A Changing World Vocab

Bill Gates

developed software for personal computers

2000 Presidential Election

Supreme Court ended recount in Florida; Bush wins; third-party drew votes from Bush and Gore

Hurricane Katrina

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused great damage along the Gulf Coast. Damage was especially severe in New Orleans, much of which is below sea level, and was protected by levees built to hold back high water.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)

To combat the effects of the Great Recession that began in 2007; Congress passed ARRA in 2009. It was meant to stimulate the economy and put people back to work.

Persian Gulf War

After Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, the U.S. assembled a coalition of countries. Iraq refused to withdraw its troops, and these nations launched the Persian Gulf War, which forced Iraqis out of Kuwait in just a few weeks of fighting.

9/11

The attack on the World Trade Center; resulted in the U.S. War on Terror and the invasion of Afghanistan.

War on Terror

After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, President George W. Bush announced a global War on Terror, vowing that the United States would find and punish those responsible for the attacks and eliminate Islamist terrorism.

USA Patriot Act

passed to prevent further acts of terrorism; complaints that the right to privacy was ignored.

Multinational corporations

Large business enterprises that have operations in many countries.

North American Free Trade Agreement

NAFTA was a treaty signed by Canada, the U.S., and Mexico in 1992 in which they pledged to eliminate trade barriers among them.