1.cdn.edl.io  · Web viewThis packet will be your grade for Unit 11. Each activity in the packet is its own grade. You must complete the packet and turn it in by its DUE DATE: April

Name: ________________________________________ Period: ___

President PacketThis packet will be your grade for Unit 11. Each activity in the packet is its own grade. You must complete the packet and turn it in by its DUE DATE: April 5.

Below is a summary of the Modern Era 1970s-90s. Read the Summary and answer the questions below.

The three decades of the 20th century were shaped by three main challenges that arose in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The first was a crisis of political leadership. Public cynicism toward politicians intensified, political party discipline declined, and lobbies and special interest groups grew in power. The second challenge involved wrenching economic transformations. Economic growth slowed, productivity flagged, inflation and oil prices soared, family income stagnated, and major industries faltered in the face of foreign competition. The third challenge involved growing uncertainty over America's proper role in the world. A major challenge facing policymakers was how to preserve the nation's international prestige and influence in the face of mounting public opposition to direct overseas interventions.

Presidents Nixon, Ford, and Carter attempted to strengthen the United States' influence in foreign affairs through détente and arms control negotiations. President Reagan emphasized sharp increases in military spending and an assertive foreign policy. Reagan addressed economic stagnation and inflation through deregulation, tax cuts, reductions in government budget deficits, and the development of new computer and communication technologies. The collapse of Eastern European Communism and the Soviet Union made the United States the only superpower.

During the last decade of the 20th century, the United States became the world's sole superpower. It possessed the world's most productive economy and most mighty military. It dominated global trade and banking, and its popular culture was influential across much of the globe. During the 1990s, the U.S. economy grew rapidly due to a sharp fall in interest rates and the price of oil, the growth of new computer and communication technologies, globalization, and the expansion of international trade, finance, and entertainment.

The end of the Cold War unleashed violent ethnic, religious, and national conflicts, especially in the Balkans, the Middle East, and Africa. The first important foreign policy crisis of the post-Cold War era involved Panama, which the United States invaded in 1989 to safeguard American lives and to protect the Canal Zone. This was followed in 1990 by Iraq's invasion and occupation of Kuwait, which was reversed by the Gulf War. The breakup of the former Yugoslavia resulted in U.S. intervention in Bosnia and Kosovo.

1. What are the three main challenges from 1970-1990s?

2. Give one example from the Text above of each of these challenges.

3. After the Cold War ended, the U.S. were involved in several foreign conflicts. What are the primary reasons the United States got involved in these conflicts?

What Happened First: Richard Nixon

Sequence the events in the order in which you think they occurred by writing a number next to each.

_______Refuses to release Tapes to the Supreme Court

_______Signs SALT and provides grains to Soviet Union

_______Signed the Endangered Species Act

_______Detent with USSR

_______United States vs. Nixon

_______elected president of the United States

_______Resigns from the office of the Presidency

_______Visits and opens communication with China

_______Nominates Gerald Ford as Vice President

Public Papers of the Presidents: Richard Nixon

Read the Statement below and answer the questions

244 - Address to the Nation Announcing Decision To Resign the Office of President of the United States (Shortened)Citation: Richard Nixon: "Address to the Nation Announcing Decision To Resign the Office of President of the United States," August 8, 1974.Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=4324.

August 8, 1974Good evening:

This is the 37th time I have spoken to you from this office, where so many decisions have been made that shaped the history of this Nation. Each time I have done so to discuss

with you some matter that I believe affected the national interest. In all the decisions I have made in my public life, I have always tried to do what was best for the Nation. Throughout the long and difficult period of Watergate, I have felt it was my duty to persevere, to make every possible effort to complete the term of office to which you elected me.

In the past few days, however, it has become evident to me that I no longer have a strong enough political base in the Congress to justify continuing that effort. As long as there was such a base, I felt strongly that it was necessary to see the constitutional process through to its conclusion, that to do otherwise would be unfaithful to the spirit of that deliberately difficult process and a dangerously destabilizing precedent for the future. But with the disappearance of that base, I now believe that the constitutional purpose has been served, and there is no longer a need for the process to be prolonged.

I would have preferred to carry through to the finish, whatever the personal agony it would have involved, and my family unanimously urged me to do so. But the interests of the Nation must always come before any personal considerations. I have never been a quitter. To leave office before my term is completed is abhorrent to every instinct in my body. But as President, I must put the interests of America first. America needs a full-time President and a full-time Congress, particularly at this time with problems we face at home and abroad. To continue to fight through the months ahead for my personal vindication would almost totally absorb the time and attention of both the President and the Congress in a period when our entire focus should be on the great issues of peace abroad and prosperity without inflation at home.

Therefore, I shall resign the Presidency effective at noon tomorrow. Vice President Ford will be sworn in as President at that hour in this office.

As I recall the high hopes for America with which we began this second term, I feel a great sadness that I will not be here in this office working on your behalf to achieve those hopes in the next 2 1/2 years. But in turning over direction of the Government to Vice President Ford, I know, as I told the Nation when I nominated him for that office 10 months ago, that the leadership of America will be in good hands. In passing this office to the Vice President, I also do so with the profound sense of the weight of responsibility that will fall on his shoulders tomorrow and, therefore, of the understanding, the patience, the cooperation he will need from all Americans. As he assumes that responsibility, he will deserve the help and the support of all of us. As we look to the future, the first essential is to begin healing the wounds of this Nation, to put the bitterness and divisions of the recent past behind us and to rediscover those shared ideals that lie at the heart of our strength and unity as a great and as a free people.

