2000-2010
Overview
Politics: Bush v. Gore Election
2000 Election-Clinton leaves
Bush-Republican candidate
Al Gore-Democratic candidate
Controversy
Al Gore- won the popular vote
George W. Bush- won electoral vote
Florida was the last state (had trouble
counting the votes)
Eventually they declared that Bush won
the Florida vote giving him 271 over
Gore’s 266
Went to the Supreme Court- Bush v. Gore.
In a 5 to 4 vote they declared Bush the
winner of the 2000 election
George W. Bush
Served from 2001-2009
September 11, 2001 WTC
Terrorist attack
Completely changed Bush’s plan for his Presidential agenda
War on Terror declared in Oct. 2001
Ordered an invasion of Afghanistan to overthrow the Taliban
government, and to capture the Al-Qaeda leader, Osama bin Laden
March of 2003 Bush received a mandate from Congress to lead an
invasion of Iraq, asserting that Iraq may have weapons of mass
destruction, and that there was known construction of missiles,
purchasing and importing armaments under Saddam Hussein
Also, wanted to set up a democracy in Iraq
Bush cont.
Patriot Act-Homeland Security
AIDS Program-$15 billion to help AIDS
He also was known for several humanitarian acts such as helping
millions of African children get enrolled in school
Saddam Hussein captured in 2003 and executed in 2006
Tax Cuts
No Child Left Behind passed
Mexico City Policy-prohibits federal aid to international family
planning orgs. that provide abortions
Pulled the US out of the Kyoto Protocols (conference to combat
global warning)
Bush’s
nd
2
Term
In 2004 Bush ran against Democrat John Kerry
Bush won the election 286-251 with 50.7% of
the popular vote to Kerry’s 48.3%
1st term, strong approval ratings. 2nd term
plummeted.
Misleading about WMDs
Hurricane Katrina-slow response to the
disaster
Troubled economy
Overall very conservative President-throughout
his time in office he lobbied against partial
birth abortion and wanted to cut funding to
planned parenthood.
Barack Obama
2008 Election Obama (Demo) v. McCain (Rep.)
Bush was very unpopular at this point so both candidates tried
to prove that they were different.
Focused on Iraq war and the recession of 2008
In the election Obama won by a lot 365-173
First African American President.
Obama cont.
Within his first few days in office Obama issued executive orders
directing the US military to develop plans to withdraw from Iraq
Announced that combat operations would end within 18 months.
In 2010 Obama announced that the combat mission in Iraq was over
Afghanistan-Obama raised troop levels in 2009 two separate times
Troops still in Afghanistan but numbers are decreasing
Ordered the closing of Guantanamo Bay detention camp, but
Congress refused the funds
Revoked Bush’s Mexico City Policy
Proposed new regulations to limit gas emissions to curb global
warming
Obama cont.
American Recover and Reinvestment Act$787 billion economic recovery stimulus
package
Unemployment rose to 10% in 2009
Bailed out car companies
Health Care Reform- 2009 introduced a
1,017 page plan for reforming the health
care system eventually passed
Called for “new beginning” with Middle
East relations
9/11
September 11, 2001
4 flights were hijacked by Al-Qaeda (Islamist terrorist group)
Osama Bin Laden in 2004 claimed responsibility for the attacks
Largest terrorist attack on US soil
2 planes crashed into the World Trade Center Towers
1 plane crashed into the Pentagon
1 plane was brought down in a PA field after passengers tried to
overcome the hijackers (United 93)
Nearly 3,000 people died. 19 hijackers
Deadliest incident for firefights and law enforcement in US history
Other Notable Events
Hurricane Katrina
Earthquake and Tsunami 2004 -230,000 died in Indonesia
Dot-com and housing bubble burst-2008 econ depression
NASA rover on Mars 2004
Pluto no longer a planet
Swine Flu epidemic
First artificial heart implanted in 2001
Technology boom
Technology
Huge jump in Internet usage
Wireless internet
Peer-to-peer sharing
Online Industry booms
Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, MySpace, Amazon, eBay, Google
Email largely replaces snail mail
Online banking
Music downloading (iTunes, Spotify, Limewire)
Online shopping
Films & tv shows online (Netflix, Hulu)
Flash drives replace floppy discs
iPods/MP3s
Technology cont.
DVDs replace VHS
DVR-recording shows and watching them later
Cell phones and laptops are advancing (smaller size, holds more
data, touch screens etc.)
Texting emerges!
Cyberbullying
Smartphones
Hybrid vehicles emerging
GPS systems
Music
Rap and Hip Hop reaching peak
Best selling artist of the decade was Eminem
50 Cent, T.I, Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, Lil Wayne, Missy Elliot, Luda
Pop music
Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, Hilary
Duff, Pink, Lady Gaga,
Beyoncé-female artist of the decade
Pop Punk
All American Rejects
Avril Lavigne
Green Day
Fall Out Boy
Music
Musical deaths
Michael Jackson died 2009
Biggest public mourning since
Princess Diana
Aaliyah-killed in a plane crash
Lisa Lopes-TLC member died in
a car crash
Jam Master Jay from Run DMC
was shot and killed
Entertainment
Reality TV takes off
American Idol, Survivor, Big Brother,
Dancing with the Stars, Housewives, The
Hills, etc.
Popular TV shows of the 2000s
How I Met Your Mother, CSI, 24, Lost,
House, Grey’s Anatomy, Family Guy, the OC,
One Tree Hill, Desperate Housewives, The
Office, Big Bang Theory, Mad Men etc.
Super Bowl Halftime show controversy
Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction
Led to a delay in live tv
Sports
Sydney Olympic Games of 2000, Athens
Games 2004, Beijing Games 2008
Michael Phelps-greatest swimmer of all
time.
Set 37 world records.
Set record for most golds won at an
Olympics with 8.
Has a total of 22 Olympic metals
NFL and MLB cancelled games for a
week after 9/11 pushed back the World
Series and the Super Bowl
Steroid use in MLB-Barry Bonds, Sammy
Sosa, Mark McGuire
Sports
Lance Armstrong won all the Tour de
France from 1999tp 2005
Roger Federer most tennis titles with 16
Grand Slam titles
2007 David Beckham joined the US MLS
with LA Galaxy
Pat Tillman-offered $3 million dollars
from the Arizona Cardinals turned down
to join the US Army and died in action
Shaq and Kobe three-peat-2000,2001 &
2002 with the Lakers
Brett Farve refuses to leave the NFL
Earnhardt’s death in NASCAR