Georgia Georgia and the American Experienceand the American Experience

Chapter 13: Chapter 13:

Peace, Prosperity, and Peace, Prosperity, and PerilPeril

Study Presentation Study Presentation

©2005 Clairmont Press

Georgia Georgia and the American Experienceand the American Experience

Section 1: Section 1: The 1980s

Section 2: Section 2: The 1990s

Section 3: Section 3: Terrorism at Home and Abroad

Section 4: Section 4: Georgia in a New Century

©2005 Clairmont Press

Section 1: The 1980sSection 1: The 1980s

• ESSENTIAL QUESTION:– How did Georgia change during the

1980s?

Section 1: The 1980sSection 1: The 1980s

• What words do I need to know?– telecommute– email– Reaganomics– Quality Basic Education– Per capita income

1980s1980s• The age of the personal computer

• email: sending messages by computer

• telecommute: work at home while keeping in touch with the office by computer

• Schools began to purchase computers

• Other technology: ATMs, FAX machines, cellular phones, Internet, scanners

• More television channels added with cable and satellite service

The End of the Cold WarThe End of the Cold War• Ronald Reagan: “Great Communicator”

elected president – served 1981-1989• Reaganomics: “supply-side” economics,

tax cuts, heavy defense spending, limited government, limited regulation on business

• Reagan tough with USSR• By end of 1980s, Cold War ending• Mikhail Gorbachev: leader of USSR• 1989: Berlin Wall came down• 1991: Communist USSR government

collapsed

Georgia During the 1980sGeorgia During the 1980s• Governors

– George Busbee: 1975-1983 – foreign investment increased; expanded Department of Industry and Trade; expanded ports and highway system

– Joe Frank Harris: 1983-1991 – brought over 850,000 jobs; Georgia Dome; World Congress Center expansion

• Educational Improvements– Full-day kindergarten; increased teachers’ salaries;

testing of teachers; QBE (Quality Basic Education) standard curriculum

• Georgia Gets a New Constitution– Adopted 1982 after 5 years work to shorten it

The Two-Georgia Debate Continues

• Population of Georgia grew in 1980s• People moved to Georgia for mild climate, low

taxes, low fuel costs, land, and non-union workers

• Georgia now one of the fastest growing states• Two Georgias:

– Atlanta: fast growing and prosperous, generating most taxes, expanding business

– Rural: declining population, more poverty, higher unemployment, young people moved to urban areas

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Section 2:Section 2: The 1990s The 1990s

• ESSENTIAL QUESTION:–How did Georgia change

economically and politically in the 1990s?

Section 2:Section 2: The 1990s The 1990s

• What words do I need to know?– downsizing– bankruptcy– HOPE scholarship program– infrastructure

The 1990sThe 1990s• recession: economic slowdown; decreased

demand for products and services, increased unemployment, decreased wages

• downsizing: companies’ reaction to recession – firing workers to cut costs

• When workers don’t have jobs, they don’t spend money, causing greater recession

• Many Georgians filed for bankruptcy protection because they had borrowed more money on credit than they could pay back

The Persian Gulf WarThe Persian Gulf War

• August 1990: Iraq (led by Saddam Hussein) invaded Kuwait

• President George Herbert Walker Bush joined Operation Desert Shield and later Desert Storm to free Kuwait from Saddam Hussein

• January 16, 1991: US and allies began bombing Iraq

• March 3, 1991: Iraq accepts terms of cease fire and begins to leave Kuwait

• Ecological disaster left behind: oil fires, 10 million gallons of oil dumped in Persian Gulf

Political Changes in a Conservative South

• Conservative voters elected conservative Democrats and Republicans

• In 1980, Mack Mattingly was first Republican US Senator since Reconstruction – by 1992, most were Republicans

• Cynthia McKinney: Democrat, first black woman elected from Georgia to Congress

• John Lewis: Democrat, civil rights leader, senior member of Georgia’s congressional delegation

Political Changes in a Conservative South

• Newt Gingrich: Republican, became Speaker of the US House in 1994, “Contract with America” promised to reduce size of government, resigned in 1998 after poor election results for Republicans

• Sam Nunn: Democrat, served as US Senator 1972-1996, expert on military affairs

• Zell Miller: Democrat, Lt. Governor then Governor (1990-1999), known for educational improvements, “boot-camp” style prisons, state lottery for education – pre-Kindergarten, HOPE scholarships, promoted growth in North Georgia, became US Senator from Georgia

Georgia Hosts the Olympics

• Summer 1996: Atlanta hosted XXVI Olympiad• 10,000 athletes from 197 countries• 90,000 volunteers in Atlanta and other Georgia

cities and locations• Brought international attention to the city and state• July 29, 1996: Bomb in Olympic Park killed one

visitor and injured 117• Traffic problems brought much criticism• Too many street vendors and commercialism were

other concerns• “Southern hospitality” and athletic competition

were noteworthyClick to return to Table of Contents.