By taking this action, I hope that I will have hastened the start of that process of healing which is so desperately needed in America. I regret deeply any injuries that may have been done in the course of the events that led to this decision. I would say only that if

some of my judgments were wrong--and some were wrong--they were made in what I believed at the time to be the best interest of the Nation.

So, let us all now join together in affirming that common commitment and in helping our new President succeed for the benefit of all Americans.

I shall leave this office with regret at not completing my term, but with gratitude for the privilege of serving as your President for the past 5 1/2 years. These years have been a momentous time in the history of our Nation and the world. They have been a time of achievement in which we can all be proud, achievements that represent the shared efforts of the Administration, the Congress, and the people.

When I first took the oath of office as President 5 1/2 years ago, I made this sacred commitment: to "consecrate my office, my energies, and all the wisdom I can summon to the cause of peace among nations." To have served in this office is to have felt a very personal sense of kinship with each and every American. In leaving it, I do so with this prayer: May God's grace be with you in all the days ahead.

1. What event happened that caused Nixon to Resign?

2. What is the overall message of this speech?

3. Do you believe that Nixon did the right thing by resigning? Why or Why not? Use information in the text to support your answer.

Analyze the Political Cartoon: Richard Nixon

Look at the picture below and analyze the picture. Answer the questions about the picture

1. What event is the cartoon referring to?

2. How did the event affect Nixon’s Presidency?

3. How did the event affect America?

4. After learning about this event, do you believe what happened to Nixon was justified? Why or

why not?

President Nixon Review

Answers the Questions about Nixon, his administration and the early 1970s

1. What major scandal is associated with President Nixon?

2. What action did Nixon take once he found out he was to be impeached?

3. What was the name of the policy of easing tensions with the Soviets and Chinese, implemented by Nixon?

4. Why did Nixon feel he didn’t have to turn over the recordings tied to the Watergate Scandal?

5. What was the Supreme Court’s ruling in Nixon v. the United States?

6. Who were the burglars that broke into Democratic headquarters in the Watergate building?

7. How did Gerald Ford come to be Vice President

8. Which country was unrecognized but Nixon wanted to build relations with?

9. What reasons did Nixon have for visiting China?

10.Would you call Nixon’s trip successful? Why or why not?

11.What was the name of the treaty that placed limits on intercontinental ballistic and antiballistic missiles?

12.What is the name of the policy aimed at easing Cold War tensions between the US and Soviet Union?

13.Which Amendment established the line of succession?

14.What was the major piece of evidence against President Nixon?

15.How did Nixon’s action effect the reputation of the presidency and the public’s trust in him?

Vocabulary: Matching

Match the words in the Box below with their meaning

_____ The relaxation of Cold War tensions between the United States and China under Nixon.

_____ The charging of a holder of public office with misconduct.

_____ A president’s right to withhold information under certain circumstances

_____ A five year agreement between the US and the Soviet Union to limit the number of nuclear missile in their arsenals

_____ An increase in Presidential powers, which was at its height during Nixon’s Presidency

_____ An Amendment the National Women’s Party had been trying to get passed which guaranteed equal rights in the Constitution.

_____ A political scandal in which Richard Nixon and members of his staff organized a burglary of the Democratic National Committee’s headquarters.

_____ Nixon’s response to United States v Nixon.

A. ERA D. Impeach G. Imperial Presidency

B. Resign E. Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty

C. Watergate Scandal F. Détente H. Executive Privilege

Reading: Gerald FordRead the following summary about President Ford and complete the activity at the end

Gerald Ford became the first person to reach the White House without being elected president or vice president. In 1973, President Richard Nixon appointed Ford to replace Spiro Agnew, who resigned his position as vice president before pleading no contest to charges of bribery and tax evasion. The following year, the former House minority leader became the 38th U.S. president, succeeding Nixon who faced impeachment proceedings for his involvement in the Watergate scandal.

Ford's candor and outgoing personality won him both Republican and Democratic supporters, and his humility reassured Americans that he would not participate in political "dirty tricks." After taking the oath of office, Ford stated that "the long national nightmare is over. Our Constitution works."

During his first month in office, the new president faced perhaps the toughest decision of his political career—whether to grant the embattled Nixon a pardon. Believing that prolonged legal proceedings would harm the morale of the country and keep Congress from dealing with other issues, Ford pardoned Nixon for any crimes he might have committed as president before formal criminal charges were filed. Public response to the decision was not favorable for the president who was still trying to adjust to the power of his new position.Many Americans cried foul and accused Ford of making a deal with the former president to pardon him if he agreed to resign. Although the president maintained that it was the right thing to do for the country, the decision damaged his bid for re-election in 1976.

After naming Nelson Rockefeller vice president and replacing Nixon's staff, Ford concentrated on the problems his new administration inherited—namely rising inflation, the oil crisis and fears of energy shortages, and the war in Southeast Asia. Since the last year of Nixon's term was overshadowed by the Watergate investigation, these issues had received little executive-level attention.

Ford prioritized the issues at hand, and recognized inflation as the primary concern of Americans and the chief cause of the nation's economic problems. Rising unemployment figures coupled with the worst recession since the Great Depression created a gloomy economic outlook for the United States. Ford refused to approve legislation to control wages and pricing, opting instead to support voluntary restraints by promoting a campaign to "Whip Inflation Now." WIN buttons circulated throughout the country and became a national joke, prompting critics to declare Ford's response to inflation ineffective.

