The World's Best Book Summaries
What was the Obama Cairo speech about? Why did Obama give this speech and what were its effects? The Obama Cairo speech was delivered at Cairo University. The speech touched on human rights, religious tolerance and more. Read more about Obama, the Cairo speech, and what it meant.
How does changing a constitution work? Why is constitutional hardball a tactic of authoritarians? Changing a constitution is often used by authoritarians as a way to maximize their influence and gain more personal power. There are several examples in history of authoritarians using constitutional hardball to get their way. Read more about changing a constitution and what it means.
Who were the cabinet members during the first Obama Administration? Why did he choose them? Obama’s cabinet members were chosen carefully by Obama and his staff. Amongst others, Obama had to select a chief of staff, secretary of the treasury, and secretary of state. Read more about the Obama cabinet members and how they chose him.
What was the 2009 auto bailout? Who benefited from it and why did it happen? The 2008 financial crisis his the auto industry particularly hard. Chrysler and General Motors were struggling and needed assistance, which became known as the 2009 auto bailout. Read more about the 2009 auto bailout and what the government did.
Who was the frozen food inventor? How did the invention of frozen food change agriculture and the fast food industry? J.R. Simplot wasn’t exactly the frozen food inventor, but he did make one of the most groundbreaking products of the frozen food revolution. With his frozen french fry, Simplot made it easier for fast food companies to get the products they needed at a cheap price. Read more about the “frozen food inventor” and the frozen potato.
What are checks and balances in the U.S. government? Are they effective? Checks and balances in the U.S. government is a system intended to prevent authoritarianism by distributing power equally. Each branch has its own norms and means of operating. Read more about checks and balances in the U.S. government and what they do.
What happened during the 2010 midterm elections? Did it change the Obama administration and policies? The 2010 midterms elections occurred halfway through Obama’s first term. As expected, the 2010 midterm elections went poorly for Democrats. Read more about the 2010 midterm elections and what it meant for the Obama presidency.
What’s a cap and trade system? How was a cap and trade system implemented during the Obama administration? The cap and trade system was implemented by the Obama administration in an effort to cut back on carbon emissions. If companies went over a certain amount of emissions (caps), they were taxed. If they were under, they earned credits. Read more about the cap and trade system for environmental protections.
What was Operation Neptune Spear? What did President Obama have to do with this military operation? Operation Neptune Spear was the military operation by Navy SEALs to capture Osama bin Laden. This was a top priority for President Obama, and bin Laden was killed in action. Read more about Operation Neptune Spear below.
Where did Barack Obama go to college? How did his time at Occidental College shape his worldview? Barack Obama attended Occidental College in Los Angeles beginning in 1979. At Occidental, Obama became more interested in literature and politics, and began forming his political beliefs. Read more about Barack Obama, Occidental College, and his experiences there.