Bell Ringer

US-U9-L4

SSUSH25• e. Explain the relationship between

Congress and President Bill Clinton; include the North American Free Trade Agreement and his impeachment and acquittal.

• f. Analyze the 2000 presidential election and its outcome, emphasizing the role of the Electoral College

President Clinton and Congress• Clinton was a democrat• The majority of Congress

was republican• Congress and the President

had a mixed relationship due to the fact that they were not of the same party, therefore often they did not agree.

• Early on Clinton faced many Congressional roadblocks on many of his proposed policies.

NAFTA• Stands for North American Free Trade

Agreement• It was a means to open up world trade, and to

drop barriers between the US, Canada, and Mexico

• Though Clinton faced some resistance from democrats in Congress, he was able to gain he support of republicans and get NAFTA approved.

http://www.5min.com/Video/What-Should-You-Know-10-NAFTA-30882950

President Clinton’s Impeachment• In January 1998 Clinton

was linked to an improper relationship with a White House intern named Monica Lewinsky

• For the next 7 months, Clinton denied a relationship ever existed between him and Monica.

President Clinton’s Impeachment• By mid-August 1998 , Clinton finally

acknowledged that he had an inappropriate relationship

• By mid-January 1999 the Senate began impeachment hearings against Clinton charging him with perjury and obstruction of justice.

• Impeachment remember is just that charges have been formally filed. It does not mean that the president has been convicted.

• Perjury means that he lied under oath, which is against the law.

President Clinton’s Impeachment

• In February of 1999, the Senate acquitted (dropped) Clinton of the charges

• Clinton became only the 2nd president to face impeachment.

• Who was the first?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w86yFIHFGbY

2000 Presidential Election• The 2000 Presidential election pitted republican

George W. Bush against Vice President Al Gore (democrat)

• For a person to win the Presidential election they must win 270 Electoral votes

• Though Gore won the popular vote the Electoral vote came down to the state of Florida.

• The results were so close in Florida, that under state law, a recount was required.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaPlIcQw_dg-School House Rock-Electoral College

2000 Presidential Election• By the end November 2000, the state of Florida

was only able to count a percentage of the ballots. They declared George W. Bush the winner by 537 votes because they felt it impossible to recount all ballots.

2000 Presidential Election• Al Gore then sued, arguing that the

results were not accurate• Because of the importance of the case,

and the fact that the Constitution requires the Electoral vote to be cast by a certain date, the case went immediately to the Supreme Court in Bush v. Gore

• The Court ruled in a 5-4 vote that there was insufficient time under the law for a full recount

• The ruling left George Bush the winner of the 2000 Presidential election.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEB9hWYMpA0

Closing

• What 3 countries are involved in NAFTA?

• Why was Clinton impeached?

• Which 2 presidents faced impeachment?

• Explain the Electoral College in your own words.

• Who won the popular vote in 2000? Who won the Electoral College vote?