during this decade the United States
moved into a new era of domestic
progress and evolving technology with
foreign conflicts and terrorism
foreshadow troubles on the horizon
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
counting down our picks for the top ten
defining moments in 1990s America
for this list we’ve chosen moments that
we felt best represent this essential
decade in American history we are
witnessing tonight a modern tragedy and
drama of Shakespearean proportion being
played out live on television number 10
the OJ Simpson trial people are going to
the freeway parking their cars and
waving at oh gee we’re told as they
drive by Americans were glued to their
TV sets when football star OJ Simpson
went to trial for the murder of ex-wife
Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron
Goldman if there is any doubt anybody’s
mind about this person not committing
this crime I mean then they have a real
problem with reality cameras provided a
constant view of the courtroom making
celebrities out of everyone involved DNA
issues and questions of racism
eventually led to a not guilty verdict
we the jury in the above-entitled action
find the defendant Orenthal James
Simpson not guilty of a crime of murder
in violation of Penal Code section 187
however public opinion of his innocence
widely varied with race and showed a
racial divide still alive in 90s America
when the verdict came America stopped to
watch and the result split the nation
number nine Don’t Ask Don’t Tell our
country slaps us in the face and orders
us don’t ask and orders us don’t tell
long frowned upon in the US military
gays and lesbians were finally given in
inroads into legally serving their
country with the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell
policy a compromise of sorts between
each side of the debate
it allowed homosexuals in the service
permitted they did not speak of their
orientation it is right because it
provides greater protection to those who
happen to be homosexual and want to
serve their country honorably in uniform
in return superiors were prohibited from
questioning their sexuality problems
remained but this was a launching pad
for change to come I am NOT asking
anymore I am Telling I am telling I am
telling will you tell with me I just
want to say you know can we can we all
get along can we can we get along number
eight the Rodney King riots
police brutality became a visible
problem when motorist Rodney King was
severely beaten by LAPD officers after
leading police on a high-speed chase the
incident was taped and attracted massive
media attention we’ve all seen the
pictures of Los Angeles police officers
beating a man they had just pulled over
when most of the primarily Caucasian
officers were found not guilty in the
assault on King an african-american man
tensions boiled over la erupted into
violence murder and looting for six days
a rare glimpse of unsuppressed rage in
modern america number seven the north
american free trade agreement in a few
moments I will sign the North American
Free Trade Act into law signed into law
in 1993 the north american free trade
agreement was successful in creating an
effective free trade zone between the US
canada and mexico it will create the
world’s largest trade zone and create
200,000 jobs in this country by 1995
alone NAFTA initially caused worries of
negative environmental impact and a loss
of jobs
fortunately President Bill Clinton
signed additional agreements
safeguarding against such problems and
the resulting years saw a major boom in
economic benefits for all three
countries which slowly increased over
time number six the Oklahoma City
bombing the bombing in Oklahoma City was
an attack on innocent children and
defenseless citizens early on a
Wednesday morning in 1995 a thundering
explosion shook America into the era of
terrorism the nation now had to come to
grips with the shock of this
unprecedented event and the reality of
terrorism in the American heartland
frustrated with the federal government
and its questionable actions in recent
seizures Timothy McVeigh and Terry
Nichols decided to attack Oklahoma
City’s Alfred P murrah Federal Building
168 people flew
19 children died in the attack and more
than 500 were injured
using a truck loaded with explosives the
pair destroyed a massive amount of the
building and took 168 innocent lives
including many children in one of
America’s deadliest domestic terrorist
acts you have lost too much but you have
not lost everything and you have
certainly not lost America number five a
balanced budget and economic stability
read my lips leading into the 90s the
country struggled amidst a recession and
painful federal deficit try as he might
President George HW Bush had to rely on
taxes to try to set this straight but
lost public support along the way it was
the state of Ohio that took Clinton over
the top and left George Bush with little
but to surrender gracefully President
Clinton came into office committed to
solving this his budget plans finally
produced a budget surplus in 1998 and
the economy thrived as technology
exploded with the popularity of the
internet number four the Monica Lewinsky
scandal I did not have sexual relations
with that woman
for all his achievements President
Clinton had his fair share of
embarrassments long dogged by
allegations of infidelity his reputation
took a hit when his affair with White
House intern Monica Lewinsky became
public in 1998 these allegations are
false and I need to go back to work for
the American people
Clinton strongly denied the allegations
but mounting evidence led him to finally
concede his involvement indeed I did
have a relationship with Miss Lewinsky
that was not appropriate in fact it was
wrong this led to an impeachment trial
on perjury and obstruction of justice
charges where he was acquitted thanks to
strong support from Democrats
number three the Columbine High School
massacre good evening everyone the
