9.1 Context: Present Day America

If the mid-20th century was defined by the New Deal and its liberal legacy, the end of the 20th century was defined by the Reagan Revolution and its conservative legacy, especially after 1980.

The 21st century has been a time of significant change and upheaval in American politics. In the early years of the century, the United States was led by President George W. Bush, who was in office from 2001 to 2009. During his presidency, the United States was involved in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and there were a number of domestic policy controversies, including debates over healthcare and tax policy.

After President Obama took office in 2009, the United States experienced a number of significant political and social changes. The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, was passed in 2010 and expanded access to healthcare for millions of Americans. The Obama administration also implemented a number of other policy initiatives, including the legalization of same-sex marriage and the implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change.

In 2016, President Donald Trump was elected to office, and his presidency was marked by a number of controversial policy decisions and political controversies. The Trump administration implemented a number of significant policy changes, including the repeal of Obamacare's individual mandate and the implementation of a number of trade and immigration policies that were opposed by many Americans. The Trump presidency was also marked by a number of ongoing investigations and legal controversies, including an impeachment trial in 2019.

In 2020, President Joe Biden was elected to office, and his presidency has been marked by a number of significant policy initiatives, including the implementation of the American Rescue Plan, a major stimulus package aimed at addressing the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Biden administration has also focused on issues related to racial justice, immigration reform, and climate change.

The US economy continued to be the world’s largest and advanced rapidly thanks to new technology, especially related to computing. This resulted in shifts within the US economy. Demographically, the US continued to see shifts in immigration, with immigrants still coming from Latin America and Asia, particularly Mexico and China, but in increasing numbers.

The 21st century has been a time of significant change and transformation for the American economy. In the early years of the century, the United States experienced a period of strong economic growth, fueled in part by the expansion of the technology sector and the housing market. However, this period of growth was followed by a significant economic downturn, known as the Great Recession, which began in 2007 and lasted until 2009.

After the recession, the American economy began to recover, but the recovery was uneven, with some sectors and regions experiencing stronger growth than others. In the late 2010s, the economy experienced a period of strong growth, fueled in part by rising stock prices and low unemployment rates.

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on the American economy, with many businesses shutting down and millions of Americans losing their jobs. The government implemented a number of policy initiatives to address the economic impact of the pandemic, including the implementation of the CARES Act, a major stimulus package aimed at providing financial assistance to individuals and businesses affected by the pandemic.

Overall, the 21st century has been a time of significant change and transformation for the American economy, with a number of significant economic events and policy initiatives shaping the direction of the country.

In the early 21st century, the United States experienced a significant increase in the number of immigrants from Latin America and Asia, leading to a more diverse population. The Hispanic population in the United States has grown significantly in recent years, and Hispanics are now the largest racial or ethnic minority group in the country. The Asian American population has also grown significantly, and Asian Americans are now the fastest-growing racial or ethnic group in the United States.

In addition to changes in the racial and ethnic makeup of the population, the 21st century has also seen significant changes in the age structure of the population. The Baby Boomer generation, born between 1946 and 1964, is now entering retirement age, and the United States is experiencing a significant increase in the number of older adults. At the same time, the younger generation, known as Millennials and Gen Z, is growing in size and becoming an increasingly important part of the population.

Overall, the 21st century has been a time of significant demographic change in the United States, with a more diverse and aging population shaping the direction of the country.

The Cold War ended during this time period (from 1989 with the Fall of the Berlin Wall to 1991 with the fall of the Soviet Union). This was a huge deal since the Cold War and its threat of communism or nuclear war loomed over much of the 20th century—and all of Period 8! The US was thus left as the world’s only superpower. The celebration over “winning” the Cold War was short-lived: the US discovered many more problems overseas, starting with what intervention responsibilities it had as the world’s only superpower and then ramping up with the 9-11 terrorist attacks that started the War on Terror that continues to this day.

Over the past 50 years, the United States has undergone significant changes in its foreign policy. In the early 1970s, the United States was heavily involved in the Vietnam War, which ended in 1975. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the United States was led by President Jimmy Carter, who implemented a number of foreign policy initiatives, including the Camp David Accords, which helped to bring about a peace treaty between Israel and Egypt.

In the 1980s and 1990s, the United States was led by President Ronald Reagan, who implemented a number of foreign policy initiatives that focused on the promotion of democracy and the fight against communism. The Reagan administration also supported a number of military interventions around the world, including in Grenada, Panama, and Lebanon.

In the early 21st century, the United States was led by President George W. Bush, who implemented a number of significant foreign policy changes, including the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Bush administration also implemented a number of other foreign policy initiatives, including the expansion of free trade agreements and the promotion of democracy in the Middle East.

In 2009, President Barack Obama took office and implemented a number of foreign policy initiatives, including the Iran nuclear deal, the normalization of relations with Cuba, and the implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change.

In 2017, President Donald Trump was elected to office, and his presidency was marked by a number of significant foreign policy changes, including the withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and the Paris Agreement, the renegotiation of trade agreements, and the implementation of a number of controversial immigration policies.