The Twenty-First Century (2000-2020)

Question 1

On the morning of September 11, 2001, a Boeing 767 crashed into one of the World Trade Center twin towers, in the financial district of lower Manhattan, in New York City. What did most people assume had happened?

Answer 1

They assumed it was a horrific accident and news crews began filming.

Question 2

In the weeks and months following the September 11th terrorist attacks, the Federal Bureau of Investigation began to search within the United States for those who might be associated with terrorist organizations. How did the hunt for terrorists in the United States affect average people living in American?

Answer 2

People residing in America had their 4th Amendment rights infringed upon.

Question 3

The United States experienced the worst attack on American soil in more than a generation. How did the American people respond to the terrorist attacks?

Answer 3

They rallied together and supported the government’s initial response.

Question 4

The United States led an air campaign in Afghanistan in October 2001 and soon added ground troops. Why did the United States lead a coalition invasion of Afghanistan?

Answer 4

The Taliban was sheltering the leader of al-Qaeda.

Question 5

In the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, American intelligence agencies identified al-Qaeda as the group responsible. How did the American government respond to this information?

Answer 5

Bush declared war on terrorism and demanded the Taliban turn bin Laden over or face attack by the United States.

Question 6

In 1998, schools in Arizona began teaching Mexican American studies. Joseph enjoyed the classes and liked learning about his culture, but the classes were cut from the curriculum in 2010. Why were the classes stopped?

Answer 6

It was believed the curriculum encouraged resentment of White people and of the U.S. government.

Question 7

Mrs. Rice is a science teacher who teaches at a public school. She hears about President Bush’s support of charter schools and is excited they are growing in popularity. Why might Mrs. Rice want to teach in a charter school?

Answer 7

She would be able to teach in new and innovative ways not always accepted in public schools.

Question 8

Despite many conservatives denying climate change is a result of human activity, many other people have accepted mankind’s role in global warming. What did those who believe in climate change do to gain public support and help slow the rate of warming?

Answer 8

They educated the public and formed committees and groups to combat global warming.

Question 9

In the late 1990s and into the 2000s the American public had differing opinions on same-sex marriage. Many supported it while many were in opposition. What event shows how Americans, in general, became more progressive in their views on same-sex marriage?

Answer 9

The U.S. supreme court ruling same-sex marriage constitutional.

Question 10

Hurricane Katrina barreled into New Orleans in 2005 prompting a disaster response from federal, state, and local agencies. How was the response from President Bush received by Americans throughout the United States?

Answer 10

He was viewed as insensitive and detached from everyday people.

Question 11

In 2008 the economy was failing, and The Great Recession was beginning. To prevent a complete economic collapse the federal government intervened. How did the United States government attempt to correct the failure of financial institutions?

Answer 11

The Federal Reserve approved a multibillion dollar deal to bailout the failing institutions.

Question 12

In the late 1990s and into the 2000s the American public had differing opinions on same-sex marriage. Many supported it while many were in opposition. What event shows how Americans, in general, became more progressive in their views on same-sex marriage?

Answer 12

The U.S. supreme court ruling same-sex marriage constitutional.

Question 13

Despite great evidence showing a human element to the changing climate and an overall warming of the earth some people still deny a human connection to climate change. Who would continue to promote the idea that global warming is not caused by human activity?

Answer 13

the fossil fuel industry

Question 14

The Great Recession of 2008 was the biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression. What caused the Great Recession?

Answer 14

Banks had become less regulated and engaged in risky lending practices.

Question 15

In the 1990s discussions around same sex-marriage began to increase. How have attitudes about same-sex marriage changed since the late 1990s among political figures?

Answer 15

In the 1990s very few politicians supported same-sex marriage, now most do.

Question 16

In 2005 Hurricane Katrina washed ashore leaving thousands without basic necessities. How did the evacuation strategy benefit some residents over others?

Answer 16

Poor residents with nowhere to go were instructed to evacuate to the Superdome stadium which lacked adequate resources.

Question 17

In 1998 the United States signed the Kyoto Protocol as an agreement to reduce the production of greenhouse gasses. However, Bush objected to the protocol and Congress never ratified the agreement. What reason did President Bush give for his objections to the agreement?

Answer 17

He was worried that by reducing carbon emissions, the U.S. economy would suffer.

