Units 8-9 APUSH Terms (1945-Present)

GI Bill

1) Also known as the Servicemen's Readjustment Act, this helped World War II veterans transition back to a peacetime economy.

2) Provided a college education for veterans, paid for by the government.

3) Also provided low interest loans to allow veterans to purchase homes, sparking growth in construction industry. (1944)

Baby boom

1) Refers to explosion in marriage and birth rates after World War II.

2) Over 50 million babies were born between 1945 and 1960.

3) This happened because people felt good about their economic futures so stopped delaying marriage/not having kids and led to many families moving to the suburbs. (1945-1960)

GI Bill

1) Also known as the Servicemen's Readjustment Act, this helped World War II veterans transition back to a peacetime economy.

2) Provided a college education for veterans, paid for by the government.

3) Also provided low interest loans to allow veterans to purchase homes, sparking growth in construction industry. (1944)

Baby boom

1) Refers to explosion in marriage and birth rates after World War II.

2) Over 50 million babies were born between 1945 and 1960.

3) This happened because people felt good about their economic futures so stopped delaying marriage/not having kids and led to many families moving to the suburbs. (1945-1960)

Levittown

1) 17,000 inexpensive, mass produced homes built in Long Island, NY.

2) Appealed to middle class families due to affordability and came to symbolize the conformity of suburban homes.

3) Led to the rise of suburbs across the country. (1947)

Sunbelt

1) 15-state area which stretched from parts of Virginia to California.

2) Many Americans moved to this region, attracted to the low taxes and warmer climate.

3) Many defense-related industries existed in the South, which attracted potential employees and helped revitalize the South economically. (Post-1950)

Taft-Hartley Act

1) Anti-union legislation passed by Congress but vetoed by Truman.

2) Prohibited unions from certain types of strikes.

3) Required union leaders to take anti-Communist oaths. (1947)

Federal Highway Act

1) Authorized the construction of 42,000 miles of roads, making it the largest public works project in history.

2) Led to the creation of a trucking industry and the growth of suburbs, to name a few.

3) Taxes on fuel and cars were used for defense spending during the Cold War. (1956)

Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka

1) Landmark Supreme Court case that challenged the constitutionality of segregation in public schools. Sparked the Civil Rights movement.

2) Demonstrated the inequality in schools for white children v. African American children.

3) Ruled that "separate but equal" was illegal, and mandated that schools begin integrating "with all deliberate speed". Many southern schools resisted this ruling.(1954)

Montgomery Bus Boycott

1) Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat and was arrested.

2) Led to an 11 month boycott of the public transportation system by African Americans.

3) Supreme Court ruled that segregation on buses was illegal. (1955)

Martin Luther King, Jr.

1) Preacher who fought for civil rights and was leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

2) Believed in non-violent, peaceful protest, demonstrated by boycotts and sit-ins.

3) Delivered famous "I Have a Dream" speech at the March on Washington and continued to push for civil rights for African Americans until his death in 1968. (1955)

Little Rock Nine

1) Group of African American students who tried to integrate Central High School.

2) Governor blocked entry of students using state's National Guard.

3) President Eisenhower eventually intervened, sending federal troops to protect African American students. (1957)

Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)

1) Civil rights organization geared toward college students. Instrumental in using sit-ins to desegregate lunch counters.

2) Eventually aligned with ideals of Malcolm X and advocated for separation over integration.

3) Chairman Stokley Carmichael denounced non-violent protest and advocated for "black power" in the form of economic equality and racial separation in the 1960s. (1957 & 1960)

“Leave it to Beaver”

1) American sitcom that followed the Cleaver family (father, mother, two sons).

2) Plot centered around the life of an ideal suburban family with typical middle class values.

3) Also reinforced common gender roles (i.e. father works, mother stays home). (1957)

Elvis Presley

1) Singer/actor who fused different styles of music together (rhythm and blues, bluegrass, and country) to form rock 'n' roll.

2) Music symbolized growing teenage rebellion in America.

3) Known for his sexually provocative movements, he revolutionized American music, becoming the best selling solo artist in history. (1950s)

Beatniks

1) Nickname for group of rebellious writers and artists, such as Jack Kerouac.

2) Criticized conformity of American life and shallowness of mainstream culture.

3) Known for its liberal, anti-war stance. (1950s)

Food Stamps

1) Part of Lyndon B. Johnson's "Great Society" programs.

