Final Exam Review Flashcards
The EPA
Nixon created the Environmental Protection Agency in July of 1970. This took all the broken agencies to fix the environment and made them into one dysfunctional unit. The EPA did succeed in setting and enforcing new pollution limits on industries. chap 10 in txtbk
Housing Bubble
In 2007-2008 while the U.S. was fighting wars in the Middle East people started looking to buy houses because the interest rates were so low.
Because so many people were buying homes the prices of homes and mortgages increased rapidly. Those who had bought houses prior could no longer pay their house payment, so they ended up abandoning the house, leaving those left with the risk of the notes at a lose.
chap 11 in txtbk
NAFTA
North American Free Trade Agreement that came into effect in 1994. Clinton signed America into this trade agreement with Canada and Mexico. This promoted free trade making it easier for all the North American countries to trade with each other. It reduced tariffs, protected intellectual property rights, and set up the Investor-State Dispute Settlement(ISDS) which helped resolve any trade disputes between the countries.
chap 11 in txtbk
The Battle of Seattle
Protest against World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference held in Settle Washington in Nov/Dec of 1999. The protestors were voicing their concerns and resistance to globalization ( with world agreements like WTO & NAFTA the U.S had a routine of putting the rules of the agreement above the law of the country’s government. This gave the U.S dominance in that country), economic inequality, and changing environmental/labor standards.
chap 10 in txtbk
TARP
Troubled Asset Relief Program made by the U.S. government by Bush as a result of the 2008 financial crisis. TARP was made to stabilize the financial system and stop the collapse of major businesses and banks. At first, they were going to buy these troubled institutions but instead, they started giving them money through stocks. TARP preserved jobs, banks, and businesses even with its controversy.
Pan Arabism
A political and cultural ideology that promotes the unity and cooperation of Arab countries and people. This ideology originated in the 1900s but had growing popularity due to the disunity Arabian countries faced between 2008-2010 because of the Iraq War, political repression, and financial crisis.
Financialization
This is the increasing role of financial markets in the economy. The growth of financialization in the U.S. in the 20th to 21st century led to the nation becoming massively in debt.
chap 10 in txtbk
1973 Oil Crisis / Arab Oil Embargo
The Yom Kipper War, Oct 1973, was the start of the oil embargo. Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on Israel, and as a result, OPEC implemented an oil embargo for all countries supporting Israel (this included the U.S. and a lot of Western European Nations). The price of oil quadrupled as oil production decreased and this had a major negative global economic impact. Many Western countries experienced recession, high unemployment, and economic challenges. Other energy resources started to gain attention as oil stopped being as reliable.
Globalization
Through treaties and agreements with the U.S. and other nations, the U.S. set rules and regulations that made it extremely difficult for smaller nations to become independent. The rules of the treaty/ agreement/ and global capitalism were put before the rules of the smaller nations’ governments, and the U.S. profited off of labor prices because NAFTA and WTO eliminated the labor regulations.
chap 10 in txtbk
Obamacare / Affordable Care Act
Part of the combat on “The War of Poverty.” Arised from the issue of elderly Americans needing more hospital visits, but not having the funds to make them. In 2010 this national Medicare program was established with funds from the Social Security Fund and government funds used as a partial payment towards the premiums. The gov paid some and the citizens paid some. The government ended up funding over 14 billion dollars. The overall health of Americans increased and fewer children were dying at early ages.
Saddam Hussein
President of Iraq from 1979 to 2003 (when he was captured by the U.S. and hanged for crimes against humanity).
Initially, the U.S. allied with Saddam, and provided Iraq with aid to prevent Iran from overtaking it, during the Iraq and Iran war OPEC sought to reduce oil production however Kuwait, a small country separate from Iraq, was not abiding and stealing Iraq’s oil in large quantities. Saddam took measures to put Kuwait “in line” by invading it leading to the Gulf War of 1991, the U.S. intervened and began to go after Saddam. Saddam stayed in power until 2003, and while he was in power he inflicted major disaster and harm on the U.S., Iran, and Iraq he harbored nuclear weapons, denying to the U.S. that they existed. Saddam was captured on Dec 2003 and killed.
chap 10 in txtbk
Reaganomics
This refers to the economic policies put into place and used by President Ronald Reagan during the 1980s. Reagan went into office promising massive cuts in taxes, social services, and increases in military spending as part of the Democratic Leadership conference Reagan wanted to paint a new face for the democratic party. In doing this Reagan drove the nation’s debt up to $1 trillion. Real income wages decreased because wealth and income were taken from working people and given to the wealthy through huge tax cuts, job losses, and debts.
chap 10 in txtbk
Operation Desert Shield
During the Gulf War of 1991 when the U.S. sent troops to get Iraq off of Kuwait’s back this was referred to as Operation Desert Shield. President Bush sent about 500,000 American troops to expel Iraq from Kuwait and also protect the neighboring countries of Saudi Arabia (the world’s largest oil producer). In the later months of 1991 Operation Desert Shield became Operation Desert Strom as the coalition launched a military offensive to liberate Kuwait in January 1991. Operation Desert Shield achieved its primary objectives by deterring further Iraqi aggression and preparing the ground for the subsequent liberation of Kuwait. The coalition’s military capabilities and international consensus played a crucial role in the success of the operation. chap 10 in txtbk
FROM THE READINGS:
The relationship between the New Left (1960s) and New Right (1980s): how they shaped each other and their different visions for the USA
These political movements emerged during the 1960s and 1980s. The New Left (1960s) had the vision to reshape the U.S. socially, culturally, and politically. The reason it was created was because of the rebellion against authority, the creation of the New Left was heavily influenced by C. Wright Mills’ (a professor at Columbia University) book: “The Power Elite” written in 1956. New Leftists, usually university students began to publicly show that their criticisms of U.S. politics and society should be heard and acted out an example is Mario Savio who gave rise to the Free Speech Movement. The New Left also helped with women’s rights and racial/civil rights.
