Modern Events
Essential Question:
How have modern events affected you?
 The Middle East
o Israel (1948)
 The UN approved its creation in response to the Holocaust
 Continuing tensions between Israelis and Palestinians
o OPEC (1960)
 Alliance of oil-producing nations (mostly in Middle East)
 1970s
o Richard Nixon
 Officially recognized communist China
 Watergate scandal forced him to resign
 Only US President to resign
o Gerald Ford
 Appointed Vice President
 Became President when Nixon resigned
 Only President who was not elected to the Executive Branch
 Pardoned Nixon
o Jimmy Carter
 Recession and inflation
 Middle East issues
 Oil Crisis
 Iran Hostage Crisis
 Camp David Accords
o Helped negotiate peace agreements between Israel and
Egypt (normalized relations)
 1990s
o George H.W. Bush
 Persian Gulf War (1st Iraq War)
o Globalization
 European Union (EU)
 Purpose = promote trade and cooperation in Europe
 Euro (1999)
o Common currency
 NAFTA
 Free trade agreement between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada
o Bill Clinton
 Economic prosperity
 Impeachment
 Not removed from office
 2000s
o George W. Bush
 September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks
 Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq
o Barack Obama
 1st African American President
 Healthcare reform
 Elimination of terrorist leader Osama bin Laden