2) Meant to address poverty levels in America, this initiative provided low income families with vouchers to use in exchange for food at grocery stores.

3) While the program has been changed, it is still around today. (1964)

Medicare; Medicaid

1) Lyndon B. Johnson's Great Society initiative that provided health care to the elderly (65+) and poor/disabled.

2) Both programs greatly expanded the role of the government as now it everyone's tax dollars are being used to provide health insurance for certain segments of the population.

3) Both programs are still around today and constitute about 25% of the federal budget. (1965)

Civil Rights Act of 1964

1) Passed by Lyndon B. Johnson, this made segregation illegal in all public facilities.

2) This also made it illegal to discriminate in hiring based on race or gender.

3) Also set up the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to investigate discrimination in the workplace. (1964)

Voting Rights Act of 1965

1) Passed by Lyndon B. Johnson after the Selma march, in which civil rights leaders and peaceful protesters were attacked by Alabama state troopers.

2) This banned the use of literacy tests, and allowed the federal government to investigate the use of poll taxes in state elections. Poll taxes in federal elections were outlawed with the passage of the 24th Amendment in 1964.

3) This legislation was instrumental in increasing black voter turnout in the South. (1965)

Malcolm X

1) Black Muslim civil rights leader and former leader of the Nation of Islam. He was assassinated in 1965.

2) Preached black nationalism, separatism, and economic improvement.

3) Critical of Martin Luther King's methods and often advocated for self-defense. (1965)

Black Panthers

1) A militant civil rights group inspired by Malcolm X and organized by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale.

2) Advocated for blacks to carry arms and defend themselves from police brutality.

3) Their ten-point party platform also called for housing and economic opportunities for black communities. (1966)

Students for a Democratic Society (SDS)

1) Radical political organization founded by Tom Hayden and others; it set forth its ideals in the Port Huron Statement: government should promote equality, fairness, and be responsive to people.

2) Over 300 chapters were created on college campuses across the country.

3) Also known as the "New Left", members went on to protest the Vietnam War and existed alongside the counterculture movement of the 1960s. (1962)

Immigration Act of 1965

1) Officially ended the quotas created in the 1920s which discriminated against Southern and Eastern Europeans.

2) Doubled the amount of immigrants allowed in each year, leading to increases in the number of immigrants from Central/South America and Asia.

3) Also allowed for refugees from communist nations such as Vietnam and Cuba. (1965)

Betty Friedan

1) Wrote The Feminine Mystique, which validated the unhappiness that many women felt at home, and led to women seeking fulfillment in careers outside of the home.

2) Also created NOW (National Organization for Women) in 1966 which encouraged women to fight for equality, especially in the workplace.

3) Credited with sparking the “second wave” feminist movement. (1963)

Title IX

1) A federal civil rights law passed as part of the Education Amendments of 1972.

2) This law protects people from discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance.

3) Led to an increase in athletic and co-curricular activities for females at both the high school and college levels. (1972)

National Organization for Women (NOW)

1) Created by Betty Freidan, this organization adopted tactics of civil rights leaders to fight for equality, such as protests and marches.

2) Worked for better enforcement of the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and Civil Rights Act of 1964.

3) Campaigned for the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment. (1966)

Equal Rights Amendment

1) Amendment to the U.S. Constitution giving women equal rights under the law.

2) Although the amendment was approved by Congress, it failed to achieve ratification by the required 38 states.

3) Would have banned all discrimination based on gender, but failed largely due to a growing reaction against feminism by conservatives such as Phyllis Schlafley. (1972)

Rachel Carson

1) Author of Silent Spring, which documents the dangers of the use of pesticides.

2) Led to a nation-wide ban on the use of DDT on agricultural products.

3) Spearheaded the start of an environmental movement which eventually led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency. (1962)

Truman Doctrine

1) President Truman's promise to provide economic and military aid to countries in order to stop the spread of communism

2) Was used to stop Greece and Turkey from falling to communism

3) An example of the containment policy that set the guidelines for how the U.S. would deal with the Soviet Union for the next 40 years (1947)

Marshall Plan

1) The U.S. worried that a starving and post-WWII devastated Europe could turn communist

2) This provided $13 billion in economic aid to Western Europe to rebuild cities and infrastructure

3) This was lauded by many as helping America's European allies and stopping the spread of communism (1947)

