UNIT STUDY GUIDE: America (1990s–2000s) + Globalization

🇺🇸 America in the 1990s

🔑 Key Themes

• End of the Cold War → U.S. becomes global superpower

• Rise of globalization

• Growth of technology & internet

• Increased partisan politics

👤 George H.W. Bush (1989–1993)

• Led Operation Desert Storm (1991) → liberated Kuwait

• Soviet Union collapsed (1991)

• Broke “no new taxes” promise → hurt popularity

• Economic recession (1992)

👤 Bill Clinton (1993–2001)

🏛 Domestic Policy

• “New Democrat” (moderate)

• Tried healthcare reform (failed)

• Welfare reform → limited benefits

• Balanced budget → government surplus

• Economic boom (tech + internet)

🌍 Foreign Policy

• Sent troops for:

  • Somalia (peacekeeping)

  • Bosnia & Kosovo (stop genocide)

• Helped bring peace in Northern Ireland

💼 Economy

• Longest economic expansion in U.S. history

• Internet + tech innovation → growth

📊 NAFTA (1993)

• Trade agreement: U.S., Mexico, Canada

• Reduced trade barriers

• Increased globalization

• ❗ Downsides: job loss in some industries

🗳 Politics in the 90s

• Republicans gained Congress (1994)

• “Contract with America” → smaller government

• Government shutdown (1995)

⚠ Major Issues

• Terrorism begins rising

  • 1993 WTC bombing

  • Oklahoma City bombing (1995)

• Social tensions

  • Rodney King riots (1992)

  • Columbine shooting (1999)

⚖ Clinton Impeachment

• Lied under oath (Monica Lewinsky scandal)

• Charges: perjury & obstruction

• Impeached but NOT removed from office

🗳 1992 Election

• Candidates:

  • Clinton (D)

  • Bush (R)

  • Ross Perot (3rd party)

• ❗ Third parties:

  • Bring new ideas

  • Can split votes (“spoiler effect”)

🌎 Globalization & International Organizations

🌐 Globalization

• World becoming more connected & interdependent

• Driven by:

  • Internet

  • Trade

  • Technology

🏛 Government’s Role

• Regulate businesses

• Control money supply

• Set interest rates

• Manage trade relationships

📉 Free Trade

✔ Lower prices
❌ Job loss in some sectors

🏢 Multinational Corporations

• Operate in multiple countries

• Influence governments

• Move to lower-tax countries

• Can be “too big to fail.”

✔ Spread culture (cultural diffusion)
❌ Can cause economic instability

🌍 International Organizations

• Countries working together

• Goals: cooperation & stability

Key Examples:

• NAFTA → replaced by USMCA (2020)

• WTO → replaced GATT (1995)

• UN → replaced League of Nations (1945)

• IMF → fights money laundering & terrorism

• EU → roots in 1950s economic communities

• NATO

  • Article 5: attack on one = attack on all

🇺🇸 America in the 2000s

👤 George W. Bush (2001–2009)

🗳 Election of 2000

• Bush (R) vs. Al Gore (D)

• Extremely close → Florida recount

• Bush v. Gore (Supreme Court case) ended recount

• Bush wins:

  • Electoral: 271–266

  • Gore won popular vote ❗

👉 Controversy: Judicial branch decided election

🗳 Election of 2004

• Bush vs. John Kerry

• Bush wins (focus on national security)

💥 9/11 Attacks (2001)

• Targets:

  • World Trade Center

  • Pentagon

  • Pennsylvania crash

• ~3,000 deaths

• Done by al-Qaeda (Osama bin Laden)

🎯 Reasons

• Anti-U.S. beliefs

• Opposition to U.S. involvement in Middle East

• Attacked symbolic targets (economy, military)

⚔ War on Terror

• Target: countries supporting terrorism

🇦🇫 Afghanistan (2001)

• Remove Taliban

• Destroy al-Qaeda

• Bin Laden escaped initially

🇮🇶 Iraq War (2003)

• Reason: fear of WMDs (weapons of mass destruction)

• Saddam Hussein removed

• Long insurgency → prolonged conflict

🛡 Anti-Terror Policies

• Patriot Act

  • Increased surveillance powers

  • Controversial (privacy concerns)

• Department of Homeland Security

  • Coordinates national security

• TSA

  • Airport security

🌪 Hurricane Katrina (2005)

• Massive destruction in Louisiana

• 80% of New Orleans flooded

• 1,800+ deaths

• Government response criticized (slow)

📉 Great Recession (2008–2009)

• Causes:

  • Housing bubble

  • Risky loans (subprime mortgages)

  • Bank deregulation

• Worst crisis since Great Depression

👤 Barack Obama (2009–2017)

🗳 Elections

• 2008: defeated John McCain

• 2012: defeated Mitt Romney

⭐ Key Facts

• First African American president

• Focus: healthcare reform

💰 Economic Recovery

• American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

  • $787 billion stimulus

  • Created jobs

  • Helped end recession

🗳 Key Issues (2008–2012)

• Terrorism

• Economy

• Immigration

• Government spending

• Climate change

🔁 BIG PICTURE CONNECTIONS

📌 1990s → 2000s Shift

• Economic boom → economic crisis

• Rising globalization → global conflicts

• Terrorism becomes major focus

• Political division increases

📝 Important Concepts to Know

• Globalization

• Free trade

• Multinational corporations

• Third-party influence

• Impeachment

• Electoral vs. popular vote

• War on Terror

• Great Recession