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Contemporary Issues Contemporary Issues 1970 – Present 1970 – Present

Contemporary Issues 1970 – Present. Rachael Carson Launched the modern-day environmental movement Launched the modern-day environmental movement Silent

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Page 1: Contemporary Issues 1970 – Present. Rachael Carson Launched the modern-day environmental movement Launched the modern-day environmental movement Silent

Contemporary IssuesContemporary Issues1970 – Present1970 – Present

Page 2: Contemporary Issues 1970 – Present. Rachael Carson Launched the modern-day environmental movement Launched the modern-day environmental movement Silent

Rachael CarsonRachael Carson• Launched the modern-day environmental Launched the modern-day environmental

movementmovement

• Silent Spring Silent Spring brought environmental brought environmental concerns to a new height in Americaconcerns to a new height in America

• Silent Spring Silent Spring was met with fierce denial by was met with fierce denial by chemical companies; it spurred a reversal chemical companies; it spurred a reversal in national pesticide policyin national pesticide policy

• Led to a nationwide ban on DDT and other Led to a nationwide ban on DDT and other pesticidespesticides

• Inspired a grassroots movement that led to Inspired a grassroots movement that led to the creation of the Environmental the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)Protection Agency (EPA)

Page 3: Contemporary Issues 1970 – Present. Rachael Carson Launched the modern-day environmental movement Launched the modern-day environmental movement Silent

OPEC and Oil CrisisOPEC and Oil Crisis• Organization of Petroleum Organization of Petroleum

Exporting Countries, OPEC: Arab Exporting Countries, OPEC: Arab oil-producing countries in Middle oil-producing countries in Middle East and NE AfricaEast and NE Africa– Libya, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Qatar, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Qatar,

Nigeria, AlgeriaNigeria, Algeria

• OPEC agreed to not send oil to US OPEC agreed to not send oil to US (oil embargo) in response to US (oil embargo) in response to US financial support for Israel, 1973financial support for Israel, 1973– US was getting 1/3 of its oil from OPECUS was getting 1/3 of its oil from OPEC

• Resulted in fuel shortages, higher Resulted in fuel shortages, higher prices and long linesprices and long lines

Page 4: Contemporary Issues 1970 – Present. Rachael Carson Launched the modern-day environmental movement Launched the modern-day environmental movement Silent
Page 5: Contemporary Issues 1970 – Present. Rachael Carson Launched the modern-day environmental movement Launched the modern-day environmental movement Silent

President Jimmy CarterPresident Jimmy Carter• Elected in ‘76 for honesty & integrityElected in ‘76 for honesty & integrity• Focused on human rightsFocused on human rights• Response to Soviet action in Response to Soviet action in

Afghanistan was unpopularAfghanistan was unpopular– boycotted Olympics in 1980boycotted Olympics in 1980– grain embargograin embargo

• Viewed as weak in handling the Iran Viewed as weak in handling the Iran hostage crisishostage crisis

• Helped secure Camp David Accords Helped secure Camp David Accords between Israelis and Egyptiansbetween Israelis and Egyptians

• Tried to convince Americans to save Tried to convince Americans to save energy and conserve oilenergy and conserve oil

Page 6: Contemporary Issues 1970 – Present. Rachael Carson Launched the modern-day environmental movement Launched the modern-day environmental movement Silent

President Carter’s Energy Policy speechPresident Carter’s Energy Policy speech April 18, 1975April 18, 1975

• ““I know that some of you may doubt that we I know that some of you may doubt that we face real energy shortages. The 1973 gasoline face real energy shortages. The 1973 gasoline lines are gone, and our homes are warm lines are gone, and our homes are warm again. But our energy problem is worse again. But our energy problem is worse tonight than it was in 1973 or a few weeks tonight than it was in 1973 or a few weeks ago in the dead of winter. It is worse because ago in the dead of winter. It is worse because more waste has occurred, and more time has more waste has occurred, and more time has passed by without our planning for the passed by without our planning for the future. And it will get worse every day until future. And it will get worse every day until we act.”we act.”

• Does this still ring true today? Ideas?Does this still ring true today? Ideas?

