April 14, 2011 - Congress votes to pass the 2010-2011 budget after six months of negotiations, including $38 billion in fiscal year cuts. This vote was one of the first measures that showed the new dynamic of a U.S. House of Representatives in Republican hands that was focused, due to Tea Party member goals, to get the burgeoning federal deficit under control.
May 2, 2011 - Osama Bin Laden, mastermind of the 9/11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and other locations and leader of the terrorist group, Al-Queda, is killed after ten years of pursuit by United States and coalition forces during a raid by U.S. Navy Seals on his hideout location in Pakistan.
July 21, 2011 - The final shuttle flight lands at the Kennedy Space Center, signifying the end of the NASA shuttle space program. The program, which began in 1981 and included 135 missions, was completed when the Shuttle Atlantis flew its final mission to the International Space Station.
September 17, 2011 - The first of many Occupy Wall Street protests begin in New York City, protesting the big money interests on Wall Street and their relationship to the recession and world economy.
December 15, 2011 - The war in Iraq is declared over when President Obama orders the last combat troops to leave the country.
May 2, 2012 - At a New York auction house, the highest payment for a work of art, the Scream by Edwin March, is paid, costing $120 million dollars.
May 7, 2012 - The first licenses for cars without drivers is granted in the state of Nevada to Google. Autonomous cars were first introduced in concept during the 1939 World's Fair in New York City in the General Motors exhibit Futurama by Norman Bel Geddes. By September of 2012, three states had passed laws allowing such vehicles; Nevada, California, and Florida.
September 11, 2012 - Terrorist attack on a consulate in the Libyan city of Benghazi kills four Americans, including Ambassador John C. Stevens, showing the continued fight against Islamic extremism had not abated after the Arab Spring uprisings in the Middle East and deposing of dictators such as Muammar Gaddafi.
October 29, 2012 - Hurricane Sandy, taking an unusual track up the East Coast and coming to landfall on the New Jersey coast near Atlantic City and Long Island coasts of New York creates significant damage to coastal towns as well as the boroughs of Manhattan and Staten Island, to the estimated cost of $65.6 billion. The hurricane, at its peak a Category 2 storm, was the largest storm in recorded history by diameter at 1,100 miles.
November 6, 2012 - President Barack Obama wins a significant victory, 332 electoral votes to 206, for his second term in office against Republican challenger and businessman Mitt Romney. Congress remained status quo with divided government as the House of Representatives remained in Republican hands and the Senate in Democratic hands.
February 12, 2013 - Using a 3-D printer and cell cultures, American scientists at Cornell University grow a living ear.
April 15, 2013 - Two bombs explode near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, killing three and injuring hundreds in a terrorism attack coordinated by two brothers associated with radical Islam. The attack caused the shutdown of the city as police and federal officials searched and apprehended the suspects within four days of the attack.
May 17, 2013 - Congressional hearings begin on the IRS scandal of group targeting that began two years prior. The Internal Revenue Service is accused of targeting conservative groups for additional scrutiny in tax status matters, including groups like the Tea Party, whose stances include lower taxes and smaller government, plus other patriotic and religious organizations. This breach of protocol from a government agency where all U.S. citizens file taxes has caused concern from both Republican, Democrat, and independent political groups.
August 28, 2013 - One hundred thousand visitors throng to the Lincoln Memorial and the National Mall in Washington, D.C. for the 50th anniversary commemoration ceremony of Martin Luther King's “I Have a Dream" speech. Speakers at the anniversary include two former presidents; Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and current President Barack Obama, the first African American to hold the office. Nearly 250,000 people came to the original speech in 1963.
October 1, 2013 - The Affordable Care Act, Obamacare, begins registering people for the expanded federal government health insurance program despite a variety of waivers and problems in implementing the cumbersome rules and regulations of the program. Various states have decided to allow the federal government to run the exchanges for them, while some states and the District of Columbia set up their own exchanges to sell the policies.
On July 18th, Detroit became the largest city in the United States to ever file for bankruptcy protection.
2013 Fast-food workers strike: The first nationwide strike of fast-food workers for higher wages takes place in December in over 100 cities around the United States. The movement was built by a loose-knit group of labor advocates mostly led by the Service Employees International Union, who are pressing for an increase in the federal minimum wage, higher wages in the industry, and the right to unionize without management reprisals.
2014 - Colorado allows sale of pot: Colorado becomes the first state to allow the sale, possession, and use of recreational marijuana on January 1st. Dispensaries must be state licensed and regulated, and sales are taxed. It can only be smoked on private premises, with the permission of the owners. While marijuana is still illegal at the federal level, the federal government has said it will not interfere, so long as the drug remains within Colorado's borders.
2014 - Ice storms in southern U.S.: Unusually cold weather in February brought several catastrophic ice storms to the southern U.S., causing at least 18 deaths as well as traffic snarls, power outages, and cancelled flights.
2014 - Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia: Despite spending over $50 billion on readying the Black Sea resort town of Sochi for the Winter Olympics, many infrastructure problems remain. In particular, the hotels for athletes and media were not ready, with many sharing their problems with lack of disabled access, no water, stuck doors, strange toilets, etc., on social media.
2014 - BitCoin hacks: Virtual currency Bitcoin experiences growing pains as announcements are made about the disappearance of 850,000 bitcoins held by the Bitcoin exchange MtGox. Tokyo-based MtGox filed for bankruptcy in February after being hit by hackers over a period of several years, causing a drain of Bitcoins worth almost half a billion dollars. However, Bitcoin remains the most popular of the virtual currencies, and is often accepted by merchants for its public relations value.
2014 - Annexation of Crimea: Crimea was taken over by pro-Russian forces in late February after Ukraine's president was ousted, and declared independence from Ukraine in the middle of March, after a highly suspect referendum. Its independence was not recognized by the international community, with the exception of Russia, with which it signed a treaty of annexation. The annexation raised new fears of Russian irredentism, using the defense of ethnic Russians and Russian speakers as an excuse to regain territory lost by the former Soviet Union's breakup.
