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'''''Homework: begin preparing for the final exam'''''.

'''''Homework: begin preparing for the final exam'''''.

This is the final lecture of the course, covering history through the [[9/11]] terrorist attack on the World Trade Center (typically the stopping point for American history), and then even up to the election of Donald Trump as president.

In this lecture we cover American history through the [[9/11]] terrorist attack on the World Trade Center (typically the stopping point for American history), and beyond.

Be able to identify overall trends in our history.  One trend is ever-increasing federal power.  Another trend is inflation.  A third trend is increased democracy.  A fourth trend is increasing American power in the world.  A fifth trend is the Supreme Court pushing us away from our religious roots.  In ''Engel v. Vitale'' (1962), the Supreme Court banned prayer in public schools.  Many consider this to be one of the Supreme Court's worst decisions ever.

Be able to identify overall trends in our history.  One trend is ever-increasing federal power.  Another trend is increased democracy.  A third trend is increasing American power in the world.  A fourth trend is the Supreme Court pushing us away from our religious roots.  In ''Engel v. Vitale'' (1962), the Supreme Court banned prayer in public schools.  Many consider this to be one of the Supreme Court's worst decisions ever.

Also understand history as a struggle between two sides.  It is like two wrestlers combating each other on a mat.  The wrestlers rotate on the map as each one tries to gain an advantage over the other.  Same for the two political parties: they rotate their regional support over the years.  At the time of the Civil War, the Republican Party dominated in the North and the Democratic Party dominated in the South.  Now it is the opposite.

Also understand history as a struggle between two sides.  It is like two wrestlers combating each other on a mat.  The wrestlers rotate on the map as each one tries to gain an advantage over the other.  Same for the two political parties: they rotate their regional support over the years.  At the time of the Civil War, the Republican Party dominated in the North and the Democratic Party dominated in the South.  Now it is the opposite.

A "dark horse" candidate, Jimmy Carter from Georgia, won the Democratic Party's nomination for president, and then defeated President Gerald Ford in a close contest in 1976.  But Carter was not ready for the job, and anxious to give things away like Santa Claus.  He started in 1977 by agreeing to give the Panama Canal to Panama, even though the United States built it, paid for it, and needed it for security reasons.  The Senate ratified the treaty after a heated controversy, with conservatives opposing the giveaway, and Panama acquired full ownership of it in 1999.  Now communist China runs the Canal under a contract with Panama.

A "dark horse" candidate, Jimmy Carter from Georgia, won the Democratic Party's nomination for president, and then defeated President Gerald Ford in a close contest in 1976.  But Carter was not ready for the job, and anxious to give things away like Santa Claus.  He started in 1977 by agreeing to give the Panama Canal to Panama, even though the United States built it, paid for it, and needed it for security reasons.  The Senate ratified the treaty after a heated controversy, with conservatives opposing the giveaway, and Panama acquired full ownership of it in 1999.  Now communist China runs the Canal under a contract with Panama.

Jimmy Carter arranged a peace treaty between Egypt and Israel in 1978 by promising each over a $1 billion per year in annual gifts from the United States if they complied with the agreement, which required Israel to give up control over some of its territory.  This is known as the Camp David Accords and it later earned Carter an award of the Nobel Peace Prize; American taxpayers are still paying the massive bill for this treaty, and many concerned about the future of Israel dislike Carter for his persistent attempts to coerce Israel into giving up land and security.

Jimmy Carter arranged a peace treaty between Egypt and Israel in 1978 by promising each foreign aid if they complied with the agreement, which required Israel to give up control over some of its territory.  This is known as the Camp David Accords and it later earned Carter an award of the Nobel Peace Prize.

In 1979, Carter's appeasement and naivete badly embarrassed the United States when the Iran hostage crisis occurred.  Carter angered Iranian Muslims by allowing the deposed Shah of Iran to obtain medical treatment in the United States, at the insistence of Henry Kissinger and other globalists.  Muslims stormed and captured the U.S. embassy in Tehran and held everyone hostage for more than a year, creating a daily crisis.  At one point Carter planned a rescue attempt, but then called it off at the last minute, only to result in the American soldiers crashing and dying in the desert.

