history of the united states 1991
In 2006, criticism over the handling of the disastrous Hurricane Katrina (which struck the Gulf Coast region in 2005), political scandals, and the growing unpopularity of the Iraq War helped the Democrats gain control of Congress. Due to the start of the North Korea crisis that may lead to a war, I propose that this page is moved to History... Same-sex marriage. This list may not reflect recent changes (). As a sign of the general cynicism and voter apathy during this period, turnout for the election was only 49%. [88] In 2009, Congress passed the Matthew Shepard Act, which extended the hate crime law to women, the disabled, and gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transsexuals.[89]. At least 1,800 lives were lost in the worst domestic calamity since the 1928 Okeechobee hurricane. [64] The bombing became the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in the United States and led to sweeping reforms in United States federal building security. On February 1, 2003, the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated upon re-entry to the Earth over parts of Texas and Louisiana during STS-107, resulting in the deaths of all seven astronauts. State and local authorities were overwhelmed by the scale of the events. Clinton dispatches FBI team and warns, 'America takes care of our own. Led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a wave of bombings and beheadings of captives occurred, including the highly publicized killing of government contractor Nick Berg. Additionally, power failures and lack of adequate warning and general preparedness aggravated the situation and may have contributed to such high fatalities. A new Terrorist Finance Tracking Program monitored the movements of terrorists' financial resources but was discontinued after being revealed by The New York Times. President Bush promised that the federal government would underwrite the rebuilding of New Orleans and other storm-damaged areas, the cost of which was estimated to run as high as $200 billion. [40] It refocused American attention to a long war on terrorism, beginning with an attack on al-Qaeda and its Taliban supporters in Afghanistan. Over 60 people were killed across Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, and Alabama and hundreds were injured. English people in 1607 went to the place now called Jamestown, Virginia.Other European settlers went to the colonies, mostly from England and later Great Britain. Another was unemployment, which experienced the longest period of monthly increase since the Great Depression. Despite this, economic growth continued apace through early 2008 and unemployment dropped below 5%.[6]. These matters came to a head, however, in February 1998 when reports surfaced of ongoing sexual relations between Clinton and a White House intern, Monica Lewinsky. Many voters in 1992 and 1996 had been willing to overlook long-standing rumors of extramarital affairs by Clinton, deeming them irrelevant. With $26 billion in damage, it became the costliest storm in history at that time. It is designed to serve as a convenient volume for statistical reference, and as a guide to other statistical publications and sources both in print and on the Web. Port facilities, oil rigs and refineries in the Gulf region were damaged, further increasing already high U.S. fuel prices. [113] The ban was widely decried by the Republicans, who allowed it to lapse in 2004 while they controlled both Congress and the presidency. While the early 1990s saw the US economy mired in recession, a recovery began starting in 1994 and began accelerating thanks to a boom created by technology. Upon winning the elections, the Democrats drew up a 100-Hour Plan of policy proposals upon assuming power in Congress. [5], In 2002, the GDP growth rate rose to 2.8%. 5th January » Georgia (country) named Georgian forces enter Tskhinvali, the capital of South Ossetia or South Ossetia, Georgia, opening the 1991–1992 South Ossetia War. During the 2000s, a series of high-profile child abduction cases occurred, including Danielle van Dam (2002), Samantha Runnion (2002), Carlie Brucia (2004), Elizabeth Smart (2002) and Jessica Lunsford (2005). [119] Telecommunication usage by known and suspected terrorists was studied through the NSA electronic surveillance program. The attack was intended to destroy the foundation of the North Tower, knocking the tower into the South Tower, which would destroy both buildings and kill thousands of people. The history of the United States started with the arrival of Native Americans in North America around 15,000 BC.Numerous indigenous cultures formed, and many disappeared in the 1500s. In the wake of Bush's political problems, Bill Clinton won the 1992 contest with 43% of the vote in a three-way race against Bush's 38%. [54][55] The attack sparked protest over "collateral damage"; with a 40% increase in civilian deaths in 2008. Study.com can help you get the hang of History of the United States (1991–present) with quick and painless video and text lessons. Later in the season, Hurricane Wilma struck the state of Florida in October 2005, killing 35 people and doing $20 billion worth of damage. 