America’s HistorySeventh Edition

CHAPTER 31National Dilemmas in a Global

Society, 1989-2011

Copyright © 2011 by Bedford/St. Martin’s

James A. HenrettaRebecca Edwards

Robert O. Self

I. America in the Global EconomyA. The Rise of the European Union and China

1. Europe• nations formed the EU in 1992, moving toward the creation of

a single federal state (similar to U.S.)• EU included more than 20 countries, 450 million people• introduced single currency (euro) in 2002.

2. China• 2000-2008 quadrupled its gross domestic product• embraced capitalism by producing inexpensive products for

consumer markets• relationship with China negatively impacted manufacturing in

the U.S. by providing inexpensive products manufactured in China instead of American-made products for sale in U.S.

I. America in the Global EconomyB. An Era of Globalization

1. International Organizations and Corporations• “Group of 7” (leading capitalist industrial nations) joined together to

better manage global economic policy• Russia added in 1997, creating the “G-8”: U.S., Britain, Germany,

France, Italy, Japan, Canada, Russia• 1993 U.S., Canada, Mexico signed North Atlantic Free Trade

Agreement (NAFTA) to create a free-trade zone in North America• corporations sought cheap labor (“outsourcing”) in Mexico, Eastern

Europe, Asia (ex: Nike manufacturing in Vietnam and China).

1. Financial Deregulation – U.S. and Britain called for deregulation of banks, brokerage houses, investment firms, financial markets; led to high profits but a more fragile economy.2. Financial Deregulation

I. America in the Global EconomyB. An Era of Globalization 2. Financial Deregulation• U.S. and Britain called for deregulation of banks,

brokerage houses, investment firms, financial markets• led to high profits but a more fragile economy.

I. America in the Global EconomyC. The New Technology

1. World Wide Web • use of personal computers increased with the introduction of

the World Wide Web• by 1980s e-mail was spreading to universities, businesses,

general public• by 2009 75% of all Americans used the Internet.

2. Leisure and Business Products• creation of new leisure and business products• videocassette recorders (VCRs), compact disc (CD) players,

cellular telephones, fax machines, digital cameras, wireless telephones

• decline of traditional printed newspapers.

II. Politics and Partisanship in a New EraA. An Increasingly Plural Society

1. New Immigrants• population 203 million in 1970• 280 million in 2000• immigrants accounted for approximately 28 million of this increase (25

million from Latin America)• Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 had created opportunity for

immigrants to enter country more easily• approximately 700,000 refugees from Southeast Asia following Vietnam

War (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia).

2. Multiculturalism and Its Critics

II. Politics and Partisanship in a New EraA. An Increasingly Plural Society

2. Multiculturalism and Its Critics• “illegal aliens” a topic of debate as conservatives (ex:

Patrick Buchanan) warned Americans of an “invasion” of illegal aliens from Mexico

• initiatives in states with large immigrant populations to make English the official language (ex: CA)

• debates over affirmative action (ex: CA, MI) and bilingual education (ex: CA).

II. Politics and Partisanship in a New EraB. Clashes over “Family Values”

1. Abortion• debate continued between “pro-life” (claiming rights for the

unborn fetus) and “pro-choice” (claiming rights for the pregnant woman)

• fundamentalist Protestants led antiabortion movement by the 1980s

• state laws required limitations on public funding for abortions, parental notification for minors wanting an abortion, mandated waiting periods.

2. Homosexuality3. Culture Wars and the Supreme Court

II. Politics and Partisanship in a New EraB. Clashes over “Family Values”

2. Homosexuality• by 1990s many cities and states had bans on discrimination on

the basis of sexual orientation• Human Rights Campaign (HRC) campaigned for marriage

equality: recognition for same-sex marriage• 1998 Congress passed the Defense of Marriage Act, which

allowed states to refuse to recognize gay marriage and/or civil unions.

3. Culture Wars and the Supreme Court

II. Politics and Partisanship in a New EraB. Clashes over “Family Values”

3. Culture Wars and the Supreme Court• cases before the Court: Webster v. Reproductive Services

(1989) allowed state governments to limit funding for abortion

• Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey (1992) upheld law requiring 24-hour waiting period before an abortion.

II. Politics and Partisanship in a New EraC. The Clinton Presidency, 1993-2001

1. New Democrats and Public Policy• Clinton won 43% of vote in 1992• self-proclaimed “New Democrat” with a middle-of-the-road stand on

divisive issues• effort to enact national health care failed in 1994 leaving 15% of

Americans without health coverage• by 1998 balanced federal budget achieved with reduction in the federal

debt.

2. The Republican Resurgence3. Clinton’s Impeachment

II. Politics and Partisanship in a New EraC. The Clinton Presidency, 1993-2001

2. The Republican Resurgence• mid-term elections went poorly for Democrats with

Republicans gaining 52 seats in the House• Clinton moved right by avoiding major social welfare

proposals• 1996 Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC)

abolished.3. Clinton’s Impeachment

• sex scandal when Clinton denied a sexual affair with intern Monica Lewinsky

• Republicans wanted an impeachment – achieved in the House, failed in the Senate.

