are low?
Symbolized apartheid in South Africa
Soviet leader who used glasnost?
Who told Gorbachev to “tear down this wall?”
Where did the “Rust Belt” people move?
Group that put an oil embargo on the US?
Court case about White House tapes?
Who? “Whip Inflation Now!”
Greatest achievement of Carter?
Became President when Nixon resigned?
Nixon’s scandal?
Which country formally recognized Israel’s
right to exist at Camp David?
A govt. plan to help minorities overcome past
discrimination
Question
TALIBAN
NAFTA
N.C.L.B.
BIN LADEN
PATRIOT ACT
SAUDI
2000
Knew it or
not?
Yes or
No!
Al-QAEDA
BUSH 41
CLINTON
INTERNET
GATES
BERLIN WALL FALLS
O’CONNOR
TIANAMEN SQUARE
HUSSEIN
S.D.I.
TRICKLE-DOWN
MANDELA
GORBACHEV
REAGAN
SUN BELT
OPEC
US V NIXON
FORD
CAMP DAVID
FORD
WATERGATE
EGYPT
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
Answer
Who started Vietnamization?
He opened China, we got Pandas!
Who called the USSR the “Evil Empire?”
Who called N Korea, Iran, and Iraq the “Axis
of Evil?”
Who? “The Humanitarian President.”
NIXON
NIXON
REAGAN
BUSH 43
CARTER
21
Knew it or
not?
Yes or
No!
Who? Tough on communists, spent $$$ on
defense!
His presidency proclaimed the “end to big
government.”
He believed in the Supply-side economics
DID NIXON GET IMPEACHED?
Who? Iranian Hostage Crisis?
Who? Iran-Contra Affair?
What nation did Iraq invade in 1990?
What nation did the US invade in 2003?
In ’79, where did the US face a hostage crisis?
He sponsored SALT I and believed in détente.
Who appointed Sandra Day O’Connor?
Term: can’t reject solely on race alone.
REAGAN
REAGAN
REAGAN
NO
CARTER
REAGAN
KUWAIT
IRAQ
IRAN
NIXON
REAGAN
REVERSE DISCRIMINATION
Who?
WHO?
Who gave amnesty to draft dodgers?
Who? Sent soldiers to Yugoslavia?
CARTER
CLINTON
22