reaction of so many people today was oh
no not again another high school a
nationwide fear of school shootings was
born when Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold
killed 13 people at Columbine High
School and then took their own lives
investigations revealed an intricately
planned massacre that could have been
even deadlier if their bombs hadn’t
failed Eric and Dylan’s bombs allowed
you to explode but failed to detonate
the killer’s extensive arsenal
influenced a continued push for more gun
control while antidepressants bullying
video games and heavy-metal music were
all examined as possible motivations for
the shooting the president was shooting
bombs overseas yet I’m a bad guy because
I’ve sang some rock and roll songs
number two Operation Desert Storm
regrettably we now believe that only
force will make him leave the United
States continued its role as a
peacekeeper when Iraqi forces invaded
Kuwait threatening Iraq leader Saddam
Hussein with an attack if he failed to
lead the near defenseless country
President Bush was forced to declare war
in January kicking off the Gulf War
instead he tried to make this a dispute
between Iraq and the United States of
America well he failed American soldiers
took advantage of superior weapons like
the Patriot missile to bomb the
opposition and force a retreat Kuwait
had been liberated but Hussein remained
a major enemy for years to come before
we present our final pic here are some
honorable mentions
like that like this it’s like that like
this or like that it’s like this on
April the 24th nineteen ninety five
astronauts aboard the space shuttle
Discovery left on a journey that changed
our vision of the universe forever in
focus this evening the glitch that could
short-circuit cyberspace on New Year’s
Day mm is it possible that we’re in for
an international disaster because so
many of the world’s computers will be
utterly confused by what date it is
number one the rise of the Internet what
began as a million-dollar investment by
the government in 1969 to link computers
to share information was now at the turn
of the century the future developing for
decades the internet came to true global
fruition in the 90s the World Wide Web
was introduced in 91 and browsers soon
followed making web browsing truly
possible many of us believe this is in
fact the telecommunications
infrastructure for the 21st century the
internet quickly became commercialized
Internet service providers popped up
everywhere and prominent sites like
amazon.com were born you know what’s not
to love you order the groceries online
and we deliver them to your door
unlimited information was affordable
available at the click of a button and
people were connected everywhere America
and the world was forever changed do you
agree with our list
which events do you think define 1990s
America and beyond for more informative
top 10s published every day be sure to
subscribe to watchmojo.com
you
moved into a new era of domestic
progress and evolving technology with
foreign conflicts and terrorism
foreshadow troubles on the horizon
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
counting down our picks for the top ten
defining moments in 1990s America
for this list we’ve chosen moments that
we felt best represent this essential
decade in American history we are
witnessing tonight a modern tragedy and
drama of Shakespearean proportion being
played out live on television number 10
the OJ Simpson trial people are going to
the freeway parking their cars and
waving at oh gee we’re told as they
drive by Americans were glued to their
TV sets when football star OJ Simpson
went to trial for the murder of ex-wife
Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron
Goldman if there is any doubt anybody’s
mind about this person not committing
this crime I mean then they have a real
problem with reality cameras provided a
constant view of the courtroom making
celebrities out of everyone involved DNA
issues and questions of racism
eventually led to a not guilty verdict
we the jury in the above-entitled action
find the defendant Orenthal James
Simpson not guilty of a crime of murder
in violation of Penal Code section 187
however public opinion of his innocence
widely varied with race and showed a
racial divide still alive in 90s America
when the verdict came America stopped to
watch and the result split the nation
number nine Don’t Ask Don’t Tell our
country slaps us in the face and orders
us don’t ask and orders us don’t tell
long frowned upon in the US military
gays and lesbians were finally given in
inroads into legally serving their
country with the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell
policy a compromise of sorts between
each side of the debate
it allowed homosexuals in the service
permitted they did not speak of their
orientation it is right because it
provides greater protection to those who
happen to be homosexual and want to
serve their country honorably in uniform
in return superiors were prohibited from
questioning their sexuality problems
remained but this was a launching pad
for change to come I am NOT asking
anymore I am Telling I am telling I am
telling will you tell with me I just
want to say you know can we can we all
get along can we can we get along number
eight the Rodney King riots
police brutality became a visible
problem when motorist Rodney King was
severely beaten by LAPD officers after
leading police on a high-speed chase the
incident was taped and attracted massive
media attention we’ve all seen the
pictures of Los Angeles police officers
beating a man they had just pulled over
when most of the primarily Caucasian
officers were found not guilty in the
assault on King an african-american man
tensions boiled over la erupted into
violence murder and looting for six days
a rare glimpse of unsuppressed rage in
modern america number seven the north
american free trade agreement in a few
