-
NRA
National Rifle Association that is the longest standing civil rights organization and defend the second amendment. -
PLO
Palestine Liberation Organization which was a national liberation movement to achieve the goals of Palestinian people and establishing it as a state. -
Yasser Arafat
Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization -
West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Palestinian territories which are occupied under Israel and Israel government. -
William Rehnquist
Served on Supreme Court for 33 years and then chief justice and known as a conservative. -
Walter Mondale
42nd Vice president of the U.S. for Jimmy Carter and was a politician, diplomat, and lawyer. -
California vs. Bakke
Court ruled unconstitutional a university's use of racial "quotas" in its admissions process -
Sandinistas
Members of left wing Nicaraguan politics which came to power after overthrowing the dictator. -
Moral Majority
Political action group formed to further a conservative and religious agenda including praying in school and abortion laws. -
Saddam Hussein
President of Iraq and a leading revolutionary Arab Socialist Party and nationalism. -
Religious Fundamentalism
Belief of an individual or a group in the absolute authority of religious text and teachings of God. -
AIDS
Spread throughout the years of 1980 and was a common disease with no cure that killed millions in the community without ever knowing. -
Supply-Side Economics
A theory that argues that economic growth can be achieved through lowering taxes and decreasing regulation. Consumers will have a greater supply of goods and services at lover prices. Employment will increase as well. -
Trickle-Down Economics
Economic theory that supports reducing taxes on businesses and the wealthy to stimulate business investment -
PACTO Strike
The union is ordered to pay $1000 each each the members are on strike and most strikers are fired. Reagan bans them from being rehired. -
Glasnost and Perestroika
Political movement for reformation within the Communist Party of the USSR and is associated with Gorbachev and his open policy reform. -
Debt Ceiling
legislative limit on the amount of national debt that can be issued by the US Treasury, thus limiting how much money the federal government may borrow. -
Ronald Reagan
He was the 40th President of the United States and pressured the Soviet Union to end the Cold War while redefining the purpose of government. -
Economic Recovery Tax Act
Lowered income tax rates and had incentives for small businesses and incentives for saving. -
Sandra Day O'Connor
Was elected for two terms in the Arizona State Senate. In 1981, Reagan nominated her to the Supreme Court and was the first woman on the highest court. -
Boland Amendment
Three legislative amendments all aimed at limiting U.S. government assistance to the Contras in Nicaragua. -
SDI
Strategic Defense Initiative that was a missile defense system to protect the United States from attack by nuclear weapons -
Beirut Bombings
The bombing of a Marine compound that killed 241 servicemen in the U.S. -
Internet
Network of networks and was then known as the World Wide Web. -
Geraldine Ferraro
Attorney and Democratic party politician, she was a member of the House of Representatives and was the first female vice presidential candidate. -
Osama Bin Laden
founder of al-Qaeda, the organization responsible for the September 11 attacks in the United States and many other mass-casualty attacks worldwide -
Iran-Contra Affair
During the second term of Reagan's presidency. Secretly administered the sale of arms to Iran which was the subject of an arms embargo. -
Mikhail Gorbachev
He assumed the reigns of power in the Soviet Union and was a revolutionary and a reformer. -
Nuclear Proliferation
Spread of nuclear weapons and other nuclear technology to nations not recognized in the Treaty of the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. -
Immigration Act of 1986
The purpose of this legislation was to amend, revise, and reform/re-assess the status of unauthorized immigrants set forth in the Immigration and Nationality Act. -
"Tear down this wall!"
Made by Reagan in West Berlin calling to Gorbachev to open up the barrier which separated Berlin. -
INF Agreement
Intermediate Rang Nuclear Forces Treaty which was between the U.S. and the USSR on the elimination on missiles. -
John McCain
Senior United States senator from Arizona. Republican nominee for president in 2008 -
"Read my lips, no new taxes."
