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Operation Desert Storm
The Persian Gulf War began when Iraq invaded Kuwait due to its oil resources. Desert Storm was an operation by U.S. forces that defended Kuwait from Iraq’s occupation. As Iraq was an ally of the crumbling Soviet Union, President Bush felt it necessary to send troops to Saudi Arabia that would defend democracy and capitalism in the Middle East. With the help of foreign forces, Kuwait was liberated in 1991. Desert Storm was one of the first foreign threats after the Cold War. (Haas, para. 7-11). -
Rodney King and the LA Riots
Rodney King was beaten by police officers after he refused to pull over and ended up in the hospital with severe injuries. The officers were acquitted in 1992, and it became a national story. It heightened the longstanding tension between law enforcement and the nearby black communities. Protestors started the LA Riots which caused many deaths, destruction, and arrests so the National Guard and Marines were deployed. This began a focused attention on racial profiling. (Thomson, 2024, April 19). -
Hurricane Andrew
Hurricane Andrew was a category 5 hurricane that hit the Gulf Coast on August 24, 1992. While the storm also damaged parts of Louisiana and the Bahamas, the primary damage was in southern Florida. Wind speeds of 170 miles per hour resulted in over $30 billion in damage, deaths, and homelessness. Andrew was the costliest hurricane until it was surpassed by Hurricane Katrina years later. Americans were awoken to the risks of coastal living and made improvements to building codes. (Shuman, 6-11). -
Rwandan Genocide
The Rwandan Genocide occurred in 1994 because of a political unrest between two hostile groups in Rwanda. The Hutus blamed the Tutsis for the assassination of their president while the Tutsis felt extreme discrimination from the Hutus in power. About 800,000 people died and many were innocent civilians. Many children were slaughtered and a wide number of women were sexually assaulted. The U.S. and much of the world refused to get involved but sent humanitarian aid. (Powell, para. 3-6). -
OJ Simpson Trial
In 1995, OJ Simpson went on trial for the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown, and Ronald Goldman. OJ was arrested for his history of spousal abuse, but he fled in a televised slow-speed chase. The most damaging evidence, a bloody glove, was too tight for him. He was found not guilty, which divided the public. Many claimed that racial bias played a role in the trial and officials wanted to avoid convicting a high-profile black man after the reaction to Rodney King’s trial. (Anastaplo, 463-469). -
Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996
The Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 was a bill that Clinton pushed to combat terrorism after the Oklahoma City bombing. This Act allowed the government to wiretap and follow terrorist suspects without warrants. Republicans in the House thought it gave the federal government too much power, so it took a while to get passed. But, on April 24, it passed, hoping to reduce domestic terrorism threats. Attacks continued so it was not particularly useful. (Kruse and Zelizer, 221). -
Defense of Marriage Act
President Clinton signed the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) on September 21, 1996. This Act defined marriage as a heterosexual relationship between a man and a woman and allowed states to deny the legalization of same-sex marriages. One of many of Clinton’s moderate stances on social issues, national acceptance of the gay community would not come for another 20 years. DOMA would later be repealed by the 2015 Supreme Court case Obergfell v. Hodges. (Kruse and Zelizer, 218). -
Columbine High School Shooting
On April 20, 1999, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, two students at Columbine High School, located in Colorado, executed a plan to kill fellow students. Although their homemade bombs failed to detonate, they fired their guns and killed 12 students and one teacher, and injured many others. Both Dylan and Eric committed suicide before being apprehended. At the time, this was the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history but was just the start of many mass shootings yet to come. (Tran, para. 6-7). -
9/11 Terrorist Attacks
The September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks were deliberately coordinated by the group, al-Qaeda. Members hijacked four commercial airplanes in the hopes of hitting symbolic structures that displayed American power. Two planes hit the World Trade Center, another hit the Pentagon, and the last crashed outside Washington D.C. Not only did 9/11 result in an outpouring of patriotism, but it also created a stronger focus on homeland security and U.S. defense strategies. (Kruse and Zelizer, 249-251). -
iPhone 1st Generation Introduced
On June 29, 2007, Apple released the iPhone which changed communication. Before this was introduced onto the market, the primary mode of sending messages was through non-touch screen mobile phones. It was a faster, more efficient way for consumers to interactively talk to people. Through its smart marketing, Apple releases a new model annually and has become a crucial part of society. The iPhone paved the way for all future touchscreen devices, the internet, and social media. (Egan, para. 5-6). -
First African American President
In the 2008 Election, Democratic nominee Barack Obama was elected President against Republican John McCain. Obama’s win made history as he was the first black President of the United States sworn in on January 20, 2009. In a country where racism was prominent for centuries prior, this election became a milestone for progress and diversity. Obama, along with his running mate and Vice President, Joseph Biden, was reelected to a second term in 2012. (Bowleg, 20).