2014 - Gravity waves detected: The first detection of gravity waves from the universe's inflationary period was announced in March. If confirmed, the results would explain how the universe formed an apparent uniform structure in all directions and a flat geometry, but with enough variation that would lead to quantum fluctuations during inflation to create regions of different density (and thus galaxies and other stellar phenomena).
2014 - Flight MH370 disappears: On March 8th, Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 disappears en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, most likely crashing into the southern Indian Ocean and killing all 239 people on board. The flight's communications ended, and then the plane's transponder stopped working, possibly before the plane went off course.
2014 - Consumer confidence peaks: Consumer confidence in the U.S. reached its highest level since January 2008. The report of the Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index is based on a monthly survey by Nielsen, a leading analytics provider that tracks what consumers buy and watch.
2014 - Bin-Laden's son-in-law convicted: In a blow to the military tribunal system at Guantanamo Bay, Osama bin-Laden's son-in-law and designated spokesperson was charged, tried, and convicted within a year in a federal court in Manhattan. In March, he was found guilty of providing material support to al Qaeda and conspiring to kill Americans.
2014 - "McCutcheon v. FEC": On April 2nd, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in "McCutcheon v. FEC" that there can be no limits on the overall amount an individual can give to candidates. By overturning limits on overall contributions to federal candidates, parties, and PACs during a two-year period, the decision enables wealthy donors to contribute to as many candidates as they choose. This will have a profound impact on American campaigns and electoral politics, as those few people (only about 1,200) who approached the aggregate contribution limit in the past were most likely to be extremely wealthy, white, male, and from the wealthiest areas of the country, particularly Wall Street. Other Americans are not likely to fare as well under the ruling: the Center for Responsive Politics reported that "[w]omen tend to make up a larger percentage of the donor pool when contribution amounts are limited by law." At issue is the amount of money that is spent to influence voting and the responsiveness of elected officials to those who do not contribute to their campaigns.
2014 - Iran complies with nuclear deal: In mid-April, the IAEA reported that Iran has significantly reduced its stockpile of near bomb-grade enriched uranium and has taken faster steps than required to comply with an interim nuclear deal that substantially limits its capacity to make a nuclear weapon. Iran has moved more quickly than required to dispose of remaining stocks by mid-July, when another round of negotiations is expected to end with a permanent deal.
2014 - "Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action" On April 22nd, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld by a 6-2 decision a Michigan constitutional ban on race-conscious affirmative action programs. The case involved a challenge to a statewide referendum, Proposal 2, which amended the Michigan constitution. By a 58% majority, voters barred state officials, including officials at state universities, from discriminating against, or granting preferential treatment to, anyone on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, sex, or national origin. Affirmative action supporters filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking to block enforcement of the statewide ban on the grounds that it violated the Constitution's Equal Protection Clause by changing the political process in a way that made it more difficult for minority groups to obtain race-based preferences in college admissions. In a stinging dissent, Justice Sotomayor wrote "The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to speak openly and candidly on the subject of race, and to apply the Constitution with eyes open to the unfortunate effects of centuries of racial discrimination... [W]e ought not sit back and wish away, rather than confront, the racial inequality that exists in our society. It is this view that works harm, by perpetuating the facile notion that what makes race matter is acknowledging the simple truth that race does matter."
2014 - Shrinking American middle class: A report by the New York Times in April noted that middle-class incomes were substantially lower in the U.S. than in Canada, and the gap between median income in the U.S. and in Europe was growing narrower. It also reported that the poor in much of Europe earn more than poor Americans. The report was based on the results of a survey of household incomes in about 20 countries over 35 years, taking into account inflation, differences in taxes, government benefits, and cost of living in different locations.
2014 - Palestinian Authority acknowledges holocaust: In late April, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas took the unprecedented step of acknowledging the Holocaust as "the most heinous crime" of the modern era. However, peace negotiations remained out of reach, as the Palestinian Authority, which is run by the Fatah political party, also announced a reconciliation agreement with Hamas, the organization that runs Gaza. Hamas does not recognize Israel's right to exist.
2014 - U.S. economy contracts: The U.S. economy contracted in the first quarter of 2014, with GDP shrinking at a 2.9% annual rate. The worst performance since the recession reflected a far slower pace of inventory accumulation and a bigger than previously estimated trade deficit, and was blamed on the extreme winter weather and a drop in health-care spending.
2014 - Heartbleed security flaw prompts policy shift: The revelation of the "Heartbleed" internet security flaw in OpenSSL prompted an apparent policy change by the United States. Rather than stockpiling cyber-vulnerabilities -- identifying obscure flaws in computer code which are then used to construct "exploits" (cyber-weapons or tools used to spy on or damage computer networks) -- the United States will begin evaluating and revealing such threats publicly. The evaluations will supposedly hinge on whether keeping a particular flaw hidden will leave U.S. businesses and networks open to attack.
2014 - "EPA v. EME Homer City Generation": On April 29th, in a 6-2 decision, the Supreme Court endorsed the EPA's Cross-State Air Pollution Rule that seeks to limit power-plant emissions in 28 upwind Eastern and Midwestern states to help reduce air pollution levels in downwind states. The regulation relies on cost-benefit analysis rather than limiting its approach to the amount of pollution each state emits, and falls under the so-called Good Neighbor Provision of the Clean Air Act.
2014 - Rebels lose ground in Syrian civil war: In May, Syrian rebels leave the last opposition-held enclaves in Homs, ending three years of resistance in the "capital of the revolution".
2014 - Rebels declare independence in Ukraine: Separatist rebels in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts have declared themselves independent republics. The People's Republic of Donetsk (in eastern Ukraine) declares its independence in a highly suspect referendum. Two hours after the votes were all allegedly counted, it requested to join the Russian Federation.
2014 - "Town of Greece v. Galloway" On May 5th, the Supreme Court decides 5-4 in "Town of Greece v. Galloway" that public meetings that begin with explicitly Christian prayers do not violate the Establishment Clause of the 1st Amendment. This means that sectarian content is permissible within America's longstanding tradition of public invocations and official prayer; therefore putting in jeopardy the commitment to tolerance and neutrality that made that tradition possible. Analysts fear that the ruling enables groups to offer tit-for-tat expressions of deeply held but deeply opposed beliefs, as they force others to pray with them at public meetings.
