Period+6+2000s

//** The United States in the 2000s **// __**Historical Context:**__ The beginning of the 2000s marked the end of Bill Clinton's presidency and the start of republican **George W Bush**'s. Clinton left the office in a stable economic state, with a significantly lowered national debt. Bush began his term with the establishment of the **Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act** of 2001, lowering income tax. This act was designed to aid people of middle and lower income. Following this was the **No Child Left Behind Act**, which raised the standard of educators and aided children in low quality public schools. During the very first year of Bush's presidency, on September 11, 2001 the nation was traumatized by a **terrorist attack**, specifically the crashing of two planes at two separate locations, the Pentagon in Virginia, and the Twin Towers in New York City. This would come to be known as the **9/11 terrorist attack** and would change the face of both Bush's presidency and those to follow. A month after the attacks, congress passed the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act, commonly known as the **Patriot Act**, which increased the search and surveillance ability of the FBI. As a later reaction to this incident, the Bush administration formed the **Department of Homeland Security** a year afterward, in a effort to redesign and enforce laws and systems pertaining to national defense and immigration, among others. An example of the effects of this department is the dramatic change in levels of security in airports. This increased defensive morality was one of the factors in George W. Bush's decision to send American troops to **Iraq** in 2003, in an effort to usurp **Saddam Hussein**. Troops continue to function in Iraq today. Another notable event during Bush's presidency was the spike in housing prices in 2006, followed by a decline in 2008 and 2009, known as the Real Estate Bubble.With a financial crisis at hand, Bush passed the Troubled Asset Relief Program, also known as the **TARP bank bailout**, with the goal of stabilizing the U.S. banking system. Due to an abundance of loaning and homeowners’ foreclosures many banks suffered bad mortgages, and **TARP** was designed to have the federal government take on said mortgages. Although efforts as such were made, George W. Bush, because of excessive spending, left the United States in a serious amount of debt compared to that of the end of Clinton's Presidency. In 2009, democrat **Barack Obama** was inaugurated 44th president of the United States, inheriting 2 foreign wars, a problematic global recession, and the lowest international favorability rating for the U.S.A. in history. Faced with a declining economy and all its repercussions, Obama began reforms with the **Affordable Care Act**, with the goal of lowering health care costs while increasing quality. Some aspects of this act include ending lifetime and most annual limits on health care, aiding children in need of health care. The Act also provides tax discounts for small businesses that offer health insurance to their employees. Obama then passed the **American Recovery and Reinvestment Act** in 2009, providing tax cuts and benefits to recipients along with increasing federal funds for health care, education, and loans. The goal of this act was to make jobs available, save existing ones, and spur economic activity and general growth. Also in 2009, Obama started the **Car Allowance Rebate System**, known as **Cash for Clunkers**, the funds of which were paid for by the federal government. It was a program to trade in old cars for new, more fuel-efficient cars. Obama began **Race to the Top**, a challenge to schools nationwide to increase college and career readiness, the winner of which will host Obama as a commencement speaker. Although the nation is still in a decline, progress is certainly being made. Although Bush's presidency could be considered conservative, due to his effort towards more government regulation, Barack Obama's presidency is significantly more liberal, due to his genuine desire to aid the American people in their quality of life.

media type="youtube" key="1lKZqqSI9-s" height="390" width="480" align="center"

// On September eleventh, 2001, The terrorist conglomerate Al-Qaeda led by Osama Bin Laden orchestrated three attacks, Two planes to the World Trade Centers in New york, one to the Pentagon, and a third to Washington D.C. **Watch at least two of the news clips found in the video above**. There is a mystery to what the third plane was attacking, as civilian passengers actually fought back against their assailants, crashing the plane into rural Pennsylvania. Some people believe that the target was the White house, targeting the president, but George W. Bush was in Florida at the time. //

__** Paranoia: **__ The 9/11 attacks did more than kill people, and provoke two wars. It also put fear into many of the western modernized nations. As such, Airport Security was stricter, and The USA PATRIOT act (Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism). The PATRIOT ACT is famous for allowing government institutions to use public surveillance in order to find terrorists. The repercussions of what happened on 9/11 are still felt today with the recent TSA guidelines. Al-Qaeda got what they wanted: Fear and paranoia.


 * //Street artist Banksy's interpretation of the western terrorism paranoia //**

[|George W. Bush - Post 9/11 Speech] //Skim over the first part of this speech from September 20th, 2001 and **notice the anger and passion in Bush's words, as a reaction to the shock of the attack. Also pay attention the the importance of unity between American citizens that he stresses.**//

**//Troops prepare for deployment in Iraq in 2003, as part of the war on terrorism waged by President Bush//**



[|President Obama's Speaks in Cairo] // Skim over most of this speech and **read the last couple of paragraphs. Notice the respect and kindness with which he talks about bringing peace to this world. Pay attention to his thoughts on how to treat Muslims after 9/11.** //

**// This picture shows Obama’s Cash for Clunkers act in action. People could trade in their old cars for new, more fuel-efficient cars. As seen in the picture, a vehicle could be eligible for a $4,500 voucher. //**

media type="youtube" key="dp6S5Us308o" height="390" width="640" // **Watch this 1.5 minute Youtube video about the Race To The Top challenge. Notice Obama’s excitement as he looks to the future,** seeing America once again as the country with the highest proportion of college graduates. //

__**Analysis:**__ The government of the United States took a strongly defensive persona in the 2000s which in result affected the peoples lives dramatically. With the addition of the **Department of Homeland Security ,** national security becomes tighter and tighter every year, and new methods to prevent disaster are now the focus of many government officials. This change was not necessarily a response to the era before, but a response to the tragic **9/11 terrorist attack**. **George W. Bush**’s dramatic spending following had the most obvious effect on the American people. When **Barack Obama** was inaugurated, his position was similar to that of **President Franklin Roosevelt**, though the economic recession we face now was not as horrible as the great depression, and the cause can be blamed more on the actions of the government than the spending of the citizens of the U.S. Various acts and tax adjustments, like the **American Recovery and Investment Act**, are similar to those of Roosevelt's administration.

__** Sources: **__ [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] []

[] [] [|http://www.dhs.gov/xabout/responsibilities.s][|htm] [|http://www.healthcare.gov/law/introduction/index.][|html] []