Contemporary America

1970’s—present day

Contemporary Presidents

• George H. W. Bush– Fall of Communism in Eatern Europe– Reunification of Germany– Collapse of Yugoslavia– Breakup of the Soviet state– Persian Golf War ‘90-’91 (Operation Desert Storm)– First American women in a combat role

William J. Clinton

• North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (Canada, USA, Mexico)

• Full diplomatic relations with Vietnam• Lifting of economic sanctions against South

Africa• NATO action in former Yugoslavia (Bosnia)

George W. Bush

• Terrorists attacks on US soil on 9/11/2001• War in Afghanistan• War in Iraq

More Contemporary AmericaModern Women’s Movement

• Women became larger precentage of workforce• Title VII (7) provided the initial legal basis for

affirmative action for women’s employment• Title IX (9) provided legal basis for equal opportunities

for women in high school athletics• Membership of US Supreme Court has included

women and minorities• Women were more visible in the workplace—jobs that

were usually reserved to men in the early portion of our country.

Changes to the Supreme Court

Sandra Day O’Connor Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Clarence Thomas

New Supreme Court view points

• Because of civil rights movement of the 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s the SC extend civil rights and promoted equal justice.

• The SC protects the individual rights enumerated in the Constitution

• The SC identifies a constitutional basis for a right to privacy that is protected for government interference

• The SC invalidates legislative acts and executive actions that they deem to be unconstitutional or an abuse of power

Women of Space

• Sally Ride became the first female astronaut in the United States in 1983

Immigration

• Immigration increased—mainly from Asian and Latin American countries

• Reasons: 1. Political Freedom (Castro in Cuba) 2. Economic Opportunity

Immigration Issues (negatives) • Strain on governmental services• Filling low-paying jobs in the United States—jobs

many of us are not willing to do—poultry plants• Boarder Issues• Pathway to citizenship (illegal alien mothers

giving birth )• Bilingual Education• Increasing cultural diversity and prejudice

Immigration Issues (positive)

• Diversity in music, visual arts and literature—cultural diffusion

• Roles in labor force—transient jobs• Achievements in science, engineering and

other fields• Diversity in food—Chinese/Japanese, Italian

and Mexican restaurants

Improvements in Technology

• Over the past three decades, there has been improvements in technology and media which has brought about better access to communication and information.

• As a result more Americans have access to global information and viewpoints

Science and Space• In the 1960’s Kennedy increased support for

American space program.• Race to the moon continued through the 1960’s• “We will be in space before the end of the century,

not because it is easy, but because it is hard”—JFK• John Glenn—first American astronaut to orbit the

earth

• 1969—American astronaut Neil Armstrong was the first person to step on the moon.

• “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”

Examples of technology advances:

• Space Shuttle

• Mars Rover

• Voyager Missions- To reach the outer planets

• Hubble Telescope

Advancements in communications

• Satellites

• Global Positioning Systems (GPS)

• Personal communication devices

• Robotics

Role of Media Today

• improved technology and media have brought about better access to communication and information

• This helps:1. Businesses2. Individuals **Both rural and urban areas

• As a result, many more Americans have access to global information and viewpoints– CNN, CSPAN, Yahoo, etc

Changes in work, school and health care

• Telecommuting—communicating over large distances

• On-line course work—distance learning, electronic classrooms

• Growth in “blue collar” careers—service industries

• Medical research: including improved medical diagnostic and imaging technologies

• Outsourcing and off shoring

President Reagan and Conservative Republicans

• advocated (called for):– Tax cuts– Transfer of responsibilities to state governments– Appointment of judges/justices who exercise

“judicial restraint”– Reduction of the number and scope of

government programs and regulations (red tape)– Strengthening of the American military

“Reagan Revolution”

• Regan’s influence beyond his tenure:– The election of George H. W. Bush, Reagan’s VP– The election of William J. Clinton , a centrist

Democrat– The Republican sweep of congressional elections

and statehouses in the 1990’s– The election of George W. Bush

Other Govt. developments

• Federal Reserve—monetary policy decisions control the supply of money and credit to expand or contract economic growth

• President and Congress—Fiscal policy decisions determine the levels of government taxation and spending (government regulates the economy)

Confronting terrorism

• How does the government respond to terrorism?– Heightened security at home (Patriot Act and

Homeland Security)– Diplomatic and military initiatives