History Exam (DISCUSSION ONLY)

Explain why President Nixon decided to recognize China.

Nixon realized the benefits of reaching out to china. Nixon aims at peaceful relations with Soviets/Asia by engaging in "ping-pong diplomacy".

Describe Barack Obama's background before he assumed the presidency in 2008.

A graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, Barack Obama had been a community organizer in Chicago. The son of a white woman from Kansas and a black man from Kenya, Obama served in the Illinois state legislature before being elected to the United States Senate.

Explain why President Bush's popularity declined after the Persian Gulf War, and determine how this influenced President Clinton's election.

After the Persian Gulf War ended, Bush's approval rating reached 91%. The American economy had gone into recession and the federal deficit had risen, and people were angered by Bush's betrayal of his 1988 campaign pledge to not raise taxes. Bush's sinking popularity opened up the way for the Democratic Challenge, which would later be President Clinton.

What role did credit and speculation play in the stock market crash of 1929?

As prices began to rise for stocks, more investors wanted to buy to make sure they did not "miss out" on great investments. ... This meant that as the stock prices started rising, more people were demanding more stock, which caused the price to rise even more.

Compare and contrast the 2000 presidential campaigns of George W. Bush and Al Gore. Why was a Supreme Court decision necessary to determine the winner of the 2000 election?

Bush favored widespread tax cuts, while Gore proposed strengthening Social Security and paying down the national debt. Americans voted mainly by party affiliation. Confusion remained among the very close voting counts and the Supreme Court ruled the Bush vs. Gore case. On December 12, 2000, Bush won and delivered his victory speech.

Discuss the causes and effects of President Clinton's impeachment.

Clinton was charged for perjury and obstruction of justice by the House of Representatives. Clinton's opposition did not have the necessary votes after the Senate tried the president. The political scandal shook the trust of US citizens in the federal government and its leaders.

List the Axis and Allied Powers of World War II.

axis-- japan, italy, germany allies- US, britain, USSR

Describe how the American family has changed.

In 1960, over 70% of households were headed by a working father and non working mother. By 2000, one of out of every 2 marriages ended in divorce and the majority of families both parents worked outside the home. In 2011, one out of every four white babies, one out of every three Latino babies, and two out of every three African American babies were born to unmarried mothers.

Describe the major acts of terrorist violence that occurred in the US in the 1990s.

In 1993, al Qaeda exploded a truck bomb in the parking garage under the World Trade Center in NYC, killing 6 people and injuring over 1000 people. Al Qaeda was led by Osama Bin Laden. 5 years later, Al Qaeda set off car bombs at American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. Blasts killed 225 people and injured over 5500 people. In 2000, Al Qaeda bombed the USS Cole, killing 17 American sailors.

Describe the political changes that occurred in Latin America during the 1980s and 1990s.

In the late 1980s/early 1990s, Latin American experienced a wave of democracy. The government had been waging a "war on drugs" to stop illegal drug use. Latin American groups supplied a significant amount of illegal drugs in the US, but the Bush administration arrested several international drug figures. IN 1989, Bush sent over 12,000 troops to invade Panama and arrest Manuel Noriega(convicted for drug trafficking and sentenced to 40 years in Prison).

Explain how television influenced the presidential election of 1960 between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon.

JFK won over America in the televised debate because of his energy and charisma (smooth talker) and his want for change with his support for the civil rights movement in the 60s.

Compare and contrast the beliefs of liberals and conservatives in the late 20th century.

Liberals believed that the federal government should play a significant role in improving the lives of all Americans. They valued social programs that helped the poor, unemployed, elderly, and others. They also sponsored laws that protected minorities and women, and supported greater government regulation of industry. Conservatives felt that a large central government endangered economic growth and individual choice. Sought to reduce taxes and limit government regulation of industry in order to promote economic growth.

Discuss reasons that some Americans opposed the Vietnam War.

Many Americans opposed the war on moral grounds, appalled by the devastation and violence of the war. Others claimed the conflict was a war against Vietnameseindependence, or an intervention in a foreign civil war; others opposed it because they felt it lacked clear objectives and appeared to be unwinnable.

Compare and contrast the efforts of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Black Panthers to reform economic issues.

