General Social Changes  The “graying of America” as the baby boom generation becomes senior citizens  Increased legal and illegal immigration has increased cultural diversity and bilingual education, but has also put a strain on government services and created border control issues

Economic Change  Many companies have “outsourced” jobs to other countries  The Congress continues to make fiscal policy decisions, but the Federal Reserve makes the monetary policy decisions

Bill Clinton ( )  He cut spending and increased taxes in order to balance the budget.  Clinton left office with a federal budget surplus  NAFTA (trade agreement between the U.S, Canada, and Mexico)  During Clinton’s term, the U.S. lifted economic sanctions against South Africa when apartheid ended Apartheid was a system of racial segregation enforced by the government of South Africa between 1948 and  NATO peacekeeping/humanitarian mission in the former Yugoslavia (March – June, 1999) NATO air strikes The bombing of Yugoslavia was intended to keep the Yugoslav army from repeating the atrocities committed in Bosnia. F.W. de Klerk and Nelson Mandela

Clinton  Brady Handgun bill passed required federal background checks on firearm purchasers in the U.S. named after James Brady who was shot by John Hinckley, Jr. during an attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan  Clinton appointed Ruth Bader Ginsburg (2 nd woman) to the U.S. Supreme Court  Health Care Clinton sought to implement a national health care insurance program but failed in his efforts His wife, current Sec. of State Hillary Clinton, led the health care reform task force making her one of the most politically active First Ladies in U.S. history Jim Brady and Pres. Clinton Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Clinton’s Scandals  Clinton’s presidency was plagued by scandals “Whitewater”- controversy surrounding a failed real estate business investment “Travelgate” - an ethics controversy that resulted after seven employees of the White House Travel Office were fired and were replaced by Clinton supporters “Filegate” - controversy surrounding White House requests to gain improper access to FBI security-clearance documents. It was alleged that many of the files were those of prominent Republicans

Monica Lewinsky Affair Scandal regarding the extramarital relationship between Bill Clinton and White House intern Monica Lewinsky (22). Led to Clinton’s impeachment by the U.S. House of Representatives on charges of perjury U.S. Senate did not remove Clinton from office and acquitted him of all charges

Election of 2000  VP Gore won the popular vote  Florida’s electoral votes were contested  The Supreme Court in Bush v. Gore denied a recount  Bush won with 271 electoral votes to Gore’s 266

September 11, 2001

 4 planes were hijacked by terrorists. 2 planes crashed into the World Trade Center Towers in NYC 1 plane crashed into the Pentagon 1 plane’s hijackers were overcome by passengers and crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Approximately 3000 people were killed Terrorist group al-Qaeda, and its leader Osama bin Laden, were responsible for the attacks

George W. Bush ( )  Bush’s presidency was greatly influenced by the events of 9/11 ○ Congress declared war against Iraq and Afghanistan, to seek out terrorists responsible for the 9/11 attacks ○ Saddam Hussein was removed from power in Iraq but no weapons of mass destruction were ever found ○ The Patriot Act was passed in 2001 to allow the government to detain foreigners suspected of terrorism without charging them with a crime ○. George W. Bush at Ground Zero, Sept. 14, 2001

The Great Recession of 2007  Caused by overspeculation in the housing market  Resulted in a stock market decline, soaring gas prices, & a tightening of credit

Election of 2008  The economic crisis & Obama’s grass- roots campaign fueled a resounding win in both the popular & electoral vote  America’s first African American president

Domestic Policies  Fair Pay Act for Women  American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (2009) was designed to save & create jobs during the recession  Affordable Care Act (2010) aimed to extend affordable health insurance to 45 million uninsured Americans  The annual deficit and national debt soared  The rise of the Tea Party in Congress (2010) led to gridlock

Social Change through rulings of the Supreme Court  The Roberts Court further scaled back affirmative action, removed a provision of the Voting Rights Act, upheld campaign contributions as free speech, upheld gun rights, and struck down the Defense of Marriage Act

Foreign Policy  U.S. troop surge in Afghanistan in 2009  U.S. support for the Arab Spring in 2010  U.S. troops in Iraq were withdrawn in 2011  Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was captured and killed in 2011