2014 - Wildfire season starts early in California: A prolonged drought in southern California coupled with high temperatures and winds created the perfect conditions for wildfires. Thousands of people in San Diego County were forced to evacuate, as fire engulfed the town of Carlsbad and affected the Camp Pendleton military base and the San Onofre nuclear power plant.
2014 - Fast-food workers strike again: In mid-May, fast-food workers went on strike in dozens of U.S. cities and in locations around the world. Workers, who are some of the most poorly paid in the service industry, want a living wage (enough to support an adult who works full-time) and workplace rights. The drive to unionize and to raise wages beyond the minimum is taking place in the middle of an international debate on the effects of income inequality.
2014 - European Union rules on "Right to be Forgotten": The European Union Court of Justice (the EU's highest court) ruled that people have a right to be forgotten online. In the case, a man sued Google because personally unflattering information from his distant past was appearing in current searches of his name. The court agreed that privacy was undermined by Google's current policy, and that people should be able to request that publicly available information such as newspaper archives and court documents not be shown in search results (to find such information, a searcher would have to go to the individual sites and look for it).
2014 - Same-sex marriage survives court challenges: In repeated blows to state bans on same-sex marriage, federal judges in Utah, Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia, Michigan, Idaho, Oregon, and Pennsylvania have struck down state efforts to protect the traditional definition of marriage as a union of husband and wife, and in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Ohio have invalidated state laws that prevented recognition of same-sex marriages from other states. In addition, a state judge in Arkansas declared that state's ban unconstitutional.
2014 - Euroskeptics win European Union vote: Euroskeptic voters in European Union parliament voted more for right-wing, nationalist parties than ever before. MEPs from the Front National in France, the Party for Freedom (PVV) from the Netherlands, the Freedom Party (FPO) of Austria, the Lega Nord from Italy, and the Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) from Belgium now have a total of 38 seats out of 751. Many analysts blame the rise of proto-fascist parties on the continuing economic crisis and on resistance to cultural change due to immigration.
2014 - El-Sisi wins in Egypt: The defeated candidate in Egypt's presidential election accepted defeat by the nation's former military chief, but said turnout figures announced by the government are not credible. Left-wing politician Hamdeen Sabahi said there were serious violations in the vote, but not enough to significantly change the outcome -- a crushing victory for the retired field marshal Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. El-Sisi took more than 92% of the vote, while Sabahi won 2.9%, according to el-Sisi's campaign.
2014 - CDC reports a 20-year high in measles: In late May, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 288 cases of measles in the first five months of 2014 -- a 20-year high. Measles had been eradicated in the U.S. in 2000; the current increase is driven by unvaccinated people who get measles in other countries, bring the virus back to the United States, and spread it to others in communities where many people are not vaccinated.
2014 - ISIS takes territory in Iraq: In early June, jihadist militant group Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) leads a Sunni coalition as it gains territory in Iraq, taking control of Mosul (Iraq's second largest city), Baiji, Tikrit, Ramadi, Fallujah, and advancing on the capital, Baghdad. Their operational presence stretches from Syria on the Turkish border through Iraq, and includes oil fields and refineries, a foothold for ISIS's goal of creating an Islamic caliphate (which was declared later in the month). Their success is more an indication of the failures of the Iraqi government, which has pursued policies that discriminate against minority Sunnis, than as an indication of popular support for their extremism.
2014 - "Riley v. California": On June 25th, in the case "Riley v. California," the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the police may not generally search the cell phones of people they arrest without first getting search warrants. Their decision, in late June, was a victory for privacy advocates. In particular, the decision written by Chief Justice Roberts said that "cell phones differ in both a quantitative and a qualitative sense from other objects that might be carried on an arrestee's person... today many of the more than 90% of American adults who own cell phones keep on their person a digital record of nearly every aspect of their lives."
2014 - "Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores" On June 30th, in the case "Burwell v Hobby Lobby Stores," the Supreme Court ruled that "closely held" for-profit companies can hold religious objections that exempt them from a legal requirement that covers birth control. The requirement is part of "Obamacare," and says that companies with 50 or more employees must either offer a health insurance plan that pays for contraception at no charge to the worker or pay a fine.
2014 - Japanese re-interpret anti-war constitution: In early July, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pushes through parliament a reinterpretation of the pacifist constitution. The Japanese constitution prohibits the use of force to resolve conflicts except in cases of self-defense. The reinterpretation will allow "collective self-defense" -- using force to defend allies under attack.
Art
Statue of Liberty
Editorial Change
Art "Statue of Liberty" 4th paragraph revised
Original paragraph: The poem, along with the monument's placement in New York Harbor, have made the Statue of Liberty into a universal symbol of hope and freedom for immigrants coming to America as well as for people seeking freedom around the world.
Revised paragraph: The poem, along with the monument's placement in New York Harbor, have made the Statue of Liberty into a universal symbol of hope and freedom for immigrants coming to America as well as for people seeking freedom around the world. For Americans, the Statue of Liberty has become a symbol of pride -- an icon of patriotism -- celebrating such ideals as liberty, peace, human rights, democracy, and opportunity.
Art
Iwo Jima Memorial
Editorial Change
Art "Iwo Jima Memorial" 2nd paragraph revised
Original paragraph: The Iwo Jima Memorial captures Joe Rosenthal's Pulitzer Prize winning photograph of five marines and a navy corpsman raising the American flag on Mount Suribachi February 23rd. Felix DeWeldon, the architect responsible for turning Rosenthal's picture into statue form at a cost of $850,000, completed the Iwo Jima Memorial in 1954. Of the six flag raisers, only three survived the battle.
Revised paragraph: The Iwo Jima Memorial captures Joe Rosenthal's Pulitzer Prize winning photograph of five marines and a navy corpsman raising the American flag on Mount Suribachi February 23rd. Felix DeWeldon, the architect responsible for turning Rosenthal's picture into statue form at a cost of $850,000, completed the Iwo Jima Memorial in 1954. It was dedicated to all personnel of the United States Marine Corp who have died in the defense of the United States since 1775 -- and has become a source of pride and a symbol of patriotism. Of the six flag raisers, only three survived the battle.
