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G.I. Bill
The G.I. Bill was created to help veterans of World War II. It established hospitals, made low-interest mortgages available and granted stipends covering tuition and expenses for veterans attending college or trade schools. Nearly 9 million veterans received close to $4 billion from the bill’s unemployment compensation program. he education and training provisions existed until 1956, while the Veterans’ Administration offered insured loans until 1962. -
Period: to
1950's
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Hiroshima Bomb
During World War II an American B-29 bomber dropped the world's first deployed atomic bomb over the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The explosion wiped out 90 percent of the city and immediately killed 80,000 people; tens of thousands more would later die of radiation exposure. Japan'sEmperor Hirohito announced his country's unconditional surrender in World War II in a radio address on August 15, citing the devastating power of "a new and most cruel bomb." This was during the final stage of WWII. -
Period: to
The Cold War
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The Iron Curtain
The Iron Curtain is a term that received prominence after Winston Churchill's speech in which he said that an "iron curtain has descended" across Europe. He was referring to the boundary line that divided Europe into two different political areas: Western Europe had political freedom, while Eastern Europe was under a communist Soviet rule. The term also symbolized the way in which the Soviet Union blocked its territories from open contact with the West. -
The Truman Doctrine
With the Truman Doctrine, President Truman established that the United States would provide political, military and economic assistance to all democratic nations under threat from external or internal authoritarian forces. The Truman Doctrine effectively reoriented the U.S. foreign policy, away from its usual stance of withdrawal from regional conflict not directly involving the United States, to one of possible intervention in faraway conflicts. It arose from a speech from President Truman. -
The Marshall Plan
It sparked economic recovery, meeting its objective of 'restoring the confidence of the European people in the economic future of their own countries and of Europe as a whole.' The plan is named for Secretary of State George C. Marshall, who announced it in a commencement speech at Harvard University. The plan promoted European economic integration and federalism and created a mixture of public organization of the private economy similar to that in the domestic economy of the U.S. -
TV Shows
Television struggled to become a national mass media in the 1950s and became a cultural force – for better or worse – in the 60s. Before these two decades were over the three national networks were offering programs that were alternately earth-shaking, sublime and ridiculous. During this time, many of the genres that today's audiences are familiar with were developed – westerns, kids' shows, situation comedies, sketch comedies, game shows, dramas, news and sports programming. -
Fair Deal
Truman managed to convince Congress to pass several of his liberal reforms. It almost doubled the minimum wage from 40 cents to 75 cents an hour & established the Housing Act, which provided 800,000 new houses to the poor. Though Congress approved Truman’s extension of Social Security benefits, it rejected the idea of national health care, avoided passing any new civil rights legislation and failed to aggressively tackle concerns over fair labor practices. Distracted Truman from domestic issues. -
Beat Generation
The Beat Generation was never a large movement in terms of sheer numbers, but in influence and cultural status, they were more visible than any other competing aesthetic. The Beat Generation was a product of this questioning. They saw runaway capitalism as destructive to the human spirit and antithetical to social equality. In addition to their dissatisfaction with consumer culture, the Beats railed against the stifling prudery of their parents’ generation. -
The Korean War
It began when some 75,000 soldiers from the North Koren People's Army poured across the 38th parallel, the boundary between the Soviet-backed Democratic People's Republic of Korea to the north and the pro-Western Republic of Korea to the south. By July. American troops had entered the war on South Korea's behalf. As far as American officials were concerned, it was a war against the forces of international communism itself. The fighting stalled & casualties mounted with nothing to show for them. -
Ike Turner
Ike Turner is certainly one of the most dehumanized figures in rock history. During the mid-'50s, Turner moved the Kings of Rhythm to East St. Louis, where they rose to the top of the local R&B circuit. In addition to working as a musician, he was a talent scout for Modern Records for a time and helped discover B.B. King and Howlin' Wolf. Near the end of his life, Turner had a career renaissance. He went on to win a Grammy for his next original recording. He died in 2008 of a cocaine overdose. -
Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka was a landmark 1954 Supreme Court case in which the justices ruled unanimously that racial segregation of children in public schools was unconstitutional. Brown v. Board of Education was one of the cornerstones of the civil rights movement and helped establish the precedent that “separate-but-equal” education and other services were not, in fact, equal at all. "detrimental effect upon the colored children" and contributed "a sense of inferiority". -
Polio Vaccine
American medical researcher Dr. Jonas Salk announces on a national radio show that he has successfully tested a vaccine against poliomyelitis, the virus that causes the crippling disease of polio. An epidemic year for polio–there were new cases reported in the United States, and more died from the disease. For promising eventually to eradicate the disease, which is known as “infant paralysis” because it mainly affects children, Dr. Salk was celebrated as the great doctor-benefactor of his time. -
Period: to
Civil Rights
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The Domino Theory
The domino theory was a Cold War policy that suggested a communist government in one nation would quickly lead to communist takeover in neighboring states, each falling like a perfectly aligned row of dominos. To justify its involvement in the Vietnam War. The American failure to prevent a communist victory in Vietnam had much less of an impact than had been assumed by proponents of the domino theory. With the exception of Laos and Cambodia, communism failed to spread throughout Southeast Asia. -
Bill Haley and the Comets
One of the first major rock 'n roll songs of the 1950's and still ranked among the worlds all-time is "Rock Around the Clock". The song was made popular by the American group, Bill Haley, and His Comets, initially a Country & Western band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that morphed into a rock 'n roll leader after discovering new potential in rhythm and blues music. It became one of the first American rock 'n roll recordings to find major success and hit the top of the music charts. -
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley was born to a poor family in East Tupelo, Mississippi. Elvis began attracting attention with his music in 1954 when he was 19. He infused Black rhythm-and-blues songs with his distinctive style, which came to include dance moves that were considered quite sexually suggestive for the time. In 1956, "Heartbreak Hotel" became his first number one hit and Elvis suddenly became a national sensation. Crowds of screaming teenagers packed his shows. He loved music but was self-taught. -
Little Richard
In 1955 Richard hooked up with Specialty Records producer Art Rupe. In September, Richard stepped into the recording studio and pumped out “Tutti-Frutti,” an instant Billboard hit that reached No. 17. Over the next year and a half, the musician churned out several more rock hits, including “Long Tall Sally,” “Good Golly Miss Molly” and “Send Me Some Lovin’.” With his blood-pumping piano playing and suggestive lyrics, established rock as a real musical form and inspired others to make a go of it. -
Emmett Till Tragedy
While visiting family in Money, Mississippi, 14-year-old Emmett Till, an African American from Chicago, is brutally murdered for allegedly flirting with a white woman four days earlier. The white woman’s husband & her brother made Emmett carry a 75-pound cotton-gin fan to the bank of the Tallahatchie River & ordered him to take off his clothes. The two men then beat him nearly to death, gouged out his eye, shot him in the head and then threw his body, with barbed wire, into the river. -
Vietnam War
A long, costly and divisive conflict that pitted the communist government of North Vietnam against South Vietnam and its principal ally, the United States. The conflict was intensified by the ongoing Cold War between the United States and the Societ Union. More than 3 million people were killed. Opposition to the war in the United States bitterly divided Americans, even after Nixon ordered the withdrawal of U.S. forces. Communist forces ended the war by seizing control of South Vietnam in 1975. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
The Montgomery Bus Boycott was a civil-rights protest during which African Americans refused to ride city buses in Montgomery, Alabama, to protest segregated seating.Four days before the boycott began, Rosa Parks, an African-American woman, was arrested and fined for refusing to yield her bus seat to a white man.The U.S. Supreme Court ultimately ordered Montgomery to integrate its bus system, and one of the leader of the boycott MLK, emerged as a prominent leader of the civil rights movement. -
Civil Rights Act of 1957
this act introduced Eisenhower’s presidency and was the act that kick-started the civil rights legislative programme. Eisenhower had not been known for his support of the civil rights movement. Rather than lead the country on the issue, he had to respond to problems such as in Little Rock. He never publicly gave support to the civil rights movement believing that you could not force people to change their beliefs; such changes had to come from the heart of the people involved. -
Feminism
