Fluent Essays

There are three worksheets and each worksheet contains three questions. Complete each question in full sentences based on the reading. Make sure there is zero grammar mistakes and zero plagiarism. worksheet_3.docx worksheet_1.docx worksheet_2.docx Unformatted Attachment Preview Aim: Were the 1990s a step forward for the United States? Why / why not? ______________________________________________________________________________ Activity #1: The 1990s Directions: Read the secondary source. Then, answer the questions in the appropriate space. The 1990s In 1988, a majority of Americans were economically comfortable, and they attributed their comfort to Reagan and Bush. George Bush simply built on President Reagan’s legacy by promising, “Read my lips: no new taxes” in his acceptance speech at the Republican Convention. During his presidency, conflict with Iraq (which was Iran’s long-standing enemy) and its leader, Saddam Hussein, soon eclipsed U.S. problems with Iran. During the 1980s, Iran and Iraq had fought a prolonged war, and Hussein found himself with enormous war debts to pay. Several times, Hussein had claimed that the oil-rich nation of Kuwait was really part of Iraq. On August 2, 1990, Iraqi troops invaded Kuwait. The Iraqi invaders looted Kuwait; then they headed toward Saudi Arabia and one-half of the world’s known oil reserves, which would severely threaten U.S. oil supplies. For several months, President Bush organized an international coalition against Iraqi aggression. With the support of Congress and the UN, President Bush launched Operation Desert Storm to liberate Kuwait from Iraqi control. On January 16, 1991, the United States and its allies staged a massive air assault against Iraq. On February 23, they launched a successful ground offensive from Saudi Arabia. On February 28, 1991, President Bush announced a cease-fire. Operation Desert Storm was over. Kuwait was liberated. Despite his great achievement in the Persian Gulf War, President Bush was not as successful on the domestic front. He was hurt by rising deficits and a recession that began in 1990 and lasted through most of 1992. Bush was forced to raise taxes despite his campaign pledge. His approval rating had dropped to 49 percent by 1992. Governor William (Bill) Clinton of Arkansas became the first member of the baby-boom generation to win the presidency in 1993. He captured the White House by vowing to strengthen the nation’s weak economy and to lead the Democratic Party in a more moderate direction. President Clinton demonstrated his willingness to pursue both liberal and conservative policies on health care, the budget deficit, crime, and welfare. Clinton had pledged to create a plan to guarantee affordable health care for all Americans, especially for the millions of Americans who lacked medical insurance. Once in office, Clinton appointed First Lady Hillary Clinton to head the team creating the plan. The president presented the health care reform bill to Congress in September 1993. Congress debated the plan for a year. In the end, Congress never even voted on the bill. President Clinton was more successful in his efforts to reduce the federal budget deficit. Clinton and the Republican-controlled Congress agreed in 1997 on legislation to balance the federal budget by the year 2002. The bill cut spending by billions of dollars, lowered taxes to win Republican support, and included programs aimed at helping children and improving health care. A year later, Clinton announced that—for the first time in nearly 30 years— the federal budget had a surplus. That is, the government took in more than it spent. Surpluses were used, in part, to pay down the nation’s debt, which had soared to around $5.5 trillion. Seeing flourishing trade as essential to U.S. prosperity and to world economic and political stability, President Clinton championed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). This legislation would bring Mexico into the free-trade zone that the United States and Canada already had formed. Supporters said NAFTA would strengthen all three economies and create more American jobs. Opponents insisted that NAFTA would transfer American jobs to Mexico, where wages were lower, and harm the environment because of Mexico’s weaker anti-pollution laws. Congress rejected these arguments, and the treaty was ratified by all three countries’ legislatures in 1993. Once the treaty took effect, on January 1, 1994, trade with Mexico increased. The improved economy—along with enlargement of police forces—combined to lower crime rates in the 1990s. However, fears were raised among Americans by acts of violence and terrorism around the country. 1. Was Operation Desert Storm a justified action of the U.S. government and military? Why? 2. Did the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) benefit or harm the American people? 