American History Part 2, Chapter 8 1980’s to present.

American HistoryPart 2, Chapter 8

1980’s to present

The Typewriter

• In 1874, Remington & Sons manufactured the first

commercial typewriter.

• Used the “QWERTY” keyboard, to minimize jamming of

bars / hammers.

• The first electric typewriters were produced in the USA

in 1902.

Computer Punch Card

Punch Cards were used as late as the mid-1980’s.

Invention of the Personal Computer (PC)

• In 1976, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak created a

homemade computer board called Apple I.

• Working from Jobs’ parents’ garage, the two men

began to manufacture and market the Apple I.

• Early in 1977, Jobs and Wozniak founded Apple

Computer, Inc.

• In April of 1977, the Apple II – the world’s first personal

computer – was introduced, retailing for $1290.

Apple 1 Personal Computer

The Personal Computer (PC)

• In 1981, IBM introduced its own microcomputer model,

the IBM PC.

• Although it did not make use of the most recent

computer technology, it used many standards.

• It proved that the personal computer industry was more

than a fad.

• The PC started to be viewed as a necessary tool for

the business community.

The Internet

• The Advanced Research Projects Agency Network

(ARPANET) was the world's first operational packet

switching network (1969).

• It was the precursor to today’s Internet, and was

funded by the U.S. Department of Defense.

• In 1975, the ARPANET was declared "operational”.

• ARPANET was decommissioned in 1990.

• The Internet was commercialized in 1995.

USA’s Relationship with Iran and Iraq

1951 – Iran’s oil industry was nationalized

•A British-owned oil company had controlled oil

production in Iran for many years.

•Iranians considered the company exploitative

and a vestige of British imperialism.

1953 – Britain and the USA overthrew the

democratically elected government of Iran.

• Coup d’état – a sudden, violent, and illegal

seizure of power from a government

• The Shah (a title meaning King) of Iran was

put into power.

• He was an authoritarian monarch.

• The coup was widely believed to create anti-

American feelings in Iran and the Middle

East.

The Shah of Iran

•He had a strong policy of modernization,

secularization, and recognition of Israel.

•The Shah stayed in power until 1979.

•He was overthrown by Islamic Revolutionaries.

•The Iranian monarchy was abolished, and Iran

was declared an Islamic Republic.

1979 Energy Crisis

•In November 1978, a strike by 37,000 workers at

Iran's nationalized oil refineries reduced

production from 6 to 1.5 million barrels per day

•Foreign workers fled the country.

•Drivers in the USA began panic buying, and long

lines appeared at gas stations.

•The price of gas increased sharply.

•In 1980, following the outbreak of the Iran–Iraq

War, oil production in Iran nearly stopped, and

Iraq's oil production was severely cut as well.

•After 1980, oil prices began a 20-year decline

down to a 60 percent price drop in the 1990s.

•Oil exporters such as Mexico, Nigeria, and

Venezuela expanded production.

The Iran Hostage Crisis

•Nov. 4, 1979 to Jan. 20, 1981

•Islamic students/militants took over the American

Embassy in Tehran

•52 Americans were held hostage for 444 days

The end of the Iran Hostage Crisis

•On July 27, 1980, the former Shah died.

•In September 1980, Iraq invaded Iran.

•These two events led the Iranian government to

enter negotiations with the U.S.

•The hostages were formally released into United

States custody on January 20, 1981, just minutes

after the new American president Ronald Reagan

was sworn into office.

Iran – Iraq War, 1980 to 1988

Iraq invaded Iran. Reasons:

•Border disputes

•Fear of Iranian revolution spreading to Iraq

•Shia sect majority in Iraq (suppressed by

government), Sunni minority

•Iraq wanted to be the dominant country in the

Middle East.


•About 500,000 people were killed.

•Mostly a conventional war.

•However, Iraq used some chemical weapons.

•The war ended with a U.N.–brokered ceasefire.

•The war settled nothing (e.g. no change in

borders).

•The last prisoners of war were exchanged in

2003.


•The war with Iran almost bankrupted Iraq.

•Oil prices had collapsed.

•Iraq owed quite a bit of money to Saudi Arabia

and Kuwait.

Persian Gulf War (2 Aug 1990 to 28 Feb 1991)

•Operation Desert Storm (started 17 Jan 1991)

•U.N.–authorized coalition force from 34

countries, led by USA (73% of troops)

•Against Iraq’s invasion and annexation of Kuwait


On November 29, 1990, the U.N. Security Council

passed a resolution which gave Iraq until January

15, 1991 to withdraw from Kuwait.

If Iraq didn’t withdraw, the coalition of nations

could use force to get Iraq out of Kuwait.


The coalition nations were concerned that Iraq

would would also invade Saudi Arabia.

Saddam Hussein had threatened Saudi Arabia

after invading Kuwait, saying it was an illegitimate

government supported by the USA.

If Iraq were to control Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, it

would control the majority of the world’s known oil

reserves at that time.


Iraq said that if they were invaded by U.S.–led

forces, they would in turn invade Israel.

Iraq shot 42 missiles into Israel over a 7–week

period, hoping to draw Israel into the war.

American troops were sent to Saudi Arabia in

August 1990 to protect the country.

Iraq also shot 47 missiles into Saudi Arabia

(January 29, 1991), and invaded a Saudi city.


On February 26, 1991, Iraqi troops began

retreating from Kuwait, setting fire to 737 Kuwait

oil fields as they were leaving.

They surrounded the fields with land mines.

On February 28, the President of the USA

declared a ceasefire.

Saddam Hussein was not removed from power.

For next week,please read

Part 3 Culture,

Ch. 1 – Education,

pages 152 to 183

American History Part 2, Chapter 8 1980’s to present.

Documents

Transcript of American History Part 2, Chapter 8 1980’s to present.