Additional Project #111
Editorial Change
Additonal project #11 modified:
Original project: 11. Governments often use propaganda to motivate people to fight for their country. Select a country that was involved in World War II and create a piece of propaganda (song, poster, announcement, etc.) that promotes nationalism.
Revised project:11. Governments often try to motivate their citizens to fight for their country. Select a country that was involved in World War II and create a song, poster, announcement, etc. that promotes patriotism. Would this be considered propaganda? Why or why not?
Ch.1-Overview
Section "The Growth of the Railroad" Revised paragraph #2/last sentence
Original paragraph: Congress encouraged the development of the railroad industry in the West with federal loans and land grants. They chartered the first transcontinental railroad in 1862 (although not much was actually accomplished for a while because of the Civil War). Asian immigration increased because of the need for railway construction workers to complete the western end of the transcontinental railroad. Many Chinese laborers worked on this portion of the line. The Union Pacific Railroad (which built eastward from Omaha, Nebraska) and the Central Pacific Railroad (which built westward from Sacramento, California) were joined at Promontory Point, Utah in 1869, creating the first transcontinental railroad in the U.S.
Factual error
Revised paragraph: Congress encouraged the development of the railroad industry in the West with federal loans and land grants. They chartered the first transcontinental railroad in 1862 (although not much was actually accomplished for a while because of the Civil War). Asian immigration increased because of the need for railway construction workers to complete the western end of the transcontinental railroad. Many Chinese laborers worked on this portion of the line. The Union Pacific Railroad (which built eastward from Sacramento, California) and the Central Pacific Railroad (which built westward from Omaha, Nebraska) were joined at Promontory Point, Utah in 1869, creating the first transcontinental railroad in the U.S.
Notable People
Original: Bush, George W. (1946 --)George W. Bush, 43rd president of the United States, is the son of George H.W. Bush, 41st president of the United States. He grew up in Midland, Texas, and went on to earn a bachelor's degree at Yale University and a master of business administration at Harvard University. In the mid-1970s, he founded an oil and gas exploration company in Texas, taking time off in the late 1980s to work on his father's presidential campaign. For five years, he served as managing general partner of the Texas Rangers baseball franchise, before being elected governor of Texas in 1994. He was re-elected in 1998 and then soon began a campaign for the presidency of the United States. In 2000, Bush was elected 43rd president of the United States in one of the narrowest and most controversial elections in American history. Although he ran on a largely domestic agenda, Bush's presidency was largely consumed by foreign policy issues. Bush gained in popularity after the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001. Many Americans felt that he showed strong leadership through America's response to the attacks. This response included taking steps to oust the Taliban government of Afghanistan, which had sheltered terrorist training camps and Osama bin Laden, the leader of the terrorist group (al Qaeda) thought to be responsible for the September 11th attacks. In 2003, President Bush convinced the United Nations to adopt a strong resolution requiring Iraq to disarm and advocated a war on Iraq for its failure to comply. Despite opposition from many major European nations, he ordered an attack on Iraq in March 2003. The 2004 election was considered by many to be a referendum on the war in Iraq, with Bush's opponent referring to it as "the wrong war in the wrong place at the wrong time." Although Bush won re-election, the continuing casualties and perceived lack of progress led to low approval ratings during his second term in office. In 2009, he was succeeded by Barack Obama.
Editorial Change
Modified bio for George W. Bush Revised:Bush, George W. (1946 --)George W. Bush, 43rd president of the United States, is the son of George H.W. Bush, 41st president of the United States. He grew up in Midland, Texas, and went on to earn a bachelor's degree at Yale University and a master of business administration at Harvard University. In the mid-1970s, he founded an oil and gas exploration company in Texas, taking time off in the late 1980s to work on his father's presidential campaign. For five years, he served as managing general partner of the Texas Rangers baseball franchise, before being elected governor of Texas in 1994. He was re-elected in 1998 and then soon began a campaign for the presidency of the United States. In 2000, Bush was elected 43rd president of the United States in one of the narrowest and most controversial elections in American history. Although he ran on a largely domestic agenda, Bush's presidency was largely consumed by foreign policy issues. Bush gained in popularity after the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001. Many Americans felt that he showed strong leadership through America's response to the attacks. This response included taking steps to oust the
Taliban government of Afghanistan, which had sheltered terrorist training camps and Osama bin Laden, the leader of the
terrorist group (al Qaeda) thought to be responsible for the September 11th attacks. In 2003, President Bush convinced
the United Nations to adopt a strong resolution requiring Iraq to disarm and advocated a war on Iraq for its failure to
comply. Despite opposition from many major European nations, he ordered an attack on Iraq in March 2003. The 2004
election was considered by many to be a referendum on the war in Iraq, with Bush's opponent referring to it as "the
wrong war in the wrong place at the wrong time." Although Bush won re-election, the continuing casualties and
perceived lack of progress led to low approval ratings during his second term in office. These tended to overshadow his accomplishments in counterterrorism, educational reform, the establishment of a Medicare prescription drug program, and his AIDS relief program. In 2009, he was succeeded by Barack Obama.
Notable People
Modified bio for Katie Couric--Modified 5th & last 2 sentences
Original:Couric, Katie (1957 --)Katie Couric was the first woman to solo anchor a network evening news program. She began her national on-screen career as a Deputy Pentagon Correspondent for NBC News, with occasional stints as a guest anchor on the "Today" show. Eventually she became a permanent anchor on the "Today" show. In 2006, CBS hired Couric away from NBC to anchor the CBS "Evening News" program. Couric also contributes to CBS's "60 Minutes" weekly investigative news program. When hired, Couric was the most highly paid news anchor in history. Over the course of her career she has won multiple Emmys, an Associated Press award, a Peabody Award, and the Edward R. Murrow Award for best newscast. Famous for being a tough interviewer, one of her best-known was a (2008) multi-part interview with then vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, which many people believe (negatively) changed the public's perception of Governor Palin. In 2011 she moved to ABC where she presently hosts a daytime talk show.
