1. President George H.W. Bush
January 20, 1989
January 20, 1993
Created & edited by Steve Armstrong
SHS,

2. President Bush Inaugural

3. Bush’s promises & dilemma
“I want a kinder, gentler nation”
“Read my lips, no new taxes.”
Bush had to push through a tax increase (rolled back some of the Reagan cuts) in 1990, something for which he blamed Democrats
This would come back to haunt him in 1992
Voter turnout declined even more
50% of registered voters cast ballots

4. War on illegal drugs
Nancy Reagan’s “Just Say No” campaign expanded into a new executive office of a Drug Czar
Worked to create programs to rid the nation of the nation’s illegal drug problem

5. Berlin Wall fell, Nov 1989

6. Predicted since 1940s
Eastern and western Germany were united after the collapse of the Berlin Wall
Several eastern European nations gained their freedom
The USSR split into Russia and other free nations

7. Bush & Nelson Mandela

8. Clean Air Act, 1989 The updated law would reduce acid rain by 50%
Pushed for more emissions controls
Both Democrats and Republicans supported this law

9. Americans with Disabilities
Bush signed the ADA in July 1989
The ADA mandated that states make more aggressive steps to provide accommodation to provide aid to those with disabilities

10. Iraq invaded Kuwait

11. Bush & Kuwait Amir

12. Bush ordered American forces to Saudi Arabia

13. Mobilizing for War
Bush sent nearly 500,000 troops and support personnel to Saudi Arabia
Bush gave Iraqi President Saddam Hussein a deadline to leave Iraq

14. War Plan

15. Bush announced the war
Bush announced that USA air forces attacked Bagdad and other military sites
War started on January 16, 1991

16. War ended February 23

17. Los Angeles, 1991 Rodney King was beaten by L.A. police
Police officers were acquitted of police brutality
This set of days of rioting in Los Angeles

18. Rodney King’s request Rodney King asked that the riots cease
“Can’t we just get along?”
The riots ended
America’s racial divide showed its ugly scar once again

19. Clarence Thomas
President Bush nominated Clarence Thomas to the U.S. Supreme Court
Thomas was accused of sexual harassment by a former co-worker
The hearings delved into Thomas’s sex life

20. Thomas was sworn in

21. Thomas nomination and hearing galvanized women
More women ran for state and national office as a result of the Thomas hearings
Women were offended at the harsh treatment of women by the men on the Senate confirmation panel