Spoken by George H. W. Bush when he accepted the nomination at the Republican National Convention. -
Al-Qaeda
militant Islamist organization founded by Osama bin Laden in the late 1980s, began as a logistical network to support Muslims fighting against the Soviet Union during the Afghan War -
George H.W. Bush
41st President of the United States and a traditional American values activist. -
Tiananmen Square
Protests in China where Chinese troops fired on civilians -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
East Berlin's Communist Party allowed for citizens to freely cross the border once again after the Cold War. -
Panama Invasion
US attempt to overthrow the military dictator who was in the US drug trafficking. -
Lech Walesa
Polish politician and labor activist. Helped form the first independent trade union, Solidarity. -
Persian Gulf War
It was an international conflict that was triggered by the Iraq invasions of Kuwait and many other Arab nations joined against Iraq. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
Civil Rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. -
"Ethnic Cleansing"
the mass expulsion or killing of members of an unwanted ethnic or religious group in a society. Happened in Yugoslavia and that is where it got the name. -
Breakup of the Soviet Union
It went into 15 different countries and was hailed by the west as a victory and the evidence of capitalism over socialism. -
Boris Yeltsin
First president of the Russian Federation and a supporter of Gorbachev but then emerged as a political opponents. -
Start l and ll
Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty was a treaty between US and USSR which reduced and limited strategic offensive arms. -
Clarence Thomas
Thomas was set to replace Supreme Court Justice, Thurgood Marshall by President Bush. -
WMD's
Chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear weapons capable of a high order of destruction or causing mass casualties and exclude the means of transporting or propelling the weapon -
Ross Perot
Founder of the Electronic Data Systems and ran as an independent candidate in 1992 and a third party campaign in 1996 establishing the Reform Party. -
Bosnia and Kosovo
Part of former Yugoslavia, it was an armed conflict to become an independent country. -
Bill Clinton
Served as the 42nd President of the U.S. and was a governor of Arkansas and a member of the "New Democrats" -
Failure of Health Reform (1990's)
Senators believed health care legislation was dead and it was failing to have National Health Reforms. -
Brady Bill
U.S. federal law that requires a waiting period for handgun purchases and background checks. -
Deficit Reduction Budget
federal law enacted to balance the federal budget. -
Al Gore
45th Vice President of the United States, was Bill Clinton's running mate -
Hillary Clinton
Was the first lady of the U.S., a junior U.S. Senator from New York and a Secretary of State. -
"Don't ask, don't tell"
Official U.S. policy on military service to do with gays, lesbians, and bisexuals issued by Clinton Administration to end discrimination against the groups. -
NAFTA
North American Free Trade Agreement to remove barriers to the exchange of goods and services among the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. -
Contract with America
In the 1994 election, republicans gained many house and senate seats and this was seen as a triumph by party leaders to the American Conservative Movement. -
Newt Gingrich
American politician that represented Georgia in Congress, the 50th Speaker of the House of Representatives. -
Oklahoma City Bombing
A domestic terrorist attack on a truck which was bombed and killed many civilians. -
WTO
World Trade Organization, deals with the global rules of trade between nations. Its main function is to ensure that trade flows smoothly, predictably and freely as possible. -
Welfare Reform
Changes of operation of the welfare system with goals of reducing the amount of individuals who rely on government assistance to keep the welfare system affordable. -
Bob Dole
Politician and attorney who represented Kansas in Congress and was leader of Republicans in Senate, also a presidential nominee in 1996. -
Taliban
Sunni Islamic fundamentalist political movement in Afghanistan currently waging war -
Madeleine Albright
First woman to have become the Unite States Secretary of State under Bill Clinton. -
G-8
It was an inter-governmental political forum with the participation of the major industrialized countries in the world, that viewed themselves as democracies. -
Clinton Impeachment
Was impeached due to perjury and obstruction of justice by the House of Representatives and led to a trial in the Senate. -
EU
European Union which is a political union of 28 states to develop an internal single market through a standardized system of laws. -
Bush Vs. Gore
decision of the United States Supreme Court that settled a recount dispute in Florida's 2000 presidential election. -
George W. Bush
American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, also the 46th Governor of Texas -