The feminist movement originally focused on dismantling workplace inequality, such as denial of access to better jobs and salary inequity. The women's movement used different meant to strive for equality: lobbying Congress to change laws; publicizing issues like rape and domestic violence through the media; and reaching out to ordinary women both to expand the movement and raise their awareness of how feminist could help them. It was naturally suited to build links with these movements. -
Period: to
1960's
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New Frontier
A dynamic young leader & his beautiful bride led the nation. The White House was their home, America their kingdom. They were John F. & Jacqueline Kennedy. However, most of Kennedy's more revolutionary proposals languished in the conservative Congress. He wished to protect millions of acres of wilderness lands from developments, but the Congress refused. His efforts to provide federal funds to elementary and secondary schools were denied. JFK didn't get to accomplish all he wanted domestically. -
OPEC
OPEC's objective is to coordinate and unify petroleum policies among Member Countries, in order to secure fair and stable prices for petroleum producers; an efficient, economic & regular supply of petroleum to consuming nations; and a fair return on capital to those investing in the industry. OPEC's formation occurred at a time of transition in the international economic and political landscape, with extensive decolonization and the birth of many newly independent states in the developing world. -
TV Politics: Nixon & JFK
JFK & Nixon squared off in the first televised presidential debates in American history. The Kennedy-Nixon debates not only had a major impact on the election’s outcome, but ushered in a new era in which crafting a public image and taking advantage of media exposure became essential ingredients of a successful political campaign. They also heralded the central role television has continued to play in the democratic process.“I should have remembered that ‘a picture is worth a thousand words.’” -
Peace Corps
President JFK issues Executive Order, establishing Peace Crops as a new agency within the Department of State. The Peace Crops captured the imagination of the U.S. public, and during the week after its creation, thousands of letters poured into Washington from young American hoping to volunteer. The Peace Corps proposal gained momentum in the final days of Kennedy's campaign, and on he was elected the 35th president of the United States. Thousands of young American answered this call to duty. -
MLK's Letter from Birmingham Jail
Fifty-five years ago, on April 16, 1963, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. began writing his "Letter From Birmingham Jail," directed at eight Alabama clergy who were considered moderate religious leaders.
On April 12, 1963, that eight clergy asked King to delay civil rights demonstrations in Birmingham. That same day, King was arrested and put in the Birmingham Jail. His epic response still echoes through American history. MLK started writing the letter from his jail cell, then rewrote it. -
March on Washington
The March on Washington was a massive protest march that occurred in August 1963, when some people gathered in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Also known as the March on Washington for Jobs & Freedom, the event aimed to draw attention to continuing challenges & inequalities faced by African Americans a century after emancipation. It was also the occasion of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s now-iconic “I Have A Dream” speech. King agreed to speak last, figuring news crews would leave. -
Assassination of JFK
JFK, the 35th president of the United States, is assassinated in Dallas, Texas, in an open-top convertible.Jacqueline Kennedy rarely accompanied her husband on political outings, but she was beside him, for a 10-mile motorcade through the streets of downtown Dallas. the Kennedys and Connallys waved at the large and enthusiastic crowds gathered along the parade route.Lee Harvey Oswald allegedly fired three shots. He was pronounced dead 30 minutes later at Dallas' Parkland Hospital. He was 46. -
Counter Culture
A period when long‐held values and norms of behavior seemed to break down, particularly among the young. Many college‐age men and women became political activists and were the driving force behind the civil rights and antiwar movements. Other young people simply “dropped out” and separated themselves from mainstream culture through their appearance and lifestyle. Attitudes toward sexuality appeared to loosen, and women began to openly protest the traditional roles of housewife and mother. -
Anti-War Movement
The movement against U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War began small–among peace activists and leftist intellectuals on college campuses–but gained national prominence in 1965, after the United States began bombing North Vietnam in earnest. Anti-war marches and other protests, such as the ones organized by students, attracted a widening base of support over the next three years, peaking in after the successful Tet Offensive by North Vietnamese troops proved that war’s end was nowhere in sight. -
Great Society
