1. Modern America Cultural Literacy
Unit Objective
To understand cultural and symbolic images of Modern America

2. Lyndon Baines Johnson: VP under JFK, became president when JFK killed; Great Society social reform plan (help poor)

3. Richard Nixon: Only president to ever resign (he did it to avoid being impeached)

4. Nixon Leaving Office after resignation

5. Gerald Ford: VP under Nixon; Only president to never be elected President or VP; Pardoned Nixon

6. Jimmy Carter: Elected as president because he had no connection to Washington, but that came back to hurt him as president (didn’t accomplish much)

7. 1970s Gas Shortage: OPEC placed embargo on oil sales to U. S
1970s Gas Shortage: OPEC placed embargo on oil sales to U.S. due to support for Israel

8. Camp David Accords: Anwar Sadat of Egypt, Jimmy Carter, Menachem Begin of Israel; First peace agreement between an Arab nation and Israel; Sadat was assassinated for signing it

9. Ayatollah Khomeini: Radical Muslim who led a revolution in Iran and made Iran very anti-American

10. Iranian Hostage Crisis: 1979 Iranian students took over the American Embassy in Tehran and held hostages-One of biggest reasons Carter was unable to get re-elected in 1980

11. Ronald Reagan: Former actor and governor of California who defeated Carter in 1980

12. Reagan Assassination attempt: 1981, John Hinckley shot Reagan to impress actress Jodi Foster

13. James Brady: Permanently injured in Reagan Assassination attempt; Led to passage of Brady Gun Bill

14. Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI): “Star Wars”; Space-based missile defense system; Too expensive and not effective enough, never implemented

15. Mikhail Gorbachev: Became leader of Soviet Union in 1985; Moved Soviets away from Communism with Glasnost and Perestroika and toward peaceful existence with America

16. Challenger: Space shuttle that exploded after lift-off in January of 1986

17. George H.W. Bush: VP under Reagan, served one term; “Read my lips, no new taxes”; President during first invasion of Iraq

18. Fall of the Berlin Wall: Symbolic end of the Cold War in 1989; Led to the reunification of Germany in 1990

19. Tiananmen Square (1989): Many Chinese protested for more democracy, Chines government put the movement down with military force killing hundreds

20. Bill Clinton: Defeated George H. W
Bill Clinton: Defeated George H.W. Bush in 1992; Economy did well; Impeached by House but not convicted over his relationship with Monica Lewinsky

21. George W. Bush: President during 9/11, invasion of Afghanistan, and second invasion into Iraq

22. Sept. 11, 2001: Attacks on WTC and Pentagon by Al Qaeda (Osama bin Ladin); Led to invasion of Afghanistan directly and indirectly led to invasion of Iraq

23. Osama bin Laden: Leader of Al Qaeda, killed in 2011 in Pakistan by U.S. special forces

24. Aftermath of 9/11

25. Saddam Hussein: Leader of Iraq that was removed in 2003 by the U. S
Saddam Hussein: Leader of Iraq that was removed in 2003 by the U.S.—Why?

26. Barack Obama: First minority president; Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)