Chapter 29 – Challenges for a New Century (1980-Present)

Key Terms:

terrorism - the use of violence, often against civilian targets, to force political or social change

counterterrorism - action taken against terrorism

globalization - the process of creating an international network

trade deficit - buying more from other nations than it sells to them

outsourcing - having work done in other countries

free trade - the removal of trade barriers

environmentalist - a reformer who seeks to protect the environment

renewable resource - energy sources that are more easily restored by nature

global warming - a worldwide rise in temperatures

e-commerce - buying or selling online

laser - powerful beams of focused light

cloning - the process of making a genetic double of a plant or an animal

refugee - people who flee war or persecution in their own countries

undocumented worker- laborers who enter the country without legal permission

guest worker - temporary immigrant workers doing jobs no American would do

Key People:

John Kerry - democratic presidential nominee from Massachusetts, who was also a decorated Vietnam War veteran

Osama Bin Laden - a wealthy Saudi Arabian who runs a worldwide terrorist network called al Qaeda

Rachel Carson - a marine biologist, began the environmental movement with the publishing of her book, Silent Spring in 1962.

Condoleezza Rice - first African American woman who served as national security adviser under G.W. Bush, and later succeeded Colin Powell as secretary of state

Sandra Day O'Connor - the first women to sit on the Supreme Court under President Ronald Reagan

Chapter 29 –

Section 1 - The Threat of Terrorism

Obj: to identify how terrorism continues to be a growing threat, and the groups and individuals involved

In recent decades, terrorism has emerged as a growing threat to world peace and security.

Although some attacks are carried out by lone individuals, others are carried out by well-organized groups.

Some acts include:

· bombings

· hijackings

· kidnappings

Terrorists create a climate of fear

Roots of Terrorism:

Has a long history

· The Ku Klux Klan - during the Reconstruction

· Balkan terrorists - seeking independence from Austria-Hungary (an assassination that sparked WWI)

· Palestinean terrorists - was on Israel using suicide bombings

· Middle Eastern extremists - seeking to eliminate American and Western influence from their lands.

At first, attacks against Americans generally occurred abroad.

· 1988 - an explosion on an airpolan over Scotland killed 170 people, including 189 Americans

· Between 1996-2000 - Africa and Middle East American embassies and ships attacked

· 1993 - Middle East extremists launched attack within the US - World Trade Center - killing 6 and injuring more than 1,000

· 1995 - Oklahoma City - federal office building bombed by two young American men who resented the federal government - 168 people killed, including

children in a day-care center

Despite the spread of terrorism, most Americans still felt secure at home. That feeling vanished in a single day.

Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001

· Arab terrorists seize four passenger jets

· two crash into each of the World Trade Center Buildings in New York City

· one into the Pentagon in Washington

· the fourth plummeted into a Pennsylvania field - it is believed that the intended target was the White House

Nearly 3,000 people were killed in total.

Victims included citizens of some 80 nations and hundreds of rescuers

Reaction to 9.11.01

· Americans stunned, angry and grief stricken

· millions lines up to give blook, aid in rescue efforts or donate money and supplies

· Americans flew flags and took part in candlelight vigils

· sympathy and support was given throughout the world

· President George W. Bush expressed the nation's outrage

· He vowed to "hund down and punish those responsible"

· He cautioned Americans not to take out their anger on the innocent (Arabs and Muslims)

· He created the Office of Homeland Security (counterterrorism efforts)

· December 2001 - He signed the Patriot Act (gave authorities powers to investigate and jail people suspected of having terrorist ties, who can be held indefinitely without being charged and without consulting a lawyer. The law also enabled investigate into what books had been taken out of libraries.

· The Patriot Act was controversial

· Some felt them necessary

· others felt is was a threat to the liberties guaranteed in the Bill of Rights

There were three key elements to the attacks:

· Osama Bin Laden - wealthy Saudi Arabian

· al Qaeda - a terrorist network run by Bin Laden

· the Taliban - a group of extremists, the repressive government in Afghanistan

Afghanistan

After the attacks, Bin Laden took refuge in Afghanistan, where he was protected by the Taliban who refused to give him up.

· October 2001 - US troops attacked Afghanistan

· US quickly topled the Taliban from power and set up a new government to rebuild Afghanistan

· Bin Laden, however, escaped

Iraq

Bush next targeted Iraq as a threat.

