Period 9 vocabs

9/11

The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, when al-Qaeda hijackers flew planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, resulting in nearly 3,000 deaths.

al-Qaeda

A militant Islamist organization responsible for the 9/11 attacks.

Taliban

An Islamist militant group that ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001 and provided sanctuary to al-Qaeda.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

A landmark civil rights law passed in 1990 that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in public life.

Clean Air Act

A federal law enacted in 1963 aimed at controlling air pollution and protecting air quality in the U.S.

Demographic shifts

Changes in the composition of the U.S. population over time, including trends such as increased immigration and aging.

Department of Homeland Security

A federal department created in 2002 in response to the 9/11 attacks, tasked with protecting the United States from terrorism.

Election of 1992

The U.S. presidential election where Democrat Bill Clinton defeated incumbent Republican President George H.W. Bush.

End of the Cold War

The period marked by the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, ending the geopolitical tension between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.

Fall of the Berlin Wall

The event in 1989 when the Berlin Wall was opened, symbolizing the end of communist control in Eastern Europe.

Gaza Strip

A small, densely populated territory along the Mediterranean coast, a focal point of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hanging chads

Refers to the disputed ballots in Florida during the 2000 U.S. presidential election that led to a recount.

Iran Hostage Crisis

A diplomatic standoff where 52 American diplomats and citizens were held hostage for 444 days in Iranian revolution.

Iran-Contra Affair

A political scandal involving the secret sale of arms to Iran and the illegal diversion of proceeds to support Contra rebels.

Mikhail Gorbachev

The last leader of the Soviet Union, known for his policies of glasnost and perestroika leading to the end of the Cold War.

Muammar Gaddafi

The leader of Libya known for his authoritarian rule and eventual overthrow during the Arab Spring.

NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement)

A trade agreement established in 1994 aimed at eliminating trade barriers between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

Neo-conservatism

A political movement advocating for free-market capitalism and an interventionist foreign policy to promote democracy.

Oklahoma City bombing

A domestic terrorist attack in 1995 that killed 168 people when a truck bomb exploded outside a federal building.

Oslo Accords

Agreements between Israel and the PLO in the 1990s aimed at achieving a peace settlement and Palestinian self-rule.

Pan Am Flight 103

The bombing of a flight over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988, attributed to Libyan terrorists, killing all on board.

Patriot Act

Legislation passed in response to the 9/11 attacks aimed at enhancing national security through expanded surveillance powers.

Reaganomics

The economic policies of President Ronald Reagan focusing on tax cuts and deregulation to stimulate economic growth.

Rodney King riots

Violent protests following the acquittal of LAPD officers in the beating of Rodney King in 1992.

Rodney King verdict

The court decision in 1992 acquitting LAPD officers of excessive force in the beating of Rodney King, triggering outrage.

Ronald Reagan

The president of the U.S. from 1981 to 1989, known for conservative policies and a strong stance against the Soviet Union.

Ross Perot

A businessman and independent candidate in the 1992 and 1996 U.S. presidential elections focusing on debt reduction.

Star Wars (Strategic Defense Initiative)

A proposed missile defense system announced by President Reagan in 1983 to protect against nuclear attacks.

Tiananmen Square Massacre

The violent suppression of pro-democracy protests in Beijing in 1989 resulting in hundreds to thousands of deaths.

USS Cole attack

A terrorist attack in 2000 where al-Qaeda operatives bombed a U.S. Navy destroyer, killing 17 sailors.

War in Afghanistan

The U.S.-led military intervention begun in 2001 in response to the 9/11 attacks to dismantle al-Qaeda.

War on Iraq

The U.S.-led invasion in 2003 aimed at toppling Saddam Hussein and eliminating alleged weapons of mass destruction.