3. Was the 1990s a step forward for the United States? Why / why not? Aim: Was the War on Terror the appropriate response to the 9/11 Attacks? Why / why not? ______________________________________________________________________________ Activity #1: George W. Bush Directions: Read the secondary source. Then, answer the questions in the appropriate space. George W. Bush George W. Bush, the son of former president George H.W. Bush, was inaugurated as the 43rd president of the United States on January 20, 2001. Bush inherited several challenges, including a weakening national economy and an energy problem in California. The political landscape changed dramatically after the September 11 terrorist attacks. The Bush administration, now with the overwhelming support of Congress and the American people, shifted its energy and attention to combating terrorism. The Bush Administration also began waging a war against terrorism. In October 2001, coalition forces led by the United States began bombing Afghanistan. The Afghan government was harboring Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaeda terrorist network believed responsible for the September 11 attacks. In 2002, the coalition successfully broke up the al-Qaeda network in Afghanistan. In 2003, Bush expanded the War on Terror to Iraq. Following the Persian Gulf War, Iraq had agreed to UN demands to stop the production of biological, chemical, and nuclear weapons. (However, throughout the 1990s, the leader of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, cooperated only partly with UN arms inspectors and eventually barred them from entering his country.) After the September 11 attacks, Bush alleged that Hussein was supplying terrorists such as al-Qaeda with weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and called for renewed arms inspections in Iraq. The inspectors determined that Iraq had not resumed its WMD programs; but Hussein had again not cooperated fully with the inspection process. The United States and Great Britain then ended diplomacy with Iraq and invaded in March 2003. In December 2003, U.S. forces found and captured Saddam Hussein. The former dictator was handed over to the Iraqis to stand trial for crimes against humanity. Meanwhile, on the home front, President Bush concentrated on education and the economy. He signed into law an education reform plan entitled No Child Left Behind. This plan called for more accountability by states for students’ success, mandatory achievement testing, and more school options available for parents. 1. Was the attack on al-Qaeda justified? Why / why not? 2. Why did Bush consider Saddam Hussein and Iraq a threat? 3. Was the War on Terror the appropriate response to the 9/11 Attacks? Why / why not? Aim: Was the War on Terror the appropriate response to the 9/11 Attacks? Why / why not? ______________________________________________________________________________ Activity #1: George W. Bush Directions: Read the secondary source. Then, answer the questions in the appropriate space. George W. Bush George W. Bush, the son of former president George H.W. Bush, was inaugurated as the 43rd president of the United States on January 20, 2001. Bush inherited several challenges, including a weakening national economy and an energy problem in California. The political landscape changed dramatically after the September 11 terrorist attacks. The Bush administration, now with the overwhelming support of Congress and the American people, shifted its energy and attention to combating terrorism. The Bush Administration also began waging a war against terrorism. In October 2001, coalition forces led by the United States began bombing Afghanistan. The Afghan government was harboring Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaeda terrorist network believed responsible for the September 11 attacks. In 2002, the coalition successfully broke up the al-Qaeda network in Afghanistan. In 2003, Bush expanded the War on Terror to Iraq. Following the Persian Gulf War, Iraq had agreed to UN demands to stop the production of biological, chemical, and nuclear weapons. (However, throughout the 1990s, the leader of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, cooperated only partly with UN arms inspectors and eventually barred them from entering his country.) After the September 11 attacks, Bush alleged that Hussein was supplying terrorists such as al-Qaeda with weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and called for renewed arms inspections in Iraq. The inspectors determined that Iraq had not resumed its WMD programs; but Hussein had again not cooperated fully with the inspection process. The United States and Great Britain then ended diplomacy with Iraq and invaded in March 2003. In December 2003, U.S. forces found and captured Saddam Hussein. The former dictator was handed over to the Iraqis to stand trial for crimes against humanity. Meanwhile, on the home front, President Bush concentrated on education and the economy. He signed into law an education reform plan entitled No Child Left Behind. This plan called for more accountability by states for students’ success, mandatory achievement testing, and more school options available for parents. 1. Was the attack on al-Qaeda justified? Why / why not? 2. Why did Bush consider Saddam Hussein and Iraq a threat? 3. Was the War on Terror the appropriate response to the 9/11 Attacks? Why / why not? ... Purchase answer to see full attachment