Berlin Airlift

1) After Germany's loss in WWII, its capital city was divided amongst the Allied Powers but the Soviet Union closed all highways and railroads into the city

2) The U.S. refused to abandon its portion of the city and responded by dropping supplies from the air into the closed-off capital

3) After almost a year, the Soviet Union lifted the blockade, thus ending the standoff but still increasing Cold War tensions (1948)

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

1) Created after WWII to ensure security and to check Soviet Union aggression (and consequently Soviets formed own pact with communist-aligned countries six years later)

2) First peacetime military alliance the U.S. entered into and still exists today

3) Each participating country promises to defend the others in the event of an attack (1949)

Korean War

1) Began when the communist Northern part of the peninsula (backed by the USSR) invaded the non-communist South (backed by the US)

2) This invasion marked the first military fighting in the Cold War

3) Despite nearly 5 million deaths (of which 40,000 were U.S. soldier deaths), the fighting ended in a stalemate with the peninsula continuing to be divided between the communist North and democratic South (1950)

House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)

1) A congressional committee that investigated allegations of communist activity in the United States in the early years of the Cold War

2) Conducted a series of high-profile hearings alleging that Communists disloyal to the U.S. had infiltrated government, schools, and the entertainment industry (including the Hollywood Ten)

3) Led to heightened fear of communism and distrust in the government as witnesses were forced to supply names of other communists and thrown in jail if they did not cooperate (1945-1950)

McCarthyism

1) Named after the Wisconsin Senator who spent five years trying to expose communists in the U.S. government

2) This "witchhunt" falsely accused people of being communist without ample evidence which led to many Americans losing their jobs or being blacklisted from other jobs

3) These accusations ultimately stopped when the Army was falsely accused of being infiltrated with communists and Americans realized this had gone too far (1950-1954)

Massive Retaliation

1) A strategy in which the U.S. promised to respond in greater force if attacked with nuclear weapons

2) President Eisenhower's defense strategy that relied heavily on the nation's nuclear arsenal as the main way to deter communist aggression

3) Continued the U.S.'s containment policy but took a more proactive and vigorous approach to stopping the spread of communism (1952)

CIA

1) Federal agency responsible for gathering foreign intelligence and conducting covert actions abroad in pursuit of American national interests

2) Initially created after WWII to help check the Soviet Union's power

3) Helped orchestrate coups first in Iran and Guatemala to put pro-democracy leaders in power (1950s)

Domino theory

1) Idea that if one country falls to communism, then the neighboring ones will to

2) First used by President Eisenhower to justify involvement in Vietnam

3) This is central to the U.S.'s containment policy but proved to not always be true such as in Southeast Asia (1955-1973)

Eisenhower Doctrine

1) Promised military and economic aid to any Middle Eastern country that needed help resisting communism 2) A continuation of the U.S. policy of containment

3) Expanded U.S. commitment to stopping the spread of communism to the Middle East (1957)

Sputnik

1) Soviet Union surprised the world by launching the first artificial satellite into outer space

2) Americans feared that Russians could use this technology to launch ballistic missiles that could carry nuclear warheads

3) Prompted the U.S. to invest more heavily in science and education, led to the creation of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and ushered in the "Space Race" between the Russians and Americans (which led to the U.S. being the first to land on the moon) (1957)

Military-Industrial Complex

1) In his farewell address, President Eisenhower warned against this, arguing that it posed a threat to American democracy

2) Was fearful that military spending and development would drive U.S. foreign policy

3) Believed some spending was healthy to maintain competitiveness with Soviet Union, but did not want the military to become top government priority (1960)

Flexible response

1) U.S. defense strategy adopted by President Kennedy in which a wide range of diplomatic, military and economic options (military and non-military) were used to deter an enemy attack

2) Alternative to President Eisenhower's strategy that relied heavily on nuclear weapons

3) Led to increased defense spending in order to boost conventional military forces and created an elite branch of the army called the Green Berets that got the U.S. more involved in Vietnam (1961)

Cuban Missile crisis

1) This began when the U.S. discovered nuclear-armed Soviet weapons 90 miles away from the U.S.

2) This led to a tense 13 day stand-off between the Soviet Union (Khruschev) and United States (JFK) and the brink of nuclear war

3) This was ultimately resolved when the Soviets agreed to remove the nuclear weapons and the U.S. agreed to remove its nuclear weapons in Turkey (1962)

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

1) Was in response to a minor attack on the USS Maddox.

