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US History
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The Gulf War
The Gulf War, also known as Operation Desert Storm, was a military conflict that took place from August 1990 to February 1991 between a coalition of 35 countries, led by the United States and Iraq after Iraq invaded Kuwait. The war resulted in the liberation of Kuwait and the expulsion of Iraqi forces. This led to the emergence of the United States as a dominant military power in the Middle East. (History.com, November 1, 2022) -
1992 Los Angeles Riots
The 1992 Los Angeles riot, also knowns as the Rodney King Riots, was a widespread outbreak of violence and looting in Los Angeles, California, following the discharge of 4 LAPD officers in the beating of a black man, Rodney King. The riots lasted for 6 days and resulted in 63 deaths, over 2,000 injuries, and more than $1 billion in property damage. The National Guard and U.S. military were called in to restore order, and the riots prompted widespread discussion in the United States. (NPR, 2017) -
Waco Siege
The Waco Siege was a 51-day standoff between the United States government and the Branch Davidians, a religious cult, in 1993. The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives attempted to execute a search warrant on the group's compound in Waco Texas, but the Branch Davidians resisted and a shootout began killing 4 ATF agents and 6 Branch Davidians. The standoff ended in a tragic fire that killed 76 people, including cult leader David Koresh and 25 children. -
Oklahoma City Bombing
The Oklahoma City Bombing was a domestic terrorist attack that occurred on April 19th, 1995, when a truck bomb exploded outside of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City, killing 168 people, including 19 children, and injuring over 600 people. The attack was carried out by Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols, who were motivated by anti-government and white supremacist beliefs. (FBI, 2016) -
Clinton's Impeachment
The impeachment of President Bill Clinton was a political scandal that involved charges of perjury and obstruction of justice related to a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by Paula Jones and Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky. Clinton was impeached by the House of Representatives but was ultimately released by the Senate. The scandal had a significant impact on Clinton's presidency and legacy, and he faced criticism for his conduct during and after the impeachment proceedings -
2000 United States presidential election
The 2000 United States presidential election was one of the most controversial in American history between Republican candidate George W. Bush and Democratic candidate Al Gore. The election was very controversial in Florida, where a recount was ordered due to allegations of voting irregularities. The Supreme Court ultimately decided in Bush v. Gore that the recount violates the Constitution's equal protection clause, which awarded Florida's electoral votes and the presidency to George W. Bush. -
9/11
On September 11, 2001, 4 planes were hijacked by the extremist group Al Qaeda. 2 planes were flown into the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center, one plane was flown into the Pentagon in Washington D.C, and a 4th plane crashed. This tragic event left about 3,000 people lifeless and left a forever-lasting impact on American travel, health, security, and daily life. After this attack on Americans, George Bush, president at the time, retaliated with war on Afghanistan. (PBS, Feb. 26) -
The No Child Left Behind Act
The No Child Left Behind Act was a federal law passed in 2002 that aimed to improve education outcomes in the United States. The act requires states to administer standardized tests to all students in grades 3-8 and set goals for every school to meet "adequate yearly progress" based on students' test scores. NCLB also mandated highly qualified teachers, increased accountability for schools and districts, and provided funding for low-income students. NCLB was later replaced by the ESSA in 2015. -
Iraq War
The Iraq War began in 2003 when a coalition led by the United States invaded Iraq. The main purpose of this war was to eliminate weapons of mass destruction and to remove the threat to U.S. national security. The war didn't end until 2011 after the deaths of thousands of Iraqi civilians and U.S. soldiers. (National Archives) -
Hurrican Katrina
Hurricane Katrina was a catastrophic natural disaster that struck the Gulf Coast of the United States in August 2005. The storm caused extensive damage and flooding in New Orleans, Louisiana, leading to the displacement of over a million people, over 1,800 deaths, and more than $125 billion in damages. The response to the disaster was widely criticized for its slow and inadequate nature, with many calling attention to the racial and economic disparities that were magnified by the disaster.