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O.J. Simpson Trial
Former NFL star O.J. Simpson was put on trial for being accused of stabbing killing his ex wife and her friend. The trial lasted from Jan. - Oct. of 1995, and Simpson was found not guilty. The trial became a national story that highlighted racial divisions, police conduct, and celebrity influence on the justice system. The trial's fame continues to this day as it sparks heated debates about how media, fame, and race shape the criminal justice system and a trial's outcome. -
TWA Flight 800 Crash
A Trans World Airline (TWA) major jet airliner broke up over the Atlantic Ocean which went down 8 miles off the Long Island coast - all 230 passengers aboard died. The explosion was caused by a combination of fuel and air in the centre wing fuel tank. This event is important because the incident and investigations for it led to major advancements in aviation safety, specifically for fuel tank design and safety procedures. This was also the 3rd deadliest aviation accident in US history. -
Bill Clinton's Impeachment Trial
Republicans attacked (then) President Clinton for his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Clinton was put on an impeachment trial in which The House was committed to removing him from office. It failed to resonate with voters as Clinton's approval rating was 73%. Clinton was acquitted of his perjury charges stayed in office for the remainder of his second term (Kruse Zelizer, 231). The tested constitutional limits on presidential conduct set a modern precedent for impeachment. -
Al Gore vs. George W. Bush
On November 7, 2000, Republican Governor George W. Bush of Texas defeats the Democratic Vice President Al Gore - this was the closest election in U.S. history. It was a narrow 271 to 266 electoral votes and the deciding factor was Florida, which Bush won by only 537 votes. The candidates went to court over the vote margin in Florida. Its unprecedented legal battles the Supreme Court's intervention created a lasting impact on the electoral processes public trust. -
9/11
19 Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked 4 planes, crashing 2 into the World Trade Center in NYC, 1 into the Pentagon in Arlington, VA, 1 into a field in PA. The unexpected attack resulted in the deaths of 3,000 people making it the deadliest terrorist attack on US grounds. The event was a turning point for America and led to major changes in politics, security, international relations, and everyday life. It also caused tremendous emotional psychological trauma across the country. -
Iraq War Protest
02/15/2003 - the largest international protest takes place. The protests were against the impending invasion of Iraq. Protests took place in hundreds of cities around the world, estimating around 12-14 million people participating. For example, in New York, around 400,000 people took to the streets to protest (Kruse Zelizer, 33). This represented the largest coordinated anti-war demonstration in U.S. history and was a defining moment for global activism. -
Massachusetts Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage
On May 17, 2004, Massachusetts becomes the first states to legalize same-sex marriage. The decision was made by the MA Supreme Judicial Court in the case Goodridge v. Department of Public Health in which it was ruled that denying same-sex couples the right to marry was unconstitutional. This marked a significant turning point in the LGBTQ+ community and advanced their fight to gain equal rights. It led to a national movement to same-sex marriage's eventual legalization nationwide in 2015. -
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina, a Category 5, is considered the costliest hurricane in U.S. history. It caused severe destruction and loss of life along the U.S. Gulf Coast, especially in New Orleans, LA as well as Alabama Mississippi. It resulted in 1,800 people dying, $125 billion in damages, and 80% of New Orleans to flood. This hurricane exposed the government's slow response to disaster and made Americans trust them less. Major media coverage also highlighted human suffering institutional failures. -
Barack Obama Becomes 1st African American President
Democratic senator from Illinois, Barack Obama, defeats Republican candidate John McCain and becomes the 44th president of the United States, and 1st African American to hold this position in office. Obama had 365 electoral votes 69.5 million popular votes, while McCain only had 173 electoral 59.9 million popular. This milestone marked great progress in the ongoing struggle for racial equality and was a step forward for America regarding people of color holding political power. -
Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting
A mass shooting occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT that resulted in the deaths of 26 people (20 children 6 adults) - Adam Lanza was the perpetrator who shot killed the innocent students and staff. This event is seen as one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history. It caused a turning point in America's conversations about gun violence, mental health, school safety. It also changed people's initial beliefs and led to major activism reform movements. -
U.S. Signs the Paris Climate Agreement
The United States, along with hundreds of other countries, signed this agreement which aimed to fight global warming by limiting global temperature rise to below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels as well as encouraged countries to adopt impacts of climate change foster low-emission development. Republicans saw this as controversial and were skeptical of the costs. Signing it was important so the U.S. could protect its environment as well as was beneficial to the economy.