1991 in the United States. [3], Early 2000 to 2001 saw the dramatic bursting of the dot-com bubble. [101] In the aftermath of the disaster, the space shuttle program was suspended for 29 months as NASA investigated the incident and made plans to prevent future tragedies. President George W. Bush was re-elected in November 2004, defeating Democratic contender Senator John Kerry in the electoral vote, and receiving 50.7% of the popular vote against John Kerry's 48.3%. [79][80][81] Nevertheless, ongoing addiction (involving sales of marijuana and cocaine) continued to be a major factor in crime in the United States. 1991 establishments in the United States. These incidents led to a public outcry and demands for stricter laws against sex offenders, the most notable of which was Jessica's Law. Category page. [65] The attack's perpetrator, Timothy McVeigh, was an anti-government extremist who used the Waco Siege and Ruby Ridge incidents as justification for his retaliation against the federal government. However, dozens of start-up Internet companies failed as many of the lofty promises heralded by the new world of the Web failed to materialize. 10,000 homes were destroyed and 15 million acres (61,000 km2) of agricultural lands were inundated. By the end of his administration, the federal government had experienced the country's longest economic expansion and produced a budget surplus. Following the success of the First Gulf War, George H. W. Bush enjoyed very high approval ratings as president. [22], President Clinton also ordered cruise missile strikes on Iraq in 1996 and bombing attacks on Iraq in 1998,[23] which were launched in response to Saddam Hussein's violation of several UN resolutions, including repression of ethnic minorities (Kurds) and removing UN weapons inspectors. The history of the United States from 1991 to present began after the fall of the Soviet Union which signaled the end of the Cold War and left the U.S. unchallenged as the world's dominant superpower. Their response to the disaster, as well the federal government's, were harshly criticized by legislators and citizens who saw in the confusion a dangerous lack of readiness and inability to preserve public safety. Rita resulted in over 100 fatalities, the vast majority of which were indirect, occurring during the evacuation or in the aftermath of the storm. Clinton's surgeon general, Jocelyn Elders, attracted controversy over public remarks that "it would be good for parents to teach their children about masturbation". Same-sex marriage in the United States is mentioned next to nowhere (significantly) in this article. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. "[116] His wife Hillary described the allegations as fraudulent smears dredged up by a "vast right-wing conspiracy. [56], In his State of the Union address in January 2002, President George W. Bush called Iran, Iraq, and North Korea an "axis of evil". [87], In the 1990s and 2000s (decade), a number of highly publicized assaults against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people occurred in the United States. [97][98] In all, nearly $1 billion in damage was caused.[99]. [102] Three days later, on February 20, 100 people perished and over 200 were injured in The Station nightclub fire in West Warwick, Rhode Island, when pyrotechnics ignited flammable sound-proofing during a performance by the band Great White. Foreign Relations of the United States, 1989–1992, Volume III, Soviet Union, 1989–1991 Out of the four hurricanes, Ivan was the deadliest in the U.S., while Charley was the most destructive. The first eight months of his term in office were relatively uneventful; however, it had become clear by that time that the economic boom of the late 1990s was at an end. During a five-day spell from July 12 to 16, the high temperature hovered from the mid 90s to the mid 100s. February 22 – Gulf War: Iraq accepts a Russian-proposed cease fire agreement. Cartoon History of the United States (Cartoon History of the Modern World) (Cartoon Guide Series) [Gonick, Larry] on Amazon.com. [2] Almost half entered illegally. On the domestic front, the Democrats won a return to the White House with the election of Bill Clinton in 1992. Edwards III, George C. and Desmond King, eds. The