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Timeline Assignment
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Oklahoma City Bombing
This bombing was a domestic terrorist attack in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, when Timothy McVeigh set off a bomb in a truck outside a government building. This explosion killed 168 people, 19 of them were children, and hurt hundreds more. It was the worst terrorist attack in the US at the time and it shocked the whole country. It's important because it showed that serious threats can come from inside the country, not just from outside, and it changed how the US protects people from attacks. -
The Clinton Scandal
This scandal involved President Bill Clinton and a White House intern named Monica Lewinsky. Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr's investigation revealed that Clinton lied under oath about his affair with Lewinsky. This led to him being impeached by the House of Representatives, but he was found not guilty by the Senate and stayed in office. This event was a major political moment that tested the US legal and political system and impacted a public trust in government. “Kruse and Zelizer, 241.” -
Y2K Scare
Many people feared computers would crash when the year changed from 1999 to 2000 because many older computer systems only used the last two numbers for the year, like "99" for 1999, so there were fears that they might think the year 2000 was 1900. People worried this could cause problems in banks and airports, so a lot of money was spent fixing it. In the end, almost nothing went wrong. This shows how much we depend on technology and how working together can prevent a global crisis. -
Columbine High School Shooting
This school shooting occurred when two students, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, went into their school in Littleton, Colorado, and started shooting. They killed 13 people, including 12 students and one teacher, before taking their own lives. This attack shocked the nation and sparked gun control and school safety debates. This event was one of the first big school shootings and it made people start seriously talking about how to keep schools safe and prevent gun violence. -
9/11 Terrorist Attacks
Terrorists from the group al-Qaeda hijacked four planes in the US. Two planes crashed into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, causing them to collapse. A third plane struck the Pentagon near Washington, DC while the fourth was taken over by passengers and crashed into a field in Pennsylvania. Nearly 3,000 people were killed. This event changed global politics, led to major wars, and reshaped security policies and daily life in the US and beyond. “Kruse and Zelizer, 241.” -
The Rise of Social Media
The rise of social media began with the launch of platforms like Facebook (2004), Twitter (2006), and Instagram (2010), which became apart of everyday life for millions of people very quickly. These platforms changed the way we communicate, share information, and connect with others. Social media allows us to post updates, photos, and opinions instantly which became a powerful tool for businesses and news. This changed global communication, how people learn news, and share their everyday lives. -
Hurricane Katrina
This hurricane hit the Gulf Coast of the United States and became one of the worst natural disasters in US history. It caused huge floods in New Orleans after the flood walls broke. Over 1,800 people died, and many more people lost their homes and waited a while for help. The government was very slow to respond, and a lot of people were angry and upset by how it was handled. This event showed how unprepared the country was for a major disaster and made people push for better disaster planning. -
Launch of the iPhone
Apple introduced the first iPhone during a keynote address by Steve Jobs at the Macworld Conference. It was the first phone to combine a touchscreen, music player, and internet all in one user-friendly device. It's clean design and smart features changed what people expected from phones. This is important because it completely changed how we use phones and started the smartphone era we live in today. -
The Affordable Care Act Signing
This act was signed into law by President Barack Obama and it aimed to make health insurance more affordable and accessible for millions of Americans. The law expanded Medicare, created online marketplaces where people could shop for insurance plans, and required most people to have coverage or pay a fee. It also made sure people with health problems were not denied insurance. This law changed how healthcare works in the US and started big debates that are still going on today. -
Death of Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaeda and mastermind behind the September 11 attacks was killed by US Navy SEALs in a hidden compound in Pakistan. The mission was kept secret and ended a long search that lasted almost 10 years. His death was an important moment in the fight against terrorism and brought relief to many people. This was a major step in bringing justice after 9/11 and showed the impact of years of effort to stop terrorism.