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2000–
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2000
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According to the census, the nation's
population numbers more than 280 million (April 1). No clear
winner is declared in the close presidential election contest
between Vice President Al Gore and Texas governor George W. Bush
(Nov. 7). More than a month after the presidential election,
the U.S. Supreme Court rules against a manual recount of ballots in
certain Florida counties, which it contends would violate the
Constitution's equal protection and due process guarantees. The
decision provokes enormous controversy, with critics maintaining
that the court has in effect determined the outcome of the
election (Dec. 12). Bush formally accepts the presidency,
having won a slim majority in the electoral college but not a
majority of the popular vote (Dec. 13). |
Examining a Disputed Ballot
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2001
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George W. Bush is inaugurated as the
43rd president (Jan. 20). Two hijacked jetliners ram twin
towers of World Trade Center in worst terrorist attack against U.S.; a
third hijacked plane flies into the Pentagon, and a fourth crashes
in rural Pennsylvania. More than 3,000 people die in the attacks
(Sept. 11). U.S. and Britain launch air attacks against targets
in Afghanistan after Taliban
government fails to hand over Saudi terrorist Osama bin Laden, the suspected
mastermind behind the Sept. 11 attacks (Oct. 7). Following
air campaign and ground assault by Afghani opposition troops, the
Taliban regime topples (Dec. 9); however, the hunt for bin
Laden and other members of al-Qaeda terrorist organization
continues. |
New York's World Trade Center
Towers
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2002
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In his first State of the Union
address, President Bush labels Iran, Iraq, and North Korea an
“axis of evil” and declares that U.S. will wage war
against states that develop weapons of mass destruction (Jan.
29). President Bush signs legislation creating a new cabinet
department of Homeland Security. (Nov. 25). |
George W. Bush
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| 2003 |
Space shuttle Columbia explodes
upon reentry into Earth's atmosphere, killing all seven astronauts
on board (Feb. 1). War waged by the U.S. and Britain against
Iraq begins (March 19). President Bush signs $350 billion
tax-cut bill (May 28). |
Space Shuttle Columbia crew, from left
to right, David M. Brown, Rick Husband, Laurel Clark,
Kalpana Chawla, Michael P. Anderson, William McCool, and
Ilan Ramon
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|
| 2004 |
The U.S. returns sovereignty to an
interim government in Iraq, but maintains roughly 135,000 troops in
the country to fight a growing insurgency (June 28). Four
hurricanes devastate Florida and other parts of the southern United
States (Aug. and Sept.). |
|
| 2005 |
The U.S. engagement in Iraq continues
amid that country's escalating violence and fragile political
stability. Hurricane Katrina wreaks catastrophic damage on
Mississippi and Louisiana; 80% of New Orleans is flooded (Aug.
29–30). All levels of government are criticized for the
delayed and inadequate response to the disaster. |
American soldiers search for insurgents
in Mosul, Iraq
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|
| 2006 |
The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that
the population of the United States has reached 300 million (Oct.
17). |
|
| 2007 |
California Democrat Nancy Pelosi
becomes the first woman Speaker of the House of Representatives
(Jan. 4). Attorney General Alberto Gonzales admits
that the Justice Department made mistakes and exercised poor
judgment in firing nine federal prosecutors in late 2006
(March 13). Male student kills two in a Virginia
Tech dorm. Two hours later, he kills 30 more in a classroom building
before committing suicide. The shooting rampage is the most deadly
in U.S. history. Fifteen others are wounded (April
16). The minimum wage in the U.S. increases to $5.85, up
from $5.15. It's the first increase in 10 years. The wage will
increase 70 cents each year through 2009, when it reaches $7.25 an
hour (July 24). An eight-lane interstate bridge in
Minneapolis, Minnesota, that is packed with cars breaks into
sections and falls into the river, killing 13 people (Aug.
1). The White House announces that Alberto Gonzales, the
beleaguered attorney general, has submitted his resignation to
President Bush (Aug. 27). In highly anticipated
testimony, Gen. David Petraeus tells members of the House Foreign
Affairs and Armed Services committees that the U.S. military needs
more time to meet its goals in Iraq. Petraeus rejects suggestions
that the U.S. shift from a counterinsurgency operation to training
Iraqi forces and fighting terrorists. Instead, he says the U.S. must
continue all three missions (Sep 10). |
Alberto Gonzales
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| 2008 |
After months of campaigning and primary races, Barack Obama and John McCain are finally chosen as the presidential nominees for the Democratic and Republican parties, respectively (June 3). After months of unraveling, the economy finally comes crashing down in 2008, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbling 4.4% in one day, Lehman Brothers filing for bankruptcy, and Bush putting mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac under government conservatorship (Sept.). Democrats perform well across the board in the November elections. Barack Obama becomes the first African-American to be elected President, with 52.8% of the vote. In Congress, Democrats retain majorities in both the House and the Senate, with 57 Senators and 178 Representatives (Nov. 4). |
President Barack Obama
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