George W. Bush Administration

George W. Bush

By Amy McGowen

​2001-2009

• Election outcome hinged on Florida's 25 electoral votes

• Initial results showed Bush in the lead by a narrow margin, triggering an automatic machine recount

• Controversy arose over ballot design that caused voter confusion & miscast votes

• Florida Supreme Court ordered a manual recount, but U.S. Supreme Court halted the process in Bush v. Gore

• U.S. Supreme Court Ruled Bush the winner

​What Happened:

• Republican Candidate = George W. Bush

• Democratic Candidate = Al Gore

• Green Party (third party)= Ralph Nader

The Candidates:

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​Impact of Third Parties

​* Third Parties can pressure the major-party candidates to adopt or address topics normally overlooked to try to win votes
* Often play the role of "Spoiler" by splitting the vote and affecting the overall outcome of the election

Multiple Choice

What is one way that Ralph Nader's third-party candidacy affect the 2000 presidential election?

• Nader shifted the issues discussed by the major-party candidates

• Nader was unable to influence the outcome of the election

• Nader decreased the media coverage given to the major-party candidates

• Nader was able to attract a majority of voter in the election

Multiple Choice

What was the outcome of the Bush v. Gore Supreme Court ruling?

• Ralph Nader became the winner of the 2000 Presidential Election

• Al Gore became the winner of the 2000 Presidential Election

• George W. Bush became the winner of the 2000 Presidential Election

• George H.W. Bush became the winner of the 2000 Presidential Election

Social Impact of the 2000 Election

• The country was divided

• Many questioned the legitimacy of Bush's presidency due to the manner that he won the election

• The disputed victory intensified tensions between political parties in U.S. politics

Poll

What role did the Supreme Court plan in this declaration?

• court ruled that requiring literacy tests to vote was unconstitutional

• court ruled Florida's use of butterfly ballots violated the Equal Protection Clause

• court ruled on the constitutionality of the vote recount in Florida

9/11 Terrorist Attacks

What Happened:

• Took place on September 11, 2001

• Members of Al-Qaeda hijacked 4 commercial airplanes

• 2 planes were flown into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in NY

• 1 plane was flown into the U.S. Pentagon in Washington, D.C.

• 1 plane (flight 93) crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers attempted to retake control

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​Casualties

​* World Trade Center = 2,753 civilians , 343 firefighters, 60 police officers
* Pentagon = 184 people were killed
* Flight 93 = 40 passengers and crew

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​Why was the U.S. attacked ??
The U.S. maintained military bases in Saudi Arabia after the Gulf War. Osama bin Laden & other extremists considered U.S. presence in the Middle East a violation of Muslim lands

Multiple Choice

Which of the following best describes the primary motive behind al-Qaeda’s attacks on the U.S. on September 11, 2001?

• increase trade relations between the U.S. and the Middle East

• assist the U.S. in stabilizing the oil market in the Persian Gulf

• negotiate peace treaties between Western nations and Middle Eastern governments

• protest U.S. policies and military presence in Middle Eastern - Muslim countries

Word Cloud

What word would you most associate with the terrorist attacks on 9/11?

Multiple Choice

What was the significance of the passengers’ actions on United Airlines Flight 93 during the 9/11 attacks?

• they successfully landed the plane at its intended destination

• they alerted the U.S. government to the hijackers' identities

• they prevented the plan from reaching its intended destination by fighting the hijackers

• they negotiated a peaceful resolution with the hijackers

Global War on Terror:

• U.S. military interventions in Afghanistan (2001)

  • U.S. & N.A.T.O. invade Afghanistan to overthrow the Taliban that provided sanctuary to al-Qaeda leaders

• U.S. military interventions in Iraq (2003)

  • U.S. invaded Iraq to overthrow the Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein who was thought to have Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD's)

​What Did It Do:

• U.S. response to 9/11

• Aimed to dismantle

  terrorist organization & preventing future attacks

​Goal:

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​Impact

​* Reshaped U.S. foreign policy by emphasizing proactive military action & counterterrorism efforts

* criticism towards the Bush Administration for the high human & financial costs as well as destabilization in the Middle East

Poll

• a military response to a terrorist attack

• a desire to stop the spread of communism

• development of weapons of mass destruction

• resurgence of ethnic cleansing policies

Multiple Choice

Which of the following best explains why the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan began shortly after the 9/11 attacks?

• to overthrow a monarch that had taken control of the Afghan government

• to remove the Taliban regime that provided safe haven for al-Quaeda leaders

• to negotiate trade deals & secure economic resources in the region

• to build a new military alliance with the Taliban to stabilize the Middle East

• debate over the balance between security & civil liberties

• many felt it was undermined constitutional rights & allowed government overreach

Criticisms:

• Explained the Federal Government's surveillance and law enforcement power to combat terrorism

• Allowed phone calls, emails, financial records, & other forms of communication to be monitored

What Was It ?

U.S.A. Patriot Act

Multiple Choice

What was one criticism of the USA PATRIOT Act, which was passed following the 9/11 attacks?

• it restricted the U.S. government's ability to investigate potential terrorist threats

• it expanded government surveillance in ways some believed violated civil liberties

• it prevented the government from cooperating with international intelligence agencies

• it focused on reducing funding for first responders and law enforcement

Open Ended

Some people believe the USA PATRIOT Act helps keep Americans safe, while others feel it violates civil liberties. Do you think it is ever acceptable to give up some privacy for greater security? Why or why not?

Multiple Choice

What was one major political consequence of the 9/11 attacks on U.S. domestic policy?

• U.S. adopted a policy of complete military isolation from the Middle East

• U.S. reduced its military presence in the Middle East in response to global protests.

• U.S. increased foreign aid to Europe and Latin America to strengthen alliances

• U.S. government passed the USA PATRIOT Act, expanding surveillance powers

​No Child Left Behind Act:

• Domestic Policy that aimed to improve education by increasing accountability in public schools.

• Required states to administer standardized tests to measure student achievement

• Schools faced penalties if they failed to meet certain performance benchmarks

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​Impact

• believe that it promotes "teaching to the test"

• increased data on student performance

Poll

What was the primary goal of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001?

• increase federal funding for all public schools equally

• improve student achievement by holding schools accountable with standardized tests

• reduce the role of standardized testing in schools.

• eliminate federal oversight of education policy

Multiple Choice

One criticism of the No Child Left Behind Act was that it placed too much emphasis on standardized testing. How might this emphasis negatively impact student learning?

• It provides students with more opportunities to explore creative subjects like art and music.

• It increases opportunities for individualized learning for students with diverse needs.

• It encourages schools to focus more on test preparation than on deeper learning and critical thinking.

• It reduces accountability for teachers and school administrators.