U.S. History Finale

Completely Useless Information 1,800 cigarettes are smoked per person each year in China. The average human produces a quart of saliva a day, about 10,000 gallons in a lifetime. From the 1500s to the 1700s, tobacco was prescribed by doctors to treat a variety of ailments including headaches, toothaches, arthritis, and bad breath. In the late 19 th century, millions of human mummies were used as a fuel for locomotives in Egypt where wood and coal was scarce, but mummies were plentiful.

The Supreme Court The decisions of the United States Supreme Court have expanded individual rights in the years since Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas (1954).

The Supreme Court (cont.) —The civil rights movement of the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s provided a model that other groups have used to extend civil rights and promote equal justice. —The Supreme Court: o Protects the individual rights enumerated in the Constitution. o Identifies a constitutional basis for a right to privacy that is protected from government interference. o Invalidates laws and executive actions that the justices agree exceed the authority granted to government officials by the Constitution of the United States (judicial review).

The Supreme Court (cont.) Major Supreme Court decisions: – Engel v. Vitale (1962) – Prohibits prayer in public schools. – Abington v. Schempp (1963) – Bans Bible reading in public schools. – Miranda v. Arizona (1966) – Requires police to advise subjects of rights. – Tinker v. Des Moines Public Schools (1969) – Wearing of black armbands by students is an expression of free speech. – Taylor v. Louisiana (1973) – Forbids states from excluding women from jury service. – Roe v. Wade (1973) – Upholds a woman’s right to have an abortion.

The Supreme Court (cont.) Major Supreme Court decisions: – Gregg v. Georgia (1976) – Ruled the death penalty does not the 8 th Amendment to the Constitution. – Bethel School District v. Fraser (1986) – Public school students have fewer free speech rights than adults. – Thompson v. Oklahoma (1988) – Sets 16 as the minimum age for capital punishment. – Texas v. Johnson (1989) – Flag-burning is permissible as an expression of free speech. – Westside Community Schools v. Mergens (1990) – Students may join groups formed to discuss religious issues.

The Supreme Court (cont.) The membership of the United States Supreme Court has changed to become more diverse over time. – Sandra Day O’Connor was the first woman to be appointed to the Supreme Court in o Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Sonia Sotomayor (first Hispanic justice), and Elena Kagan have since been appointed. – In 1991, Clarence Thomas was selected as the second African American to serve on the Supreme Court (Thurgood Marshall was the first).

Immigration Rising immigration to the United States has increased American diversity and redefined American identity. – Increased immigration from Asian and Latin American countries. People come to the United States seeking political freedom and economic opportunity.

Immigration (cont.) Immigration issues include: – Strain on government services – Filling low-paying jobs in the United States – Border issues (security) – Pathway to citizenship (14 th Amendment) – Bilingual education – Increasing cultural diversity

Immigration (cont.) Contributions of immigrants: – Diversity in music, the visual arts, and literature – Roles in the labor force – Achievements in science, engineering, and other fields

Technology Going back to the space race during the Cold War, NASA has been a driving force behind technological advances. – John Glenn was the first American to orbit the Earth. – Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon. – Sally Ride was the first female American astronaut.

The Race to Space (cont.) Kennedy made it America’s goal to put a man on the moon by the end of the 1960s. – July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon. Space program led to increased emphasis on science and increased the development of new technologies.

Technology (cont.) Technology can make communication and information more accessible. Changes in work, school, and health care in recent decades: – Telecommuting – Online course work – Growth of service industries – Breakthroughs in medical research, including improved medical diagnostic and imaging technologies – Outsourcing and offshoring- The sending of jobs and businesses to other countries as a result of cheaper labor and operating costs.

Technology (cont.) Examples of technological advances: – Space exploration – Space shuttle – Mars rover – Voyager missions – Hubble telescope

Technology (cont.) Over the past three decades, improved technology and media have brought about better access to communication and information for businesses and individuals in both urban and rural areas. As a result, many more Americans have access to global information and viewpoints. Communications: – Satellites – Global positioning system (GPS) – Personal communications devices

The Economy The federal government has the ability to influence the United States economy. It bases its decisions on economic indicators such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP), exchange rates, rate of inflation, and unemployment rate. Government promotes a healthy economy characterized by full employment and low inflation through the actions of: – The Federal Reserve: Monetary policy decisions control the supply of money and credit to expand or contract economic growth. – The president and Congress: Fiscal policy decisions determine levels of government taxation and spending; government regulates the economy.