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Oklahoma City Bombing
The Oklahoma City bombing happened on April 19, 1995. A man named Timothy McVeigh, with help from Terry Nichols, parked a truck filled with explosives in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, and set it off. "...killing 168 people and injuring 600 more." (Kruse and Zelizer, 220). -
Clinton's Union Address
In Bill Clinton’s 1996 State of the Union address, he focused on themes like economic growth, balancing the budget, welfare reform, and crime reduction. "Most famously, in his State of the Union Address in January 1996, Clinton insisted - twice, for good measure - that "the era of big government is over.". (Kruse and Zelizer, 219). This explores the idea that he will be reconstructing the United States government, and make it easy to work with. -
Technological Advances: Google
Google is a multinational tech company founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin in 1998 while they were PhD students at Stanford University. It started as a search engine designed to provide more relevant and accurate search results compared to existing search engines at the time. Today, Google is one of the most influential companies in the world, dominating the digital world through search, advertising, and tech innovation. -
The 9/11 Tragedy
On September 11th, 2001, members of the terrorist group "Al-Qaeda" hijacked four airplanes. Two were flown into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. A third plane hit the Pentagon near Washington, D.C., and the fourth crashed into a field in Pennsylvania after passengers tried to take back control. Nearly 3,000 people died in the attacks. The event led to major global changes, including the War on Terror and the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. -
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina was a powerful storm that hit the U.S. Gulf Coast, beginning on August 18th, 2005. It caused massive flooding, especially in New Orleans. Over 1,800 people died, and millions were displaced. It was one of the most expensive and deadliest natural disasters in U.S. history. "By the following afternoon Katrina had become one of the most powerful Atlantic storms on record, with winds in excess of 170 miles (275 km) per hour." (Britannica, Hurricane Katrina) -
Technological Advances: First iPhone
The first iPhone was released by Apple on June 29, 2007. It combined an iPod, mobile phone, and internet communicator all into one device. The iPhone was a game-changer, revolutionizing the smartphone industry and shaping how we interact with technology today. "iPhone is a revolutionary and magical product that is literally five years ahead of any other mobile phone" (Apple: Steve Jobs, Apple CEO) -
Barack Obama Was Inaugurated
On January 20th, 2009, Barack Obama was inaugurated the 44th President of the United States. He made history as the first African American president. -
The Killing Of Osama Bin Laden
Osama bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaeda and mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, was killed by U.S. Navy SEALs on May 2, 2011 in Abbottabad, Pakistan, after nearly a decade of being hunted. The U.S. found him living in a heavily guarded compound and sent in SEAL Team 6 in a secret nighttime raid. Bin Laden was shot and killed, and his body was buried at sea. "Justice has been done" (U.S. Department of Defense, Justice Has Been Done) -
Sandy Hook Shooting
The Sandy Hook shooting happened on December 14, 2012, in Newtown, Connecticut, when a gunman opened fire at Sandy Hook Elementary School, killing 20 children and 6 adults. It was one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history and sparked national debates about gun control and school safety. "Twenty first-graders and six educators are killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School by 154 bullets fired in less than five minutes." (Sandy Hook Promise, Our History). -
Black Lives Matter (BLM) Movement
The BLM movement began in 2013 after George Zimmerman shot and killed Trayvon Martin, an unarmed Black teenager. The movement gained national attention after deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner (2014), with protests and calls for accountability. "Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi created a Black-centered political-movement-building project called #BlackLivesMatter in response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer, George Zimmerman." (Black Lives Matter, Our History)