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North American Free Trade Act
This act implements free trade between the United States, Mexico, and Canada. NAFTA decreased import and export duties among the three nations, establishing a sizable free-trade area. It reduced tariffs on trades and facilitated cross-border movement of goods and services. NAFTA had significant impacts on the economies of all three countries, leading to increased trade and investment. -
DADT
Don't Ask Don't Tell was a policy implemented by President Clinton. It allowed gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals to serve in the military as long as they kept their sexual orientation a secret and did not engage in homosexual behavior. This policy attempted to find a compromise for LGBTQ+ individuals to serve in the military. This was criticized because people felt that this was only enforcing discrimination, forcing people to hide their identities. In 2010, President Obama repealed DADT. -
Oklahoma City Bombing
Timothy McVeigh, an ex-army soldier and security guard, bombed Oklahoma City's Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. He built a bomb from fertilizer and placed it in a U-Haul, which he parked right outside the building. Roughly 170 people were killed in the blast. McVeigh was caught by dumb luck when he was pulled over because his tail late was out. He was tried, plead guilty, and was ultimately executed. This was the worst act of domestic terrorism in the country at the time (before 9/11). -
Clinton Impeachment
President Bill Clinton faced impeachment by the House of Representatives. The main grounds of the impeachment were for perjury and obstruction of justice regarding his affair with White House Intern, Monica Lewinsky. He was impeached but acquitted by the Senate in 1999. Despite the impeachment, Clinton remained in office until the end of his term in 2001. Clinton was the second president to be impeached, after Andrew Johnson. The impeachment proceedings were highly controversial. -
Columbine High School Shooting
Two students entered Columbine High School in Colorado armed with firearms and homemade bombs to carry out a meticulously planned attack. The duo's original plan was to bomb the school, but this failed and opened fire instead. They killed 12 students, one teacher and injured dozens more before they took their own lives. It remains of of the deadliest school shootings in America and had a profound impact on security in schools and students' mental health in America. -
2000 Presidential Election
The election of 2000 was one of America's most controversial. In a race between Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Al Gore, George Bush was victorious. The results of the election came down to a close race in Florida. Disputes over the validity of the vote ballots were due to Floridas "hanging chad" ballots causing a recount. Bush ultimately won the electoral college by a narrow margin and therefore the presidency, despite losing the popular vote to Gore. (Kruse and Zelizer, 242). -
Operation Enduring Freedom
A military campaign that was launched by the U.S. in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The main objective was to stop Al-Qaeda and the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. It eventually evolved into a larger mission to stabilize Afghanistan and support their government. This operation involved many international forces, including NATO allies, and lasted over a decade. It led to the removal of the Taliban, a new Afghan government and ongoing efforts to combat terrorism. -
Attack on World Trade Towers
A series of coordinated attacks were carried out by the terrorist group known as Al-Qaeda. 2 planes were flown into the World Trade Center in NYC, and one plane was flown into the pentagon. The impact caused the towers to collapse, causing nearly 3,000 deaths in New York and D.C. This event led to major changes in the U.S. foreign and domestic policy, including the launch on the War on Terror and creation of the Department of Homeland Security. (Kruse and Zelizer, 251) -
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina is one of the deadliest storms to ever hit the U.S. In August of 2005, the Gulf Coast was hit. It was a category 5 storm and exceptionally powerful hurricane that caused 2,000 deaths from the storm and subsequent floods and an estimated $108 billion in property damage. New Orleans was hit the hardest, it was in the fiercest part of the hurricane's path. Storm survivers were forced to take shelter in the New Orleans Superdome for days on end. (Kruse and Zelizer, 280) -
2008 Election
The Election of 2008 had the largest voter turnout since 1908. This election was between Barack Obama and John McCain. When Obama won this election, he became the first African American president in the U.S. Obama was elected in a time of crisis dealing with the rise of ISIS and the deep water horizon. One notable thing Obama did during his presidency was the creation of the Affordable Care Act.