the united states and the soviet union entered the cold war. this included wars in korea and vietnam. during this time, african-americans, chicanos, and women sought more rights. in the 1970s and 1980s, the united states started to make fewer things in factories. the country then went through the worst recession it had since the great depression. in the late 1980s, the cold war ended, helping the united states out of recession. the middle east became more important in american foreign policy, especially after the september 11 attacks in 2001. in the 2010s, barack obama's presidency helped many domestic problems in the country such as the auto business and healthcare coverage. after obama, the country saw a rise in populist politics with the presidency of donald trump. in 2020, the country oversaw the covid-19 pandemic, social unrest over racial justice and disputes over the 2020 election results which led to violent reactions.