Page 7: Contemporary Issues 1970 – Present. Rachael Carson Launched the modern-day environmental movement Launched the modern-day environmental movement Silent
Page 8: Contemporary Issues 1970 – Present. Rachael Carson Launched the modern-day environmental movement Launched the modern-day environmental movement Silent

Iran-Contra AffairIran-Contra Affair

• 1985-861985-86

• Contras (rebel group fighting Nicaraguan govt.) Contras (rebel group fighting Nicaraguan govt.) needed funding for their warneeded funding for their war

• Iran had US hostages; President Reagan was Iran had US hostages; President Reagan was convinced to sell weapons to Iran in exchange for convinced to sell weapons to Iran in exchange for the hostagesthe hostages

• White House Security Council secretly moved the $White House Security Council secretly moved the $$ from Iran’s illegal weapons to the Contras’ war $ from Iran’s illegal weapons to the Contras’ war efforteffort

Page 9: Contemporary Issues 1970 – Present. Rachael Carson Launched the modern-day environmental movement Launched the modern-day environmental movement Silent

Iran-Contra Affair (cont.)Iran-Contra Affair (cont.)

……..Or to put it in ..Or to put it in song!song!

Page 10: Contemporary Issues 1970 – Present. Rachael Carson Launched the modern-day environmental movement Launched the modern-day environmental movement Silent
Page 11: Contemporary Issues 1970 – Present. Rachael Carson Launched the modern-day environmental movement Launched the modern-day environmental movement Silent

Iran-Contra Affair (cont.)Iran-Contra Affair (cont.)

Okay, so maybe we Okay, so maybe we should give a little bit should give a little bit

more explanation.more explanation.

Page 12: Contemporary Issues 1970 – Present. Rachael Carson Launched the modern-day environmental movement Launched the modern-day environmental movement Silent
Page 13: Contemporary Issues 1970 – Present. Rachael Carson Launched the modern-day environmental movement Launched the modern-day environmental movement Silent

Iran-Contra Affair (cont.)Iran-Contra Affair (cont.)

• A full-scale Congressional investigation A full-scale Congressional investigation (similar to Watergate) took place(similar to Watergate) took place

• Reagan admitted to the weapons sale to Reagan admitted to the weapons sale to Iran, but didn’t know about the ContrasIran, but didn’t know about the Contras

• Full details were not known due to cover-Full details were not known due to cover-ups, destruction of key documents, and ups, destruction of key documents, and perjuryperjury

Page 14: Contemporary Issues 1970 – Present. Rachael Carson Launched the modern-day environmental movement Launched the modern-day environmental movement Silent

Iran-Contra Affair (cont.)Iran-Contra Affair (cont.)

•Questions to think about.Questions to think about.• Do the “end’s” justify the “means?”Do the “end’s” justify the “means?”

• Does the President’s role as Does the President’s role as Commander and Chief and Commander and Chief and Constitutional obligation of keeping Constitutional obligation of keeping the nation secure ALSO give him(or the nation secure ALSO give him(or her) the right to violate U.S. law?her) the right to violate U.S. law?

Page 15: Contemporary Issues 1970 – Present. Rachael Carson Launched the modern-day environmental movement Launched the modern-day environmental movement Silent

Fall of the Berlin WallFall of the Berlin Wall

• In 1989, Soviet Union’s In 1989, Soviet Union’s leader Mikhail leader Mikhail Gorbachev, called for Gorbachev, called for glasnostglasnost, opening, and , opening, and perestroikaperestroika, restructuring, , restructuring, of the Soviet Unionof the Soviet Union• The Berlin Wall coming The Berlin Wall coming

down signified the end of down signified the end of the Cold Warthe Cold War– November 1989November 1989

Page 16: Contemporary Issues 1970 – Present. Rachael Carson Launched the modern-day environmental movement Launched the modern-day environmental movement Silent
Page 17: Contemporary Issues 1970 – Present. Rachael Carson Launched the modern-day environmental movement Launched the modern-day environmental movement Silent

Persian Gulf WarPersian Gulf War• Aug 1990- Feb 1991Aug 1990- Feb 1991

• War started when Iraq War started when Iraq invaded Kuwaitinvaded Kuwait

• United Nations, led by US, United Nations, led by US, sent troops to get Iraq out sent troops to get Iraq out of Kuwaitof Kuwait