The Great Society was an ambitious series of policy initiatives, legislation and programs spearheaded by President Lyndon B. Johnson with the main goals of ending poverty, reducing crime, abolishing inequality and improving the environment. In May 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson laid out his agenda for a “Great Society” during a speech at the University of Michigan. With his eye on re-election that year, Johnson set in motion his Great Society, the largest social reform plan in modern history. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964, which ended segregation in public places and banned employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin, is considered one of the crowning legislative achievements of the civil rights movement. First proposed by President John F. Kennedy,it survived strong opposition from southern members of Congress & was then signed into law by Kennedy’s successor, Lyndon B. Johnson. Congress expanded the act and passed additional civil rights. -
Daisy Girl Ad
A 60 second TV ad changed American politics forever. A little girl in a simple dress counted as she plucked daisy petals in a sun-dappled field. Her words were supplanted by a mission control countdown followed by a massive nuclear blast in a classic mushroom shape. The message was clear if only implicit: Presidential candidate Barry Goldwater was a genocidal maniac who threatened the world's future. Two months later, LBJ won easily, and the emotional and risky political attack ad. -
LSD
As LSD became available for recreational use, it started to gain a massive reputation as a magic pill for a direct spiritual experience. This dovetailed perfectly with the radical questioning of government and social norms that were prevalent. As LSD became synonymous with hippies and the countercultural movement, it quickly earned a stigma in the rest of society.its effects were long-lasting as a generation of people got a glimpse of the transcendent power that psychedelics provide. -
Ascendency of Lyndon Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson was the 36th president of the United States; he was sworn into office following the November 1963 assassination of President JFK. Upon taking office, Johnson launched a slate of reforms aimed at creating a “Great Society” for all Americans. Despite his impressive achievements, however, Johnson’s legacy was marred by his failure to lead the nation out of the quagmire of the Vietnam War. He declined to run for a second term in office and retired to his ranch in January 1969. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
The Voting Rights Act of 1965, signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson, aimed to overcome legal barriers at the state and local levels that prevented African Americans from exercising their right to vote as guaranteed under the 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The Voting Rights Act is considered one of the most far-reaching pieces of civil rights legislation in U.S. history. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law on August 6, 1965, with Martin Luther King Jr. -
Death of MLK
MLK was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. An event that sent shock waves reverberating around the world. King had led the civil rights movement, using a combination of impassioned speeches and nonviolent protests to fight segregation and achieve significant civil-rights advances for African Americans.This led to an anger among black Americans, as well as a period of national mourning that helped speed the way for an equal housing bill that would be the last civil rights achievement. -
Stonewall Riots
In the early hours of June 28, 1969, New York City police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay club located in Greenwich Village in New York City. The raid sparked a riot among bar patrons and neighborhood residents as police roughly hauled employees and patrons out of the bar, leading to six days of protests and violent clashes with law enforcement outside the bar. The Stonewall Riots served as a catalyst for the gay rights movement in the United States and around the world. -
Apollo 11
American astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin became the first humans ever to land on the moon. About 6 and a half hours later, Armstrong became the first person to walk on the moon. As he set took his first step, Armstrong famously said, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." The Apollo 11 mission occurred 8 years after President John Kennedy announced a national goal of landing a man on the moon by the end of the 1960's. Landed the lunar modele Eagle. -
Period: to
1970's
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Environmental Protection Agency
Born in the wake of elevated concern about environmental pollution, EPA was established on December 2, 1970, to consolidate in one agency a variety of federal research, monitoring, standard-setting and enforcement activities to ensure environmental protection. Since its inception, EPA has been working for a cleaner, healthier environment for the American people.As states developed and expanded their own pollution control programs, they would be able to look to one agency to support them. -