2) It gave LBJ authorization to use conventional military force in SE Asia without a formal declaration of war.

3) Led to the rapid escalation of US military involvement in Vietnam. (1964)

Tet offensive

1) Was a major coordinated surprise attack by the North Vietnamese Army and the Viet Cong on US forces.

2) Although immediately successful the attack was repelled and the Americans inflicted heavy losses on North Vietnam.

3) However, it turned public opinion in the United States against the war and led to the beginning of peace negotiations. (1968)

George Wallace

1) Governor of Alabama who ran for president four times and famously prevented minority students from entering University of Alabama. 2) He ran as an American Independent and a staunch segregationist in 1968.

3) Remembered for the quote "segregation today, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever. (1968)

Woodstock

1) 3 days of peace and music held in upstate New York.

2) Defining pinnacle event for the counterculture generation in the United States. 3) In the aftermath, the counterculture collapsed in to the anti-war movement due to unpopularity of Vietnam War. (1969)

Vietnamization

1) Policy by the Nixon administration to end U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.

2) In the spirit of more cooperation with the Soviet Union, Nixon began to transfer responsibility of fighting to South Vietnam, moving away from a policy of containment to a more cooperative world order.

3) Led to US withdrawal of forces and the eventual collapse of South Vietnam. (1969-1973)

Kent State Protests

1) At a university in Ohio, members of the National Guard fired into a noisy crowd of student protesters, killing four and wounding many more.

2) The protests were sparked by Nixon's announcement that he had expanded the Vietnam War into Cambodia.

3) The Cambodian invasion deepened the already bitter feelings between "hawks" and "doves" in American society, and it increased disillusionment among African Americans and America's youth towards the war. (1970)

Detente

1) A period of relaxed tensions during the Cold War that was ushered in by Richard Nixon and lasted until the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979.

2) Began when Nixon visited China and met with its leader Mao Zedong, re-establishing relations with China and opening it up to trade. Later, Nixon traveled to Moscow, where the United States agreed to sell $750 million worth of wheat and corn to the Soviet Union.

3) The improved relationships between the United States and the Soviet Union also led to a number of treaties that slowed down the arms race during the Cold War, including an anti-ballistic missile (ABM) treaty, SALT I, and SALT II. (1972)

SALT I

1) Arms reduction treaty negotiated by President Nixon as part of detente. It aimed at freezing the numbers of long-range nuclear missiles for a period of 5 years.

2) It represented an important step in reducing the amount of weapons that had been stockpiled by the United States and the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War.

3) Later, President Jimmy Carter sought to sign additional agreements with the Soviet Union to limit nuclear arsenals. However, the agreement was never ratified due to the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan and an end to detente. (1972)

Watergate

1) Series of scandals that resulted in President Richard Nixon's resignation in August 1974 amid calls for his impeachment.

2) The scandal sprang from a failed burglary attempt at the Democratic party headquarters in Washington DC's Watergate Hotel during the 1972 election. The burglars were soon revealed to be working for the Republican Committee to Re-Elect the President (Creep), which had ties to Nixon and attempted to cover up the incident.

3) The scandal created a major constitutional crisis and led to a growing mistrust of the government by the public. (1972)

War Powers Act

1) Law passed by Congress, which limited the President's ability to wage war without Congressional approval. The act required the President to notify Congress within 48 hours of committing troops to a foreign conflict.

2) The law was an important effect of the Vietnam War. Responding to the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, it sought to reduce the President's power over military matters.

3) The law represented a change in America's foreign policy, as the United States became more cautious and attempted to avoid another bloody war similar to Vietnam. (1973)

Oil Embargo

1) As a longtime ally of Israel, the United States supplied it with 2 billion dollars in war materials during the Yom Kippur War. This aid helped Israel defeat Egypt and Syria.

2) In response to American support of Israel, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) cut off shipments of oil to the United States and several European allies. 3) The oil shortage triggered a major economic recession in the United States, and it revealed how dependent America had become on foreign oil. (1973-1974)

Iran Hostage crisis

1) The 444 days, from November 1979 to January 1981, in which American embassy workers were held captive by Iranian revolutionaries.

2) The Iranian Revolution began in 1979 when young Muslim fundamentalists overthrew the oppressive regime of the American-backed shah, forcing him into exile. These revolutionaries deemed the United States "the Great Satan," because of its connection to the shah and its role in the overthrow of its government by the CIA in 1953.

