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Passage of the Americans With Disabilites Act
The ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with mental and physical disabilites. It was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush. The law prohibits discrimination in the workplace, as well as public transport and public spaces such as schools and recreational centers. The law received some criticism for allowing abuse, as well as increasing business costs for structural changes to accomodate the disabled. However, it was mostly well received. -
Confirmation of Clarence Thomas
Clarence Thomas was the second African-American to be on the Supreme Court. He was nominated by President George H.W. Bush to replace Thurgood Marshall. He won the confirmation, but by a very narrow margin. This was due to allegations of sexual harrassment by Anita Hill, a woman who had previously worked with Thomas at the Department of Education. There was a lot of controversy over his nomination, due to his conservative views and fears about his stance on abortion. He was sworn in in October. -
Hurricane Andrew
Hurricane Andrew was the most destructive hurricane in history when in formed in 1992. It was classified as a Category-5 hurricane. It had the highest impact in Southern Florida, but it also affected Louisiana and the Bahamas. Wind speeds reached up to a 175 mph. These winds destroyed thousands of homes, and left about 175,000 people homeless. The storm also caused about $25 billion in damage. -
US Soldiers in Somalia/ Blackhawk Down
On October 3, 1993, the US sent in a joint task force to capture the leaders of the Habr Gidr Clan. The primary target was Mohamed Farrah Aidid. The operation was supposed to take no more than an hour. However, as the assault was carried out, 2 Black Hawk helicopters were shot down. The rescue operation of these crews dragged the operation into a full battle known as the Battle of Mogadishu. The men were rescued the next morning from the first crash site, but the 2nd was overrun. -
Passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement
NAFTA was an agreement between the U.S, Canada, and Mexico. President Bill Clinton signed it into law, after it was initially sought after by President George H.W. Bush. This agreement eliminated many tarrifs on imports and exports between the U.S. and Mexico. It also lowered other trade barriers and protected intellectual property on products. Additionally, seperate agreements were made to ensure more environmental protection. The economies of each country received a small boost. -
Million Man March
The Million Man March was a large gathering of African-American men in Washington D.C. The march was led by Louis Farrakhan, and was supported by many local branches of civil rights activist groups. The march sought to portray the African-American man in a much more positive light than usually portrayed in the media. The march was partly held to bring national attention back to issues in the black commununity. The event was held the same day as the Day of Absence, for people not able to attend. -
Explosion of TWA Flight 800
TWA flight 800 was a plane that exploded over the Atlantic on its way to Rome, with a stop in Paris. The flight left from JFK Airport in New York, and exploded 12 minutes after takeoff. The NTSB and the FBI launched an investigtion afterward to determine the cause of the crash, which killed all 230 people on board. A terrorist attack was ruled out by the investigation. It was determined that the cause of crash was an explosion in the fuel tank, which was likely caused by a short circuit. -
Olympic Park Bombing
The Centennial Olympic Park bombing was a terrorist attack that took place during the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia. Eric Rudolph was found to be responsible for the bombing, along with three other bombings. The bomb killed one person and injured 111 people. Luckily, the bomb was discovered by security guard Richard Jewell before it went off, ensuring that most of the people in the area were evacuated. Eric Rudolph was sentenced to life in prison without parole for his crimes. -
NATO Bombing in Yugoslavia
Operation Noble Anvil was the first time NATO used military force against a country without UN approval. The mission was launched to stop human rights abuses in Kosovo. NATO primarily used heavy air force to attack strategic military targets. Infrastructure targets were also targeted, such as power plants and water processing plants. The bombings killed about 500 civilians, and destroyed military sites and industrial buildings. -
Columbine Shooting
The Columbine Shooting occured at Columbine High School in Columbine, Colorado. Two senior students, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold used multiple firearms and bombs to assault the school. Twelve students and one teacher were killed, including Rachel Scott. 21 more people were injured in the shooting. The two shooters committed suicide at the end of the shooting. The two students had planned the terrorist attack to rival the other attacks in the 90's, such as the Oklahoma City bombing.