U.S. expelled an Iraqi invasion force from Kuwait, a Middle Eastern ally of the U.S., in the Persian Gulf War. Clinton was impeached in the United States House of Representatives, but acquitted at his trial by the U.S. In all, 300 deaths were attributed to the storm and $6 billion in damage was caused. The history of the United States from 1980 until 1991 includes the last year of the Jimmy Carter presidency, eight years of the Ronald Reagan administration, and the first three years of the George H. W. Bush presidency, up to the collapse of the Soviet Union. [96] 3,600 fires were set, destroying over 1,000 buildings and widespread looting occurred, especially of businesses owned by Korean Americans. "[117] Clinton was forced to retract his assertions in August 1998 after the Lewinsky matter came under investigation by independent counsel Kenneth Starr. ; 9th January » Representatives from the United States and Iraq meet at the Geneva Peace Conference to try to find a peaceful resolution to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. The year 2001 was plagued by a nine-month recession, witnessing the end of the boom psychology and performance, with output increasing only 0.3% and unemployment and business failures rising. After 24 Pakistani soldiers were killed in June 1993, the UN passed a resolution calling for the arrest and trial of those responsible for the attack. In the early morning hours of January 17, 1994, the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles was hit by a 6.7 magnitude earthquake, known as the "Northridge earthquake". The considerable dependence of the industrialized world on oil starting in the 1930s, with much of the proved oil reserves situated in Middle Eastern countries, became evident to the U.S., first in the aftermath of the 1973 world oil shock and later in the second energy crisis of 1979. history.state.gov 3.0 shell. On August 7, 1998, Al-Qaeda bombed the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, killing 224 people, including 12 Americans. In United States v. Eichman, the Supreme Court overturns a 1989 federal law that made it illegal to burn the United States flag. The Homeland Security Department was formed and the controversial Patriot Act was passed to bolster domestic efforts against terrorism. Although in real terms oil prices fell back to pre-1973 levels through the 1980s, resulting in a windfall for the oil-consuming nations (especially North America, Western Europe, and Japan), the vast reserves of the leading Middle East producers guaranteed the region its strategic importance. [45][46] With the approval of the new Afghan Constitution by the Loya jirga and election of President Karzai in 2004, Afghanistan later held its first parliamentary elections in over 30 years in 2005. history.state.gov 3.0 shell. Riots", "The Columbia shuttle disaster All 7 astronauts died when shuttle broke apart in re-entry", "Columbia Disaster: What Happened, What NASA Learned", "Chicago overwhelmed by nightclub deaths", "RI MARKS 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF DEADLY NIGHTCLUB FIRE", "Annual Energy Outlook 2010 with Projections to 2035", "Job Performance Ratings for President Bush (G.H.W. Ineffective policing strategies led to a mounting death toll among soldiers, but eventually in 2007 a campaign known as "The Surge" began where the US Army launched a large-scale anti-terrorism offensive. In 1999, Republican Dennis Hastert of Illinois became Speaker of the House, a position he would hold until 2007, making him the longest-serving Republican Speaker of the House. Oil prices tripled after 2002, peaking at $147 in July 2008, about $4 a gallon; the price has continued to fluctuate widely. [47][48][49], With a total of 22,000 U.S. troops deployed in Afghanistan by May 2006,[50] the U.S. joined in the ISAF lead Operation Mountain Thrust. While this did not happen, the bomb caused considerable damage to the lower levels of the North Tower. African Americans united and organized, and a triumph of the Civil Rights Movement ended Jim Crow segregation in the South. [75][76] This incident of bioterrorism was initially blamed on international terrorist organization al-Qaeda, but in 2008, was determined to stem from a Maryland scientist by the name of Bruce Edward Ivins, who committed suicide before he could be prosecuted. [100] The incident resulted from a piece of foam insulation that fell off during launch, which struck the shuttle, creating a hole that allowed hot gases to penetrate the shuttle during re-entry. [115] However Hillary Clinton did succeed, along with a bipartisan coalition of members of congress, in establishing the Children's Health Insurance Program. The storm set low pressure records; produced hurricane-force