3) The event triggered a new energy crisis in the United States as the country was cut off from Iranian oil. It also turned public opinion against the Carter administration after a failed rescue attempt of the hostages and an inability to negotiate for their release. These failures helped Ronald Reagan gain the presidency in 1980. (1979)

Stagflation

1) Economic condition that results from a loss of productivity and rising prices (inflation).

2) The entire decade of the 1970s did not witness a productivity advance equivalent to even one year's progress in the preceding two decades. Additionally, the cost of living tripled, and for the first time, the baby boomers faced the possibility that their standard of living might be lower than their parents.

3) The poor economy was the result of several factors including the rising costs of the Vietnam War and sharply rising oil prices. (1970s)

American Indian Movement

1) Militant native American civil rights organization, which was originally created to help Indians who had been displaced from reservations as a result of government programs.

2) Eventually the organization pushed for a broader platform that included the restoration of native lands seized by the government, greater control over tribal lands, protection of legal rights, economic improvement for native Americans, and the revitalization of traditional tribal culture.

3) The group staged multiple protests, the most famous of which was the occupation of Alcatraz Island(1969-72) to demand the return of traditional Indian lands (1968-present)

Cesar Chavez

1) Mexican-American union leader and labor organizer, who fought to improve the lives of farm workers across America. He is recognized as a leader of the Chicano Movement, which gained momentum in the 1960s and 1970s to fight for the rights of Mexican-Americans, protect farm workers, and improve education.

2) He helped to establish the group that eventually became known as the United Farm Workers (UFW), and he stressed nonviolent methods of protest including boycotts, marches, and hunger strikes.

3) Participated in the Delano Grape Strike in 1965 and gained national attention for the plight of migrant workers in California. (1960s and 1970s)

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

1) A governmental organization signed into law by Richard Nixon and designed to regulate pollution, emissions, and other factors that negatively influence the natural environment. 2) The agency was created in response to a growing environmental movement that began with the publication of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring. The creation of this agency marked a newfound commitment by the federal government to combat environmental risks and was followed up by the Clean Air Act of 1970 and the Endangered Species Act of 1973. 3) The agency made notable progress in reducing automobile emissions and cleaning up waterways and toxic waste sites. (1970)

Stonewall Riots

1) Uprising in support of equal rights for gay people sparked by an assault by off-duty police officers at a gay bar in New York.

2) The rebellion led to a rise in activism within the gay community and aided in the creation of new gay rights organizations such as the Gay Liberation Front.

3) On the first anniversary of the riots, LGBT organizations in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago organized gay liberation marches to commemorate the riots and broaden their activist networks. These marches led to the hundreds of Gay Pride marches held around the world today. (1969)

Roe v. Wade

1) Landmark Supreme Court case that struck down laws prohibiting abortion, arguing that a woman's decision to terminate a pregnancy was protected by the constitutional right of privacy.

2) The case represented a major victory for Second Wave Feminism and greater protections for female reproductive rights.

3) Created a strong backlash from the Catholic Church and religious right, which organized a powerful grassroots movement to oppose the legalization of abortion. (1973)

Three Mile Island

1) Site of the largest commercial nuclear accident in American history.

2) A series of mechanical and human errors led to a partial nuclear meltdown and the release of radioactive material into the atmosphere, exposing millions of people to small amounts of radiation.

3) Turned the public against nuclear power and led to an anti-nuclear movement as well as calls for greater government regulation of the nuclear power plants. No new nuclear power plants have been built since the accident. (1979)

New Federalism

1) The process of taking certain powers from the federal government and transferring it back to the states and local governments.

2) Originally proposed by President Nixon, it was an attempt to shrink the size and control of the federal government and represented a conservative backlash to the expansion of government under the Great Society.

3) Established a revenue sharing system, which would give block grants to states and local governments to address their individualized needs. This process has created new debates today about the balance of power between the federal and state government. (1969)

Phyllis Schlafly

1) A conservative who is known for leading an opposition movement to the Equal Rights Amendment and was instrumental in its defeat. 2) Was concerned that the ERA would destroy spousal benefits under Social Security, as well as gender-specific restrooms, and exemptions for women during a military draft.

3) Spoke out against Roe v. Wade, calling it the "worst decision in the history of the U.S. Supreme Court". (1977)

Jerry Falwell

1) Conservative evangelical preacher who led the "Moral Majority".

