George W. Bush narrowly defeated Al Gore in the 2000 presidential election after a recount in Florida determined Bush the winner. In 2001, the 9/11 terrorist attacks occurred when Al Qaeda hijacked and crashed four planes - two into the World Trade Center towers, one into the Pentagon, and one crashed in a field in Pennsylvania, killing nearly 3,000 people. In 2003, the United States invaded Iraq in search of weapons of mass destruction and to change its government, and Saddam Hussein was captured and executed that same year.

1. AL GORE (D) GEORGE W. BUSH (R) Electoral Vote Popular Vote 266 50,996,000 271 50,465,000 *The 2000 election was so close that the Supreme Court, by a 5-4 count, decided to recount the votes in several Florida counties. *After five weeks of re-counting, the 43 rd President of the United States was announced:

3. On March 19, 2003, the United States launches it’s invasion on Iraq searching for weapons of mass destruction and wanting to re-mold their government. Since the beginning of the war, the United States have lost over 4,ooo military personnel. In December of 2003, Saddam Hussein, president of Iraq, was captured. He was then turned over to the Iraq Government where he was found guilty of multiple international crimes and was executed. United States troops are still stationed in Iraq to see the transition of Democracy conclude.

4. In 2000, Enron was selected by Fortune Magazine as “America’s Best Managed and Most Innovative Company. In 2001 Enron files for Bankruptcy. Six weeks before they file bankruptcy, Enron says the are up by 26% and are on target to meet full-year profit targets. 2004: Executives, Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling are convicted on conspiracy and fraud. Also in 2004, Martha Stewart was convicted of insider trading with Enron

5. On August 29, 2005 Hurricane Katrina hit the southern shore of the United States. The next day, two levees broke flooding New Orleans. The death toll rose to over 1,800 and the damages totaled more than $81 billion .