Equal Rights Amendment
The Equal Rights Amendment is passed by the U.S. Senate & sent to the states for ratification. Equal Rights Amendment was to provide for the legal equality of the sexes and prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex. The revival of feminism in the late 1960s spurred its introduction into Congress. Because of the rejection of the Equal Rights Amendment, sexual equality, with the notable exception of when it pertains to the right to vote, is not protected by the U.S. Constitution. -
Title IX
On this day in 1972, Title IX of the education amendments of 1972 is enacted into law. Title IX prohibits federally funded educational institutions from discriminating against students or employees based on sex.As a result of Title IX, any school that receives any federal money from the elementary to university level–in short, nearly all schools–must provide fair and equal treatment of the sexes in all areas, including athletics.Before Title IX, few opportunities existed for female athletes. -
Watergate
The Watergate scandal began early in the morning, when several burglars were arrested.This was no ordinary robbery: The prowlers were connected to President Richard Nixon’s reelection campaign, and they had been caught wiretapping phones and stealing documents.Nixon took aggressive steps to cover up the crime afterward, after his role in the conspiracy was revealed, Nixon resigned.This scandal changed American politics forever, leading many to question their leaders and think more. -
Roe v. Wade
Roe v. Wade was a landmark decision that established a woman’s legal right to an abortion. The Court ruled, in a 7-2 decision, that a woman’s right to choose an abortion was protected guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The legal precedent for the decision, which established the right to privacy involving medical procedures. Despite opponents’ characterization of the decision, it was not the first time that abortion became a legal procedure in the United States. -
Heritage Foundation
Its stated mission is to formulate and promote public policies based on the principles of "free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense.It is widely considered one of the world's most influential public policy research institutes.Occupational licensing is now one of the nation’s principal forms of economic regulation. To claim that they will "Able to heal, cure or relieve those sufereing from any injury, deformity or disease" -
War Powers Resolution Act
A congressional resolution designed to limit the U.S. president's ability to initiate or escalate military actions. Other restrictions, the law requires that presidents notify Congress after deploying the armed forces & limits how long units can remain engaged without congressional approval. With the goal of avoiding another lengthy conflict, its effectiveness has been repeatedly questioned throughout history, and several presidents have been accused of failing to comply with its regulations. -
Endangered Species Act
Congress passed the act, providing a means for listing native animal species as endangered and giving them limited protection. This Act called for a meeting to adopt a convention to conserve endangered species. One amendment to the Act changed its title to the Endangered Species Conservation Act.The Act also authorized the Service to acquire land as habitat for endangered species. In 1969, Congress amended the Act to provide additional protection to species in danger of "worldwide extinction". -
The New Right
The New Rights was a combination of Christian religious leaders, conservative business bigwigs who claimed that environmental and labor regulations were undermining the competitiveness of American firms in the global market, & fringe political groups.There was nothing new about political and economic conservatism. Antifeminists rallied against the Equal Rights Amendment & the eroding traditional family unit.Those who believed homosexuality was sinful lambasted the vocal gay rights movement. -
VHS
The VHS videocassette format is introduced in North America at a press conference before the Consumer Electronics Show starts in Chicago. Long before the battle between Blu-ray and HD-DVD, there was another home-video standards war that pitted Sony against another Japanese company, JVC. It was VHS vs. Betamax. The idea of a home-use VCR captured consumers' imagination and was set to become one of the hottest home electronics products. In the first year, it took 40% of the business from Sony. -
Iran Hostage Crisis
A group of Iranian students stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, taking more than 60 American hostages. However, the hostage-taking was about more than the Shah’s medical care: it was a dramatic way for the student revolutionaries to declare a break with Iran’s past & an end to American interference in its affairs. The students set their hostages free, 444 days after & just hours after President Ronald Reagan delivered his inaugural address. Believe that crisis cost Carter a second term. -
A.I.D.S. Crisis