2) The reform movements of the 1960s and 1970s (particularly the Roe v. Wade decision) led to the creation of the "Moral Majority", who raised money to support conservative political candidates.

3) Falwell and the "Moral Majority" advocated for prayer and religion in schools, which they believed would restore the moral center of America. (1979)

Regents of University of California v. Bakke

1) Jim Bakke (a white man) argued that he had been unfairly denied admission to medical school twice despite exceeding qualifications. 2) Supreme Court upheld affirmative action (ALLOWING race to be a factor in college admissions.

3) Also argued that setting aside spots for minority students violated 14th Amendment rights. (1978)

Election of 1980

1) Resulted in the election of Republican Ronald Reagan, who defeated incumbent Jimmy Carter.

2) Ended over 50 years of a Democratic-controlled Congress, with Republicans gaining more seats in the House and control of the Senate.

3) Demonstrated the existence of a growing conservative movement in the U.S. (1980)

Reaganomics

1) Also known as "supply side economics", this approach believed that tax cuts and reduced government spending would increase investment in the economy, which would lead to increased jobs, production, and overall prosperity.

2) Often compared to the "trickle down" economics policies of the 1920s.

3) The Economic Recovery Act of 1981 decreased income taxes by 25% and made cuts to domestic programs such as food stamps, student loans, and mass transportation. (1981-1989)

Air Traffic Controllers' Strike

1) Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO) called for a reduced work week and pay increase, citing safety concerns on the job, and went on strike after failed negotiations.

2) President Reagan fired over 11,000 workers for violating their contract.

3) Led to the practice of hiring non-union workers in many industries, creating a decline in overall union membership. (1981)

Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986

1) Made it illegal to hire illegal immigrants.

2) Established fines and penalties for businesses who employed illegal immigrants. 3) Did not make much of an impact in addressing the growing illegal immigration from Central and South America, but provided amnesty for many illegal immigrants, which increased total immigrant population in U.S. (1986)

Strategic Defense Initiative (Star Wars)

1) Increased spending during the Reagan administration on a high-tech system of lasers and particle beams which would hopefully destroy enemy missiles.

2) One of the many examples of a build-up in the arms race with the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

3) Defense budget skyrocketed throughout the 1980s as a result. (1983)

"Glasnost"

1) Policy of new Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev which referred to "openness".

2) Meant to end political repression in the Soviet Union and hopefully lead to greater political freedoms for the Soviet people.

3) Gorbachev also advocated for "perestroika", a restructuring of the Soviet economy in order to achieve more financial freedoms as well. Both signaled the end of the Cold War. (1985)

START I

1) Also known as the "Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty", it was between the U.S. and Soviet Union.

2) Called for major reductions of ballistic missiles and nuclear warheads on both sides.

3) Also offered economic assistance to Soviet Union. (1991 and 1992)

Persian Gulf War

1) Saddam Hussein of Iraq invaded Kuwait, a smaller neighboring country.

2) Since western oil sources were at stake, President Bush created a United Nations coalition to pressure Hussein to withdraw troops.

3) Massive military operation known as "Desert Storm" was launched and after 100 hours of fighting on the ground, Iraq was defeated. (1990-1991)

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

1) Passed by President Clinton, this created a free-trade zone with Canada and Mexico.

2) Meant to eliminate tariff barriers on agriculture, manufacturing, and technology.

3) While the U.S. and Canada had a free trade agreement, this opened up opportunities with a growing Mexican economy. (1994)

"Contract with America"

1) Led by Republican Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich.

2) Signed by most Republican Congressmen, this outlined the Republican agenda after the 1994 Congressional elections.

3) Advocated for a smaller government, lower taxes, and welfare reform, among other things. Resulted in confrontation with President Clinton, leading to two government shutdowns. (1995)

Clinton impeachment trial

1) He was charged with perjury and obstruction of justice during an investigation regarding an extramarital affair.

2) After formal trial was held, the President was acquitted on both counts and remained in office.

3) While popular opinion sided with the President, this damaged his reputation and made him the first president to be impeached since Andrew Johnson in 1868. (1998)

Dot.com boom

1) Began due to advancements in computers, software, the creation of the Internet, and wireless communications.

2) Companies such as Apple and Microsoft led the way, with Amazon, Yahoo, and Google soon profiting as well.

3)This led to a decrease in unemployment rates and an increase in millionaires. (1997-2001)