In 1975, President Ford and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger flew to Helsinki, Finland, to meet with Soviet General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev and representatives from more than 30 other European nations. Conference attendees signed the Helsinki Accords, which called for human rights guarantees and increased commerce between the Eastern and Western blocs. The group also legitimized the expanded post-World War II Soviet boundaries in Eastern Europe.

During that same year, the Ford administration faced the continuing crisis in South Vietnam. As North Vietnamese forces scaled a full force attack on South Vietnam, Ford asked Congress for more money and weapons to stop the invasion. The legislators refused, and on May 1st, the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese army overtook Saigon, which they renamed Ho Chi Minh City. The collapse of South Vietnam happened so quickly that remaining Americans had to be evacuated by helicopter. Approximately 140,000 South Vietnamese, many of whom feared death because of their allegiance to America, were also rescued and given asylum in the United States. Eventually, a total of 500,000 Vietnamese refugees sought safety on

American soil. The longest war in U.S. history had finally ended at a cost of $118 billion and 56,000 dead and 300,000 wounded Americans.

Ford's poor handling of the economy and foreign affairs damaged the public's confidence in his performance. Despite his weak record, the incumbent defeated challenger Ronald Reagan for the Republican presidential nomination in 1976. The victory, however, was narrow. Democrats realized that Ford was a vulnerable candidate, and planned a strategy based on his weaknesses.

With the information provided above, use the following prompt to write a paragraph about Gerald Ford: Many Americans were unhappy with President Ford’s policies and felt he had been an ineffective leader. What evidence is there to support or disprove this belief? Do you believe Ford could have done a better job? If so, what could he have done better? What do you feel were Ford’s biggest mistakes and best decisions?

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President Ford Review

1. Define Stagflation:

2. What position did Gerald Ford hold before he became Vice President?

3. Why did Ford choose to pardon Nixon?

4. What is the name of the agreement in which the United States and European Nations agreed to support Human Rights?

5. What is the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)?

6. What is unique about Ford’s arrival in the position of president and vice president?

7. What events led to an Energy Crisis?

Public Papers of the Presidents: Jimmy Carter

Read the Statement below and answer the questions

The President's News Conference (shortened)Citation: Jimmy Carter: "The President's News Conference," November 28, 1979. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=31752.

November 28, 1979SITUATION IN IRAN

For the last 24 days our Nation's concern has been focused on our fellow Americans being held hostage in Iran. We have welcomed some of them home to their families and their friends. But we will not rest nor deviate from our efforts until all have been freed from their imprisonment and their abuse. We hold the Government of Iran fully responsible for the well-being and the safe return of every single person.

I want the American people to understand the situation as much as possible, but there may be some questions tonight which I cannot answer fully, because of my concern for the well-being of the hostages.

First of all, I would like to say that I am proud of this great Nation, and I want to thank all Americans for their prayers, their courage, their persistence, their strong support and patience. During these past days our national will, our courage, and our maturity have all been severely tested, and history will show that the people of the United States have met every test. In the days to come, our determination may be even more sorely tried, but we will continue to defend the security, the honor, and the freedom of Americans everywhere. This Nation will never yield to blackmail. For all Americans, our constant concern is the well-being and the safety of our fellow citizens who are being held illegally and irresponsibly hostage in Iran.

The actions of Iran have shocked the civilized world. For a government to applaud mob violence and terrorism, for a government actually to support and, in effect, participate in the taking and the holding of hostages is unprecedented in human history. There is no recognized religious faith on Earth which condones kidnaping. There is no recognized religious faith on Earth which condones blackmail. There is certainly no religious faith on Earth which condones the sustained abuse of innocent people.

We are deeply concerned about the inhuman and degrading conditions imposed on the hostages. From every corner of the world, nations and people have voiced their strong revulsion and condemnation of Iran and have joined us in calling for the release of the hostages. Last night, a statement of support was released and was issued by the President of the United Nations General Assembly, the Security Council, on behalf of all of its members. We expect a further Security Council meeting on Saturday night, at which more firm and official action may be taken to help in obtaining the release of the American hostages. Any claims raised by government officials of Iran will ring hollow while they keep innocent people bound and abused and threatened.

We hope that this exercise of diplomacy and international law will bring a peaceful solution, because a peaceful solution is preferable to the other remedies available to the United States. At the same time, we pursue such a solution with grim determination. The Government of Iran must recognize the gravity of the situation, which it has itself created, and the grave consequences which will result if harm comes to any of the hostages.

I want the American people to know and I want the world to know that we will persist in our efforts, through every means available, until every single American has been freed. We must also recognize now, as we never have before, that it is our entire Nation which is vulnerable, because of our overwhelming and excessive dependence on oil from foreign countries. We have got to accept the fact that this dependence is a direct physical

threat to our national security, and we must join together to fight for our Nation's energy freedom. We know the ways to win this war: more American energy and the more efficient use of what we have. The United States Congress is now struggling with this extremely important decision. The way to victory is long and difficult, but we have the will, and we have the human and the natural resources of our great Nation.

