40
CHAPTER
The Stalemated Seventies, 1968–1980
1. Stagnating Economy (pp. 946–948)
a. Look at the chart on p. 947, which shows that the median family income went from $10,000 in 1970 to $50,000 in
2000. *** Given this dollar increase, how can the authors say on p. 946 that the baby-boom generation faced the
prospect of lower living standards than their parents? How is this also explained in the graph?
b. A contributing cause of the decline of optimism in the 1970s was the end of the postwar boom and the onset of
economic stagnation accompanied by inflationary price increases. What do the authors mean by the following cited
causes of the economic downturn?
(1) End to “productivity” gains:
(2) Oil price rises:
(3) Vietnam/Great Society spending with no tax increase:
(4) Foreign economic competition:
2. Nixon and Vietnam (pp. 948–950)
a. To quiet the public uproar over Vietnam after taking office in early 19____, Nixon sought “to win the war by other
means” by instituting a policy called “_______________________,” designed to withdraw U.S. troops gradually and
turn the fighting over to the local South Vietnamese. *** If you had been a citizen at the time listening to Nixon’s
plan for the first time, what might have been your reaction?
b. Page 949 describes the structure of the fighting force as well as the day-to-day nature of fighting in Vietnam
(including the 1968 massacre of villagers at _____ ________). *** What aspects of fighting this war impressed you?
How do you think it was different from other wars?
c. In April of 1970, when most thought Nixon was pulling troops out, he announced that he was actually sending U.S.
troops into neighboring ___________________ (country) to “clean out” communist sanctuaries there. This caused a
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storm of protest, highlighted by the Ohio National Guard firing on a group of demonstrators at _________
__________ University; the repeal by the Senate of the 1964 Gulf of __________ Resolution; and the leaking in 1971
of the top secret _____________ Papers, which detailed many of the Vietnam follies under Kennedy and Johnson.
*** Theoretically at least, Nixon had the opportunity when he took office to reverse completely the unpopular
Vietnam policies of his predecessor. Why do you think he did not do so?
3. Russia and China (pp. 950–951) Historians generally give the anticommunist Nixon credit for establishing an
improved dialog with China and the USSR. This policy of Nixon and his foreign policy advisor Henry A.
__________________ was called __________________ (French word). Nixon made a historic journey of friendship
to Beijing in early 197____ and followed with a trip to Moscow a few months later. Resulting from this policy, two
agreements (known by the letters ______ and _________) were signed with the USSR and were designed to limit the
spread of the nuclear arms race. Nevertheless, loopholes were found and, by the end of the 1980s, the two sides had
more than _______ thousand nuclear warheads aimed at each other. *** What do the authors mean on p. 951 when
they summarize the objective of Nixon’s strategy as “checkmating and co-opting the two great communist powers”?
4. Nixon and Domestic Policy (pp. 951–955)
a. Nixon didn’t like the liberal Supreme Court he had inherited. It was headed by Chief Justice Earl
_______________. This court had moved aggressively to protect or establish individual rights in areas such as birth
control, criminal defendant’s rights, free press, school prayer, and reapportionment. In disagreeing with these liberal
interpretations and favoring a “strict construction” of the Constitution, Nixon was arguing very much in the same way
as ________________________ (Hamilton or Jefferson). Nixon appointed a new Chief Justice, Warren E.
___________________, who actually continued the trend of fairly liberal rulings, including the landmark 1974 case
of Roe v. ________, which legalized abortion. Pick TWO of the Warren Court cases described on p. 952 and
summarize their importance.