Movements such as the Black Panthers used violence unlike MLK who preached peace and civil disobedience. They also advocated separation between Blacks and Whites. One major difference between the Black panthers and Martin is that the black panthers were armed. Matin believed in peace and never had a weapon on him.

Briefly discuss the space program during the 1980s, successes and setbacks.

NASA added a new spacecraft to its fleet in 1981 that looked and landed like an airplane. In January 1986, however, their space shuttle Challenger exploded in midair less than 2 minutes after takeoff. 7 astronauts were killed. The space program continued with new program technology such as improved radial tires, portable cordless vacuums, and better firefighter gear.

Briefly describe the following factors of Obamacare: definition, passing, controversy, & where the government is at today with Obamacare.

Obamacare was created to provide affordable coverage to fix the healthcare system. Some Americans hoped that Obamacare would be repealed because they felt it was too expensive and that its provisions went beyond the powers given to the government by the Constitution. Although President Obama's healthcare program expanded health insurance to 20 million more Americans, premium hikes and the penalties for those who did not buy insurance drew criticism.

Discuss the components of President Reagan's "peace through strength" policy, and identify its effects.

President Reagan believed that the United States needed to weaken communism by challenging it as much as possible without provoking war. To this end, he devised policies aimed at toppling communist nations, ranging from building new nuclear missile systems to funding covert operations against Soviet troops and allies around the globe.

Discuss the positions of Democrats and Republicans with regard to free trade.

Republicans supported the interests of business and free trade agreements. Democrats were more sympathetic to labor interests and opposed legislation that would cost American workers' jobs.

Chronologically explain what forms Bush's war on terror took. Explain any connections between the events.

Right after 9/11 we had to search for Osama Bin Laden. This had President Bush demanding them to turn over Osama Bin Laden. The U.S. invaded Afghanistan when they refused/ overthrew their government, who had been responsible for 9/11 attacks. Thus the war on terror began and to help our government anticipate future attacks, he passed the Patriot Act which gave U.S law enforcement additional powers, and finally he extended the war on terror to Iraq.

Explain the advantages that the North Vietnamese and Vietcong soldiers had over the U.S. soldiers had over U.S. soldiers during the war.

The North Vietnamese and Vietcong soldiers had more of an advantage over us because they had knowledge of the land and they had the ability to blend in with citizens. The United States had the most advanced war technology and was economically powerful so that they could invest heavily in the war. The United States also had South Vietnamese on their side.

Describe the chain of events that led to the financial crisis in September 2008.

The crisis stemmed from "subprime" home mortgage loans that banks had made to less-qualified, low-income borrowers. The higher interest rates on these loans made them more profitable for banks. The loans were then sold as mortgage-backed securities to investors.

Explain how U.S. involvement in the Middle East led to violence in the US during President Obama's second term.

The issue of America's involvement in the Middle East was cited as a motive behind the terrorist attack in Boston when 2 pressure cooker bombs exploded near the finish line of the Boston Marathon.

Distinguish between the political systems of the US and Soviet Union during the Cold War.

The political systems of the US and the USSR differed during the cold war. The US was a democratic republic wealth USSR was communism the United States had more freedom

Contrast the values of the baby boomers with those of the "silent generation."

The silent generation values loyalty and authority and respects the military and veterans. Many married at a young age. While the baby boomers rejected tradition and authority. "Do your own thing". Many embraced political activism and opposed the vietnam war. I Love rock and roll music.

What long term impact did the result of the Korean War have on the United States' foreign and military policy?

Truman had committed US troops to battle without a congressional declaration of war increased military spending

What actions did the Nazis take to carry out Hitler's "Final Solution?"

genocide→ exterminate all jews in concentration camps using gas chambers

List two ways that World War II affected the United States at home and two ways it affected its relationship with the world.

home-- women had to go to work, food gas and clothing were rationed world-- US emerged as a world power in military and diplomacy, United nations was created, a sense of diplomacy

Explain why the US experienced a shift from an industry based economy to a service- based economy.

the shift towards services takes place mainly due to the service sector's lower productivity, higher costs and thus higher relative prices than those in the manufacturing sector. In other words, the shift to services happens because the service sector is stagnant and less progressive.

Explain the connection between the prosperity of the 1950s and increased consumerism.

with the increase of TVs and cars this allowed for consumers to use their money this helped the economy