Section 3: Section 3: Terrorism at Home and Terrorism at Home and

AbroadAbroad

• ESSENTIAL QUESTION– How did the acts of terrorists change

Georgia?

Section 3: Section 3: Terrorism at Home and Terrorism at Home and

AbroadAbroad• What words do I need to know?

– terrorism– al-Qaeda

Terrorism at Home and Terrorism at Home and AbroadAbroad

• terrorism: acts of violence aimed at demoralizing or intimidating others

• 1993: bomb at World Trade Center garage in New York City

• 1995: Oklahoma City Murrah Federal Building – car bomb kills 168 people

• 1998: US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania bombed killing hundreds, injuring thousands – attacks linked to al-Qaeda

• al-Qaeda: Islamic terrorist group led by Osama bin Laden – wealthy Saudi Arabian terrorist

• 2000: USS Cole attacked• 2001: George W. Bush becomes president

““The Day That Changed The Day That Changed America”America”

• September 11, 2001: Islamic terrorists hijack US passenger planes and crash them into the World Trade Center and Pentagon

• One additional plane (United flight 93) was re-taken by passengers but crashed in Pennsylvania

• WTC towers collapse killing 2,774

Operation Enduring FreedomOperation Enduring Freedom• al-Qaeda linked to the September 11

attacks – based in Afghanistan

• October 2001: Operation Enduring Freedom – US and other nations’ troops invade Afghanistan to destroy al-Qaeda camps and destroy Taliban government

• Osama bin Laden escaped

• Department of Homeland Security created to work to protect Americans at home

Operation Iraqi FreedomOperation Iraqi Freedom• Saddam Hussein in Iraq continued to

violate UN resolutions regarding weapons of mass destruction and inspections

• March 19, 2003: US and coalition forces attack Iraq – combat phase over by May

• US troops continued to work in Iraq for over two years

• Saddam Hussein captured• Weapons of mass destruction were not

found

A Touch of HomeA Touch of Home

• Officers in Iraq told not to raise the US flag since the Iraqis were not defeated – only their dictator defeated

• April 2003 – Georgia troops in Iraq make the news raising flag of the University of Georgia Bulldogs!

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Section 4: Georgia in a Section 4: Georgia in a New CenturyNew Century

• ESSENTIAL QUESTION– What important issues face

Georgians in the 21st century?

Section 4: Georgia in a Section 4: Georgia in a New CenturyNew Century

• What words do I need to know?– Georgia Regional Transportation Authority

Roy E. BarnesRoy E. Barnes

• 1999: Roy Barnes, Democrat, becomes governor

• Served 24 years in legislature

• Costliest campaign for governor in GA history

• Worked to change the state flag, reform education, and build transportation projects such as the Northern Arc

The State Flag IssueThe State Flag Issue

• 1956: Georgia flag changed to incorporate the St. Andrew’s cross, a Confederate battle emblem

• Some African Americans were offended as were some modern leaders – concerned the flag focused on slavery and the past

• Governor Barnes led effort to have flag changed• New flag approved in 2001 but was unpopular• The flag controversy was one factor in Barnes

losing his re-election bid for governor• 2003: Governor Sonny Purdue signed bill

creating new Georgia flag

Highway IssuesHighway Issues

• Pollution and traffic congestion in Atlanta were problems

• Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA) created by Gov. Barnes to address traffic problems

• Auto pollution (emissions) were reduced

• Plans for 59-mile Northern Arc north of Atlanta were put on hold by Gov. Barnes and abandoned by Gov. Purdue

Education ReformEducation Reform

• Barnes began reduction of class sizes in lower grades, a building and renovation program for schools, and addition of school nurses

• Student achievement did not improve greatly

• Barnes was not re-elected and many of his reforms did not continue

Georgia Elects Republican Georgia Elects Republican GovernorGovernor

• Sonny Purdue, Republican, elected in 2002

• First Republican governor in Georgia in 130 years

• Georgia legislature had Democratic majority until 2004

• Georgians elected Republicans to the US Senate and most of US House of Representatives

• Voters gave Georgia a two-party system

Challenges for the FutureChallenges for the Future

• Three main challenges:1. water resources2. differences between urban and rural Georgia3. tremendous population growth

• Alabama, Florida and US government have demanded Georgia reduce water use and pollution

• Difficult to fund services such as schools in rural areas

• 8 million people live in Georgia – large increase puts demands on environment

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