(1)
(2)
b. In many areas, Nixon actually expanded Great Society concepts and programs. How did his
_________________________ Plan of 1969 actually change and expand Johnson’s concept of “affirmative action.”
*** What do you think of the charge that this new concept actually constituted “reverse discrimination”?
(1) Expanded “affirmative action”:
(2) “Reverse discrimination”:
c. The environmental movement got off the ground in the early 1970s, activated by books like ____________
_____________ by Rachel Carson and the establishment in 1970 of the _________________ ___________________
______________ (EPA). In 1972, proclaiming that peace in Vietnam was “at hand,” Nixon easily defeated the
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Democratic antiwar candidate George _____________________. After the election, he ordered the most massive air
bombardment of the war on North Vietnam, eventually earning what he called “peace with ________________,” but
which the authors call “a thinly disguised retreat.”
5. Watergate (pp. 955–957) The series of scandals called Watergate revolved around Nixon’s paranoia about his
political “enemies” and his obsession with reelection in 1972. They began with a bungled burglary of the Democratic
Party headquarters in the ______________ apartment complex in Washington, but soon spread to include exposure of
a huge number of “dirty tricks” perpetrated by the White House “_____________ unit,” created to plug up “leaks” of
confidential information. A Senate committee headed by aging Senator Sam _______________ held televised
hearings on the matter that involved detailed accusations about Nixon’s direct involvement in the “cover-up” of
relevant material, especially from former White House lawyer John _________ III. *** Look at the cartoon on p. 957
and “Examining the Evidence” on p. 961. How do they sum up what led to Nixon’s ultimate downfall?
6. Nixon’s Downfall (pp. 957–960)
a. Nixon’s battered presidency was further tarnished with the revelations about fourteen months of secret bombings of
the neutral country of __________________. Congress attempted to re-assert its authority with the _________
Powers Act of 1973. In the Middle East, the United States supported _____________________ in the October War of
1973 and paid the price when Arab countries placed an ___________________ on oil shipments to the United States
Later, through agreement within the Organization of _________________ _______________ Countries (OPEC), oil
exporters were able to quadruple the price for their product. What do the authors mean on p. 958 when they call this
“the end of an era?”
b. When it became clear that the evidence against Nixon would eventually lead to his ____________________ by the
House and conviction by the Senate, Nixon became the only president ever to resign, on August 8, 197___. *** Any
final thoughts on Nixon and Watergate? Do you agree with the authors’ upbeat conclusion on p. 960 that the United
States had given the world “an impressive demonstration of self-discipline and self-government”?
7. Ford and Vietnam Endgame (pp. 960–965) Gerald R. ____________ was the country’s only non-elected president.
He had been appointed only the year before to replace the disgraced Vice President Spiro T. ____________, who had
himself resigned after being charged with corruption. In a controversial move, Ford began by giving a legal pardon to
his predecessor Richard ______________. He was also involved in signing the ________________ (city) accords,
which set international standards for governments to follow in their human rights policies. The North Vietnamese
finally overran the South in early 197___ and ended a conflict that had cost America $______ billion, ___________
dead, and ___________wounded. The authors conclude that Vietnam caused America to lose face, self-esteem,
military confidence, and much of its economic muscle. Looking at the section on “The Vietnamese,” how many came
to America after the war? Why did they come? How were they treated here?
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8. Feminism and Affirmative Action (pp. 963, 966–967, 968–969)
a. In the section on “The Feminists” (pp. 966–967), the authors link the “second wave” of feminists to the lessons
learned by activists in the civil rights movement. They date the “second wave” from the 1963 publication of The
_________________ Mystique by Betty _____________ and formation of the ______________
___________________ for Women (NOW). Feminist gains were made in 1972 with Title ______, which guaranteed
equal educational treatment and spurred a revolution in women’s athletics, and the 1973 Supreme Court case of
____________ v. ____________, which guaranteed abortion rights based on a woman’s “right to privacy.” But splits
between radicals and moderates caused failure of the ______________ _________________ Amendment in 1982.
Read the text of this proposed amendment on p. 966. *** What do you think was the BEST argument of opponents
such as Phyllis ______________ AGAINST passage of this amendment?
b. School busing to achieve integration and affirmative action in the workplace and college admissions were trimmed
back in the 1970s. Who was Allan Bakke and what was the Supreme Court’s ruling in his suit to be admitted to the
medical school at U.C. Davis?
