Presidency of George W. Bush

Election of 2000

Get out the Jarrett Book and read pages (or click on the magazine cover and use that website!) Answer the questions in the packet and color code your map.

Budget Federal Reserve Board dropped interest rates to their lowest levels in decades. Tax cuts favored the wealthy. Bush claimed that the cuts were needed to get the economy flowing again The tax cut revived the economy, but also brought a return to high federal budget deficits

No Child Left Behind Required all states to test students in English & math each year from 3rd to 8th grade. National regulated State mandated standardized test – year STAAR!!! (please note the sarcasm)

September 11th Attacks Islamic Fundamentalist terrorist boarded 4 different US airliners and hijacked the planes once airborne. 2 of the planes were flown into the World Trade Center in NY, 1 was flown into the Pentagon in Washington DC. The last plan crash in a field in Penn. when passengers resisted the hijackers. 3,000 people were killed Osama bin Laden and his organization al-Qaeda took credit for these attacks. The Taliban sheltered bin Laden from the US and refused to surrender him to US officials. Created an atmosphere of patriotism & national unity

Frank Culbertson was the Commander of Expedition 3 on the International Space Station when the attacks of 9/11 took place. Photo Credit: NASA.gov 9/11 Timeline Video

War on Terror Bush vowed to launch a global “War on Terror” against those nations that harbored terrorist Bush orders air & ground assaults which destroyed al-Qaeda’s bases

Transportation Security Agency (TSA) Took over security at US airports and all passengers and luggage were subjected to a through screening Friends & family are no longer allowed to walk passengers to their gates, stricter security measures—takes longer to travel

Department of Homeland Security In 2003 Bush created a new cabinet post. It mission was to keep the US secure from all threats. Its activities range from nuclear detection & intelligence coordination to the protection of high-level government officials

USA PATRIOAT Act 2001 Expanded the government’s law enforcement powers. This act allows law enforcement officials & intelligence agencies the power to conduct sweeping searches and surveillance, detain immigrants and monitor bank accounts. Some feel it gave the executive branch too much power, threatening individual liberties

Hurricane Katrina 2005 Hurricane led to the evacuation & flooding of almost 80% of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. Highest storm surge in US history devastated New Orleans levee system. The costliest hurricane on record $81,200,000,000! 1,800 died in the flooding Many people who evacuated from New Orleans have never moved back.

Financial Crisis of When the Federal Reserve dropped interest rates in 2000 many people took advantage of this and bough new homes. Some banks lent money to borrowers who couldn’t afford their homes. Home prices continued to rise, leading to speculation in housing. Later banks sold mortgages to other bankers/investors over building led to falling house prices and higher interest rates that people couldn’t afford, which led to foreclosures. February 2008 Fed government gave rebates to taxpayers & businesses to stimulate the economy September 2008 Fed government took over the nations largest mortgage lenders. Banks stopped lending and credit dried up for individuals and businesses Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (2008) authorized the Sec. of Treasury to spend up to $700 Billion to buy distressed investments and provide funds to banks to prevent them from failing. Real estate markets collapsed, unemployment went up, major banking firms were on the verge of failing.

War in Iraq Saddam Hussein was thought to have Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs). He would not let the UN inspectors search Iraq to prove he didn’t have them. US, Britain & Spain warned Iraq to surrender its WMDs. In March 2003 Bush gave Hussein 48 hours to leave Iraq or face invasion…Hussein rejected the ultimatum. Coalition forces invaded, in 2005 Iraqi voters elected representative to draw up a constitution…1st Arab democracy in the Middle East Saddam Hussein was captured & handed over to the Iraqi people…he was tried & hung for his crimes against humanity