1990-1999Overview

Politics, People, Sports, Foreign Affairs, Music, and Culture

Politics: George H.W. Bush

George H.W. Bush was elected President in 1988.

Cold War ended, Soviet Russia fell and Berlin Wall came down during his time as President in the 1980s

Second half of Presidency 1991-1992

Bush Sr. sent troops to Panama to overthrow the corrupt regime of General Manuel Noriega who was threating the security of the canal and Americans living there.

Noriega was brought to trial in the US for drug trafficking

George HW Bush- Gulf War

Iraqi President Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait and threatened to move into Saudi Arabia.

Bush rallied the UN and sent 425,000 US troops over where they were joined by 118,000 troops from allied nations

Operation Desert Storm

After weeks of air and missile bombardment the 100-hour land battle there was a decisive victory and Hussein lost. Kuwait was liberated.

George HW Bush

Despite popularity due to the success with the Gulf War there were many problems that led to Bush Sr. not being re-elected

Faltering economy

Rising violence in the cities

High deficit spending

Election of 1992 he lost to Democrat Bill Clinton

President Bill Clinton

Won the 1992 election

Increase taxes to reduce the national debt. Balanced budget

“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy with homosexuals in the military

1993 World Trade Center Bombing

Health Care Reform Plan-Hilary

First White House website was launched

Midterm Elections of 1994 Democrats lost control of both Houses

Clinton’s Second Term

1997 Election-Clinton received 49.2% of the popular vote. The Republican candidate Bob Dole received 40.7% and a third party Reform candidate Ross Perot received 8.4% of the vote.

1998 Monica Lewinsky scandal Clinton denied involvement, lying

under oath They obtained a semen-stained

dress and testimony from Lewinsky and Clinton confessed and apologized

Impeachment of Clinton in 1998 after the scandal they acquitted him and he was not forced to leave office.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiIP_KDQmXs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEmjwR0Rs20

Clinton cont.

Tried for peace in the Middle East

Bombing of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania by Al-Qaeda led to US naval military forces launching cruise missiles against Al-Qaeda bases in Afghanistan 1998.

Clinton issued 141 pardons on his last day in office and it was controversial.

Overall Clinton had a high approval rating at 65% at the end of his time in office.

During his time in office the US had a federal surplus for the first time since 1969. The public debt was decreased.

Major USA events

1993 bombing of the World Trade Center

Oklahoma City bombing 1995

Ahmed Ressam- Islamist militant of Al-Qaeda was arrested while trying to sneak into America to bomb the LA International Airport

Hurricane Andrew striking South Florida

Battle in Seattle-protests against globalization. Protest at WTO conference

Major US Events cont.

Columbine Shooting 12 students and one teacher died. 24 injured

Olympic Park Bombing 1996 Atlanta-1 died

27th Amendment stating that the salary of Congress can’t increase or decrease until the next term.

Rodney King verdict and riots-53 people killed and 2000 injured

Foreign Affairs

Rwanda Genocide 1994

Break up of Yugoslavia

Spread of capitalism

Release of Nelson Mandela from jail and is elected President in 1994

Fall of communist USSR

Dolly-cloned sheep

Princess Diana was killed 1997

Culture

Cinema- Titanic, Toy Story, Forest Gump, Independence Day, Silence of the Lambs etc.

TV- Full House, Family Matters, That 70s Show, Friends, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, South Park, SpongeBob etc.

Punk/Grunge culture and style

Rollerblades, bleached hair, colored tips, slap bracelets, light up shoes, flannel.

Music

Grunge, Gangsta rap, R&B, teen pop, electronic dance, and punk rock.

Big Bands: Green Day, U2, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Blink 182, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Radiohead.

Pop: Spice Girls, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, Hanson

R&B: Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Destiny’s Child, TLC, Boys II Men

Musical Deaths: Kurt Cobain, Selena, Tupac, The Notorious BIG

Technology

Internet becomes available-World Wide Web

Cell phones

More personal computers

Video Games: Donkey Kong, Super Mario World, Pokemon, Mario Kart, Test Drive series, StarCraft, Sonic.

More multi-player games

PlayStation becomes top selling console, Sega also popular

3D graphics by end of decade

Sports

MLB went on strike and canceled the World Series for the first time in 90 years.

OJ Simpson trial

Duke won NCAA tourny two years in a row (first time in history)

Michael Jordan became an icon (Space Jam)

Lance Armstrong won his first Tour de France in 1999, less than two years after battling testicular cancer.

Professional wrestling boom (Hulk Hogan)

The USA hosted the World Cup in 1994. After it ended it started the creation of the MLS (Major League Soccer)\

Cowboys won three Super Bowls

Ultimate fighting started gaining popularity and Mixed Martial Arts

Natural Disasters and Cults

Flood of 1993

Heat wave of Chicago killed a few hundred

Waco Texas Siege killed 76

Heaven’s Gate-39 suicide