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George W. Bush Elected President
President W. Bush was elected as President following his campaign as a Republican conservative who promised to have a cabinet that sought results lacking from the previous presidential cabinet. While ambitious, he was unable to uphold these presidential promises due to the eventual terrorist attacks and the War on Terrorism. https://millercenter.org/president/gwbush/campaigns-and-elections
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The War on Terrorism
The War on Terrorism began in 2001 as a result of the September 11 terrorist attacks. This war included the war in Afghanistan to reach Al-Qaeda, which was being harbored by the Taliban, and the war in Iraq over their presumed possession of WMDs (Weapons of Mass Destruction). The war on terrorism continued for over a decade. https://openstax.org/books/us-history/pages/32-1-the-war-on-terror -
Terrorist Attacks on American Soil
The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks are most widely known for the two planes that crashed into the Twin Towers resulting in the death of over 2,500 people. However, there were two other planes hijacked by terrorists that day, one of which crashed into the Pentagon and the other aiming for the White House though it crashed in a Pennsylvania field instead. The death toll is nearly 3,000 people who died as a result of the attacks. https://www.archives.gov/news/topics/9-11-anniversary -
The No Child Left Behind Act
To bridge the gap between white and minority children in America, the No Child Left Behind Act sought to establish a standard educational baseline for each grade to ensure competency. The act also allowed military personnel and recruiters to gather information from students to increase recruiting numbers. There was also a focus on improving teacher qualifications and quality based on the success of their classes. https://openstax.org/books/us-history/pages/32-2-the-domestic-mission -
Congress Passes the Homeland Security Act
In November 2001, President George W. Bush created the Office of Homeland Security, which would later be established as a Department by Congress in 2002, to manage planned attacks at home and abroad. The primary goal was to prevent events like those that occurred on September 11, 2001. https://openstax.org/books/us-history/pages/32-1-the-war-on-terror -
Barack Obama Elected President
President Barack Obama was the first African-American president. He ran on a Democratic ticket focused on change. The wars on terror, with the financial woes of the time contributed to a strong backing of individuals looking for brighter futures. President Obama also had one of the most widely attended inaugurations of any American President, to date. https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/barack-obama/ https://millercenter.org/president/obama/campaigns-and-elections -
ADA Amendments Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments were intended to expand the rights and definitions for the disabled community. This was meant to ensure safe and fair practices within work and public spaces. A broader definition for "disability" than what was used in 1990 was also created to expand the rights to move individuals. https://library.law.howard.edu/civilrightshistory/disabled/adaamendments -
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is Passed
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, commonly known as the Affordable Care Act, sought to make insurance more widely available, healthcare more affordable and expand the Medicare program to more individuals in need. The initiative was created by President Obama and was aptly referred to as Obamacare publicly. The act was also widely supported by the Democratic Party, but resisted by Republican congress members. https://www.hhs.gov/healthcare/about-the-aca/index.html -
Supreme Court Rules Gay and Lesbian Couples Can Marry
In June 2015, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in the case of Obergefell v. Hodges that marriage was a fundamental right according to the 14th Amendment. This allowed for nationwide marriages between gay and lesbian couples which had previously been denied the right due to DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1996. https://constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution/supreme-court-case-library/obergefell-v-hodges -
Donald Trump Elected President
President Donald Trump was a Republican Candidate, real estate mogul, and former media personality, who ran on a conservative ticket and a strong resistance to immigration practices. He promised stricter border control and more effective immigration efforts to prevent undesirables from entering the country. He lost the popular vote to the Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, but won the electoral college in a landslide. https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/donald-j-trump/ -
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The COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic was a worldwide epidemic originating in Wuhan, China in 2019. The disease began as a respiratory illness with pneumonia-type symptoms that had a higher-than-average death toll and was of an unknown disease strain (or etiology). The spread and impact of the disease led to worldwide shutdowns in travel, work, and social interaction for nearly three years. https://www.cdc.gov/museum/timeline/covid19.html -
Joe Biden Elected President
President Joe Biden, former vice president of the United States, became the Democratic nominee following support from former President Barack Obama and former candidate Hillary Clinton. He ran on a ticket devoted to social change, reduction and/or elimination of student loan debt.. His initial days in office were plagued by the January 6th riot on the capitol and allegations of election fraud by former President Donald Trump. https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/president-biden/ -
George Floyd is Killed by A Police Officer: Ignites Civil Unrest
George Floyd was a black man in Minneapolis killed by police officer Derek Chauvin. The events of Floyd's arrest were considered excessive and Chauvin was filmed kneeling on Floyd's neck for nearly 10 minutes during his arrest, resulting in his death. The filming of the arrest led to nationwide protests and riots. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/george-floyd-killed-by-police-officer -
U.S. Capitol Riot
A mob of individuals, in response to Republican President Donald Trump's delay in ceding the Presidency to Joe Biden, stormed the United States Capitol building. This attack resulted in the deaths of three capitol building security guards and three rioters. Congress members and public officials hid or fled the building for fear of their safety. https://www.britannica.com/summary/January-6-U-S-Capitol-attack -
Respect for Marriage Act
This act protects gay and lesbian rights to marriage as well as overwrites discriminatory marriage laws created in the past. This law undid the impacts of interracial laws and the DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act, reasserting that marriage is between a man and woman) signed into law during President Clinton's presidency. This law also prevents the overturn of the Obergefell vs. Hodges Supreme Court decision from 2015. https://time.com/6239672/house-passes-same-sex-marriage-protections/ -
The Respect for Marriage Act Signed into Law
President Joe Biden signed into law the Respect for Marriage Act which officially legalized gay marriage and overrode outdated marriage laws from previous decades. One example is the ban on interracial marriage, which is no longer valid under this law despite enforcement being nearly non-existent. The law was aimed at creating more equal laws that limited discrimination in the marriage sphere. https://time.com/6239672/house-passes-same-sex-marriage-protections/