The Persian Gulf War (G.H. Bush) in 1991 did not remove Saddam Hussein (Iraqi dictator) from power.

G.W. Bush accused Hussein of having ties with Bin Laden and cliamed WMDs (Weapons of Mass Destruction) were being developed.

· WMDs could be nuclear and/or chemical weapons.

· Bush argued justification in attacking, even if we were not attacked first.

· This policy caused a rift between the US and some key European allied (France and Germany). Other nations (Britain) pledged their support.

· March 2003 - US led a coalition of about 30 nations in an attack on Iraq.

· IN six weeks coalition forces smashed Iraw's defensed

· May 1, 2003, Bush announced the end of major combat operations.

Rebuilding Iraq roved difficult

· Militants and Hussein supporters killed American troops and Iraqis.

· Attacks continued even after Hussein was captured late in 2003

· No WMDs were found

· No links to Bin Laden proved

Americans Divided

Most Americans supported the Iraq War

Bush's strong action resulted in:

· toppling a brutal dictator

· promoting democracy

· free elections in 2005 would stablilize Iraq and provide a model for other Middle Eastern nations.

The outspoken minority criticized Bush's actions.

· felt Iraq had not posed an immediate threat

· accused Bush of deceiving Americans about Iraqi WMDs

· others charged that the war consumed money, supplied and troops that were needed ot pursue Bin Laden and combat terrorism.

The Election of 2004

Controversy over Iraq a major issue

Growing number of Americans dissatisfied with the progress of the war in Iraq

· tax cuts

· spending on military and domestic programs created a huge budget deficit

Representatives in Election:

Democrat - John Kerry (Massachusetts)

Republican - Geoge W. Bush (Texas)

Kerry - Bush mishandled the war in Iraq.

Bush - Kerry lacked the determination to fight terrorism.

2004 - Bush won his second term as President, winning by a clear-cut victory in both popular and electoral votes.

Republicans also won expanded majorities in both housed of Congress (House of Representatives and Senate)

Bush's second term:

· turned to domestic issues (reforming Social Security)

· losing support by the summer of 2005 (a growing number of Americans disturbed by the continued losses in Iraq and wanted a timetable for troop withdrawal from Bush)

· Bush still continued to vow to win the war against terrorists.

Chapter 29 –

Section 2 - Economy and the Environment

Obj: to identify that since colonial times, Americans have traded with other parts of the world; and to explain that how, in recent years, foreign economic ties have grown even stronger.

Since 1970, trade between the US and other nations has more than doubled.

Today, foreign trade accounts for about 25% of the American economy. (globalization)

Trade Deficits:

American manufacturers at a disadvantage:

· Workers in Latin America, Eastern Europe and Asia paid less than American workers.

· Foreign goods are cheaper to produce

· Foreign goods can be sold at lower prices

· Competing with low-priced foreign goods led to trade deficits

· 2003 - US trade deficit reached almost $500 billion

· American companies turned to outsourcing

Tariffs or Free Trade?

Foreign competition has provoked heated debate:

· US should protect American profits and jobs by raising tariffs on foreign goods

· Tariffs may "spark" trade wars, leading other nations to raise tariffs on American goods

· Those opposed of tariffs favor free trade, which should increase business and create new jobs around the world.

· 1993 - President Clinton signed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

· removing trade barriers among US, Mexico, and Canada

· WTO (World Trade Organization), a global trade regulator, along with NAFTA, has increased trade and generated jobs.

· Opponents of free trade feel trade agreements weaken efforts to safeguard workers' rights ad the environment.

· NAFTA led Americn makers of auto parts to move to Mexico where labor and antipollution laws are less strict.

· Protests against WTO and other trade organizations have been held worldwide (i.e. Italy Sweden and Canada)

The Environment -

It is tied to the global economy

· polluted air or water

· natural disasters

· individuals and nations differing over solving problems

The Environmental Movement -

Rachel Carson, a marine biologist - Silent Spring (1962)

· book warned of DDT

· Resulted in Cpongress passing law restricting the use of the chemical

1969 - oil spill along the California coastline

The Sierra Club lobbied Congress for laws to protect the environment

April 1970 - the first Earth Day, organized by environmentalists (some 20 million participated)

The Nixon Administration formed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Some issues:

· auto emissions

· lake and river clean-up

Local governments began recycling policies.