moments I will sign the North American
Free Trade Act into law signed into law
in 1993 the north american free trade
agreement was successful in creating an
effective free trade zone between the US
canada and mexico it will create the
world’s largest trade zone and create
200,000 jobs in this country by 1995
alone NAFTA initially caused worries of
negative environmental impact and a loss
of jobs
fortunately President Bill Clinton
signed additional agreements
safeguarding against such problems and
the resulting years saw a major boom in
economic benefits for all three
countries which slowly increased over
time number six the Oklahoma City
bombing the bombing in Oklahoma City was
an attack on innocent children and
defenseless citizens early on a
Wednesday morning in 1995 a thundering
explosion shook America into the era of
terrorism the nation now had to come to
grips with the shock of this
unprecedented event and the reality of
terrorism in the American heartland
frustrated with the federal government
and its questionable actions in recent
seizures Timothy McVeigh and Terry
Nichols decided to attack Oklahoma
City’s Alfred P murrah Federal Building
168 people flew
19 children died in the attack and more
than 500 were injured
using a truck loaded with explosives the
pair destroyed a massive amount of the
building and took 168 innocent lives
including many children in one of
America’s deadliest domestic terrorist
acts you have lost too much but you have
not lost everything and you have
certainly not lost America number five a
balanced budget and economic stability
read my lips leading into the 90s the
country struggled amidst a recession and
painful federal deficit try as he might
President George HW Bush had to rely on
taxes to try to set this straight but
lost public support along the way it was
the state of Ohio that took Clinton over
the top and left George Bush with little
but to surrender gracefully President
Clinton came into office committed to
solving this his budget plans finally
produced a budget surplus in 1998 and
the economy thrived as technology
exploded with the popularity of the
internet number four the Monica Lewinsky
scandal I did not have sexual relations
with that woman
for all his achievements President
Clinton had his fair share of
embarrassments long dogged by
allegations of infidelity his reputation
took a hit when his affair with White
House intern Monica Lewinsky became
public in 1998 these allegations are
false and I need to go back to work for
the American people
Clinton strongly denied the allegations
but mounting evidence led him to finally
concede his involvement indeed I did
have a relationship with Miss Lewinsky
that was not appropriate in fact it was
wrong this led to an impeachment trial
on perjury and obstruction of justice
charges where he was acquitted thanks to
strong support from Democrats
number three the Columbine High School
massacre good evening everyone the
reaction of so many people today was oh
no not again another high school a
nationwide fear of school shootings was
born when Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold
killed 13 people at Columbine High
School and then took their own lives
investigations revealed an intricately
planned massacre that could have been
even deadlier if their bombs hadn’t
failed Eric and Dylan’s bombs allowed
you to explode but failed to detonate
the killer’s extensive arsenal
influenced a continued push for more gun
control while antidepressants bullying
video games and heavy-metal music were
all examined as possible motivations for
the shooting the president was shooting
bombs overseas yet I’m a bad guy because
I’ve sang some rock and roll songs
number two Operation Desert Storm
regrettably we now believe that only
force will make him leave the United
States continued its role as a
peacekeeper when Iraqi forces invaded
Kuwait threatening Iraq leader Saddam
Hussein with an attack if he failed to
lead the near defenseless country
President Bush was forced to declare war
in January kicking off the Gulf War
instead he tried to make this a dispute
between Iraq and the United States of
America well he failed American soldiers
took advantage of superior weapons like
the Patriot missile to bomb the
opposition and force a retreat Kuwait
had been liberated but Hussein remained
a major enemy for years to come before
we present our final pic here are some
honorable mentions
like that like this it’s like that like
this or like that it’s like this on
April the 24th nineteen ninety five
astronauts aboard the space shuttle
Discovery left on a journey that changed
our vision of the universe forever in
focus this evening the glitch that could
short-circuit cyberspace on New Year’s
Day mm is it possible that we’re in for
an international disaster because so
many of the world’s computers will be
utterly confused by what date it is
number one the rise of the Internet what
began as a million-dollar investment by
the government in 1969 to link computers
to share information was now at the turn
of the century the future developing for
decades the internet came to true global
fruition in the 90s the World Wide Web
was introduced in 91 and browsers soon
followed making web browsing truly
possible many of us believe this is in
fact the telecommunications
infrastructure for the 21st century the
internet quickly became commercialized
Internet service providers popped up
everywhere and prominent sites like
amazon.com were born you know what’s not
to love you order the groceries online
and we deliver them to your door
unlimited information was affordable
available at the click of a button and
people were connected everywhere America
and the world was forever changed do you
agree with our list
which events do you think define 1990s
America and beyond for more informative
top 10s published every day be sure to
subscribe to watchmojo.com
you
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