However hard it might be to see into the future, one thing tonight is clear: We stand together. We stand as a nation unified, a people determined to protect the life and the honor of every American. And we are determined to make America an energy-secure nation once again. It is unthinkable that we will allow ourselves to be dominated by any form of overdependence at home or any brand of terrorism abroad. We are determined that the freest nation on Earth shall protect and enhance its freedom.

1. What situation led to President Carter’s speech?

2. What was the overall message of the Speech? Use evidence from the speech to justify your answer.

3. What are some of the reasons Carter gives for the situation America is in?

4. How are Iran and the government described? Use evidence from the text to justify your answer.

President Carter Review

1. What are the major economic issues Carter faced?

2. Why did the American people elect Carter over his opponent?

3. What country did the Soviet Union invade and how did America respond?

4. What major event did Jimmy Carter boycott in 1980?

5. What is known as Carter’s greatest achievement in foreign policy?

6. What two countries took part in the Camp David Accords?

7. Why did Carter allow the Shah to enter the United States?

8. How did the radical Iranian students respond to the U.S. aiding the Shah?

9. Carter’s failure to win the release of the hostages was seen as what?

10.What are the four major foreign policy events Carter dealt with during his presidency?

Reading: Ronald ReaganRead the following summary about President Reagan and answer the questions below

In 1980, Republicans made Ronald Reagan the oldest person nominated for president by a major party. At 69, Reagan looked and acted much younger because he was physically fit and displayed a sharp wit. The former Hollywood actor, Screen Actors Guild president, and California Governor presented an amiable, aggressive style that quickly became popular with Americans.

During three televised presidential debates, Reagan constantly attacked Carter's performance record. Citing rising inflation and unemployment rates and poor foreign relations, Reagan bluntly asked the American people, "Are you better off now than you were four years ago?" The question proved to have more effect on the election than specific discussions about policies he would pursue. When the votes were counted, Reagan won the 1980 presidential race in a landslide, collecting 489 electoral votes to Carter's 49.

Reagan focused much of his attention on reducing the size of the federal government. While decentralizing and deregulating federal agencies, Reagan declared, "Government is

not the solution to our problem, government is the problem." In an effort to turn around the economy, the president demanded deep reductions in several areas, including welfare, food stamps, and student loans. The functions normally provided by the federal government to maintain these programs were turned over to state authorities. Reagan also asked Congress to cut income taxes. Critics argued that such a move would increase the deficit, but the president believed lower taxes would give people more money to spend. The increase in spending would in turn generate more goods and jobs and grow the economy. This theory became known as Reaganomics.

While many advisors recommended dramatic cuts in the defense budget, Reagan refused, and instead revived Truman's containment policy. The president renewed the Cold War by warning against the threat to spread communism posed by the USSR, which he named the "evil empire." He reasoned that military expansion was necessary to protect the interests of the free world.

Reagan wanted to create an impressive nuclear force so powerful that the Soviets would be forced to back down from any confrontation. In 1983, he announced his intention to build a high-tech missile defense system called the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), more commonly referred to as "Star Wars." One version of the plan included stations in space that would use lasers to destroy intercontinental missiles as they were launched. While many politicians against the SDI strategy claimed it would be too costly to maintain, skeptics from the science and technology industry questioned whether it would work at all.

Reagan continued his attack on communism by accusing Nicaraguan authorities of aiding communist countries. When anti-American revolutionaries, called Sandinistas, took control of Nicaragua in 1979, Jimmy Carter tried to establish diplomatic relations with them. President Reagan, however, charged that the Sandinistas secured an agreement with Cuba and the Soviet Union to allow Nicaragua to become a portal for communist penetration into Central America.

To fight communists in Nicaragua and El Salvador, Reagan provided aid to the "contra" rebels who opposed the anti-American militants. When Congress refused to continue supplying the Contras with money and weapons, Reagan looked for other sources.

Meanwhile, the war between Iran and Iraq intensified. Many in the United States held Iran responsible for several Americans being held hostage in Lebanon.

In 1986, Reagan secretly approved a deal to sell weapons to Iran in exchange for the release of the hostages. Authorities instructed Marine Colonel Oliver North to take the money from the Iran transaction and purchase weapons for the Contras. The decision directly violated the ban Congress enacted on such aid. When news of the deal became public, national security advisor Admiral John Poindexter resigned, Colonel North was

fired from his position with the Security Council, and President Reagan denied knowing anything about the plan.

Reagan also flexed his military muscle in Grenada, where a coup resulted in the death of the prime minister. Reagan ordered the military to storm the tiny island and remove the Marxists who had taken control. The plan was successful and demonstrated to the world America's might and Reagan's determination to fight communism.

Many Democrats referred to Reagan as the "Teflon President" because scandals or questionable decisions never seemed to damage his popularity with the American public. Helped by a strong and growing economy, Reagan overwhelmingly won a second term in 1984 by defeating Walter Mondale 525 electoral votes to just 13. One year later, Mikhail Gorbachev became the new chairman of the Soviet Communist Party. The two leaders would play large roles in changing world policies.

Gorbachev was more personable than prior Soviet leaders and supported radical reforms in the Soviet Union. He presented two revolutionary policies: Glasnost (openness) which aimed to end the secretive, suppressive Soviet society by allowing free speech and political liberty; and Perestroika (restructuring), which was designed to accept free-market practices to revitalize the sluggish Soviet economy. He also announced that the Soviet Union would not force communist governments in Eastern Europe to remain in power. Repressive regimes in Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, and East Germany collapsed, and in 1989, the Berlin Wall was torn down. The notorious Iron Curtain that had divided Eastern Europe for decades was no more.