(1) Bakke:
(2) Ruling:
9. Carter Administration, 1977–1981 (pp. 967, 970–975)
a. Ford lost the bicentennial 197___ election to Democrat Jimmy Carter, the ex-governor of _________________.
Carter seemed like a squeaky-clean outsider to people tired of “Washington politicians.” Carter’s biggest diplomatic
success was the 1978 Camp David agreement between Egyptian President Anwar __________ and Isreali Prime
Minister Menachem ______________ that helped to set the Middle East peace process in motion. He stressed human
rights issues and doing the “right thing” internationally, as reflected in his agreement to end U.S. control of the
_________________ Canal by the year 2000. Carter’s biggest problem was the ailing economy, caused at least in part
by high inflation rates, in turn caused in part by the increasing cost of imported oil. Look at the chart on p. 972. The
inflation rate (average annual percentage rate change in prices) was _____ percent in 1980. If you needed $50 to buy a
pair of shoes in 1970, you would need $_____ in 1980 and $_____ in 2000. What do the authors mean on p. 971
when they say that the “________ shocks” of the 1970s emphasized the nation’s new “economic interdependence”?
b. On the Cold War front, Carter tried to continue moves, together with the USSR, to reduce strategic nuclear
weapons with the _________ II Treaty—never ratified by the Senate. Relations with the USSR cooled significantly,
though, when the Soviets invaded _____________________ in December 1979. In retaliation, Carter decided to
boycott the Olympics scheduled for Moscow in 1980. (Of course, the Soviets then boycotted the Los Angeles
Olympics four years later!) Carter’s most embarrassing and lingering problem involved about 400 American hostages
taken by Muslim militants in _________ and not released until after Carter left office. The authors conclude that this
incident seemed to symbolize the country’s sense of “helplessness and even incompetence” that had set in with the
Vietnam war.
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CHAPTER 40 TERM SHEET
The Stalemated Seventies
Pages 946–948
Productivity
Inflation
Pages 948–951
“Vietnamization” (1969)
“Nixon Doctrine” (1969)
Vietnam moratorium (1969)
My Lai massacre (1968)
Cambodian invasion (1970)
Kent State/Jackson State (1970)
Tonkin Gulf Resolution repeal (1970)
Twenty-sixth Amendment (1971)
Daniel Ellsberg
Pentagon Papers (1971)
Pages 950–951
Henry Kissinger
China opening (1971)
Détente policy
Antiballistic missile (ABM) treaty (1972)
Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) (1972)
Pages 951–955
Earl Warren
Liberal Warren Court decisions
Griswold v. Connecticut (1965)
Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
Miranda (1966)
Warren E. Berger (1969)
Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC)
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Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Philadelphia plan (1969)
“Reverse discrimination”
Environmental Protection Agency (1970)
Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA)
Rachel Carson/Silent Spring (1962)
Clean Air and Endangered Species Acts (1970)
Nixon’s “southern strategy”
Sen. George McGovern (1972)
Vietnam pullout (1973)
Pages 955–957
CREEP
Watergate break-in (June 1972)
White House “plumbers unit”
Sen. Sam Ervin
John Dean III
Spiro Agnew
Gerald Ford
Archibald Cox
“Saturday night massacre” (1973)
Pages 957–960
Cambodian bombings (1973)
Pol Pot
War Powers Act (1973)
October War (1973)
Arab Oil Embargo (1974)
“Energy crisis”
Alaska pipeline
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
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Articles of impeachment
Nixon resignation (August 8, 1974)
Pages 960–965
Nixon pardon (1974)
Helsinki accords (1975)
Vietnam defeat (1975)
Pages 963, 966–967, 968–969
Title IX (1972)
Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)
Roe v. Wade (1973)
Phyllis Schlafly
Betty Freidan
National Organization for Women (NOW)
Milliken v. Bradley (1974)
“Reverse discrimination”
Bakke case (1978)
United States v. Wheeler (1978)
Pages 967, 970–975
Jimmy Carter (1976)
Department of Energy
“Human rights”
Camp David accords (1978)
Return of Panama Canal
Mohammed Reza Pahlevi
Brezhnev and SALT II negotiations (1979)
Iranian hostage crisis (1979–1980)
Ayatollah Ruholla Khomeini
Afghanistan invasion and Olympic boycott (1980)
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41
CHAPTER
Resurgence of Conservatism, 1980–2000
Key questions: How permanent is the Reagan-era repudiation of New Deal liberalism? How dangerous was the military buildup under
Reagan? What caused the collapse of the Soviet Union? What should be the U.S. role in the post–Cold War world? How can we balance
social justice and economic growth?
