Rationale

America has been shaped into the country it is today by the events of the past. The most influential events are not only those that affect the country alone, but events that also directly affect the people of America. There is no one theme for the most recent events that have influenced America’s path. Recently, America has been shaped by nerve-wracking elections, catastrophic natural disasters, innovative technological advancements, and wars crippling us in more than one way. Of course there have been other important events, but the ones in these textbook are the ones that have drastically shaped America and its citizens. The election of 2008, between Barack Obama and John McCain was included in this textbook because it was one of the most controversial and critical elections in America’s history. It was the first time a non-Caucasian had been elected president. This act alone helped to break down race barriers in America and to show that anyone could become president or whatever they want to be with hard work and good ethics. The next event included in this textbook was the BP or Deepwater Horizon oil spill. This event was included because of the huge effect it had on the environment. It showed people just how delicate the environment can be while at the same time sending a message to other businesses. That message was that just because of technology has advanced doesn’t mean it is ok or responsible to proceed without the proper level of caution. The third event included in this textbook was Hurricane Katrina. While the BP oil spill showed that the environment can be delicate, Hurricane Katrina showed us it can also be a deadly force to be reckoned with. Hurricane Katrina is included in this textbook because of the devastating effects it had on America’s populace and economy. The lives lost, land ruined, and homes destroyed are a reminder that although it may not always be likely, it is always prudent to be prepared for the worst case scenario. The fourth event included in this textbook was Iraq War. This war was included because of its massive cost in both money and live, its proof that the government isn’t always right, and because its continuance was one of America’s main focal points in the war on terrorism. We originally went into Iraq on the basis of finding illegal weapons of mass destruction, which still haven’t been found. Although America never completed one of its primary objectives, it did succeed in capturing Saddam Hussein and bringing a form of democracy to Iraq. Another reason the Iraq War was included is because of the controversy about it. Many of America’s citizens are unhappy with the amount of money we have spent there and the amount of lives we have lost. The last event that was included in this textbook was the rise of the smart phones. While it may not seem as crucial of an event when compared to the likes of Hurricane Katrina and the Iraq War, smart phones have had a huge impact on the lives of America’s populace. The increased demand for these smart phones has led to technological advancements that allow them to do essentially everything a personal computer can. All this convenience in one small package makes smart phones the modern day Swiss army knife. These devices have revolutionized the way people conduct business, listen to music, browse the web, and even play games. There were some events that were also under consideration, but in the end were deemed not as significant in comparison to the events chosen to be included in this textbook. These events were the Afghanistan War and the launch of the Horizon Space Probe. The launch of the Horizon Space probe was not included because its significance to America and its populace wasn’t nearly as much as the effect of the rise of smart phones. The Afghanistan War was not included because for the past 5 years, America has been more focused on Iraq and the Iraq War has cost more money and caused more deaths than the Afghanistan War. In the past five years, America has been influenced, whether positively or negatively by many events. The five included in this textbook have caused some of the most significant changes in America and its people. While what the future holds for us may be unknown, the past can always be looked to for insight on how to handle situation that arise. The five events used in this textbook will all be looked back upon in times to come.