Environmental movement controversial

· critics - regulations costly (i.e. adding pollution control devices to autos are costly and raise prices of cars.

· GW Bush - called for oil drillingin Alaska'a Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to reduce fuel prices and make the nation less dependent of foreign oil. Environmentalists resisted, but Bush aruged that their concerns had to be balanced with economic needs.

Natural disasters:

· August 29, 2005 - Hurricane Katrina - one of the worst US disasters in our history (leaving New Orleans in total destruction)

· shutting down one fourth of US oil output

· energy costs spiked upward

The Energy Supply - After Hurrican Katrina oil production was disrupted.

US, although accounting for less than 5 of the world's population, uses over 25% of thw world's energy supplies.

1973 - Oil Embargo - Arab members of OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) voted to cut off oil supplies to the US

· lasted one year

· barrel of oil quadrupled from $3 to $12 a barrel

· oil shortages severe

· motorists waited hours for a few gallons of gas

· US countered - fuel efficient cars produced

· oil reserve created

· smaller cars purchased

· homes insulated

· thermostat setting lowered

The oil embargo caused alternative means to be looked into

· renewable resources

· coal

· alternative energy sources

Global warming has become a concern, not only in the US, but throughout the world

Since the late 1800s, scientists have recorded a general rise in world temperatures.

Causes:

· greenhouse gases

· carbon dioxide (emitted by cars, factories, and homes)

Effects:

· shifting in temperatures throughout the world

· turning green fields into deserts

· threatening the existence of plants and animals

· melting of glaciers

Efforts to deal with the possiblity of global warming in the US:

· 1997 - US signed the Kyoto Protocol - an agreement where industialized nations pledged to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

· 2001 - GH Bush rejects the Protocol - arguing that evidence for global warming not enough to justify the cost for American businesses

Chapter 29 –

Section 3 - Science and Technology

Obj: to identify technology throughout history that led to the development of the new weapons used today, and, the affect of the computer on daily lives around the world.

There have been many examples of the powerful impact of technology throughout history, from the Industrial Revolution to the invention of the telephone and automobile, to the development of deadly new weapons of war.

But none have had a more adverse affect on the daily lives of people all over the world as much as the computer.

Before the 1970s:

the first computers (mainframes) weighed tons and filled whole rooms

· chiefly used by governments, universities and big business

The invention of transistors (circuits of tiny silicon chips) led to the development of smaller computers.

1977 - Apple introduces the first "home" computer.

1981 - IBM (International Business Machines) follows with its own personal computer

Computer hardware became smaller and software easier to use

1970s - Harvard dropout - Bill Gates - cofounded Microsoft, one of the world's most successful businesses, let ordinary people run computers.

Information Revolution:

1969 - the Department of Defense began linking computers to American universities (basis of the Internet)

The internet created an information revolution.

1989 - British scientist Tim Berners-Lee proposed the World Wide Web (www)

By 2003 - more than half of all Americans used the Internet to find information and communicate.

E-commerce grew rapidly:

· shopping

· advertising

· managing bank accounts

· paying bills

· buying practically anything and everything

· the ability to buy and sell without ever leaving home

Satellite technology linked radio and television signals to computers as well.

Chapter 29 - Section 3 - Science and Technology

Obj: to identify technology throughout history that led to the development of the new weapons used today, and, the affect of the computer on daily lives around the world.

There have been many examples of the powerful impact of technology throughout history, from the Industrial Revolution to the invention of the telephone and automobile, to the development of deadly new weapons of war.

But none have had a more adverse affect on the daily lives of people all over the world as much as the computer.

Before the 1970s:

the first computers (mainframes) weighed tons and filled whole rooms

· chiefly used by governments, universities and big business

The invention of transistors (circuits of tiny silicon chips) led to the development of smaller computers.

1977 - Apple introduces the first "home" computer.

1981 - IBM (International Business Machines) follows with its own personal computer

Computer hardware became smaller and software easier to use

1970s - Harvard dropout - Bill Gates - cofounded Microsoft, one of the world's most successful businesses, let ordinary people run computers.

Information Revolution:

1969 - the Department of Defense began linking computers to American universities (basis of the Internet)

The internet created an information revolution.

1989 - British scientist Tim Berners-Lee proposed the World Wide Web (www)