II. Politics and Partisanship in a New EraD. Post-Cold War Foreign Policy

1. NATO• debate over whether to admit former Soviet-bloc nations to

NATO including Czechoslovakia, Poland, Hungary, Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia

• 12 new nations admitted by 2010• dissolution of Yugoslavia led to war and a campaign of ethnic

cleansing led by Slobodan Milosevic, a Serbian nationalist• NATO intervened• by 2008 the former Yugoslavia was seven independent nations.

2. America and the Middle East

II. Politics and Partisanship in a New EraD. Post-Cold War Foreign Policy

2. America and the Middle East• radical Islamic movements grew in post-Cold War Middle East• anger over colonialism by British and French in early 20th century, over

U.S. support for Israel and for Iranian shah during revolution• radical fundamentalists opposed western imperialism and consumer

culture, opposed U.S. presence in Saudi Arabia• 1993 radical Muslims bombed World Trade Center in NYC killed six people

and injured 1,000+

• 1998 terrorists truck-bombed U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania• 2000 bombing of the USS Cole in Yemen; Clinton ordered air strikes against

Al Qaeda (led by Osama bin Laden) in Afghanistan; threat remained.

II. Politics and Partisanship in a New EraD. Post-Cold War Foreign Policy

2. America and the Middle East• 1998 terrorists truck-bombed U.S. embassies in Kenya and

Tanzania• 2000 bombing of the USS Cole in Yemen• Clinton ordered air strikes against Al Qaeda (led by Osama

bin Laden) in Afghanistan• threat remained.

III. Into a New CenturyA. The Ascendance of George W. Bush

1. The 2000 Election• Vice President Al Gore won 50.9 million votes, Bush 50.4 million• Bush held Electoral College 271-267• hand count demanded in several counties of Florida, which resulted in a

month of debate and turmoil• Bush v. Gore at in the Supreme Court upheld the victory for Bus• VP Richard Cheney participated in much key decision-making in White

House, as did campaign advisor Karl Rove.

2. Tax Cuts3. September 11, 20014. The Invasion of Iraq5. The 2004 Election

III. Into a New CenturyA. The Ascendance of George W. Bush

2. Tax Cuts• “Economic Growth and Tax Relief Act of 2001” cut income tax rates,

extended income credit for the poor, phased out the estate tax by 2010• additional cuts followed in 2003• federal expenditures increased 33% by 2006• national debt over $8 trillion by 2007.

3. September 11, 20014. The Invasion of Iraq5. The 2004 Election

III. Into a New CenturyA. The Ascendance of George W. Bush

3. September 11, 2001• 19 Islamic terrorists hijacked four commercial jets• two flown into World Trade Center• one into Pentagon• one crashed onto Pennsylvania field bound perhaps for White House

or U.S. Capitol• Bush proclaimed a “War on Terror”• U.S. began military campaign against bin Laden’s forces in Afghanistan.

4. The Invasion of Iraq5. The 2004 Election

III. Into a New CenturyA. The Ascendance of George W. Bush

4. The Invasion of Iraq• post-9/11 Bush increased the power of domestic surveillance with the

USA Patriot Act; focus on the “axis of evil”: Iran, North Korea, Iraq• believed that Iraqi people would abandon Saddam Hussein and

embrace democracy• administration went to the UN to force Hussein to allow weapons

inspections• U.S. invaded Iraq in March 2003• damaged relations with U.S. allies France, Germany, Mexico, Canada• Britain supported U.S. effort• regime collapsed but long-term consequences loomed as Shiites and

Sunnis fought each other.

5. The 2004 Election

III. Into a New CenturyA. The Ascendance of George W. Bush

4. The Invasion of Iraq• regime collapsed but long-term consequences loomed as

Shiites and Sunnis fought each other.5. The 2004 Election

• Bush challenged by Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), Vietnam veteran and war hero criticized for his post-service participation in Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW)

• Karl Rove ignited cultural wars by encouraging anti-gay ballot issues in key states

• Bush won 286 to 252.

III. Into a New CenturyB. Violence Abroad and Economic Collapse at Home

1. Crisis Management• Hurricane Katrina (2005) led to the devastation of New Orleans and

surrounding communities• war in Iraq became increasingly unpopular in 2006-2007• 2008 saw significant decline in the U.S. economy as the Dow Jones

Industrial Average lost half its value in less than a year• unemployment rose to 10% as housing prices plummeted.

2. The 2008 Election3. Obama’s Presidency

III. Into a New CenturyB. Violence Abroad and Economic Collapse at Home

2. The 2008 Election• Barack Hussein Obama against Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) took place amidst the Bush

administration’s efforts to “bail out” the financial industry• Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (Oct. 2008) gave $700 billion to largest U.S. banks

and brokerage houses.

3. Obama’s Presidency• first African American president had ambitious agenda• Feb. 2009 passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to provide stimulus money

for schools, hospitals, transportation projects• efforts to end U.S. military operations in Iraq and re-focus operations in Afghanistan• debate over health care and the emergence of a new far-right movement, the “Tea Party.”

III. Into a New CenturyB. Violence Abroad and Economic Collapse at Home

3. Obama’s Presidency• first African American president had ambitious agenda• Feb. 2009 passed the American Recovery and

Reinvestment Act to provide stimulus money for schools, hospitals, transportation projects

• efforts to end U.S. military operations in Iraq and re-focus operations in Afghanistan

• debate over health care and the emergence of a new far-right movement, the “Tea Party.”