The+United+States+1995-2009

Tell the World Your Story
// After each post, place a link back to your source and include your first name and last initi //al.
 * Since you were born, what has happened in the United States? **

=== George Bush Wins the 2000 Presidential Elections After Protracted Recount media type="youtube" key="nTKotJJ2q68" height="265" width="320" media type="youtube" key="KV5deafKcyI" height="265" width="320"=== []  270toWin [|Another Electoral Map]

** Terrorists attack the World Trade Center **
On September 11, 2001 the World Trade Center was attacked by terrorists flying planes into the North and South towers. After the first plane attacked the North tower, crowds gathered to look at the scene, not knowing if it was on purpose or on accident. When they thought things couldn't get worse, another group of terrorists flw planes into the second tower. Now that two planes hit, people knew something was going on. The South tower fell down 45 minutes after it was attacked. The North tower went crashing down shortly. 2,995 people were killed ( including hijackers) and more than 6,000 were injured. An esitimated 17,400 people were in the World Trade Center during the attack.

The terrorists were identified as.....

Now people are thinking about rebuilding the world trade center all over again.

More at 102 Minutes That Changed America media type="youtube" key="vfYQAPhjwzA" height="265" width="320" By: **Amber O.**, **and Trevor N.** edited by: **Room 207.** Resources:[|Washingtonpost.com] []

** Terrorists attack the Pentagon **
Within 30 minutes on the same day that the World Trade Center was attacked by terrorists flying planes into the North and South towers of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon in Washington D.C. was hit from the West side. The plane took out light poles in the parking lot then crashing into the C ring. The crashed killed about 200 people and all 64 of the passengers on the plane. The attack succeeded in forcing the plane through 3 of the building's 5 rings. Authorities closed half of the Pentagon which was reopened within a week.Click @Here For Video and Pictures.



By: **Serina M.** Edited by: **Jamie W. & Rebecca P**. Resource: Pentagon CNN

The United States Department of Homeland Security
In November 25, 2002, the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was constructed in Washington D.C.'s Nebraska Avenue Complex. It was built as a response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. The DHS serves as the primary protection source for the U.S. from terrorist attacks and response agency for natural disasters. The DHS operates in the civilian sphere, and protects the United States from the inside-out. It primarily deals with terrorism, but on March 1, 2003, the DHS assumed the duty of the Immigration and Naturalization Service. It now has over 200,000 employees, and is the third largest Cabinet department.

By: **Jacob K.** Edited by: Resource: []

United States Invades Afghanistan
The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001 because of the September 11 attacks. The United States was trying to find Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda members. They were trying to destroy all the members of Al-Qaeda and also Taliban. They were trying to destroy Taliban because they were letting Al-Qaeda be there. By: **Aaron B.** Resource: [|Wikipedia]

United States Invades Iraq
Although George Tenet, the leader of the C.I.A in 2001 told Bush that there was no relation between Iraq and al-Queda, Vice- President Dick Cheny and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfield started a secret program to re-investigate.

Since the Gulf War in 1990, Iraq had begun stockpiling on something called "yellowcake uranium." They had about 550 short tons of it by 2001. Uranium is used to build bombs, and this uranium was being stored at the Tuwaitha nuclear complex 20 miles south of Baghdad. That is where they make bombs, which made George Tenet and the C.I.A curious. So, in February of 2002, they sent former Ambassador Joseph Wilson to investigate reports that Iraq was trying to buy more yellowcake from Niger, and eventually told the C.I.A that these allegations were not true. However, the Bush administration thought that these actions were reason for military mobilization, based on British intel. The military mobilization started on March 19th U.S time, thus starting the war. By: **Jose M.** Edited by: Resource: []

**NASA Columbia Tragedy**
On February 1, 2003 the Space Shuttle Columbia exploded during re-entry over Texas. All of the seven astronauts were killed.

The accident was the result of damage which occurred during launch when a piece of foam insulation (the size of a small briefcase) broke off the main propellant tank during launch. The debris hit the edge of the left wing, which damaged the Shuttle's thermal protection system (TPS), which protects it from the heat generated with the atmosphere during re-entry. Although NASA managers suspected damage, they limited the investigation, and little could be done about it. By: **Olivia C.** Resources:[]

George Bush Defeats John Kerry in 2004 Presidential Election
Incumbent Republican George W. Bush defeated John F. Kerry in the 2004 presidential election. He won because he had both more electoral and popular votes. George Bush had 286 electoral votes and John Kerry got 251. Bush had 62,039,073 popular votes and John got 59,027,478. John Kerry on the other hand is a democrat. So, George Bush won the 2004 presidential election. By: Aaron B. Resource: 270toWin

media type="youtube" key="jxQAoKL7EBY" height="265" width="320"

** Hurricane Katrina **
On August 26, 2005, Hurricane Katrina stuck the Golf Coast Region. This Hurricane was a Category 5 storm with wind speeds of 175 mph. Katrina went through New Orleans, Louisiana and flooded 80% of the city. Other states that were effected by it were Alabama, Mississippi and Texas. In these states flooding occurred as well. At least 1,800 people lost their lives. People had to evacuate their homes because the water was so high it was rising above their houses. The damage of this hurricane cost about $81 billion. Hurricane Katrina left many people homeless and without any items that they owned. In addition, 90,000 square feet of land was effected. 80% of New Orleans was effected. media type="youtube" key="s76Qn7bpCsQ" height="265" width="320" By : **Naomi S. And Jamie W.** Edited By: **Sasa** **M**, and **Trevor N.** Resource**:** []

=
Space exploration took a big step forward when the NASA space probe, Phoenix, landed on Mars on May 25, 2008. Not more than four hours after Phoenix landed it began sending back the first pictures of the northern face of The Red Planet. This part of Mars was only seen in orbit and it was considered a miracle to be seen up close at last.======

