America in the 1990s
The 1990s was a decade filled with significant changes and events that shaped America's future in the next millennium. From the end of the Cold War to the rise of the internet, the 1990s were a time of great transformation in American society.
One of the most significant events of the decade was the end of the Cold War. Years of economic stagnation, political corruption, and high military spending weakened the Soviet state.
When Mikhail Gorbachev's perestroika and glasnost reforms backfired, popular unrest grew in the Soviet satellite states. Demands for political reform led to the satellite states breaking away and the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
With that, the Cold War came to an end and America had won.
Around the same time, however, America was fighting a war with a new enemy in the Middle East. Saddam Hussein, the dictator of Iraq, had his army invade its neighbor Kuwait in 1990.
Kuwait was a major supplier of oil to the United States and President George H.W. Bush called for a coalition of nations to defend it.
The resulting Gulf War was carried out in two stages: Operation Desert Shield to defend Saudi Arabia from attack and Operation Desert Storm to liberate Kuwait.
Kuwait was quickly liberated and Iraq agreed to a cease-fire. The war captivated the country with live footage on CNN showing America's advanced weaponry.
Perhaps the most significant milestone of the 1990s was the rise of the internet. While the internet was invented before the 90s, it gained popular use after Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web in 1990. This allowed people to connect to pages and access information on the internet.
Within a few years, millions of people learned to use email, chat rooms, websites, and search engines for the first time. The "information age" had begun.
The 1990s were also a time of great cultural change. Music was a big part of this, with the rise of grunge and alternative rock bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden. Hip-hop music also grew in popularity, with artists like Tupac and Notorious B.I.G. becoming household names.
Another significant event of the 1990s was the impeachment of President Bill Clinton. Clinton was accused of perjury and obstruction of justice after trying to cover up an affair with a young staffer.
While President Clinton was impeached by the House of Representatives, he was acquitted by the Senate and remained in office.
Finally, the 1990s were a time of progress in the fight for civil rights. In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed, which made it illegal to discriminate against people with disabilities.
In 1994, the Violence Against Women Act was passed, which aimed to reduce domestic violence and sexual assault.
Lastly, LGBTQ people made progress in their push for equality. While openly gay people had long been barred in the military, President Clinton began a policy of "don't ask, don't tell" in 1993. This prohibited military personnel from having to disclose their sexual orientation.
In April 1993, a March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay, and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation became one of the largest protests in American history. Between 800,000 - 1 million participated in the rally to push for equal rights.
However, there was also pushback. The 1996 Defense of Marriage Act defined marriage, at the federal level, as the union of one man and one woman.