The early 1980s were a scary time for gay men in the United States. The news media was beginning to run more and more stories about a “new gay cancer.” The first obvious signs seemed to be a series of lesions that appeared on the afflicted individual’s body. Illnesses that just would not go away no matter what medicines were tried. By then, the disease was known as Auto Immunity Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), which was a better name for it than its original name Gay Related Immune Deficiency, -
Period: to
1980's
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Election of 1980
The United States presidential election of 1980 featured a contest between incumbent Democrat Jimmy Carter and his Republican opponent, Ronald Reagan, as well as Republican Congressman John B. Anderson, who ran as an independent. Reagan, aided by the Iran hostage crisis and a worsening economy at home, won the election in a landslide. Carter, after defeating Ted Kennedy for the Democratic nomination, attacked Reagan as a dangerous right-wing radical. This election begun the "Reagan Revolution" -
Reaganomics
Ronald Reagan announced a recipe to fix the nation's economic mess. He claimed a tax burden, excessive government regulation, & massive social spending programs hampered growth. he bulk of the cut would be concentrated at the upper-income levels. Tax relief for the rich would enable them to spend and invest more. This new spending would stimulate the economy and create new jobs. Reagan believed that a tax cut of this nature would ultimately generate even more revenue for the federal government. -
Space Shuttle Program
NASA's space shuttle fleet began setting records with its first launch & continued to set high marks of achievement and endurance. As humanity's first reusable spacecraft, the space shuttle pushed the bounds of discovery ever farther, requiring not only advanced technologies but the effort of a workforce. Civil servants and contractors throughout NASA's field centers and across the nation have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to mission success and the greater goal of space exploration. -
MTV
MTV went on to revolutionize the music industry and become an influential source of pop culture and entertainment in the United States and other parts of the world, including Europe, Asia, and Latin America, which all have MTV-branded channels.In MTV’s early days, its programming consisted of basic music videos that were introduced by VJs (video jockeys) and provided for free by record companies.By the late 80's, MTV started airing non-video programming, geared toward teenagers and young adults. -
Strategic Defense Initiative
The Strategic Defense Initiative, also known as Star Wars, was a program first initiated under President Ronald Reagan. The intent of this program was to develop an anti-ballistic missile system in order to prevent missile attacks from other countries, specifically the Soviet Union. Although the program seemed to have no negative consequences, there were concerns brought up about the program “contravening” the anti-ballistic missile (ABM) of the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks years before. -
Reagan Doctrine
In his State of the Union address, President Ronald Reagan defines some of the key concepts of his foreign policy, establishing what comes to be known as the “Reagan Doctrine.” The doctrine served as the foundation for the Reagan administration’s support of “freedom fighters” around the globe.Reagan began his foreign policy comments with the dramatic pronouncement that, “Freedom is not the sole prerogative of a chosen few; it is the universal right of all God’s children.” The mission to nourish. -
Iran Contra Affair
The Iran-Contra Affair was a secret U.S. government arms deal that freed some American hostages held in Lebanon but also funded armed conflict in Central America. In addition, the controversial dealmaking—and the ensuing political scandal—threatened to bring down the presidency of Ronald Reagan. Despite the fact that Reagan had promised voters he would never negotiate with terrorists. Reagan himself acknowledged that selling arms to Iran was a “mistake” during his testimony before Congress. -
Challenger Explosion
The NASA space shuttle Challenger exploded just 73 seconds after liftoff, bringing a devastating end to the spacecraft’s mission. The disaster claimed the lives of all seven astronauts. It was later determined that two rubber O-rings, which had been designed to separate the sections of the rocket booster, had failed due to cold temperatures on the morning of the launch. The tragedy and its aftermath received extensive media coverage and prompted NASA to temporarily suspend all shuttle missions. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
As the Cold War began to thaw across Eastern Europe, the spokesman for East Berlin's Communist Party announced a change in his city's relations with the West. Starting at midnight that day, citizens of the GDR were free to cross the country's borders. More than 2 million people from East Berlin visited West Berlin that weekend to participate in a celebration. The reunification of East and West Germany was made official, almost one year after the fall of the Berlin Wall. -
Period: to
1990's
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Persian Gulf War
Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein ordered the invasion and occupation of neighboring Kuwait. Alarmed by these actions, fellow Arab powers such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt called on the United States and other Western nations to intervene. fter 42 days of relentless attacks by the allied coalition in the air and on the ground, U.S. President George H.W. Bush declared a cease-fire by that time, most Iraqi forces in Kuwait had either surrendered or fled. This war is considered an unqualified success. -
Rodney King Incident
Four white Los Angeles police officers brutally beat Rodney King, an unarmed black man. In 81 seconds of video footage captured on a bystander’s camcorder, police were seen kicking and clubbing King 56 times. When the accused officers were tried a year later, a jury found them not guilty despite the taped evidence. Those feelings helped fuel the worst rioting in the U.S. since the 1960s. Has become a landmark moment in the nation’s ongoing debate about race, law enforcement & equality. -
Balkan Crisis
The roots of the Balkan crisis of the 1990s, particularly those in the area identified as Bosnia-Hercegovina, are found in the history of what we call Yugoslavia beginning long before the birth of Christ, continuing into the Middle Ages and were exacerbated by developments before, during and after World War II. Here's an overview of the conflict: The Romans conquered the area before the time of Christ, named it Illyricum & made it a province of its far-flung empire. To keep Bosnia from seceding. -
Election of 1992
President George H. W. Bush; Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton, & Ross Perot. Bush had alienated much of his conservative base by breaking his campaign pledge against raising taxes, the economy was in a recession, & Bush's perceived greatest strength, foreign policy, was regarded as much less important following the collapse of the Soviet Union & the relatively peaceful climate in the Middle East after the defeat of Iraq in the Gulf War. Clinton won in the popular vote & Electoral College -
World Trade Center Attack
A small cell of terrorists, with links to a local radical mosque and broader Islamist terror networks, detonated about 1,200 pounds of explosives in a rental van in the underground parking garage at the World Trade Center. The terrorists fled the area after setting the bomb to explode.The terrorist attack killed six people. More than 1,000 people were injured, with 88 firefighters, 35 police officers, and an emergency medical services worker. About 50,000 people evacuated to the WTC complex. -
NAFTA
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), controversial trade pact signed in 1992 that gradually eliminated most tariffs and other trade barriers on products and services passing between the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The pact effectively created a free-trade bloc among the three largest countries of North America. NAFTA was inspired by the success of the European Economic Community in eliminating tariffs in order to stimulate trade amount its members, but propenents argued. -
Don't Ask, Don't Tell Policy
By name for the former official U.S. policy regarding the service of homosexuals in the military. The term was after Pres. Clinton in signed a law directing that military personnel. When it went into effect the policy theoretically lifted a ban on homosexual service that had been instituted during World War II, though in effect it continued a statutory ban. House of Representatives & the Senate voted to repeal the policy and Pres. Barack Obama signed the legislation The policy officially ended. -
Welfara Reform
The Personal Responsibility & Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act is popularly known as the Welfare Reform Act, is the most significant piece of welfare legislation. The act was the a 30-year debate over the effectiveness of government welfare programs and the proper role of government assistance. The act's goals of moving people off the welfare rolls, limiting the amount of time on public assistance, and mandating that welfare recipients' work was based on the idea of personal responsibility. -
DOMA
The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is a law that, among other things, prohibited married same-sex couples from collecting federal benefits. It was overruled on June 26, 2015 by the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges. This ruling cited the Fourteenth Amendment's equal protection clause, concluding that a denial of marriage rights to same-sex couples is unconstitutional. Statutory and administrative use of terms such as "marriage" and "spouse" under federal law only. -
Lewinsky Affair
The Monica Lewinsky scandal began & America was rocked by a political sex scandal involving President Bill Clinton & Monica Lewinsky. The two began a sexual relationship that continued. During that time, Lewinsky was transferred to a job at the Pentagon, where she confided in co-worker Linda Tripp about her affair with the president. when news of his extramarital affair became public, Clinton denied the relationship, later admitting to “inappropriate intimate physical contact” with Lewinsky. -
Period: to
Contemporary