Editorial Change
Revised: Couric, Katie (1957 --)Katie Couric was the first woman to solo anchor a network evening news program. She began her national on-screen career as a Deputy Pentagon Correspondent for NBC News, with occasional stints as a guest anchor on the "Today" show. Eventually she became a permanent anchor on the "Today" show. In 2006, CBS hired Couric away from NBC to anchor the CBS "Evening News" program. Couric also contributed to CBS's "60 Minutes" weekly investigative news program. When hired, Couric was the most highly paid news anchor in history. Over the course of her career she has won multiple Emmys, an Associated Press award, a Peabody Award, and the Edward R. Murrow Award for best newscast. Famous for being a tough interviewer, one of her best-known was a (2008) multi-part interview with then vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, which many people believe (negatively) changed the public's perception of Governor Palin. In 2011, she moved to ABC where she hosted a daytime talk show from 2012 to 2014. She is presently a global news anchor for Yahoo News in partnership with ABC News.
Notable People
Current bio: Gates, William H. "Bill," III (1955 --) Born in Seattle, Washington, Bill Gates wrote his first computer program at age 13. He continued to show a precocious ability with computers in high school. He was one of a group of students who wrote a payroll system for the school. As a Harvard University undergraduate, he and Paul Allen adapted the mainframe programming language BASIC for the first microcomputers in 1975. Gates dropped out of Harvard and Allen quit his job to found a new company, Microsoft, to develop and sell microcomputer software. In 1980, IBM chose Microsoft's MS-DOS as the operating system for its first microcomputers, which were very successful. MS-DOS was followed by the Windows operating system, which had a graphical user interface. Microsoft today is the world's dominant developer and marketer of computer systems and applications, particularly operating systems and office suite packages. Gates became one of the richest men in the world, with $75 billion in personal assets by 1999. Some people view him favorably as a successful business owner, while others feel that Microsoft has used unfair marketing tactics to attain and keep its prominence. In 1998, the Justice Department charged Microsoft with violations of the Sherman Antitrust Act. In November 2001, Microsoft and the government reached a settlement. Gates, through his eponymous foundation, is the world's largest philanthropist. In 2005, the Gates Foundation had over $29 billion in assets and had distributed over $10 billion in areas including tuberculosis, AIDS, childhood nutrition, the development of small high schools and higher education. In 2005, Gates was granted an honorary knighthood by the Queen of England for his philanthropic work. In 2008, Gates started transitioning from full-time work at Microsoft to full-time work at the Gates Foundation. In 2014 he stepped down as Chairman of Microsoft, assuming a position as technology advisor.
Editorial Change
Modified bio for Bill Gates--Added last 2 sentences: "In 2008, Gates started transitioning from full-time work at Microsoft to full-time work at the Gates Foundation. In 2014 he stepped down as Chairman of Microsoft, assuming a position as technology advisor."
Notable People
Current bio:Milk, Harvey (1930-1978)Harvey Milk was among the first openly gay elected officials in the United States. Originally from Woodmere, New York, and educated at the New York College for Teachers (now the State University of New York at Albany), Milk served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War and then drifted from job to job and place to place before settling in San Francisco and opening a camera shop. As a small business owner, Milk became angered by the treatment individuals and small businesses received from the city government, which protected the interests of large corporations. A charismatic speaker, he was moved to become active in civic associations and politics, becoming known in his neighborhood as the "Mayor of Castro Street." He served as an appointed official on the Board of Permit Appeals and eventually won a position in 1977 on the Board of Supervisors (San Francisco's city council), campaigning on individual freedom, the promotion of small business, and quality-of-life issues. But Milk's major impact was in openly campaigning for civil rights for gays and lesbians, at a time when many states and cities had and enforced criminal laws against them. He urged gays and lesbians to be visible in public life, and to openly fight discrimination wherever it was found. Milk and Mayor George Moscone were assassinated in 1978 by a disgruntled former city supervisor, Dan White. A sympathetic jury found White guilty of voluntary manslaughter, a verdict that prompted rioting in San Francisco.
Editorial Change
Modified bio for Harvey Milk--Modified 1st sentence by changing "Milk was the first" to "Milk was among the first"
Notable People
Current bio: Kerry, John F. (1943 --)After he graduated from Yale University in 1966 with a degree in political science, Kerry volunteered for the navy (1966-1970), became a lieutenant, and served in Vietnam. Kerry's military experience reinforced his early anti-war opinions, and once back in the U.S., he was the first Vietnam War veteran to testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in April 1971. Kerry became a prominent leader and spokesperson of the anti-war movement. After being defeated in a bid for a congressional seat in 1972, Kerry entered Boston College Law School. After graduation in 1976, he worked as a prosecutor in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, and then in a private law firm. In 1982, he was elected lieutenant governor of the state along with Michael Dukakis as governor. In 1984, he won election to the U.S. Senate and has continued to win re-election since, serving to 2013 when he resigned to become Secretary of State. In 2003-2004, Kerry sought and obtained the Democratic presidential nomination, then ran against incumbent George W. Bush. In a close-fought campaign that ended in a cliff-hanger election, Kerry narrowly lost with 48% of the popular vote and 252 electoral votes to Bush's 51% (popular vote) and 286 electoral votes. As Secretary of State, he has been deeply involved in Middle East affairs.
Editorial Change
Modified bio for John Kerry--Added the last sentence "As Secretary of State, he has been deeply involved in Middle East affairs."
Notable People
Original:Murdoch, Rupert (1931 --) Born in Melbourne, Australia, to Australian gentry, Rupert Murdoch was educated at Oxford and returned to Australia to manage the family's holdings on the death of his father. Murdoch's media empire has grown to include newspaper, film, television, Internet, and radio holdings in Great Britain and America. Some of the more well-known outlets owned by Murdoch's News Corporation are BSkyB (British satellite television), Twentieth Century Fox, the New York Post, MySpace.com, and the Fox News Network. Not only is News Corp. unique among multinational media companies in being family owned and controlled, but the sheer scope of its holdings have generated much concern about reporting bias and vulgarity. Murdoch's influence has also grown politically, as he and his company generally favor the Republican Party's policies and candidates in the U.S.