1. Reagan and the New Conservatism (pp. 976–979)
a. Ronald Reagan became the spokesman for a resurgent conservative movement in the early 1980s which merged the
economic concerns of the “_______ Right” with the social concerns of the “______ Right” activists such as the
_________ Majority. Summarize the basic positions of these two conservative groups on the following.
(1) Economic issues:
(2) Social issues:
b. Reagan defeated the incumbent Jimmy ______________ by a wide margin in the election of 19_____. On p. 977,
how do the authors compare Reagan to his early hero Franklin Roosevelt?
(1) Similarities:
(2) Differences:
2. Reagan Revolution (pp. 979–981)
a. Social Security, Medicare, unemployment insurance, and welfare are examples of “entitlement” programs, that had
been growing at a rapid pace as a result of New Deal and Great Society initiatives. *** What are entitlements and why
do you think that these types of expenditures are more difficult to control than other government costs such as
defense, transportation, or education?
(1) “Entitlement” programs:
(2) Difficult to control:
b. On p. 980, the authors say that Reagan “now proceeded to rattle the ‘welfare state’ to its very foundations.” What
did his domestic program, called “________________” economics or “_________________,” do in the following
areas?
(1) Welfare programs:
(2) Taxes:
(3) Military expenditures:
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3. Reagan Renews Cold War (pp. 981–987)
a. Reagan’s huge military expenditures, including a planned high-tech defensive shield against Soviet missiles
nicknamed ___________ ________ (name of a popular movie), was partly designed to accelerate purposefully the
highly dangerous arms race to the point where the weaker Soviet economy could not keep up. Why, on p. 982, do the
authors call this strategy “a riverboat gambler’s ploy”?
b. Like Theodore Roosevelt, Reagan pursued an aggressive foreign policy, particularly in Central America where he
actively supported the “__________________” rebels against the leftist “Sandinista” government in
_________________________.
c. Reagan was re-elected in 1984 over Democrat Walter ______________ and his running mate Geraldine
_________________. He then began to establish a personal relationship with the new Soviet leader Mikhail
____________________, who was trying to institute policies of openness to new ideas, called
________________________ (Russian word), and a more capitalistic economic restructuring, called
__________________________ (Russian word). He could not do this and compete with the United States militarily,
so he was forced to deal. In four summit meetings, the two leaders agreed on weapons reductions and other matters
that basically brought the Cold War to an end (and eventually led to the collapse of the Soviet Union). Reagan had
talked, and acted, tough while being willing to deal and the authors congratulate both leaders on the outcome. ***
What do you think might have happened, though, if the United States had miscalculated and if the Russians had
responded to the U.S. military escalation with an equally hostile additional nuclear buildup of their own? Why do you
think that Gorbachev today may be considerably more popular in America than in Russia?
(1) Consequence of U.S. miscalculation:
(2) Gorbachev’s popularity in Russia:
d. In 1986–1987, Reagan’s two-fisted anticommunism and the eagerness of his staff backfired badly in the so-called
“Iran-_____________” affair. When Congress wouldn’t fund those trying to overthrow the Sandinistas in Nicaragua,
Reagan staffers Oliver _______________ and John ____________________ arranged to sell arms to Iran in return for
help freeing hostages in the Middle East, then used the money surreptitiously to fund the contras.