For Gorbachev's plan to work he had to reduce the size and funding for the nation's military and massive weapons stash, and concentrate on stabilizing the economy. The dismantling of the Soviet military effectively brought an end to the Cold War. In 1987, Reagan and Gorbachev signed a treaty to ban all intermediate-range nuclear missiles from Europe. The agreement was a victory for Reagan who maintained his rigid stand against communism, and for Gorbachev who proved to the world that he was serious about reform.

Reagan oversaw a great deal of change during his presidential tenure. When he entered the White House in 1981, he rigidly condemned the "evil empire" and all that it stood for. But by the completion of his second term, the anxiety surrounding the Cold War had been eliminated and the president routinely praised Soviet leadership for reform. In his farewell address, Reagan said, "We are the change." The vague statement referred to the experience and accomplishment he and the American people shared during the previous eight years.

1. What was Reagan’s economic plan called and what were the expectations of the plan?

2. How would you characterize US-USSR relations during Reagan's first term and how did this change during his second?

3. What was Reagan’s domestic policy how was it effective in meeting its goals?

4. What were President Reagan's foreign policy goals and summarize several of the major, specific actions he took to meet those goals?

Vocabulary: Reagan Era

Write the definition for each word below. Provide an Example next to each definition.

1. Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty)-

2. Nuclear freeze movement-

3. Summit meeting-

4. Perestroika-

5. Glasnost-

6. Missile shield-

7. Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI)-

8. Hostages -

9. Reagan Doctrine -

10.Sandinistas-

11.Contras-

12.Eastern Europe-

13.Berlin Wall-

14.Communism-

Reagan Questions

Answer the following questions using what you have learned. Use evidence to justify your responses. Responses must be in complete sentences.

1. What wall was Reagan speaking of when he told Gorbachev to “tear down that wall?”

2. Why was this an important step in ending Cold War tensions?

3. Do you believe that supply-side economics (Reaganomics) was good for America in the 1980s? Why or why not?

4. Do you believe that deregulation was good for America in the 1980s? Why or why not?

5. In your opinion, did the Reagan Revolution impact the nation? If so, How? Justify your answer with evidence.

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President George H.W. Bush Review

1. Who was the leader of Iraq during the Persian Gulf War?

2. What country did Iraq invade to begin the Persian Gulf War?

3. What economic import was a major reason the U.S. became involved in the Persian Gulf War?

4. What 3 government positions did George Bush hold before he became President?

5. Who was Bush vice president under?

6. What war started during the Nixon presidency, and was continued by the George Bush administration?

7. Who were the protesters at Tiananmen Square and what were they protesting?

8. How did the Bush Administration respond to the events of Tiananmen Square?

9. Who was the leader of the movement against the South African apartheid that met with President Bush?

10.Once the apartheid ended and democracy was established, who did the South Africans elect as their president?

11.What was the name of the American led attack on the Iraqi?

President George H. W. Bush: Television announcement of War against Iraq (shortened)

Read the speech below and answer the questions

Just 2 hours ago, allied air forces began an attack on military targets in Iraq and Kuwait. These attacks continue as I speak. Ground forces are not engaged.

This conflict started August 2nd when the dictator of Iraq invaded a small and helpless neighbor. Kuwait -- a member of the Arab League and a member of the United Nations -- was crushed; its people, brutalized. Five months ago, Saddam Hussein started this cruel war against Kuwait. Tonight, the battle has been joined.

This military action, taken in accord with United Nations resolutions and with the consent of the United States Congress, follows months of constant and virtually endless diplomatic activity on the part of the United Nations, the United States, and many, many other countries. Arab leaders sought what became known as an Arab solution, only to conclude that Saddam Hussein was unwilling to leave Kuwait. Others traveled to Baghdad in a variety of efforts to restore peace and justice. Our Secretary of State, James Baker, held an historic meeting in Geneva, only to be totally rebuffed. This past weekend, in a last-ditch effort, the Secretary-General of the United Nations went to the Middle East with peace in his heart -- his second such mission. And he came back from Baghdad with no progress at all in getting Saddam Hussein to withdraw from Kuwait.

Now the 28 countries with forces in the Gulf area have exhausted all reasonable efforts to reach a peaceful resolution -- have no choice but to drive Saddam from Kuwait by force. We will not fail.

As I report to you, air attacks are underway against military targets in Iraq. We are determined to knock out Saddam Hussein's nuclear bomb potential. We will also destroy his chemical weapons facilities. Much of Saddam's artillery and tanks will be destroyed. Our operations are designed to best protect the lives of all the coalition forces by targeting Saddam's vast military arsenal. Initial reports from General Schwarzkopf are that our operations are proceeding according to plan.

Our objectives are clear: Saddam Hussein's forces will leave Kuwait. The legitimate government of Kuwait will be restored to its rightful place, and Kuwait will once again be free. Iraq will eventually comply with all relevant United Nations resolutions, and then, when peace is restored, it is our hope that Iraq will live as a peaceful and cooperative member of the family of nations, thus enhancing the security and stability of the Gulf.

Some may ask: Why act now? Why not wait? The answer is clear: The world could wait no longer. Sanctions, though having some effect, showed no signs of accomplishing their objective. Sanctions were tried for well over 5 months, and we and our allies concluded that sanctions alone would not force Saddam from Kuwait.