In 1979, Carter's appeasement and naivete badly embarrassed the United States when the Iran hostage crisis occurred.  Carter angered Iranian Muslims by allowing the deposed Shah of Iran to obtain medical treatment in the United States, at the insistence of Henry Kissinger and other globalists.  Muslims stormed and captured the U.S. embassy in Tehran and held everyone hostage for more than a year, creating a daily crisis.  At one point Carter planned a rescue attempt, but then called it off at the last minute, only to result in the American soldiers crashing and dying in the desert.

After campaigning for the conservative Barry Goldwater for president in 1964 (Goldwater lost), Reagan ran for governor of California by emphasizing two points:  (1) "to send the welfare bums back to work," and (2) "to clean up the mess at Berkeley" (referring to the student and hippie protests).  Reagan won in a stunning upset.  Two years later, he showed up at the Republican National Convention in Miami in 1968, when Nixon was being nominated for president.  Your teacher's brothers went to shake Reagan's hand instead of Nixon's, and it turned out that Reagan would be much more influential than Nixon was.

After campaigning for the conservative Barry Goldwater for president in 1964 (Goldwater lost), Reagan ran for governor of California by emphasizing two points:  (1) "to send the welfare bums back to work," and (2) "to clean up the mess at Berkeley" (referring to the student and hippie protests).  Reagan won in a stunning upset.  Two years later, he showed up at the Republican National Convention in Miami in 1968, when Nixon was being nominated for president.  Your teacher's brothers went to shake Reagan's hand instead of Nixon's, and it turned out that Reagan would be much more influential than Nixon was.

Every president who has served since President Reagan has imitated him, or benefited from him.  Reagan was elected president in 1980 and served as president from 1981 to 1989, winning reelection in 1984 by a record landslide number of votes.  President George H.W. Bush won the presidency by riding on Reagan's coattails; President Clinton imitated the style (but not the substance) of Reagan, and Clinton even made a special personal pilgrimage to meet Reagan after Clinton won the presidency in 1992.  President George W. Bush imitated Reagan by giving a weekly radio addresses just as Reagan did.  Politicians, both Democratic and Republican, cite Ronald Reagan today to gain support for their ideas, and the airport in D.C. is now named after him (which President Clinton approved).

Many presidents who have served since President Reagan have imitated him, or benefited from him.  Reagan was elected president in 1980 and served as president from 1981 to 1989, winning reelection in 1984 by a record landslide number of votes.  President George H.W. Bush won the presidency by riding on Reagan's coattails; President Clinton imitated the style (but not the substance) of Reagan, and Clinton even made a special personal pilgrimage to meet Reagan after Clinton won the presidency in 1992.  President George W. Bush imitated Reagan by giving a weekly radio addresses just as Reagan did.  Politicians, both Democratic and Republican, cite Ronald Reagan today to gain support for their ideas, and the airport in D.C. is now named after him (which President Clinton approved).

President Reagan campaigned and governed based on all the conservative principles:  less government, lower taxes, less regulation, more morality, new federalism (returning power from the federal government to the states), and a strong national defense (particularly against the communists).  Every year of his presidency had a major achievement, so much so that bumper stickers afterward were entitled "Eight Great Years" in reference to his Administration.  President Reagan was the only person who became '''''more''''' conservative the longer he was in power.

President Reagan campaigned and governed based on all the conservative principles:  less government, lower taxes, less regulation, more morality, new federalism (returning power from the federal government to the states), and a strong national defense (particularly against the communists).  Every year of his presidency had a major achievement, so much so that bumper stickers afterward were entitled "Eight Great Years" in reference to his Administration.  President Reagan was the only person who became '''''more''''' conservative the longer he was in power.

Bill Clinton should have enjoyed immense influence during this good time.  But his personal immorality caught up with him, in what became known as the "Monica Lewinsky" sex scandal.  Clinton had a sexual relationship with this young woman, who worked at the White House as an unpaid "intern".  When Clinton was asked about this under oath during a lawsuit, he lied about it.  That was perjury, a serious crime, and the House impeached Clinton near the end of 1998 for it.  But as happened to President Andrew Johnson about 130 years earlier, the Senate did not reach the 2/3rd vote needed to remove Clinton from office.