4. Reagan’s Legacy (pp. 987–990)
a. How do the authors summarize Reagan’s economic legacy?
(1) Budget deficits and national debt (chart, p. 986):
(2) Containment of the welfare state:
(3). Income gap between rich and poor (chart, p. 988):
b. *** How do future generations pay when governments run up big annual budget deficits?
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c. The Rev. Jerry _____________ and his Moral _______________ are used as examples of the growing political
power of the religious right. Reagan judicial appointees, including the first woman Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day
____________________, began to carry out this conservative social agenda. Two cases, especially the 1989
______________ v. Reproductive Health Services case, began to chip away at the abortion rights guarantees of Roe v.
__________. *** Do you have a view on the proper stance of the federal government relative to abortion?
d. Page 990 summarizes some of the ethical lapses of the Reagan administration, the savings-and-loan and bank
bailouts, and the financial wheeling-dealing characteristic of the 1980s. However, Reagan’s VP George _________
defeated Democrat Michael ___________ in the 1988 election.
5. End of the Cold War (pp. 990–994) The speed with which the stampede toward more democratic forms of
government took place in the late 1980s was truly astounding. China introduced capitalist principles into its economy,
but remained staunchly communist politically, violently subduing a prodemocracy movement in
________________________ Square in 1989. But communist regimes collapsed in most Eastern European countries;
the ______________ Wall between the east and west sectors of that city was torn down and the divided country of
_________________ was re-unified. The Soviet Union itself disintegrated into its constituent states and its leader,
Mikhail _____________________, resigned in late 1991. Absolutely no one foresaw the speed with which this
transformation would take place. What do the authors see as the consequences of the dramatic end to the Cold War in
the following areas?
(1) Future of democracy:
(2) Ethnic conflicts:
(3) U.S. foreign policy:
(4) U.S. economy:
6. Persian Gulf War (pp. 994–996) With the Cold War over and the world more united than at any time since 1945,
Saddam ___________________ picked a bad time to try to take over oil-rich Kuwait in 1990. With Russian
cooperation, the _______________ Nations approved first economic sanctions and then military action against Iraq.
The United States assembled a multinational force under General “Stormin’ Norman” ______________________,
which unleashed precision bombing and a four-day invasion of Iraq code-named “Operation _______________
______________.” Though defeated, Saddam was not removed from power and the Middle East region remained
extremely unstable. *** Why do you think the United States moved so aggressively when one small country invaded
another on the other side of the world?
7. Bush to Clinton (pp. 996–1000) This section focuses on the social and economic issues that dominated the Bush
administration. The lightening rod was Bush’s nomination of conservative African-American Clarence
_______________ to the Supreme Court. His anti-affirmative action and supposedly anti-abortion stance were
highlighted at his ultimately successful televised confirmation hearings. These hearings were further dramatized by
charges of sexual harassment from former associate Anita ______________. On the economic front, a stagnant
economy and continued high budget deficits haunted Bush and opened the way for a Democratic challenge in the
1992 election. In this election, young, energetic, and telegenic Democrat Bill ________________ of
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_____________________ defeated the incumbent George _____________ and third-party candidate Ross
___________. Though previously a quite liberal Democrat, Clinton’s term in office is covered in a chapter titled “The
Resurgence of Conservatism.” Look at the author’s discussion of the Democratic ______________________ Council
on p. 999. How and why did Clinton and other “_______” Democrats help change the orientation of the Democratic
Party prior to this election?