Question 18

As long as the United States has existed, there has been debate over who is a citizen and who can become a citizen. The 21st century is no exception to this debate. What is one example of trying to limit the influence of immigrants on American culture?

Answer 18

There has been a movement to establish English as the official language of the United States.

Question 19

The Great Recession of 2008 was the biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression. What caused the Great Recession?

Answer 19

Banks had become less regulated and engaged in risky lending practices.

Question 20

While some Americans feel the need to protect American culture from immigrants, others have more quantifiable reasons. What is a common reason, other than changing American culture, that some Americans give for limiting the amount of people immigrating into the United States?

Answer 20

They believe immigrants are taking jobs from American workers.

Question 21

President Bush campaigned with promises to fix American education. Once he was able to return to his domestic agenda his administration offered two solutions to America’s education problem. What was the problem with American education in the early 2000s?

Answer 21

Test scores showed an ever widening gap between White students and students of color.

Question 22

In 2005 Hurricane Katrina roared ashore devastating the shorelines of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. How did the federal government respond to the catastrophic destruction in New Orleans?

Answer 22

The Federal Emergency Management Agency was ill-prepared and the response was botched.

Question 23

As President Obama’s second term drew to a close there were, as always, several challenges facing America. One of those specific challenges was the ever rising cost of post secondary education. How did Obama attempt to increase access to higher education?

Answer 23

He increased money available for the Pell Grant Fund.

Question 24

Most presidents are faced with a divided Congress at some point in their term. How did the majority/ minority balance in the House and Senate affect how effectively Presidents Bush and Obama could fulfill their domestic policy promises?

Answer 24

Bush received much more bipartisan support than Obama did regardless of what party held the majority.

Question 25

The increase in portable technology changed the way America worked, socialized, and protested in the early twenty first century. Women took to social media to share stories and come together in solidarity with the creation of the hashtag #MeToo. How did the increase in technology help advance women’s rights?

Answer 25

Women were now able to share stories of sexual harassment widely, showing it was not an isolated problem.

Question 26

President Trump, at his inaugural address, promised to end “American carnage” —a nation ravaged, he said, by illegal immigrants, crime, and foreign economic competition. What was one way that Trump planned to save America?

Answer 26

By building a southern border wall and banning Muslim immigrants.

Question 27

In 2012, a Black teenager was shot to death by a neighborhood watch volunteer. Once the shooter was acquitted the hashtag, #BlackLivesMatter was introduced on twitter. How did the #BlackLivesMatter organization shape the years of Obama’s second term?

Answer 27

People of all races became more vocal in their protest against the unprovoked killing of Black people.

Question 28

In late 2019 a novel coronavirus began spreading around the world. In early 2020, the United States confirmed its first case. A global pandemic had begun. What was Trump’s handling of the COVID-19 outbreak?

Answer 28

He did not think it was serious and delayed any response to help control the spread.

Question 29

Most presidents are faced with a divided Congress at some point in their term. How did the majority/ minority balance in the House and Senate affect how effectively Presidents Bush and Obama could fulfill their domestic policy promises?

Answer 29

Bush received much more bipartisan support than Obama did regardless of what party held the majority.

Question 30

The main teaching of critical race theory is the idea that race is a social construct, and that racism is not merely the product of individual bias or prejudice, but also something embedded in legal systems and policies. How has the debate around critical race theory been broadened by the increase in social media usage?

Answer 30

Students are now more aware of what their legislators are doing and have an avenue to advocate for themselves.

Question 31

Maeve is a high school student who really wants to go to the away football game this Friday with her friends. Maeve’s parents have never let her travel to an away game because they are worried something will happen while she is far away. Maeve decides to use her new Rogerian debate skills she just learned in her history class on her parents. What will Maeve’s Rogerian argument sound like?

Answer 31

I would like to go to the away football game this Friday. I understand you think it is dangerous for me to drive that far with my friends and be in a strange town unsupervised. My suggestion is for you to drive, drop us off at the game, and then enjoy dinner while we are at the game. This way I can have some independence but you will still be close by if anything happens. This solution will help us both get used to me being more responsible with more independence.

Question 32

Mike, who considers himself a Republican, and Andy, who is a Democrat, have been friends for a long time. Their relationship has been strained since the debate of the United States’ role in foreign affairs has taken center stage in America. How can Andy and Mike have important and meaningful political conversations while still remaining friends?

