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Social Security
Social Security began as a mode of social insurance during the great depression. Old age, poverty, and unemployment were probelms during that period, with seniors having a near 50% poverty rate. The act initially provided benefits to retirees and the jobless. However, Women and minorities were typically excluded. As time went on the SS act was amended into the document we know today, now providing a breadth of services and programs -
Army-McCarthy hearings
Joseph McCarthy was famous through his attempts to find communists in the US Government. His attacks on the Army led instead to televised hearings that proved a disaster for McCarthy. Before the hearings, his investigation of the american signal corps angered many, but the live trials led to ridicule from the american public. -
Brown v. BOE
the 9-0 decision from Warren Court overturned Plessy v. Ferguson that allowed states to segregate, using the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment -
Medicare
Medicare Guarantees health insurance to Americans age 65 or older, as well as people with disabilities. Medicare covers around 48% of expenses on average. It was created under Title XVIII of the Social Security act. Medicare has been criticized historically as being socialist and unfeasable. -
medicaid
Created alongside Medicare, Medicaid provides health services for low income people and families. The service is funded by states and the federal government, but managed by states. In the 1990s drug rebate and additional payment programs were created for medicaid by amendments to the social security act -
Civil Rights Act
This act ensured the voting rights of african americans, specifically targeting discriminatory voting practices. Previously, african americans had been required to pay "poll taxes" or pass literacy tests in order to vote. The act continues to be renewed and amended by Congress -
Watergate Affair
Watergate began with several burglars being arrested inside the office of the Democratic National Committee (located in the Watergate building). The men were linked to Nixon's reelection campaign, and were attempting to wiretap phones and steal secret documents. Nixon was further implicated in the crime by attempting to cover it up. The scandal directly resulted in Nixon resigning, though he was pardoned by Gerald Ford. www.history.com/topics/watergate -
Reagan's "tear down this wall" speech
A speech given by Reagan, commonly spliced with footage of the Berlin wall coming down, which happened two years later. The speech contributes to a great deal of the Reagan myth, often used as evidence of how he "won" the cold war. -
Clinton Impeachment
Charges of Perjury and Obstruction of justice were brought against Bill Clinton by the House of Representatives after the Lewinsky Scandal and a lawsuit by Paula Jones. Clinton was not convicted at his trial, instead being acquitted on a split decision, the Senate failing to reach a two-thirds vote. -
9/11
This consisted of the hijackings of four airliners by Islamic extremists belonging to the group Al-Qaeda. Two planes were flown into the world trade center towers, while a third was crashed into the pentagon. The passengers of the fourth airplane were able to crash it into a field in Pennsylvania. Over 3000 people were killed. The attacks resulted major wars and drives to combat terrorism by George W. Bush.
