How should the United States deal with dangerous dictators?

How should medical coverage for the uninsured be funded?

Will tougher gun control laws reduce the incidence of crime?

Who has the responsibility for helping the poor?

Advances in technology and high hopes for the global economy are marred by White House scandals and terrorism, including attacks on the World Trade Center that kill thousands.

President Ronald Reagan’s election marks a rightward shift in domestic and foreign policy. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Cold War ends and the U.S. confronts a host of domestic problems.

President Nixon reaches out to Communist nations, but leaves office disgraced by the Watergate scandal. His successors face a sluggish economy, environmental concerns, and a revolution in Iran.

Latinos, Native Americans, and women seek equality in American society. The ideals and lifestyles of the counterculture challenge the values and priorities of mainstream society.

The United States becomes locked in a military stalemate in Southeast Asia. U.S. forces withdraw after a decade of heavy war casualties abroad and assassinations and antiwar demonstrations at home.

Activism, new legislation, and the Supreme Court advance equal rights for African Americans. But disagreements among civil rights groups lead to a violent period for the civil rights movement.