Essential QuestionEssential Question
What were the major What were the major events of the George events of the George W. Bush presidency?W. Bush presidency?
Election of 2000Election of 2000
Democrat – Al Democrat – Al GoreGore
Republican – Republican – George W. BushGeorge W. Bush
Election of 2000Election of 2000
Decided by 537 Decided by 537 votes in Floridavotes in Florida
Closest Closest presidential presidential election in U.S. election in U.S. historyhistory
Election of 2000Election of 2000
Both needed Both needed Florida’s 25 Florida’s 25 electoral electoral votes to winvotes to win
Election of 2000Election of 2000
Close results in Close results in FloridaFlorida
State law State law required a required a recountrecount
Bush won by Bush won by 537 votes537 votes
Bush v. GoreBush v. Gore
Gore took the Gore took the case to the case to the Supreme CourtSupreme Court
Ruled in favor FL Ruled in favor FL certified results certified results in time for the in time for the electoral college electoral college vote in mid-vote in mid-DecemberDecember
Sept. 11, Sept. 11, 20012001 Terrorist attacks in Terrorist attacks in
New York City, New York City, Washington D.C., Washington D.C., PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
Terrorism – the Terrorism – the use of violence by use of violence by nongovernmental nongovernmental groups against groups against civilians to civilians to achieve a political achieve a political goalgoal
Reasons for Muslim Reasons for Muslim TerrorismTerrorism
U.S. investments U.S. investments in Middle East oilin Middle East oil
Western Western influences on influences on Muslim religious Muslim religious valuesvalues
U.S. support of U.S. support of IsraelIsrael
Al-QaedaAl-Qaeda
Muslim Muslim organization organization created by created by Osama bin Osama bin LadenLaden
War on TerrorWar on Terror
Response to Response to terrorist terrorist attacksattacks
Created Created Department Department of Homeland of Homeland SecuritySecurity
Patriot ActPatriot Act
Increased Increased authority of authority of US law US law enforcement enforcement agenciesagencies
Question of Question of civil liberties?civil liberties?
AfghanistanAfghanistan
Oct. 7, 2001 – Oct. 7, 2001 – U.S. began U.S. began bombingbombing
Attacked al-Attacked al-Qaeda camps Qaeda camps and the and the Taliban Taliban (supporters of (supporters of bin Laden)bin Laden)
Iraq WarIraq War
March 20, 2003 – March 20, 2003 – U.S. coalition U.S. coalition forces (led by the forces (led by the U.S.)U.S.)
Invasion of Iraq, Invasion of Iraq, seized control by seized control by May 1May 1
U.S. – Iraq WarU.S. – Iraq War
Based on Based on intelligence that intelligence that Hussein had Hussein had weapons of mass weapons of mass destructiondestruction
Used chemical Used chemical weapons against weapons against the Kurds in Iraqthe Kurds in Iraq
Colin PowellColin Powell
Testified before Testified before the UN that Iraq the UN that Iraq had weapons of had weapons of mass destructionmass destruction
War in IraqWar in Iraq
Unstable Unstable governmentgovernment
Terrorist Terrorist insurgents and insurgents and attacksattacks
War in IraqWar in Iraq
2007 – troop 2007 – troop surge approvedsurge approved
Today – removal Today – removal of troops as Iraq of troops as Iraq becomes more becomes more stable as a stable as a democracydemocracy
2008 Election2008 Election
Republican – John Republican – John McCainMcCain
Democrat – Barack Democrat – Barack ObamaObama
First African First African American American presidentpresident