While the world waited, Saddam Hussein systematically raped, pillaged, and plundered a tiny nation, no threat to his own. He subjected the people of Kuwait to unspeakable atrocities -- and among those maimed and murdered, innocent children. While the world waited, Saddam sought to add to the chemical weapons arsenal he now possesses, an infinitely more dangerous weapon of mass destruction -- a nuclear weapon. And while the world waited, while the world talked peace and withdrawal, Saddam Hussein dug in and moved massive forces into Kuwait. While the world waited, while Saddam stalled, more damage was being done to the fragile economies of the Third World, emerging democracies of Eastern Europe, to the entire world, including to our own economy.

While the world waited, Saddam Hussein met every overture of peace with open contempt. While the world prayed for peace, Saddam prepared for war.

I had hoped that when the United States Congress, in historic debate, took its resolute action, Saddam would realize he could not prevail and would move out of Kuwait in accord with the United Nation resolutions. He did not do that. Instead, he remained intransigent, certain that time was on his side. Saddam was warned over and over again to comply with the will of the United Nations: Leave Kuwait, or be driven out. Saddam has arrogantly rejected all warnings. Instead, he tried to make this a dispute between Iraq and the United States of America.

Well, he failed. Tonight, 28 nations -- countries from 5 continents, Europe and Asia, Africa, and the Arab League -- have forces in the Gulf area standing shoulder to shoulder against Saddam Hussein. These countries had hoped the use of force could be avoided. Regrettably, we now believe that only force will make him leave.

Prior to ordering our forces into battle, I instructed our military commanders to take every necessary step to prevail as quickly as possible, and with the greatest degree of protection possible for American and allied service men and women. I've told the American people before that this will not be another Vietnam, and I repeat this here tonight. Our troops will have the best possible support in the entire world, and they will not be asked to fight with one hand tied behind their back. I'm hopeful that this fighting will not go on for long and that casualties will be held to an absolute minimum.

This is an historic moment. We have in this past year made great progress in ending the long era of conflict and cold war. We have before us the opportunity to forge for ourselves and for future generations a new world order -- a world where the rule of law, not the law of the jungle, governs the conduct of nations. When we are successful -- and we will be -- we have a real chance at this new world order, an order in which a credible United Nations can use its peacekeeping role to fulfill the promise and vision of the U.N.'s founders.

We have no argument with the people of Iraq. Indeed, for the innocents caught in this conflict, I pray for their safety. Our goal is not the conquest of Iraq. It is the liberation of Kuwait. It is my hope that somehow the Iraqi people can, even now, convince their dictator that he must lay down his arms, leave Kuwait, and let Iraq itself rejoin the family of peace-loving nations.

Tonight, as our forces fight, they and their families are in our prayers. May God bless each and every one of them, and the coalition forces at our side in the Gulf, and may He continue to bless our nation, the United States of America.

President George Bush - January 16, 1991

1. What was the overall feeling of the speech and what evidence is there that supports your answer?

2. What attempts were made to bring a more peaceful resolution to the tensions?

3. Who was involved in the conflict and in what manner were each involved?

4. In the speech, Bush gives several reassurances to the American people. What reassurances does he give and why do you believe he chose to do that?

Public Papers of the Presidents: Bill Clinton

Read the Statement below and answer the questions

Letter to Congressional Leaders on NAFTACitation: William J. Clinton: "Letter to Congressional Leaders on NAFTA," November 15, 1993. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=46123.

November 15, 1993

Dear Mr. SpeakerAs we approach the end of an intense debate over the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), I want to share with you my reasons for believing Congressional approval of NAFTA is essential to our national interest.

We share a commitment to ensuring that our country has the world's strongest and most competitive economy, to maintaining and creating jobs for our workers, and to making sure that opportunities are there for our children as they join the workforce of the future. That is why I am fighting for the approval of NAFTA. I am convinced that it will help strengthen our economy—in the near term and in the long run. Our nation's prosperity depends on our ability to compete and win in the global economy. It is an illusion to believe that we can prosper by retreating behind protectionist walls. We will succeed only by ensuring that we have the world's most competitive companies, productive workers, and open markets in which to sell our manufactured goods, services, and agricultural products.

I understand that NAFTA is, for many, a reminder of the economic hardships and insecurities that have grown over the past 20 years. Obviously, NAFTA did not cause those problems. In fact, it is part of the solution. We are world-class producers of everything from computers and automobiles to financial services and soybeans. We can compete anywhere, but we need to ensure that markets around the world are open to our products.

Mexico represents an enormous opportunity for our businesses, our workers, and our farmers. Exports there have already soared since 1986, when Mexico began to open its market and lower trade barriers. But the status quo in the trading relationship—in which Mexico's trade barriers are far higher than ours—is still unacceptable. NAFTA represents both free and fair trade. It changes the status quo by wiping away the Mexican barriers. NAFTA provides us preferential access to the Mexican market: 90 million people, in one of the most dynamic growing economies in the world, who look to us for consumer goods, agricultural products and the infrastructure needed to build a modern economy. It is the gateway to the fast growing markets of Latin America, which are also opening, where we have a natural advantage over Japan and the European Community. Turning away from this opportunity would be a serious self-inflicted wound to our economy. It would cost us jobs—in the short and long term.