Editorial Change
Modified bio for Rupert Murdoch--modified 3rd & last sentence
Revised:Murdoch, Rupert (1931 --) Born in Melbourne, Australia, to Australian gentry, Rupert Murdoch was educated at Oxford and returned to Australia to manage the family's holdings on the death of his father. Murdoch's media empire has grown to include newspaper, film, television, Internet, and radio holdings in Great Britain and America. Some of the more well-known outlets owned by Murdoch's News Corporation (or 21st Century Fox, a company spun off from News Corp. in 2013 that Murdoch also controls) are BSkyB (British satellite television), Twentieth Century Fox, the New York Post, MySpace.com, and the Fox News Network. Not only is News Corp. unique among multinational media companies in being family owned and controlled, but the sheer scope of its holdings have generated much concern about reporting bias and vulgarity. Murdoch's influence has also grown politically, as he and his companies generally favor the Republican Party's policies and candidates in the U.S.
Notable People
Current bio: Palin, Sarah L. (1964 --)Palin was the governor of Alaska, and the Republican candidate for vice-president in 2008. Born in Idaho and raised in Alaska, Palin was a runner-up in the Miss Alaska contest before she graduated from the University of Idaho and became a TV sports reporter in Anchorage. Her first elected position was on the Wasilla city council, running on a platform of no tax hikes. She became mayor of Wasilla (pop. 10,000) in 1996, ran for lieutenant governor in 2002, and was appointed to the state's Oil and Gas Conservation Commission in 2003. However, she resigned that position in 2004 in protest against the lack of ethics in statewide politicians. She was elected the first female governor of Alaska in 2006. McCain picked her as his vice-presidential candidate in August 2008, but she faced withering criticism about her lack of preparation for the job, including her lack of knowledge about international relations. She abruptly announced her departure from the governor's office in July 2009, with more than a year left in her term. In November 2009 Palin released her autobiography, "Going Rogue: An American Life," which became a best seller. Palin remains active in national politics and broadcasting.
Editorial Change
Modified bio for Sarah Palin--Added last sentence. "Palin remains active in national politics and broadcasting."
Notable People
Current bio Winfrey, Oprah (1954 --)Winfrey, the "queen of daytime television," is a self-made billionaire TV host and actress from rural Mississippi who has America's No. 1 talk show, with 48 million viewers a week. Winfrey was born to unwed teenage parents and lived with her grandmother in rural Mississippi until she was six; she then went to live with her mother. This was a painful period in Winfrey's life, as she suffered sexual abuse from relatives, and later a teenage pregnancy of her own. (Her son died in infancy.) At the age of 14, she was sent to live with her father, and began to excel in school; she also began working as a news broadcaster for a local radio station. She won a full scholarship to Tennessee State University, where she studied communication. After college, Winfrey worked her way through local television broadcasting in Nashville and Baltimore before moving to the lucrative Chicago market, where the talk show she began to host in 1984 quickly became a hit that went to national syndication. Winfrey's show blends advice, compassion, support, and broadly inclusive spirituality, where other daytime talk shows tend to emphasize sensationalism, and has highlighted the importance of consumers using their purchasing power to work for social and political change. Her influence extends far beyond television to her magazines and online sites: her book club's picks become instant bestsellers, and her political support can help win presidential campaigns. She ended her talk show in 2011, after 25 seasons. In 2013, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Editorial Change
Modified bio for Oprah Winfrey--Added last sentence " In 2013, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom."
Documents
Editorial Change
New Document: "Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg County Board of Education"
More than a decade after the Supreme Court's decision in 1954 in Brown v. Board of Education ended de jure segregation; public schools in America were de facto still largely segregated. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg, North Carolina, school system was typical: of the more than 84,000 students in 107 schools in the 1968-1969 school year, only 29% (24,000) of the pupils were black. However, 14,000 of these black students attended 21 schools that were at least 99% black. While the constitutional mandate to desegregate did not require all schools in a district to reflect exactly the district’s racial composition, the federal district court required school authorities to come up with a plan that would erase the effects of state-imposed segregation. A series of plans from multiple sources including court-appointed experts were formulated, and the final plan that the judge accepted required busing a much larger number of elementary school students than other plans, to which the school board objected.
The school district and the plaintiffs appealed the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, asking them to rule on the main questions of the duties of school authorities to combat the effects of residential segregation, and the constitutional authorization of federal courts to oversee and produce remedies for state-imposed segregation. The Court held unanimously that the 14th Amendment gave district courts broad powers to remedy past wrongs, and that school district authorities had to eliminate racial distinctions in faculty, staff, transportation, facilities, and extracurricular activities. The use of busing to achieve the goal of integration was an especially controversial decision, as southern states had previously forced black students to be bused extremely long distances in order to attend black schools -- making white students take buses out of district was seen as retribution.
The result of the decision was a school system that excelled, and was a tremendous source of local pride -- students from Charlotte-Mecklenburg even invited observers from the school system in Boston to see how integration should be done. However, in 2002, the decision was abrogated. The plaintiffs in Belk v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education charged that the school system had become desegregated and that remedial techniques to combat residential segregation such as busing and racial quotas had thus been rendered unnecessary. A federal court of appeals agreed with the plaintiffs. When the ruling was challenged, the Supreme Court refused to hear the case and thereby upheld the lower court's ruling. This allowed the school district to resume assigning students to schools in their neighborhood -- in effect re-segregating the Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools and causing a precipitous decline in overall quality.
Questions:
1. What was the Supreme Court’s decision on the district courts’ powers?
2. What were the main points of the Board Plan? of the Finger Plan?
3. What were the criteria by which the Supreme Court ruled desegregation plans would be judged by?
New Chronology
Editorial Change
New Chronology entry: "1866"14th Amendment to U.S. Constitution proposed - This amendment defined citizenship and for the first time, guaranteed citizenship for African-Americans by stipulating that anyone born in the United States or naturalized as a citizen was entitled to the same rights and privileges. The Federal Government was given power to protect the rights of all citizens from arbitrary actions of the states. Ratification was completed on July 9th.