Answer 32

They can discuss ideas and issues regarding immigration rather without attacking the other person’s personal identity.

Question 33

Sarah and Patrick disagreed over the role the U.S. should play in ending the war between Russia and Ukraine. Sarah believed that the U.S. should send troops to assist the Ukrainians so that the war could end quickly. Fearing that the war would expand if U.S. direct military intervention were to take place, Patrick thought economic sanctions against Russia would be the most feasible response by the U.S. at this time. After an hour of discussion, Sarah and Patrick still couldn’t agree on anything but acknowledged that they had a shared reality, which was

Answer 33

the desire to end the war and see peace for Ukrainians.

Question 34

What should be the focus of making a Rogerian argument?

Answer 34

Finding common ground between the speaker and the audience.

Question 35

Remembrances of the September 11th attacks are often centered on the two planes that crashed into the World Trade Center twin towers in New York City. However, four hijacked airplanes were involved. Where did the other two airplanes crash?

Answer 35

Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon and Flight 93 crashed in a Pennsylvania field

Question 36

What happened to Flight 77?

Answer 36

Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon killing all crew and passengers on board and 125 people on the ground.

Question 37

What happened to flight 93

Answer 37

The passengers on Flight 93 became aware of the other high jackings and stormed the cockpit to prevent the plane from crashing into a more populated area.

Question 38

In October, 2001, American-led coalition forces began a bombing campaign in Afghanistan and soon introduced ground troops. What was the beginning of the Afghan invasion like?

Answer 38

Many key cities fell quickly, giving an impression the operation would be soon completed.

Question 39

Despite al-Qaeda, headquartered in Afghanistan, being identified as the perpetrator of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the United States also invaded Iraq. How did the United States explain the need for an invasion into Iraq?

Answer 39

President Bush believed Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussein, was stockpiling weapons of mass destruction.

Question 40

In the weeks and months following September 11th, 2001, the Central Intelligence Agency searched the globe for suspected terrorists and arrested many young, Muslim men. Why did the United States imprison some suspected terrorists in countries other than the U.S.?

Answer 40

Interrogation techniques not allowed in the United States were allowed to be used in some foreign prisons.

Question 41

As the United States government looked for justification to invade Iraq, they made several arguments in favor of military action. What was one reason they gave in favor of military intervention?

Answer 41

Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld insisted it would be over in “Five days or five weeks or five months, but it certainly isn’t going to last any longer than that”. Vice President Cheney announced that U.S. forces would likely “be greeted as liberators.”

Question 42

In the weeks and months following the September 11th terrorist attacks, the Federal Bureau of Investigation began to search within the United States for those who might be associated with terrorist organizations. How did the hunt for terrorists in the United States affect average people living in American?

Answer 42

People residing in America had their 4th Amendment rights infringed upon.

Question 43

Many of the suspected terrorists arrested in the aftermath of September 11th were held in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Suspected terrorists were held there, often for months or years, with no charges and no way to challenge their arrest. Why was this indefinite detention allowed to happen?

Answer 43

The detainees were labeled unlawful combatants to avoid them being covered under the Geneva Conventions.
The Bush administration maintained that it was neither obliged to grant basic constitutional protections to the prisoners, nor required to observe the Geneva Conventions regarding the treatment of prisoners of war, as the conventions did not apply to “unlawful enemy combatants.”

Question 44

The United States faced the deadliest attack on American soil on September 11, 2001 since Pearl Harbor. What was President Bush’s response in the days immediately following the terrorist attacks?

Answer 44

He declared the U.S. has the right to make war on any regime posing a threat to the U.S.

Question 45

As the Great Recession wore on, more and more people were affected by the bad business practices of the financial institutions. What is one lasting effect of the Great Recession?

Answer 45

The wealth and income gap widened as the rich got richer and the poor got poorer.

Question 46

In the late 1990s the idea of same-sex marriage became a more openly discussed topic among American citizens. What event brought the discussion to the forefront of politics?

Answer 46

Vermont allowed same-sex couples to form a state recognized civil union

Question 47

As America plunged into the twenty first century mobile phones became more powerful and more popular. By 2015, two thirds of Americans owned a mobile computing device. In what way did this explosion in portable technology change the way Americans fought for racial justice?

Answer 47

Bystanders could now record evidence of police brutality and share it quickly.