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Election of 2000
A contest between candidate George W. Bush, son of former president George H. W. Bush, and Democratic candidate Al Gore, then-Vice President. Bill Clinton, the incumbent President, was vacating the position after serving the maximum two terms allowed by the Twenty-second Amendment. The election was noteworthy for a controversy over Florida's electoral votes, the recount process in that state, & the unusual event of the winning candidate having received fewer popular votes than the runner-up. -
9/11 Attacks
19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda hijacked four airplanes and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the United States. Two of the planes were flown into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, a third plane hit the Pentagon just outside Washington, D.C., and the fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. Almost 3,000 people were killed during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which triggered major U.S. initiatives to combat terrorism. -
War on Terror
War on terrorism, a term used to describe the American-led global counterterrorism campaign launched in response to the terrorist attacks of 9/11. The war on terrorism was a multidimensional campaign of almost limitless scope. Its diplomatic dimension included continuing efforts to construct and maintain a global coalition of partner states and organizations and an extensive public diplomacy campaign to counter anti-Americanism in the Middle East. War on terrorism entailed new legislation. -
Patriot Act
U.S. law passed in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Its goals are to strengthen security & broaden the powers of law-enforcement agencies with regards to identifying & stopping terrorists. The passing and renewal of the Patriot Act have been extremely controversial. Supporters claim that in a number of investigations & arrests of terrorists, while critics counter the act gives the government too much power, threatens civil liberties and undermines the very democracy it seeks to protect. -
No Child Left Behind Education Act
The No Child Left Behind law the 2002 update of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, effectively scaled up the federal role in holding schools accountable for student outcomes.NCLB was the product of a collaboration between civil rights and business groups, as well as both Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill and the Bush administration, which sought to advance American competitiveness and close the achievement gap between poor and minority students and their more advantaged peers. -
2nd Iraq War
The United States, along with coalition forces primarily from the United Kingdom, initiates war on Iraq. President Bush and his advisors built much of their case for war on the idea that Iraq, under dictator Saddam Hussein, possessed or was in the process of building weapons of mass destruction.Hostilities began about 90 minutes after the U.S.-imposed deadline for Saddam Hussein to leave Iraq or face war passed. A soldier at the scene described him as “a man resigned to his fate.” -
Hurricane Katrina Disaster
Early in the morning, Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast of the United States. The storm itself did a great deal of damage, but its aftermath was catastrophic. Levee breaches led to massive flooding, and many people charged that the federal government was slow to meet the needs of the people affected by the storm. Hundreds of thousands of people in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama were displaced from their homes and experts estimated that Katrina caused $100 billion in damages. -
Election of 2008
The United States presidential election was held on November 4, 2008. Outgoing President George W. Bush's policies and actions and the American public's desire for change were key issues throughout the campaign. During the presidential election campaign, the major-party candidates ran on a platform of change and reform in Washington. Democrat Barack Obama, then junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain. Nine states changed allegiance from the 2004 election. -
American Recovery & Reinvestment Act
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was a fiscal stimulus that ended the Great Recession. Congress approved President Obama's plan to put $787 billion into the pockets of American families and small businesses. That would boost demand and instill confidence. It was a necessary follow-up to President Bush's plan, the Troubled Asset Recovery Program. TARP ended the 2008 financial crisis by bailing out large banks. A $2,500 college tuition tax credit for 2009 and 2010. -
Obamacare
The law has 3 goals Make affordable health insurance available to more people. The law provides consumers with subsidies (“premium tax credits”) that lower costs for households with incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level. Expand the Medicaid program to cover all adults with income below 138% of the federal poverty level. (Not all states have expanded their Medicaid programs.) Support innovative medical care delivery methods designed to lower the costs of healthcare generally.
