-
January 1993 - Bill Clinton Became President
Many Americans anticipated that his government would prioritize economic reform. He was committed to changing the system to the advantage of regular Americans who put in the necessary effort and followed the law. he declared that he would delicately execute his commitment after consulting with the apparatus's security. The head of the ASC threatened to stall Senate legislation if Clinton attempted to abolish the restriction. He welcomed the tasks given and took charge. (Kruse, Zelizer 204-206) -
April 19th, 1995 - Truck Bombing Oklahoma City
A truck Bomb destroyed the Alfred Murrah Federal Building killing 168 and injuring over 600. Despite the media's first theories that this was an act of Islamic terrorists, law enforcement officials demonstrated that two individuals who belong to white nationalist organizations, Timothy Mcveigh and Terry Nicolas, were at fault for the horrific attacks. The attack revealed that there had been an enormous rise in white hate groups and extreme anti-government extremism in the mid-1990s. (1974 p.222) -
September 9/11 Terrorist Attack
A group of terrorists linked to the Islamic extremist group Al Qaeda hijacked 4 airplanes carrying out suicide attacks. In New York City, two airplanes crashed into the World Trade Center's two buildings. In Arlington, Virginia, the Pentagon was struck by the third plane. The 4th plane, passengers and crew members fought back and the plane was downed in a field in Pennsylvania. There were about 3,000 deaths. The organizer of this was Osama Bin Laden. Geroge Bush was President (History.com) -
Beginning of War against Terror
The US initiated an organized operation of extensive airstrikes and special operations on the ground known as Operations Enduring Freedom. Bush minimized the time American forces were on the ground. New technology became crucial. Predator drones were computerized aircraft with radar missile detection and launching capabilities used without a pilot. A new precision-guided weapon known as the Joint Direct Attack Munitions is directed by a GPS to its target and alter its trajectory. (1974 p.255) -
January 2002 - No Child Left Behind Act
A law that united Democrats and Republicans to improve opportunities for children in America from all backgrounds and provide a good education for all children. Bush raised federal education funding to meet the high standards, that he established for each student. The NCLB improved accountability by forcing all schools to help kids meet state-mandated criteria. It was able to add something to the national crisis on education. (WhiteHouseArchives.Gov) -
February 2003 - Secretary of State Colin Powell
One of the most dependable figures in American politics gave a television testimony before the UN Security Council, presenting "evidence" that allegedly indicated Iraq had an extensive, operational weapons program. The majority of the evidence was based on weak information, and Powell, in particular, used the photos and transcripts to increase public support for the war in the United States. (Kruse, Zelizer 264) -
May 1, 2003 - G. Bush Airplane Landing
President Bush, a former pilot in the Texas Air National Guard, dramatically landed a jet on the USS Abraham Lincoln during a carefully designed picture moment. The aircraft carrier had been specially stationed for the occasion on the coast of California, extremely far away from the scene of action. Images of Bush in a flight suit, striding across the aircraft ship with confidence. This event was all of the news and people were praising him for his movie-like action. (Kruse, Zelizer 266). -
2007 - PRISM Program
The PRISM program was secretly started by the administration. The NSA gathered internet communications through this secret operation, creating a virtual dragnet that would catch contacts between possible terrorist threats. The program involved nine of the largest internet companies. (Apple, Google, Facebook etc). The government was collaborating with businesses and bracing its capacity to spy on Americans' daily lives just as people felt more free on social media. (Kruse, Zelizer p. 287) -
2008 - Stock Markey Crash
Many people took out loans that they could afford, which led to the stock market disaster. Due to this, housing costs rose to levels that many individuals could not afford. Bad debt buildup led to many government bailouts. In Sept., investment firm Lehman Brothers collapsed due to its overexposure to subprime mortgages. It was the largest bankruptcy filing in U.S. history up to that point. Hundreds of thousands of jobs were lost and the unemployment rate reached a height of 10%. (Wealthsimple). -
April 20, 2010 - Deepwater Horizon
The Macondo Prospect in the Gulf of Mexico was home to the oil drilling rig Deepwater Horizon when it exploded and sank killing 11 people. In the history of marine oil drilling operations, it was the biggest oil spill. For 87 days, 4 million barrels of oil flowed out damaging Macondo well before it was eventually sealed on July 15, 2010. The US filed a complaint in District Court on December 15, 2010, arguing BP Exploration & Production and other defendants are liable for the spill. (EPA.gov)