• Operation Desert Storm: Operation Desert Storm: massive air campaign to massive air campaign to destroy the Iraqi air force destroy the Iraqi air force and anti-aircraft facilities and anti-aircraft facilities

Page 18: Contemporary Issues 1970 – Present. Rachael Carson Launched the modern-day environmental movement Launched the modern-day environmental movement Silent
Page 19: Contemporary Issues 1970 – Present. Rachael Carson Launched the modern-day environmental movement Launched the modern-day environmental movement Silent

Results of the Gulf WarResults of the Gulf War• Victory over Iraq was Victory over Iraq was

achieved by the USachieved by the US

• Avoided nuclear war Avoided nuclear war

• Stopped atrocities against Stopped atrocities against people of Kuwaitpeople of Kuwait

• Minimized US troops being Minimized US troops being killedkilled– due to air, not ground wardue to air, not ground war

• Did Did NOTNOT remove Saddam remove Saddam Hussein from powerHussein from power

Page 20: Contemporary Issues 1970 – Present. Rachael Carson Launched the modern-day environmental movement Launched the modern-day environmental movement Silent

September 11, 2001September 11, 2001• Osama bin Laden, leader of al-Osama bin Laden, leader of al-

Qaeda, conducted the first attack Qaeda, conducted the first attack on US soil since Pearl Harbor.on US soil since Pearl Harbor.

• May 1, 2011: Navy SEALS killed May 1, 2011: Navy SEALS killed bin Laden in Abottabad, bin Laden in Abottabad, Pakistan in a covert operationPakistan in a covert operation

– Al-Qaeda acknowledged his Al-Qaeda acknowledged his death on May 6, 2011, death on May 6, 2011, concurrently vowing to concurrently vowing to retaliate retaliate

Page 21: Contemporary Issues 1970 – Present. Rachael Carson Launched the modern-day environmental movement Launched the modern-day environmental movement Silent

September 11, 2001September 11, 2001•Next, we’ll take a couple of minutes to watch a Next, we’ll take a couple of minutes to watch a short video of photos taken on September 11short video of photos taken on September 11thth, , 2001. 2001.

•Questions to think about (write down your Questions to think about (write down your thoughts in your notes)thoughts in your notes)

• What does the silence of the video What does the silence of the video communicate?communicate?

• What do the images make you think of?What do the images make you think of?

• Most importantly, what do the images make Most importantly, what do the images make you feel?you feel?

Page 22: Contemporary Issues 1970 – Present. Rachael Carson Launched the modern-day environmental movement Launched the modern-day environmental movement Silent
Page 23: Contemporary Issues 1970 – Present. Rachael Carson Launched the modern-day environmental movement Launched the modern-day environmental movement Silent

Operation Iraqi FreedomOperation Iraqi Freedom

• Began in March 2003: Began in March 2003: WMDs (Weapons of WMDs (Weapons of Mass Destruction) were Mass Destruction) were the main reason the US the main reason the US went inwent in

• Goal was to get Saddam Goal was to get Saddam Hussein out of power Hussein out of power – Saddam was captured in Saddam was captured in

Dec. 2003Dec. 2003

Page 24: Contemporary Issues 1970 – Present. Rachael Carson Launched the modern-day environmental movement Launched the modern-day environmental movement Silent

Results of Operation Iraqi FreedomResults of Operation Iraqi Freedom

• In 2005, official US govt. report concluded that In 2005, official US govt. report concluded that Iraq had no nuclear or biological weapons Iraq had no nuclear or biological weapons (WMDs)(WMDs)– Pres. Bush took heat and was labeled a liarPres. Bush took heat and was labeled a liar

• Established new Iraqi govt.Established new Iraqi govt.– Free elections in 2005 led to Iraqi ConstitutionFree elections in 2005 led to Iraqi Constitution– Rival religious groups made free elections difficultRival religious groups made free elections difficult

• Terrorist groups (former Hussein loyalists and Terrorist groups (former Hussein loyalists and religious extremists) caused violence against US religious extremists) caused violence against US troops and Iraqi civilianstroops and Iraqi civilians

• US exited Iraq in December 2011US exited Iraq in December 2011

Page 25: Contemporary Issues 1970 – Present. Rachael Carson Launched the modern-day environmental movement Launched the modern-day environmental movement Silent

Questions?Questions?