New Chronology entry: "1869"U.S. Congress proposed the 15th Amendment - The 15th Amendment would forbid states from depriving citizens of the right to vote because of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. Ratification was completed on February 3, 1870.
New Chronology entry: "1913"Henry Ford (American) installs the assembly line for mass production of the Model T car. The following year, Ford gave his workers a large raise as part of a publicity move to introduce the assembly line to Americans.
Tutorial
Editorial Change
Changed name of "The War on Terror" to "The U.S. War on Terror" and modified sections:
> Introduction: 1st paragraph/last sentence and 2nd paragraph/1st sentence modified
> September 11, 2001: 2nd paragraph, added 2nd to last sentence "In 2000, they conducted a suicide bomb attack on the destroyer U.S.S. Cole in the Yemeni port of Aden."
> Iraq: 2nd paragraph, added to the end "(In the decade to....was ongoing.)"
> Iran: 4th paragraph, last sentence was modified
> Policy Changes: 1st paragraph modified & split into 2 paragraphs / name of present Secretary of Homeland Security was updated.**See changes below:
Introduction
There has been much disagreement, especially in recent years, about what acts are considered to be acts of terrorism. The saying that "one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter" refers to the fact that acts of violence by small groups may be perceived differently depending on the identity of the individuals responsible and their purpose in carrying out acts of violence. However, one commonly accepted definition is that acts of terrorism are acts of violence specifically designed to cause fear. Although the U.S. had experience with terrorism for a number of years, the most defining moment is often considered to be the attacks on September 11, 2001. In a single day, almost 3,000 Americans lost their lives, and an American landmark was reduced to rubble. These attacks inspired a new foreign policy focused on eliminating global terrorism by targeting both the individuals responsible, as well as the national governments that offered those individuals aid and protection. This new approach dictated much of U.S. government policy in the early 21st century -- both foreign and domestic. In this tutorial, you will have an opportunity to examine the origins of the American "Global War on Terror." You will be introduced to how the events on September 11th spurred American determination to address the issue of terrorism that led to conflict both at home and across the globe.
September 11th, 2001
While U.S. history is filled with critical events that impact many Americans on an almost daily basis, from time to time an occurrence is so monumental that it can literally define a generation's historical experience. Millions of Americans can recall where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news that President John F. Kennedy had been assassinated. The events of September 11th would find themselves imprinted in many memories the same way. On that Tuesday morning, as many people were on their way to work, 19 terrorists participated in the hijacking of four commercial airplanes. Two of those airplanes were flown into the World Trade Center Twin Towers in New York City. One of the airplanes was flown into the Pentagon building in Washington, D.C. The fourth plane crashed into a field in Pennsylvania after the passengers wrestled control from the hijackers. All told, almost 3,000 people died because of the attacks on September 11th.
The attacks were orchestrated by members of the organization called al Qaeda, headed by a man named Osama bin Laden. Bin Laden had a long career of involvement in militant Islamic groups dating back to his joining the mujahideen (freedom fighters) in their efforts to drive Soviet forces out of Afghanistan. After years of bitter conflict, the Soviet Union withdrew from Afghanistan and bin Laden returned to his home country of Saudi Arabia, which soon became a center of activity in the wake of Saddam Hussein's 1990 invasion of Kuwait. Angered by the continued presence of U.S. troops on Saudi soil, bin Laden began actively supporting attacks on the United States as well as financing militant Islamic groups that shared his belief in the importance of jihad (holy war). In 1998, al Qaeda sponsored attacks on U.S. embassies in East Africa, bringing the group to the attention of the Clinton administration. In 2000, they conducted a suicide bomb attack on the destroyer U.S.S. Cole in the Yemeni port of Aden. After the September 11th attacks, evidence emerged that linked bin Laden and al Qaeda to this attack.
The War on Terror Begins -- NO CHANGES
Afghanistan
The American military action in Afghanistan began with a joint air operation with Great Britain. British and American air forces (with support from other nations) took control of Afghani airspace and began deploying ground troops to overthrow the Taliban government. Efforts were made to unite with pre-existing anti-Taliban Afghanis (the Northern Alliance), as well as to provide food and supplies to civilians in an effort to win support for the effort to depose the government.
Initial efforts were successful and the combined force quickly seized control of most of Afghanistan, including the capital city of Kabul. Members of the Taliban and al Qaeda that were captured by the coalition were sent to an extraterritorial American detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where they could be held indefinitely without violating constitutional due process. A U.S.-backed interim government (led by Hamid Karzai) was put into place after the fall of the Taliban. Members of the Taliban that did survive and avoided capture hid in remote areas, in some cases seeking refuge in neighboring Pakistan. The conflict continued as the U.S.-backed Karzai government's control was largely localized around Kabul and Taliban forces sought to win back control of the country. The escalation of violence prompted a resurgence of American forces in the beginning of 2006 and again in 2009.
The Axis of Evil -- NO CHANGES
Iraq
The change in the focus of the War on Terror to Iraq officially stemmed from two issues: whether the Iraqi government had played any part in the September 11th attacks; and whether Iraq was in the process of developing weapons of mass destruction. Weapons of mass destruction refer to weapons that can kill large numbers of people and/or cause great damage, whether it be nuclear, biological, or chemical. One of the reasons President Bush cited Iraq as a member of the "axis of evil" was because he said they had continued to develop such weapons in defiance of United Nations resolutions requiring them to surrender or destroy all such arms. In response, Bush attempted to resurrect the coalition force that had gone to war against Iraq in 1991. However, whereas in 1990 Iraq had violated the sovereignty of another nation (Kuwait), allegations of arms violations in 2002 failed to attract the same level of participation. Some countries did not feel that the accusations were credible, while others felt that U.N. weapons inspectors needed more time to ascertain if Iraq was indeed producing weapons of mass destruction. By early 2003, however, the United States government decided that the time to wait was over.
