2. Contemporary Presidents
• George H. W. Bush
– Fall of Communism in Eatern Europe
– Reunification of Germany
– Collapse of Yugoslavia
– Breakup of the Soviet state
– Persian Golf War ‘90-’91 (Operation Desert Storm)
– First American women in a combat role
3. William J. Clinton
• North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA) (Canada, USA, Mexico)
• Full diplomatic relations with Vietnam
• Lifting of economic sanctions against South
Africa
• NATO action in former Yugoslavia (Bosnia)
4. George W. Bush
• Terrorists attacks on US soil on 9/11/2001
• War in Afghanistan
• War in Iraq
5. More Contemporary America
Modern Women’s Movement
• Women became larger precentage of workforce
• Title VII (7) provided the initial legal basis for
affirmative action for women’s employment
• Title IX (9) provided legal basis for equal
opportunities for women in high school athletics
• Membership of US Supreme Court has included
women and minorities
• Women were more visible in the workplace—jobs
that were usually reserved to men in the early
portion of our country.
6. Changes to the Supreme Court
Sandra Day O’Connor Ruth Bader Ginsburg
8. New Supreme Court view points
• Because of civil rights movement of the 40’s, 50’s,
and 60’s the SC extend civil rights and promoted
equal justice.
• The SC protects the individual rights enumerated
in the Constitution
• The SC identifies a constitutional basis for a right
to privacy that is protected for government
interference
• The SC invalidates legislative acts and executive
actions that they deem to be unconstitutional or
an abuse of power
9. Women of Space
• Sally Ride became the first female astronaut in
the United States in 1983
11. Immigration Issues (negatives)
• Strain on governmental services
• Filling low-paying jobs in the United States—jobs
many of us are not willing to do—poultry plants
• Boarder Issues
• Pathway to citizenship (illegal alien mothers
giving birth )
• Bilingual Education
• Increasing cultural diversity and prejudice
12. Immigration Issues (positive)
• Diversity in music, visual arts and literature—
cultural diffusion
• Roles in labor force—transient jobs
• Achievements in science, engineering and
other fields
• Diversity in food—Chinese/Japanese, Italian
and Mexican restaurants
13. Improvements in Technology
• Over the past three decades, there has been
improvements in technology and media which
has brought about better access to
communication and information.
• As a result more Americans have access to
global information and viewpoints
14. Science and Space
• In the 1960’s Kennedy increased support for
American space program.
• Race to the moon continued through the 1960’s
• “We will be in space before the end of the century,
not because it is easy, but because it is hard”—JFK
• John Glenn—first American astronaut to orbit the
earth
15. • 1969—American astronaut Neil Armstrong
was the first person to step on the moon.
• “one small step for man, one giant leap for
mankind”
24. Role of Media Today
• improved technology and media have
brought about better access to
communication and information
• This helps:
1. Businesses
2. Individuals
**Both rural and urban areas
• As a result, many more Americans have access
to global information and viewpoints
– CNN, CSPAN, Yahoo, etc
25. Changes in work, school and health care
• Telecommuting—communicating over large
distances
• On-line course work—distance learning,
electronic classrooms
• Growth in “blue collar” careers—service
industries
• Medical research: including improved medical
diagnostic and imaging technologies
• Outsourcing and off shoring
26. President Reagan and Conservative
Republicans
• advocated (called for):
– Tax cuts
– Transfer of responsibilities to state governments
– Appointment of judges/justices who exercise
“judicial restraint”
– Reduction of the number and scope of
government programs and regulations (red tape)
– Strengthening of the American military
27. “Reagan Revolution”
• Regan’s influence beyond his tenure:
– The election of George H. W. Bush, Reagan’s VP
– The election of William J. Clinton , a centrist
Democrat
– The Republican sweep of congressional elections
and statehouses in the 1990’s
– The election of George W. Bush
28. Other Govt. developments
• Federal Reserve—monetary policy decisions
control the supply of money and credit to
expand or contract economic growth
• President and Congress—Fiscal policy
decisions determine the levels of government
taxation and spending (government regulates
the economy)
29. Confronting terrorism
• How does the government respond to
terrorism?
– Heightened security at home (Patriot Act and
Homeland Security)
– Diplomatic and military initiatives