The New Right was a combat to the New Left Movement emerging in the 1980s. The New Right pushed conservative values and practices. It had to support of social conservatives, anti-communist people, and President Ronald Reagan, who throughout his presidency showed a leaning towards conservative policies, deregulation, tax cuts, and strong anti-communist stances.
How they shaped each other was through a lot of clashing. They fought over issues such as abortion, LGBTQ+ Rights, and religion. their interactions shaped the political landscape of the United States, contributing to ideological debates, policy shifts, and the evolution of American conservatism and liberalism and the shaping is still affecting the U.S. to this day.
in chap 8 of txtbk
FROM THE READINGS:
Compare the reasons for US aid to Afghanistan in the 1980s to reasons for the deployment of coalition troops there in 2001
In the 1980’s the reason for aid was mainly because of communist invasion. Under Jimmy Carter’s presidency, a secret CIA operation was approved to happen in Afghanistan (because Afghanistan at the time was controlled by a government that was supported by the Soviets, and the Soviets started to invade Afghanistan) and started to aid guerrillas and resistance movements against the Soviets. In 1982 The Boland Amendment was passed to try and restrict the amount of aid Reagan could give the Contras, but Reagan overlooked it until Congress made it almost impossible in 1984. However, Reagan still illegally provided aid to enforce the containment of communism. The Soviets were left embarrassed and at a major loss of funds because they didn’t successfully overtake Afghanistan.
The deployment of American coalition troops in 2001 was because of Counterterrorism. Most notably al Qaeda (which started in Pakistan, but spread to Afghanistan trying to spread the most conservative forms of Islam), and the Taliban (a group of al Qaeda that fought and invoked violence as they enforced their beliefs). Al Qaeda attacked the U.S., indirectly or directly many times, for example: in 1998 bin Laden (part of al Qaeda) bombed multiple U.S. embassies killing about 300 people. What triggered troops to be sent out was the shock and destruction of 9/11. The fighting happened in Iraq as the U.S. had the motive to capture Saddam, and any weapons of mass destruction Iraq had, but after his removal troops continued to fight troops officially were out of Afghanistan by 2021 making this period of war last almost 2 decades. The U.S. generally wanted to dismantle al Qaeda and take the Taliban out of power.
chap 10/11 of txtbk
FROM THE READINGS:
Describe what the racial tension was in Los Angeles before and after the Rodney trial
Before:
Racial Issues were very present in Los Angeles before Rodney King’s trial. In 1943 The Zoot Suits Riots demonstrated racial inequality as white Americans accused Mexican American “Zoot Suiters” of violence. So for several days later Mexican Americans “Zoot Suiters” were beaten and often stripped of their suits. It went to the point of American soldiers began beating people randomly and this piece of clothing was the start of unjust repression against Mexican Americans. (chap 2 of txtbk) The Watts Riots (1965) was a demonstration of the unrest because of LA’s discrimination in housing, economics, and educational opportunities. Before Rodney, several cases of police brutality and racial profiling existed in Los Angeles.
After Rodney King’s Trail in 1992 because King was caught and beaten brutally by cops after a high-speed chase in 1991:
The verdict of the trial (that they were not found guilty of the beating) was perceived as an injustice and this started the Los Angeles Riots/ Rodney King riots which included civil unrest, looting, arson, and violence. Tension between minority races and police was made worse as trust in law enforcement decreased.
FROM THE READINGS:
Compare Barack Obama’s arguments against the Iraq war initiated by George Bush with his own foreign policy as a president.
Before his presidency, Obama saw the Iraq War as a strategic error and a result of poor judgment on Bush’s part. He urged that Bush didn’t fully think it through and that sound leadership was needed. he said that instead of targeting Iraq the U.S. should redirect its focus to Afghanistan because that’s where al Qaeda and the Taliban were operating. Many thought that Obama would bring an end to the war since he stated he didn’t support the war in Iraq. By the end of 2011, Obama kept his promise and U.S. troops left Iraq, and then more troops were sent to Afghanistan. The way Obama navigated in this war was different from the way Bush navigated in the Iraq war. It accounted for the safety of civilians such as the intervention in Libya in 2011.
chap 11 of txtbk
FROM THE READINGS:
Explain the importance of the Iran-Contra affair
The Iran-Contra Scandal in the 1980s was a shocking affair where under Reagan’s presidency many illegal activities concerning the arms sale to Iran and using the sale funds to the Contras in Nicaragua, in hopes of freeing the hostages held in Lebanon. The affair had an impact on the foreign policy and the balance of powers. By Reagan violating the Boland Amendments of 1982-1985 he abused his executive power, and many citizens started to distrust the national government.
chap 10 of txtbk
What year was The EPA made?
July 1970
Who signed for The EPA?
Nixon
