U.S. History

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President Bill Clinton

• U.S. History
• Ms. Eraqi

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The Clinton Administration

• Essential Question
• How should historians judge the impact,
  effectiveness, and legacy of the Clinton
  administration?

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(No Transcript)
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Clintons Early Years

• Bill Clinton meets President John F. Kennedy as a
  16 year-old delegate of Boys Nation on June 6,
  1963

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Education

• Georgetown University, Oxford University, Yale
  Law School
• Early interest in politics
• Attorney general of Arkansas at 30 years of age
• Nations youngest governor at 32 years of age
  (Arkansas)

Bill Clinton runs for Student Council President
at Georgetown University
Bill Clinton and Hillary Rodham at Yale Law
School, January 1972
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Bill Clinton taking the Oath of Office as the
Governor of Arkansas on January 9, 1979
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1992 Presidential Election

• Democratic nomination for the presidency in 1992
• Pushed for middle-class tax cuts and a national
  health-care system
• Relied on his wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton, a top
  lawyer
• Clinton presented himself as the protector of the
  middle class.
• Clinton won 370 electoral votes to Bushs 168,
  although Clinton won less than 50 percent of the
  popular vote.

1992 Presidential Debate Video Clip Clinton 1992
Campaign Ad
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1992 Election Results
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Clintons Domestic Issues

• Budget Deficit
• Campaigned on promise to reduce taxes for the
  middle class
• However, Clinton raised taxes.
• Critics complained that the tax increase would
  hurt the economy but this did not happen.
• Health Care
• Health care costs were rising and tens of
  millions of Americans had little or no health
  insurance.
• Hillary Clinton headed a special task force which
  proposed a government-sponsored program of health
  care.
• The plan was defeated after months of debate.

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Clintons Domestic Issues Cont.

• Worked to Develop NAFTA (North American Free
  Trade Agreement)
• to eliminate barriers to trade and investment
  between the US, Canada and Mexico
• At 248.2 billion for Canada and 163.3 billion
  for Mexico, they were the top two purchasers of
  US exports in 2010
• At 276.4 billion for Canada and 229.7 billion
  for Mexico, they were the second and third
  largest suppliers of goods imports to the United
  States in 2010

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Other Domestic Challenges

• Internet
• The internet emerged as a major means of
  communication and commerce.
• People were concerned about inappropriate
  material on the Internet.
• The White House tried to pass a law to limit
  sexually explicit material, but the Supreme Court
  ruled that it violated the right to freedom of
  speech.

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Other Domestic Challenges

• Terrorism
• Terrorists exploded a bomb in Oklahoma City that
  killed 168 people.
• Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols were convicted
  of the crime.

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The bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma
City on April 19, 1995 killed168 and injured
approximately 700.
Timothy McVeigh
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Re-election

• In 1996 Clinton defeated Bob Dole of Kansas.
• The only Democrat to win reelection to a 2nd term
  of office as president since FDR

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Foreign Policy Challenges

• Oslo Accords
• 2nd U.S. Attempts
• Clinton hosted the signing of a peace agreement
  between Israel and the Palestinians.
• Agreed to self-rule for Palestinians in return
  for the Palestinians recognizing Israels right
  to exist
• Never fully realized

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Foreign Policy Challenges

• Somalia
• Bush sent troops to help the UN distribute food
  to victims of the civil war.
• UN forces also worked to end the fighting.
• After a number of Americans died, Clinton
  withdrew the remaining soldiers.
• Stopped U.S. from sending help to Rwanda.

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Foreign Policy Challenges

• Haiti
• Clinton pledged the use of American troops to
  lead a UN mission to remove a military dictator.
• The presence of UN forces helped bring about a
  generally peaceful change in government.

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Foreign Policy Challenges

• Former Yugoslavia
• Violence raged between the new countries formed
  from the breakup of Yugoslavia.
• Clinton helped broker the Dayton Accords to end
  fighting in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• He urged NATO to act against Serbia.
• The Serb army was forcing ethnic Albanians from
  the Serbian region of Kosovo.

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What events led to scandal and impeachment
proceedings during the Clinton presidency?

• Whitewater real estate deal
• Kenneth Starr led an investigation into a failed
  real estate investment the Clintons were involved
  in during the 1970s.
• Paula Jones sexual harassment case
• Jones sued Clinton for sexual harassment while he
  was governor of Arkansas and she was a state
  employee.
• Information emerged suggesting that Clinton had
  an improper relationship with a White House
  intern, Monica Lewinsky.
• Monica Lewinsky case
• Clinton accused of lying under oath about Monica
  Lewinsky.
• House approved two articles of impeachment but
  the Senate did not have the two-thirds majority
  necessary to convict Clinton.

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The Clinton Administration
What do you feel was Bill Clintons greatest
contribution as president? Why was it so
important? (respond in 5 to 7 lines)