1. American Culture(s) Fall 2014 / Universidad de Jaén Dr. Kurt Harris

2. American Culture(s) Today’s Topics (1970-present): International USSR and China Wars & terrorism National Presidential scandals Gun violence & terrorism

3. American Culture(s) Note on U.S. Presidents Richard Nixon (Rep) 1969-74 Gerald Ford (Rep) 1974-77 Jimmy Carter (Dem) 1977-81 Ronald Reagan (Rep) 1981-89 George H. W. Bush (Rep) 1989-1993 Bill Clinton (Dem) 1993-2001 George W. Bush (Rep) 2001-09 Barack Obama (Dem) 2009-present

5. American Culture(s) International: USSR & China 1972 Nixon meets with Mao Zedong 1972 Détente begins between U.S. & USSR: Nixon and Brezhnev sign Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and Strategic Arms Limitations Talks 1983 Reagan announces Strategic Defense Initiative (Star Wars) 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988 Reagan and Gorbachev hold a series of summit meetings 1989 The Berlin Wall falls http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtYdjbpBk6A http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtYdjbpBk6A

6. American Culture(s) International: Terrorism 1979 Iran Hostage Crisis (52 hostages) 1983 U.S. barracks and embassy in Lebanon bombed (258) 1988 U.S. airliner bombed over Scotland (259) 1996 U.S. housing complex in Saudi Arabia bombed (19 killed, 498 wounded) 1998 U.S. embassies in Tanzania and Kenya bombed (225 killed, 4500 wounded) 2000 USS Cole bombed near Yemen (17) 2012 U.S. embassy attacked in Libya (4)

7. American Culture(s) International: Wars 1990-91 – Gulf War (294) 2001-present – Afghanistan (2229) 2003-11 – Iraq (4488)

9. American Culture(s) National: Presidential Scandals 1974 Nixon resigns in Watergate scandal http://www.history.com/topics/watergate/videos/watergate-scandal-brings-down-richar-nixon?m=528e394da93ae&s=undefined&f=1&free=false http://www.history.com/topics/watergate/videos/watergate-scandal-brings-down-richar-nixon?m=528e394da93ae&s=undefined&f=1&free=false 1987 Reagan is implicated in the Iran-Contra scandal 1998 Clinton denies inappropriate relations in the Lewinsky scandal 2000 U.S. election process: the Supreme Court declares George W. Bush the winner over Al Gore one month after the election

10. American Culture(s) National: Gun Violence 1970 Kent State University (4) 1972 Assassination attempt on candidate Wallace 1975 Assassination attempt on Pres. Ford 1978 Assassination of San Fran mayor & supervisor 1981 Assassination attempt on Pres. Reagan 1999 Columbine High School shootings (13) 2002 Beltway sniper attacks (10) 2007 Virginia Tech University shootings (32) 2011 Assassination attempt on Rep. Giffords (6) 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings (26)

11. American Culture(s) National: Terrorism 1993 World Trade Center bombing (6) 1995 Oklahoma City bombing (168; motivated by the 1993 Waco siege) 1995 Unabomber (3; motivated by environmental degradation; began in 1978) 1996 Atlanta Olympics bombing (1; motivated by abortion rights) 2001 9/11 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ixoKvz1IN8)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ixoKvz1IN8

12. American Culture(s) Other 1980 “Miracle on Ice” at Olympics 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger explodes 1989 Exxon Valdez spills oil 1992 Los Angeles Riots following the trial of police who beat Rodney King (“Can we all get along?”) 1995 O.J. Simpson trial (“If it [the glove] doesn’t fit, you must acquit”) 2008 Barack Obama elected first non-white president (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkjzRotRyhw )http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkjzRotRyhw

13. American Culture(s) For the Next Class E-mail one or two questions to me about American culture or history: harrisk@suu.edu I will lecture on the following: 1.Review of U.S. history 2.Overview of American literature 3.A “reading” of American pop culture