8. Clinton’s Diverse Domestic Agenda (pp. 1000–1005)
a. Though some 37 million people were without healthcare coverage, Clinton made a major political blunder early in
his administration by proposing an overly complex and ultimately defeated healthcare reform package put together by
a task force led by his wife _________________. She then retreated to the background and Clinton contented himself
with pushing more moderate efforts such as gun control legislation and deficit reduction measures. In 1994, a
conservative reaction led by Rep. Newt ______________________ and his “____________________ with America”
produced a strong right-wing majority in Congress. This Congress, with some support from Clinton, produced the
_________________ Reform Bill of 1996, which has combined drastically reduced welfare benefits with incentives
for recipients to be trained for and find employment. However, the radical Republicans quickly overplayed their hand
and Clinton was able to defeat easily the Republican candidate Robert ________________ in the 1996 election.
Economic performance strengthened in the late 1990s, led by new advances in technology, communications, and the
internet. Increased tax revenues led to government surpluses for the first time in decades and led to debates about
whether these surpluses should be used to pay the national debt or to reduce taxes. Clinton supported growing trends
toward “globalization” by pushing the North American _________ ____________ Agreement (NAFTA) and creation
of the _____________ _________________ Organization (WTO). Protests against these trends emerged at a WTO
meeting in __________________ in 1999. *** What does the term globalization mean to you?
b. The authors also discuss here the growing efforts to make _________________ companies pay for the staggering
public health costs of smoking and the battle with the National ____________ Association (NRA) over the easy
availability of handguns. *** Do you feel that stronger government restrictions on the ownership of handguns would
be the solution to increasing violence like the violence that occurred at ___________________ High School in
Colorado in 1999?
9. Clinton Overseas (pp. 1005–1007) The authors here mention the search for a new post–Cold War international
strategy and mention the rather ad hoc involvement in Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Kosovo, and the Middle East under
Clinton. *** What are your thoughts on America’s new international role? Should we get involved in international
crises only when our direct interests are clearly at stake? Or should we intervene when we feel that people are in
danger or that instability may spread? Should we act alone or as part of international groupings?
10. Clinton to Bush II (pp. 1007–1011) Scandal related to his personal conduct hounded Clinton. Beginning with an
investigation of some land dealings, special prosecutor Kenneth ________ nabbed Clinton for lying about a sexual
affair with former intern Monica ____________. The Republicans in the House seized on this to bring articles of
impeachment, but the Senate trial concluded that his reprehensible actions did not constitute “high crimes and
misdemeanors.” In the 2000 election, the challenge for Democratic candidate Al _______ was to distance himself
from this scandal while taking credit for the strong economy. Though winning in the popular vote, he lost in the
Electoral College to Republican George W. ______________ after the Supreme Court finally ruled on disputed
ballots and procedures in the key state of ____________.
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VARYING VIEWPOINTS
Modern Conservatism
1. In the first two paragraphs, how do the authors describe the traditional view of conservatives held by the
“progressive” and “New Left” historians?
2. In paragraph 4, how do the authors say that some historians writing in the Reagan era re-evaluated this traditional
interpretation?
3. In paragraph 3, the authors say that “what flowed out of the turbulent decade of the 1960s was not a strengthened
liberalism, but a revived conservatism.” List three developments of the 1960s and 1970s that the authors indicate (in
paragraph 5) may have challenged traditional beliefs and thereby contributed to the conservative reaction and revival
of the late twentieth century.