In March 2003, a coalition of largely American and British troops invaded Iraq, with the express goal of unseating the regime of Saddam Hussein. Many Iraqis welcomed the coalition as their liberators, though a significant number of Hussein loyalists pursued a strategy of guerrilla warfare. With Hussein and his allies in full flight, in May 2003 President Bush declared the operation in Iraq to be a victory. Despite this declaration, civil disorder and chaos ran rampant in the wake of the government's collapse. Looting and rioting were widespread, complicated by an increase in sectarian violence among rival religious factions. The majority of American casualties in Iraq actually came after the president's formal declaration of victory. Meanwhile, coalition forces found no evidence of the production of weapons of mass destruction, which the Bush administration had insisted was present in Iraq. Nor was there any evidence found that would link Iraq to the events of September 11th. (In the decade to come, American troops would uncover long abandoned remnants of Hussein's original 1980s weapons program. However, this was NOT evidence of the active weapons program that the Bush administration claimed was ongoing.)
Iran
In 1979, Islamists seized control of Iran and replaced its monarchy with a theocracy (religious government) under the guardianship of a religious cleric Since the 1979 Islamic revolution Iran has made no secret of its desire to spread its guardianship of a religious cleric. Since the 1979 Islamic revolution, Iran has made no secret of its desire to spread its radical version of Islam throughout the region. Its revolution appealed to Muslims dissatisfied with corruption in their governments and concerned about Western culture and values influencing their culture. Consequently, the Iranian revolution sparked Islamic revolutionary movements in neighboring countries.
The U.S. had been an active supporter of Iran's previous ruler, and thus became an active target for those supporting the revolution. Relations with the new Islamic Republic began badly when demonstrators stormed the U.S. embassy and kept its employees hostage for over a year. This pushed the U.S. to impose sanctions on Iran, and support Iraq during its eight-year war with Iran (1980-1988).
Within the country, moderating forces struggle against the ruling Islamic clerics and their followers. From 1997 to 2004, moderate forces seemed in the ascendancy, which brought hope for a thaw in U.S.-Iranian relations. However, religious conservatives regained control in legislative elections in 2004. The election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as president in 2005 completed the conservative triumph.
President Bush's naming Iran as part of the "axis of evil" (in 2002) was said to be prompted by evidence that Iran was both a consistent sponsor of terrorism as well as the belief that it was developing its own nuclear weapons. Despite Ahmadinejad's claims at attempting to engage in simple debate and the restoration of relations, his rhetoric was often considered inflammatory and provocative, especially regarding the State of Israel and the events on September 11th. Ahmadinejad denied Iran's role as a contributor towards terrorism but insisted that Iranian nuclear development was for energy purposes, not in the interest of developing weaponry. While the U.S. government has repeatedly announced its determination that Iran not be permitted to produce nuclear weapons, thus far that goal has been met with diplomatic negotiations and economic sanctions.
North Korea -- NO CHANGES
Policy Changes
America's "Global War on Terror" was seen as having a dual purpose: to punish those responsible for terrorist attacks and to ensure that the United States was safe from future attacks. The campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq were part of the effort to track down terrorists living abroad, while the USA Patriot Act was the first step in addressing the issue of internal security. Subsequent efforts would include giving military equipment to state and local police departments under the Department of Defense Excess Property Program (1033 Program), as well as the massive expansion of digital surveillance that became public in the Snowden leaks from the National Security Administration After the September 11th attacks, questions arose as whether or not the government was organized in the best possible manner in order to quickly respond to terrorist threats. In response, the Department of Homeland Security was created in November of 2002. Acknowledging the importance of proper communication among government agencies as a way of combating terror, the Department of Homeland Security encompassed sections of 22 different federal agencies. This new organization included representatives of a variety of groups addressing everything from Customs to Health Affairs (although it did not include either the FBI or the CIA), and is responsible for protecting the territory of the U.S. from terrorist attacks and responding to natural disasters. Former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge, who had been head of the Office of Homeland Security in the White House, became an official member of the presidential cabinet as the Secretary of Homeland Security. The present Secretary of Homeland Security is Jeh Johnson.
Reactions -- NO CHANGES
Evaluation of Social Studies Skills and other important issues
Number
Questions
Yes
No
Is the appropriate vocabulary relevant to the subject matter presented to students?
For example, on comparative government are terms such as monarchy, oligarchy, democracy, socialism, fascism, and communism presented?
Appropriate vocabulary is presented but terms are not defined in the text.
Are the captions under pictures factual?
Yes
Are the charts and graphs relevant to the topic being presented?
Some of the charts are confusing, misleading.
Are the maps accurate and relevant to the topic?
Yes
Are questions thought provoking? Is adequate and accurate material provided so that the students can formulate appropriate answers?
Some material is left out, so the students have to research on their own.
Questions lead to the conclusion at which the author wants the student to arrive. (e.g., In Ch. 14, Art, photo of the black panthers holding rifles: Using the image and your knowledge of American history, answer the following questions:
Why did the Black Panthers place so much emphasis on their right to bear arms? What do you think were the varying reactions among black Americans upon seeing a photo such as the above? What do you think were the varying reactions among white Americans upon seeing a photo such as the above? In the long run, do you think such images helped or hurt the cause of black freedom in America?)
Are primary and secondary sources presented for students to examine (for bias, propaganda, point of view, and frame of reference)?*
No – there are no sources, references
Does the text present a lesson on how to evaluate the validity of a source based on language, corroboration with other sources, and information about the author? *
No
Does the textbook have a Glossary? Are key terms included and defined?
Yes, there is a Glossary
Key terms are not defined in the text, and some terms are missing,
Does the textbook have accurate timelines to help the student understand chronological historical developments?
The timeline presented is factually inadequate.
Commendations: This Techbook has so many factual omissions and errors that it can be considered a work of fiction, not History
Concerns: This work must be kept away from American schools.
Evaluations based on template
Choices
Explanations
Yes
No
This text has minor changes that need to be made
This text has a moderate number of changes
This text has substantial changes that need to be made
This book is so flawed that it is not recommended for adoption.