Bush Tax Cuts
The Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 was a sweeping piece of tax legislation in the United States signed by President George W. Bush. -
Enron
American energy, commodities, and services company based in Houston, Texas. It was founded in 1985 as a merger between Houston Natural Gas and InterNorth. Before its bankruptcy on December 2, 2001, Enron employed approximately 20,000 staff -
9/11
Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda hijacked four airplanes and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the United States -
Operation Iraqi Freedom
name for the war between the U.S. and its allies and Saddam Hussein's Iraq and later various insurgent groups. Operation Iraqi Freedom removed Saddam Hussein, Iraq's dictator, from power. -
No Child Left Behind
federal law that provides money for extra educational assistance for poor children in return for improvements in their academic progress -
Homeland Security
secure the nation from the many threats we face. This requires the dedication of more than 230000 employees in jobs that range from aviation and border security to emergency response -
"Axis of Evil"
to describe governments that his administration accused of sponsoring terrorism and seeking weapons of mass destruction -
Abu Ghraib Prison
personnel of the United States Army and the Central Intelligence Agency committed a series of human rights violations against detainees in the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. -
John Kerry
68th United States Secretary of State from 2013 to 2017. A Democrat, he previously represented Massachusetts in the United States Senate from 1985 to 2013. He was the Democratic nominee in the 2004 presidential election -
Hurricane Katrina
deadly Category 5 hurricane that caused catastrophic damage along the Gulf coast from central Florida to Texas -
Kyoto Accord
international treaty which extends the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change that commits state parties to reduce greenhouse gas emissions -
Housing Bubble
run-up in housing prices fueled by demand, speculation and exuberance -
Great Recession
period of general economic decline observed in world markets during the late 2000s and early 2010s. -
Frannie Mae and Freddie Mac
Federal Housing Finance Agency was responsible for oversight of an independent government agency. -
Sarah Palin
American politician who served as the ninth Governor of Alaska from 2006 until her resignation in 2009. Republican Party nominee for Vice President of the United States in the 2008 election -
D.C. Vs. Heller
Supreme Court of the United States held that the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in a militia for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home -
Barack Obama
Was the 44th president of the United States and was the first african american, previously a junior senator from Illinois. -
Tea Party
American conservative movement within the Republican Party. Members of the movement have called for a reduction of the national debt of the United States and federal budget deficit by reducing government spending, and for lower taxes. -
Sonia Sotomayor
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, serving since August 2009. She has the distinction of being its first justice of Hispanic descent and the first Latina. -
Dodd-Frank Act
law that places regulation of the financial industry in the hands of the government. -
Affordable Care Act
Support innovative medical care delivery methods designed to lower the costs of health care generally. -
Arab Spring
series of protests and demonstrations across the Middle East and North Africa that commenced in 2010 when a fruit vendor set himself on fire in protest in front of a government building. -
Citizens United
landmark U.S. constitutional law, campaign finance, and corporate law case dealing with regulation of political campaign spending by organizations -
Syrian Civil War
It is a conflict between forces of the Ba'ath government and forces who want to remove this government. Protesters in Syria demanded the resignation of President Bashar al-Assad. -
Mitt Romney
American businessman and politician who served as the 70th Governor of Massachusetts and was the Republican Party's nominee for President of the United States in the 2012 election. -
Boston Marathon Bombing
2013 terrorist attack that occurred when two bombs exploded near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, killing 3 people and wounding more than 260. -
Shelby County Vs. Holder
United States Supreme Court case regarding the constitutionality of two provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which requires certain states and local governments to obtain federal preclearance before implementing any changes to their voting -
Same Sex Marriage
established on a state-by-state basis, on June 26, 2015, same-sex marriage was established in all 50 states as a result of the ruling of the Supreme Court of the United States in the landmark civil rights case