(1)
(2)
(3)
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CHAPTER 41 TERM SHEET
Resurgence of Conservatism
Pages 976–979
“Old Right”
“New Right” movement
Ronald Reagan
Jimmy Carter
Sen. Edward Kennedy
Pages 979–981
Iranian hostage release (1981)
James Watt
California “tax revolt” (Proposition 13) (1978)
“Welfare state”
“Boll weevils”
“Supply-side” economics (“Reaganomics”)
“Yuppies”
Pages 981–987
Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI or “Star Wars”)
“Solidarity”
1984 Olympic boycott
“Sandinistas”
“Contra” rebels
Walter Mondale
Geraldine Ferraro
Mikhail Gorbachev
Glastnost
Perestroika
Geneva (1985) and Reykjavik (1986) summits
INF Treaty (1987)
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Moscow summit (1988)
Ferdinand Marcos
Corazon Aquino
Iran-Contra affair (1986)
Oliver North
Pages 987–990
“Supply-side” economic theory
Rev. Jerry Falwell
Moral Majority
Sandra Day O’Connor
Abortion Rulings:
Webster v. RHS (1989)
Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992)
Robert Bork
Savings and loan crisis
Third world debt crisis
Leveraged buyouts
“Black Monday” (October 19, 1987)
Gary Hart
Jesse Jackson
Michael Dukakis
Pages 990–994
George H. W. Bush
Tiananmen Square (1989)
Berlin wall (1989)
German reunification (1990)
Boris Yeltsin
Dissolution of the Soviet Union (1991)
Commonwealth of Independent States
START II accord (1993)
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“Ethnic cleansing”
Nelson Mandela
Pages 994–996
Panama invasion (1989)
Manuel Noriega
Saddam Hussein
Kuwait invasion (1990)
Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf
Operation Desert Storm (1991)
Pages 996–1000
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (1990)
Clarence Thomas (1991)
Anita Hill
Bill Clinton
Albert Gore
Democratic Leadership Council
H. Ross Perot
Pages 1000–1005
“Don’t ask, don’t tell”
Hillary Rodham Clinton
“Brady Bill”
Newt Gingrich
“Contract with America”
Welfare reform bill (1996)
Sen. Robert Dole
California Proposition 209
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (1993)
World Trade Organization (WTO) (1994)
“Globalization”
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Sen. John McCain
Columbine High School (1999)
National Rifle Association (NRA)
“Million Mom March” (2000)
Pages 1005–1007
Somalia (1993)
Jean Bertrand Aristide
Slobodan Milosevic
Kosovo (1999)
Yitzhak Rabin
Yasir Arafat
Madeleine Albright
Pages 1007–1011
Whitewater
Vincent W. Foster, Jr.
Monica Lewinsky
Paula Jones
Kenneth Starr
Rep. Henry Hyde
William Rehnquist
Clinton impeachment/trial (1998–1999)
Joseph Lieberman
Ralph Nader
George W. Bush
Dick Cheney
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42
CHAPTER
The New Century
1. Introduction (pp. 1014–1015)
a. List three of the distinguishing characteristics of America at the turn of the twenty-first century mentioned by the
authors in the opening section.
(1)
(2)
(3)
b. The last paragraph of this section makes a case for the relevance of historical understanding for those who will
“make history” in the future. *** Do you buy this argument? What do you see as the relevance of this study (if any) to
your future life? Do you believe that you will be “making history,” or is history only “made” by a few people such as
those mentioned in this book?
2. The New Economy (pp. 1015–1018)
a. List one or two of the “promises” and “perils” of the “information age” highlighted by the authors.
(1) Promises:
(2) Perils:
b. *** What was your reaction to the statistics cited showing the trend toward a widening gap between the rich and
poor in America?
3. Gender Roles and the “Fading Family” (pp. 1018–1021)
a. Some staggering statistics are presented showing the rapid recent growth of women (and especially mothers) in the
workforce. But the authors observe that “women now brought home the bacon and then cooked it, too.” *** In your
view, can or should women be asked to do this double duty? What do you see as some possible future trends in the
area of gender roles and the split of career obligations and family duties?
b. The demise of the nuclear family represents another radical social trend. One out of _____ marriages ends in
divorce. One out of ____ women age 25–29 have never been married, meaning that families are starting later. One out
of _____ white babies and two out of _____ black babies are born to a single mother. Kids spend more time watching
_____ than they do in the classroom. *** Have you experienced the effects of these trends among your own friends
and family?