Bill Clinton should have enjoyed immense influence during this good time.  But his personal immorality caught up with him, in what became known as the "Monica Lewinsky" sex scandal.  Clinton had a sexual relationship with this young woman, who worked at the White House as an unpaid "intern".  When Clinton was asked about this under oath during a lawsuit, he lied about it.  That was perjury, a serious crime, and the House impeached Clinton near the end of 1998 for it.  But as happened to President Andrew Johnson about 130 years earlier, the Senate did not reach the 2/3rd vote needed to remove Clinton from office.

In spring 1999 at a public high school in Columbine, Colorado, two anti-Christian bigoted high school students massacred 12 students, one for believing in God, and a teacher.  Clinton and liberals seized on this event to push hard for gun control.  But in the presidential election in 2000, voters in the pro-gun, rural states of West Virginia, Tennessee and Arkansas remembered and voted against Democratic candidate Al Gore, causing him to lose the election.  Democratic strategists admitted after the election that the gun control issue really hurt them, and no leading Democrat pushed for gun control for the remainder of that decade.

In spring 1999 at a public high school in Columbine, Colorado, two hateful, atheistic high school students massacred 12 students, one for believing in God, and a teacher.  Clinton and liberals seized on this event to push hard for gun control.  But in the presidential election in 2000, voters in the pro-gun, rural states of West Virginia, Tennessee and Arkansas remembered and voted against Democratic candidate Al Gore, causing him to lose the election.  Democratic strategists admitted after the election that the gun control issue really hurt them, and no leading Democrat pushed for gun control for the remainder of that decade.

== 21st Century ==

== 21st Century ==

Culture drives politics, not the other way around.  Understanding shifts in culture are essential.  In colonial times, chivalry was a big part of culture, and duels were used to resolved disputes.  Alexander Hamilton died in a duel, and so did many other brilliant, good men.  Andrew Jackson and Abraham Lincoln both survived duels before they became president.  But eventually people turned against dueling and it was forbidden by law and banished by culture.

Culture drives politics, not the other way around.  Understanding shifts in culture are essential.  In colonial times, chivalry was a big part of culture, and duels were used to resolved disputes.  Alexander Hamilton died in a duel, and so did many other brilliant, good men.  Andrew Jackson and Abraham Lincoln both survived duels before they became president.  But eventually people turned against dueling and it was forbidden by law and banished by culture.

The Roaring Twenties saw a shift in culture and towards an assertion of women as a political and economic force.  Jazz music brought in more creativity in music.  By the 1960s, the hippie movement of long hair and rebellion by young adults was another shift.  "Pop culture" was captured in art by New York City resident Andy Warhol in his drawings of popular commercial items such as Campbell's soup can.  American Frank Lloyd Wright creative architecture, epitomized by the Guggenheim modern art museum in Manhattan which opened in 1959 and promotes itself as a “temple of spirit” where “radical art and architecture meet.”<ref>https://www.guggenheim.org/history</ref>

The Roaring Twenties saw a shift in culture and towards an assertion of women as a political and economic force.  Jazz music brought in more creativity in music.  By the 1960s, the hippie movement of long hair and rebellion by young adults was another shift.  "Pop culture" was captured in art by New York City resident Andy Warhol in his drawings of popular commercial items such as Campbell's soup can.  American Frank Lloyd Wright designed creative architecture, epitomized by the Guggenheim modern art museum in Manhattan which opened in 1959 and promotes itself as a “temple of spirit” where “radical art and architecture meet.”<ref>https://www.guggenheim.org/history</ref>

Donald Trump became a cultural icon in the 1990s with his successful buildings and bombastic style.  Beginning in 2004, he starred in a popular reality television show called ''The Apprentice'', whereby at the end of each segment he would fire someone.  He developed a large cultural following by his no-nonsense style with colorful humor.  He ran for president in 2016 on a platform to "Make America Great Again" by protecting American workers against so-called free trade, by ending illegal immigration, by appointing federal judges who are pro-life, and by rejecting claims of man-made global warming.

Donald Trump became a cultural icon in the 1990s with his successful buildings and bombastic style.  Beginning in 2004, he starred in a popular reality television show called ''The Apprentice'', whereby at the end of each segment he would fire someone.  He developed a large cultural following by his no-nonsense style with colorful humor.  He ran for president in 2016 on a platform to "Make America Great Again" by protecting American workers against so-called free trade, by ending illegal immigration, by appointing federal judges who are pro-life, and by rejecting claims of man-made global warming.