winds, storm surge, and killer tornadoes in Florida; and produced snowfall up to 2 feet (61 cm) across many portions of the Eastern United States. It took Thomas Jefferson 17 days to write the Declaration of Independence. In the attempt to quell the Taliban insurgency in southern Afghanistan, more than 1,000 insurgents and 150 ISAF troops were killed in the two-month operation, being the bloodiest period since the start of the war in 2001. [8] The United Nations condemned the invasion as an act of aggression;[9] President Bush compared Hussein to Adolf Hitler and declared that if the United States and international community did not act, aggression would be encouraged elsewhere in the world. In March 1993, a massive storm, known as the "Storm of the Century" or "Superstorm" struck the Eastern Seaboard of the United States. [43][44] In early 2002, after the Battle of Tora Bora and success with Operation Anaconda, the United States began focusing on military intervention in Iraq, shifting military and intelligence resources away from Afghanistan in War on Terror, with U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld stating in May 2003 that the "major combat" in the conflict was over. [70] This was followed by similar attacks at two abortion clinics and a lesbian nightclub. From the first English colonies to the Gulf War and the S&L debacle, Larry Gonick spells it all out from his unique cartoon perspective. The Great Flood of 1993 affected the Midwestern United States in the spring and summer of that year, devastating large portions of the Mississippi and Missouri River Valleys and their tributaries. A spate of school shootings rocked the country in the late 1990s and the 2000s, the most notable being the 1999 Columbine High School massacre, that left 15 people dead, including both perpetrators Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. Islamic radicals overseas loudly threatened assaults against the U.S. for its ongoing military presence in the Middle East, and even staged the first World Trade Center attack, a truck bombing in New York's twin towers, in 1993, as well as a number of deadly attacks on U.S. interests abroad. The downturn began on March 13, 2000, triggering a chain reaction of selling that fed on itself as investors, funds, and institutions liquidated positions. [71] In 2003, suspect Eric Robert Rudolph was arrested and sentenced in 2005 to five life sentences for these attacks. Only weeks after Katrina, Hurricane Rita struck the Texas/Louisiana border in September. President Bush was succeeded on January 20, 2009 by Barack Obama, a Democratic senator from Illinois. While public attention focused on supplies from the Middle East, the main source was Canada. In 1992, riots occurred in Los Angeles after four police officers were acquitted in the beating of black motorist Rodney King. Plans for a full-scale military invasion of the country began amid widespread controversy. The strongly liberal policies of Clinton's first two years in office were also a cause of controversy, and the Democrats suddenly lost control of the House and the Senate for the first time in four decades in the 1994 midterm elections. Over 100 people were killed. On Super Tuesday in February 2008, in the midst of heated primary elections in multiple states, a destructive tornado outbreak hit the Mid-South region, spawning dangerous nighttime twisters across the region. "[41] This act resulted in the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, in President George W. Bush's broader Global War on Terrorism. Get help with your History of the United States (1991–present) homework. With casualties increasing and the cost of the invasion and reconstruction of Iraq estimated at over $200 billion, the war has lost about one-third of its supporters in the U.S. since the end of major operations was announced. History of the United States (1991-present): United States presidential election, 2000, United States presidential election, 1992 On October 12, 2000, al-Qaeda militants bombed the USS Cole off the coast of Yemen, killing 17 U.S. sailors and severely damaging the ship.[33]. On the morning of September 11, 2001, four airliners were hijacked by 19 members of the terrorist organization al-Qaeda. The new law required welfare recipients to work as a condition of benefits and imposed limits on how long individuals may receive payments, but did allow states to exempt 20% of their caseloads from the time limits. )", "THE 1992 ELECTIONS: DISAPPOINTMENT – NEWS ANALYSIS An Eccentric but No Joke; Perot's Strong Showing Raises Questions On What Might Have Been, and Might Be", National Archives and Records Administration, "What proposals have been made to change the Electoral College system?