1. What were President Obama's accomplishments/issues as President?(10 points)He stopped the use of enhanced interrogation techniques, or torture, led the killing of Osama bin Laden, ended the war in Iraq in 2010, and ended Don't Ask, Don't Tell. He also passed the equal pay act, so women get payed the same as men. He gave the orders and helped to bring down Muammar Gaddafi in Libya in 2011, and also brought down Osama bin Laden in 2011. Depending on how you look at it the following issues could also be called accomplishments: He passed the Affordable Care Act, or Obama-care, he passed the Economic Stimulus package trying to boost the economy, and the auto bailouts. He has also had a lot of problems with the economy, gun control, and the SOPA/PIPA internet piracy acts.
2. Describe the main political and economic systems in the world.(10 points)
Direct Democracy - The vote of the people decides everything, there are no representatives for the people. There is no pure form of this anywhere, there are always representatives. Representative Democracy - A representative democracy is when the people vote for who they want to represent them, then those elected people vote for what they think is best. A large amount of countries in the world use this system, such as the United States. Theory of Communism - Also know as Marxism, is an idea where there are no economical classes and everyone is equal because the poor rise up and take control, and they share power with the rich. This has never happened and he never said how it should. Communism - The government controls basically everything, they control the businesses, economy, peoples rights, and their lives. There are only 5 countries that use communism, including China and North Korea. Dictatorship - One person or a small group of people control absolutely everything, there is little or no freedoms, and you can't do anything that they don't like. Constitutional Monarchy - Country is controlled by either a king or a queen, but their power is limited by a constitution that had previously been set in place. Absolute Monarchy - A king or a queen controls everything, and they don't have to follow any rules. They are also born into power rather than taking it. Socialism - Government controls some of the businesses, and is somewhat like a weak form of communism because the government is controlling it. Capitalism - The people own and run all the businesses, If you work, you make money. Mixed Economies - A large majority of countries have this economic system, the government runs some things like mail and schools, and people run other things like their own businesses. The US uses this economic system.
3. What are the major divisions between Democrats and Republicans in the US?(10 points)
Republicans - Republicans are more conservative and they believe that the government should play a very limited part in peoples lives. They say the people should help themselves rather than relying on the government. They like low taxes, and don't like abortion or gun control.
Democrats - The Democratic Party is much more liberal than the Republican Party, meaning they favor change in society. They believe that the government should run many things, and that women should have rights like abortion. Democrats say that gun control is necessary to have a safe country. Democrats also say that it is okay to increase taxes.
4. What happened on 9-11-2001 and what impact did it have on the US?(10 points)
On September 11th, 2001, the terrorists group al-Qaeda hijacked four airplanes in an attempt to cause mass death in the United States. Two of the planes crashed into the Twin Towers. The first plane hit the North Tower, and shortly after a second plane hit the South Tower. The third plane crashed into the Pentagon, and the fourth and final plane crashed into a field in Pennsylvania because the passengers tried to take the plane back and it crashed. President Bush gave the order to the US Air Force to shoot down any plane the didn't listen to the order to land immediately. After the day was over, the United States became extremely untied and were willing to due anything to rebuild and get back at them.
5. Why did the US go to war in Iraq and what impact did that war have on the US?(10 points)
Went to war in Iraq in 2003 because we believed that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, because they wouldn't let weapon inspectors in. People wanted a time table of when we were going to leave Iraq, but he always said we will leave when the job is done. When the people most wanted to leave the war, Bush sent more people in 'The Surge'. It worked and we left in 2011 when Obama pulled out all the troops because Obama didn't like the war. Many people didn't like the being in the war in the first place, and they really didn't like when we found out they had no weapons of mass destruction.
6. Describe the problems the following African countries(and Middle East) have had or are currently having as discussed in class: Rwanda, Darfur in Sudan, South Sudan vs Sudan, Somalia, Lords Resistance Army(Joseph Kony) in Uganda/Central African Republic, Syria(Two of the following-20 points)
Rwanda - When the Europeans were in Rwanda, they favored the Tutsis who appeared more European in stature. When they left, the majority Hutus took power back and killed their own president and blamed it on the Tutsis to give themselves a reason to attack. In 100 days, over 1,000,000 Tutsis were killed, and also many Hutus. At the end of those 100 days, the Tutsis were able to push back and take control of the country and they are still in power.Darfur in Sudan - The Janjaweed was a terrorist group in Sudan that was believed to be working with the government. They wanted the land because farming is the only resource that they have and land is very limited. Many people were killed and the only thing that the UN did was place sanctions on them to attempt to make them stop the violence because they weren't allowed into the Country. There is still much violence, but it is getting just a little better.
South Sudan vs. Sudan - There were a few civil wars in the history of Sudan, and the topics they were about were mostly religion and oil. They were fighting over the oil rich land in Sudan because that is their only resource. Eventually the southern part of Sudan elected to succeed from the Northern part of Sudan, thus making South Sudan. They divided the two countries so they both have part of the oil fields, and they can both have jobs.
Somalia - Somalia has had many attempts at having a government since 1991, around 14 attempts. They haven't had a government because a terrorist group called AL-Shabaab took over the country and took control of the food supply. Pirates control all the water anywhere near the Somalia coast, and its not very safe. Lords Resistance Army - Joesph Kony is the leader of the LRA, a group that claims that they are doing what the bible tells them to. He and his army use Guerrilla warfare to capture kids and make them kill their parents, and if they wont he will mangle their face. He began doing this in 1987, and they still have yet to capture this terrible man. Syria - The Syrian civil war began in 2011 when kids began making anti-government graffiti on the walls, and they were killed. Anybody that mourned the death of those kids was also killed. People then started killing the soldiers, and then that's when the civil war began. The people also wanted to have a democracy for more freedom, but the government refused. This is also a major part in the civil war. The UN is unable to do anything, and its unlikely it will be resolved anytime soon.
7. What are some of the major problems the world is facing, what are the causes of these problems and what is being done to help solve these problems?(Two of the following-20 points)
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