Trump was elected as president in 2016 to the astonishment of the media and pollsters, who predicted the Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton would win.  Newsweek magazine even preprinted a cover with Hillary Clinton as president on its cover.  After his election, the media stepped up their criticism of Trump and he became the first president to constantly criticize the media for its biased reporting.

Trump was elected as president in 2016 to the astonishment of the media and pollsters, who predicted the Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton would win.  Newsweek magazine even preprinted a cover with Hillary Clinton as president on its cover.  After his election, the media stepped up their criticism of Trump and he became the first president to constantly criticize the media for its biased reporting.

 

== The Supreme Court ==

== The Supreme Court ==

From about 1975 to the end of 2008, the Supreme Court has grown increasingly conservative (as has the nation, in your teacher's view).  The 7-2 vote by the Court in favor of unlimited legalized abortion in ''Roe v. Wade'' in 1972 had transformed, after the retirement and replacement of every Justice, into a 5-4 pro-life majority by Nov. 19, 2013, when the Supreme allowed a Texas pro-life law to take effect.  The Texas law prohibits abortion by anyone who lacks nearby hospital privileges to admit patients, and many abortionists lack nearby hospital privileges.

From about 1975 to the end of 2008, the Supreme Court has grown increasingly conservative (as has the Nation, in your teacher's view).  The 7-2 vote by the Court in favor of unlimited legalized abortion in ''Roe v. Wade'' in 1972 had transformed, after the retirement and replacement of every Justice, into a roughly evenly split Suprem Court on the issue today.

President George W. Bush appointed two strong conservatives to the Supreme Court during his presidency:  Chief Justice John Roberts and Samuel Alito, who is from New Jersey.  The liberal Justices tend to be older, while the more conservative Justices are younger.  But after 2008, President Obama nominated two young liberals to the Supreme Court, ensuring that this Court would be almost equally divided between conservatives and liberals for the foreseeable future.  Perhaps because it is nearly equally divided, the Supreme Court is accepting fewer cases for its review (''i.e.'', the Court is "denying ''cert.''" more often).

President George W. Bush appointed two conservatives to the Supreme Court during his presidency:  Chief Justice John Roberts and Samuel Alito, who is from New Jersey.  The liberal Justices tend to be older, while the more conservative Justices are younger.  But after 2008, President Obama nominated two young liberals to the Supreme Court, ensuring that the Court would continue to be evenly divided between conservatives and liberals.  Perhaps because it is nearly equally divided, the Supreme Court is accepting fewer cases for its review (''i.e.'', the Court is "denying ''cert.''" more often).

State supreme courts have been deciding the issue of same-sex marriage.  In 2003, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts ruled by a 4-3 margin, in ''Goodridge v. Dept. of Public Health'', that its state Constitution required issuing same-sex marriage licenses.  In 2008, a 4-3 vote of the California Supreme Court mandated marriage licenses for homosexual couples, but in November 2008 California voters overturned that decision by adding a provision ("Proposition 8") to the California Constitution specifying that marriage is between only a man and woman.  Most states have banned same-sex marriage, but the homosexual movement keeps pushing its agenda.  By 2013 about one-third of the states -- 16 out of 50 -- had imposed same-sex marriage, typically by judicial activism rather than legislation.

State supreme courts began deciding the issue of same-sex marriage.  In 2003, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts ruled by a 4-3 margin, in ''Goodridge v. Dept. of Public Health'', that its state Constitution required issuing same-sex marriage licenses.  In 2008, a 4-3 vote of the California Supreme Court mandated marriage licenses for homosexual couples, but in November 2008 California voters overturned that decision by adding a provision ("Proposition 8") to the California Constitution specifying that marriage is between only a man and woman.  Most states have banned same-sex marriage, but the homosexual movement keeps pushing its agenda.  By 2013 about one-third of the states -- 16 out of 50 -- had imposed same-sex marriage, typically by judicial activism rather than legislation.  Ultimately the U.S. Supreme Court declared same-sex marriage to be a constitutional right, in ''Obergefell v. Hodges'' (2015).

== A Very Brief History of America ==

== A Very Brief History of America ==