=
The chief scientist at the Jet Propulsion Lab said that they didn't see a lot of rocks but instead a surface that might have been changed by with the help of some ice in action. They hoped the probe will have scooped up some of the ice that might have had a part in the changing of the surface as well as some soil samples. But the scientists don't expect to find any liquid water because the climate is too cold where the probe landed. But the scientist do believe that life forms, if there are any, could be frozen into the ice.======



By: **Ashley O.**

 * Resource:** [|US Space Probe Lands On Mars]

Barack Obama Elected As First African American President of the United States
Barack Obama, a 47 year old first-term Senator from Illinois, won the election as the first African American President of the United States on November 4, 2008 and was sworn in on January 20, 2009. Obama swept John McCain, whose running mate Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was trying to become the nation's first female Vice-President. Obama beat McCain by a 52% to 46% margin, and won 365 electoral votes compared to Mccain's 173. Obama won among African American, but also won among women and Latino voters. He also won by more than 2-to-1 among voters of all race 30 years old and younger. media type="youtube" key="3PuHGKnboNY" height="240" width="334" By: **Edhela E. and Joe O.** Edited by: **Room 207** Resource: []270toWin

**Bill Clinton defeats Bob Dole in the 1996 Presidential Election**
media type="youtube" key="0Up1kwoWSTk" height="265" width="320" 270toWin

** COLUMBINE AND SANTANA HIGH SCHOOL MASSACRES **
At 11:10, on April 22nd,1999, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold shot students and staff at Columbine High School in Jefferson County, Colorado. Harris and Klebold killed 12 students and 1 teacher, and injured 21 others. Three other students were injured attempting to escape the High School.
 * __COLUMBINE__** __**HIGH SCHOOL**__

The shooting lasted an hour and a half, and was ranked the fourth deadliest school massacre in United States history. Both Harris and Klebold carried in two duffle bags with bombs in each one that were set to explode at 11:17 am. They set the bags down in the cafeteria, and without any questions asked went to sit in their cars and wait for the bombs explode while arming their selves with weapons.

Before the massacre, Harris ran into Brooks Brown, a student at Columbine High School. Harris warned him to get out, but did not state the reason why. Minutes later, after Harris's encounter with Browns, Harris saw students departing for lunch. Students were confused to see Brown's walk down the street away from school. At 11:19 Eric and Dylan invaded the school and started the massacre. After the shooting, both Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold turned the gun on themselves and committed suicide. By: **Sasa M.** Edited By: **Naomi S.** Resource: wikipedia media type="youtube" key="01p-JwuxEhI" height="344" width="425"

** F5 Tornado hits Oak field, WI **
On July 18,1996 an F5 tornado hit Oak field, Wisconsin. F5 category is the strongest tornado and also the rarest. In addition to the tornado, there were thunderstorms, strong gusts of wind up to 158 to 260 miles per hour, and lightning. The damage cost around $40 million dollars with 47 houses destroyed. Also 56 houses, businesses, and churches were all heavily damaged. The tornado cost the hard working farmers thousands. It killed their livestock, crops, and destroyed their homes. The tornado picked up tons of empty soda cans and left them sprawled for over 50 miles.

By: **Sara B.** Edited By: **Ashley O.** Resources: []

** Joesph Rotbalt Peace Prize Winner **
Joseph Rotbalt was The Nobel Peace Prize Winner for 1995. He passed away on September 1 ,1995. Joseph was the only scientist to resign from the Manhattan project. He won The Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to rid the world of using weapons.

Rotbalt and 10 other scientists including Albert Einstein, issued a manifesto in London declaring the researchers must take responsibility for their creations, such as the atomic bomb.

Joseph received his masters degree from University of Poland. He married Tola Gryn in 1937, but then left her behind on his trip back to Poland because she was way too ill to keep traveling. She was later imprisoned by Nazis and died because she could not survive. He was never remarried and he was very ill.

Rotbalt was born in Warsaw and passed away in his sleep.



By: **Caitlin C.** Resource: []

Rosa Parks (The Mother of our Civil Rights)
On October 25, 2005, Rosa Parks passed away at the age of 92 from natural causes. She died in the city of Detroit, leaving many people in tears. Three days after her death, buses in Montgomery and Detroit had reserved a special place in her honor. Memorials were made in Montgomery, Detroit, and Washington D.C. Her final resting place lay in Woodlawn Cemetery next to her husband and mother.

She was called the mother of our civil rights for standing up for what she believed in, which was helping whites and blacks come together and get along. The work and dedication she did helped end segregation, and she will be remembered throughout history.

By: **Cassidy C.** Resources: [|Wikipedia] | [|RosaParksFacts.com]



The Amish Shooting
The Amish country, it is just a little city of its own so why would someone hurt it. October 3,2006 Charles Carl Robert IV came in to West Nickel Mines which was a Amish school and he was very angry and he shot at girls who were 6 years old and 13 years old and He injured and killed mostly all the students. He took the girls and binding their legs together and then lining them up against the chalkboard and just shot at the children and this was only one room school and there was at least 25 kids in that school and he only killed two girls who died right there instantly, one died in a state troopers arms, one died as soon as she arrived at the hospital.

This was a sick man to kill those little kids and to leave them there to die and they were survivors 3 girls were checked in to Penn State Milton S. Hershey medical center, 4 checked in to Children's hospital in Philadelphia , and one was checked into Christina Hospital in Delaware. That is 12 children and that isn't even half a class and those Innocent children and I am just appalled that someone would do this to little kids. He was bad person and he would never pay in prison after he shot the children he took a gun to himself and he died before the cops came. By: Ana Maria Luque Sources : [|www.google.com], [|www.wikipedia.com]