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4. Changing Demographics (pp. 1021–1025)
a. The growing numbers and political power of older people has resulted in the growth of government support for the
medical needs of the elderly far outstripping the growth of education spending on the young. What do the authors
mean on p. 1022 when they say that a “war between the generations” looms in the twenty-first century?
b. *** Do you view as a positive or a negative the increasingly multicultural nature of the population due heavily to
the roughly _____ million new immigrants that arrive each year, primarily from the regions of _____________ and
________________________?
5. Urban vs. Rural America (pp. 1025–1030)
a. Review the discussion of the intractable problems of the “friendless underclass” locked in poverty in the nation’s
inner cities. As concepts like “affirmative action” lose favor, what does author Shelby Steele mean (box, p. 1028)
when he argues that “we need deracinated social policies”? *** What do you think of this argument?
(1) “Deracinated” policies:
(2) Your view:
b. Look at the discussion of black family life in the inner cities on p. 1030. *** To what extent do you think that this
factor contributes to the cycle of poverty? Are there any solutions?
c. Review the map of the 2000 election returns on p. 1029. How does this map portray “a deep cultural chasm
between urban and rural America”?
6. Culture and Conclusion (pp. 1030–1034)
a. Despite the pervasive nature of TV and pop culture, the authors argue that an increasingly educated population is
reading more and pushing the arts in new directions. They emphasize the widening diversity of major writers and the
subject matter they treat. *** Skim the list of writers, playwrights, and artists of the late twentieth century located at
the end of this chapter and name a few with whom you are familiar and whose work is particularly attractive to you.
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Student Reading Questions for Kennedy, The American Pageant, Twelfth Edition
b. *** Looking back over 400 years (and 1034 pages!), do you have any overall observations about America’s past or
its likely future? For example, has America been a “shining city upon a hill,” i.e., an exceptional place (with a few
warts) to be emulated by others, or is it a hypocritical place that doesn’t often live up to its lofty ideals? Do you think
young people today are lucky to be coming of age at a time of unusual opportunity, or will they be more constrained
than previous generations by the issues cited by the authors (and perhaps others) in their conclusion?
© Copyright Houghton Mifflin Company
Student Reading Questions for Kennedy, The American Pageant, Twelfth Edition
CHAPTER 42
The New Century
Pages 1015–1018
“Information age”
“Information superhighway”
“Dot-com” explosion
Pages 1018–1021
Family leave bill (1993)
Pages 1021–1025
Dr. Jonas Salk (1953)
“Unfunded liability” (of Social Security)
Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986
Latinos
Chicanos
César Chávez
Pages 1025–1030
Los Angeles riots (1992)
O. J. Simpson trial (1995)
L. Douglas Wilder
Carol Moseley-Braun
Pages 1030–1034
Western writers:
Larry McMurtry
Raymond Carver
Annie Dillard
Ivan Doig
Jim Harrison
David Guterson
Wallace Stegner
Norman MacLean
African-American writers:
August Wilson
George Wolfe
Alice Walker
Toni Morrison
© Copyright Houghton Mifflin Company
Student Reading Questions for Kennedy, The American Pageant, Twelfth Edition
Native-American writers:
N. Scott Momaday
James Welch
Asian-American writers:
David Hwang
Maxine Hong Kingston
Amy Tan
Jhumpa Lahiri
Irish-American writer:
Frank McCourt
Women writers:
Jane Smiley
Ann Tyler
E. Annie Proulx
Artists:
Jackson Pollock
Willem de Kooning
Andy Warhol
Robert Rauschenberg
Claes Oldenburg
Georgia O’Keeffe
Playwrights:
David Mamet
Tony Kushner
Filmmakers:
George Lucas
Steven Spielberg
Spike Lee
Ken Burns
Architects:
Frank Lloyd Wright
Louis Kahn
Eero Saarinen
I. M. Pei
Philip Johnson
Robert Venturi
Michael Graves
© Copyright Houghton Mifflin Company
Student Reading Questions for Kennedy, The American Pageant, Twelfth Edition