Many opponents of NAFTA say that they don't oppose a trade agreement with Mexico. They say they just oppose this NAFTA, and suggest that it be renegotiated. We should be under no illusions. This is a far-reaching and fair agreement. It was negotiated painstakingly over three years with input from a broad array of groups, and it is in the best interest of the United States, Mexico and Canada. It represents an unprecedented effort to include in a trade agreement provisions to enhance environmental protection and workers rights. It was negotiated by a Republican President, and endorsed and strengthened by a Democratic President. If it were defeated, no government of Mexico could return, or would return, to the negotiating table for years to come. Mexico would turn to others, like Japan and the European Community, for help in building a modern state—and American workers, farmers, and businesses would be the losers.

Of course, NAFTA is not a magic bullet for all our economic problems. But there is no question that NAFTA will benefit every region of our country. It is no accident that NAFTA has the support of more than two-thirds of the nation's governors and Members of Congress from every part of the nation. They understand the benefits that will flow to their states, regardless of region. My main reason for supporting NAFTA is that it will be good for the competitive U.S. economy that we are trying to build. But there is another critical issue that I ask you to consider. After World War I, the United States chose the path of isolation and protectionism. That path led directly to the Depression, and helped set the world on the path to World War II. After World War II, we chose to engage with the world, through collective security and expanded trade. We helped our allies rebuild, ushered in a period of unprecedented global economic growth, and prevailed over communism.

Now we face another defining moment. The rejection of NAFTA would set back our relationship with Mexico, and Latin American beyond, for years to come. It would send a signal that the world's leading power has chosen the path of pessimism and protectionism. It would gravely undermine our ability to convince other countries to join us in completing the Uruguay Round, which is essential to expand trade and enhance global growth. Rejecting NAFTA would, quite simply, put us on the wrong side of history. That is not our destiny. I ask the House of Representatives to join me in choosing the path of expanded trade, to make the decision to compete in the world, rather than to retreat behind our borders. We are a great country, and we cannot shrink from this test.

Sincerely,

BILL CLINTON

1. What are the main goals of NAFTA and how does President Clinton believe NAFTA will reach those goals?

2. What impression does Clinton give about NAFTA in this speech? Use evidence to support your answer.

3. What specific situations are cited in the Speech that NAFTA is supposed to help with?

4. What is said about those who oppose NAFTA and do you believe that Clinton does a good job disproving those oppositions?

President Clinton Review

1. Who was the Texas billionaire that also ran against Bush in 1992 and what party was he from?

2. How did Ross Perot’s presences in the 1992 election affect the outcome?

3. What is ethnic cleansing?

4. Identify the two parties involved in the Rwanda Genocide and describe their role in the event.

5. What terrorist attack did al Qaeda and its leader, Osama bin Laden, carry out in 1993?

6. What is the Family Medical Leave Act?

7. What was the Brady Bill?

8. How did Clinton respond to the al Qaeda attack?

9. How did the terrorist attack and U.S. response affect relations with the Middle East?

10.What was Newt Gingrich’s goal for the House of Representatives?

11.What was the “Contract with America”?

12.What is impeachment?

13.What two charges were used to impeach Clinton?

14.Why was Clinton NOT removed from office?

15. What was the Balkan Crisis and how did the U.S. respond?

16.Which African American World War II veteran received the Congressional Medal of Honor from President Clinton?

17.Which piece of legislation allows an employee to take time off extended time without pay to care of a newborn child, without the threat of losing his/her job?

18.What agreement allows for easier trade between Canada, Mexico, and the United States?

Matching:

19.________ Family and Medical Leave Act20.________ Contract with America21.________ Temporary Assistance to Needy Families22.________ Universal Health Care

A. Limited the amount of time a family could receive welfare payments to 5 yearsB. Allowed workers to take time off for family emergencies without risking their jobsC. A plan for health care for all Americans, developed by first lady Hillary Clinton D. Newt Gingrich’s 10 point plan which helped Republicans win the house in the 1994 midterm elections

President George W. Bush Review

1. Which piece of legislation passed during Bush’s administration supported the idea that civil liberties can be limited or taken away if the country is in a time of national crisis?

2. The passing of the USA Patriot Act and the development of the department of Homeland Security were two direct results of what terrorist attack that threatened national security?

3. How was the Florida recount dispute settled during the 2000 election?

4. What was unique about the electoral votes accumulated by the winner of the 2000 election?

5. Who were the candidates for the 2000 election?

6. What was the education reform bill presented by President Bush to hold public schools accountable through state testing?

7. How did the attacks on 9/11 affect America?

8. What action did the U.S. government take against al Qaeda because of 9/11?

9. How did 9/11 change America and the world?

Public Papers of the Presidents: George W. Bush

Read the Statement below and answer the questions

Address to the Nation on the Terrorist Attacks (shortened)Citation: George W. Bush: "Address to the Nation on the Terrorist Attacks," September 11, 2001. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley,The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=58057.

September 11, 2001

Good evening. Today our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack in a series of deliberate and deadly terrorist acts. The victims were in airplanes or in their offices: secretaries, business men and women, military and Federal workers, moms and dads, friends and neighbors. Thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror.

The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge structures collapsing have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness, and a quiet, unyielding anger. These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our Nation into chaos and retreat, but they have failed. Our country is strong.A great people has been moved to defend a great nation. Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shattered steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve. America was targeted for attack because we're the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world. And no one will keep that light from shining.

Today our Nation saw evil, the very worst of human nature. And we responded with the best of America, with the daring of our rescue workers, with the caring for strangers and neighbors who came to give blood and help in any way they could.

Immediately following the first attack, I implemented our Government's emergency response plans. Our military is powerful, and it's prepared. Our emergency teams are working in New York City and Washington, DC, to help with local rescue efforts. Our first priority is to get help to those who have been injured and to take every precaution to protect our citizens at home and around the world from further attacks.

The functions of our Government continue without interruption. Federal agencies in Washington which had to be evacuated today are reopening for essential personnel tonight and will be open for business tomorrow. Our financial institutions remain strong, and the American economy will be open for business as well.

The search is underway for those who are behind these evil acts. I've directed the full resources of our intelligence and law enforcement communities to find those responsible and to bring them to justice. We will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them.

I appreciate so very much the Members of Congress who have joined me in strongly condemning these attacks. And on behalf of the American people, I thank the many world leaders who have called to offer their condolences and assistance. America and our friends and allies join with all those who want peace and security in the world, and we stand together to win the war against terrorism. Tonight I ask for your prayers for all those who grieve, for the children whose worlds have been shattered, for all whose sense of safety and security has been threatened.

This is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve for justice and peace. America has stood down enemies before, and we will do so this time. None of us will ever forget this day. Yet, we go forward to defend freedom and all that is good and just in our world.

Thank you. Good night, and God bless America.

1. What event led to President Bush giving this speech?

2. What was Bush’s overall message during the speech? What evidence from the text supports your answer?

3. What actions (if any) did President Bush promise the U.S. would take because of the attack?

4. In your opinion, was the Speech effective in conveying its message? Why or Why not?

Public Papers of the Presidents: Barack Obama

Read the Statement below and answer the questions

Inaugural Address (Shortened)Citation: Barack Obama: "Inaugural Address," January 20, 2009. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=44.

January 20, 2009

My fellow citizens, I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our Nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition. Forty-four Americans have now taken the Presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet every so often, the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we the people have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears and true to our founding documents.

So it has been; so it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our Nation is at war against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the Nation for a new age. Homes have been lost, jobs shed, businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly. Our schools fail too many. And each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land, a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, that the next generation must lower its sights. Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious, and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America: They will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord. On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas that for far too long have strangled our politics.

In reaffirming the greatness of our Nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the fainthearted, for those who prefer leisure over work or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things--some celebrated, but more often men and women obscure in their labor--who have carried us up the long, rugged path toward prosperity and freedom.

Time and again, these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked 'til their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions, greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive. Our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions, that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions, who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short, for they have forgotten what this country has already done, what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them, that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our Government is too big or too small, but whether it works; whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day, because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils that we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of

generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all the other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born, know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and we are ready to lead once more.

We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense. And for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken. You cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

So let us mark this day with remembrance of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The Capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our Revolution was most in doubt, the Father of our Nation ordered these words be read to the people:

"Let it be told to the future world . . . that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive . . . that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."

America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested, we refused to let this journey end; that we did not turn back, nor did we falter. And with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Thank you. God bless you, and God bless the United States of America

Use the prompt and the speech above to write a short essay: President Obama’s election was historic. He received over 50% of the popular vote. During his campaign, and his Inauguration speech (above), he promised change, growth and a return to world leadership. What do you believe the overall message of the speech was and do you think the speech spoke to the American people? Why or why not? Do you believe he was able to follow through with the promises he made in the speech above? Why or why not?

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President Obama Review:

1. Why was the presidential election of 2008 so significant?

2. What healthcare program was initiated by the Obama administration?

Modern Presidents Matching:

A. Nixon B. Reagan C. Ford D. Carter

1. ______ This president pardoned Nixon

2. ______ This president arbitrated the Camp David Accords between Israel and

Egypt

3. ______This president was in office when the American hostages were taken in Iran

4. ______ The president resigned from the presidency after the Watergate Scandal

5. ______ This president agreed to turn control of the Panama Canal back to Panama

6. ______ This president practiced détente in order to build relations with China

7. ______ This president boycotted the Olympics in Moscow

8. ______ Which president was in office during the Iran Contra Affair and claimed to have no knowledge of the events.

9. ______ This president told Gorbachev to “tear down that wall”

10.______ This president was the only president to serve without being elected to the position

Place the Modern presidents in chronological order. W. Bush, Carter, Reagan, Obama, Ford, Clinton, Nixon, Bush Sr.

1. ________________

2. ________________

3. ________________

4. ________________

5. ________________

6. ________________

7. ________________

8. ________________

Short Answer

1. Which two countries were involved in the Camp David Accords?

2. What is the name of the organization that placed an embargo on the U.S., causing oil prices to rise?

3. What was the nickname for Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative?

4. Did Reagan want to raise taxes or cut taxes? (pick one)

U.S. Foreign Policy

Pick one of the questions below and write a short essay in the space provided. Use evidence from everything you have learned during the Modern Era Unit to justify your answer.

1. How should the United States deal with ethnic cleansing and genocide?

2. How should the United States deal with human suffering caused by great

catastrophes such as floods, famines, hurricanes, or disease?

3. How should the United States deal with terrorism?

4. How should the United States deal with the spreading of democracy in foreign

countries?

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Make sure your name is on the Packet. Turn in the Finished Packet to the Bin.