What does Module 6 of the STAAR US History test cover?

Module 6 covers the modern United States, from the 1970s to the present. It includes the conservative resurgence (the Watergate scandal and falling trust in government, and the Reagan era policies of tax cuts, deregulation, and a military buildup); the end of the Cold War (the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union); the technology and globalization economy (the computer, the internet, and the shift to an information and service economy); the demographic and political changes of contemporary America; and the September 11 attacks and the war on terror.

How did the Watergate scandal affect the United States?

Watergate, the break-in and cover-up that led President Nixon to resign in 1974, caused a sharp decline in Americans' trust in the federal government and the presidency. At the same time, United States v. Nixon affirmed that no one, not even the president, is above the law, an example of checks and balances. The loss of trust, along with economic troubles like stagflation, helped fuel the rise of modern conservatism.

How and why did the Cold War end?

The Cold War ended around 1989 to 1991 as the Soviet Union weakened from a stagnant communist economy, the heavy cost of the arms race, and US pressure, while Soviet leader Gorbachev's reforms loosened control. Communist governments fell across Eastern Europe, symbolized by the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, and the Soviet Union itself dissolved in 1991. The United States emerged as the world's only superpower.

How have technology and globalization changed the modern economy?

The computer and the internet shifted the United States from a manufacturing economy toward an information and service economy and created new high-tech industries. Globalization, the growing interconnection of the world's economies, brought cheaper goods and new markets but also cost many manufacturing jobs as companies moved production to lower-wage countries (deindustrialization). Technology and globalization also sped up communication and reshaped daily life.

How did September 11 change American policy?

The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks by al-Qaeda killed nearly 3,000 people and transformed US policy. Abroad, the United States launched the war on terror, invading Afghanistan and later Iraq. At home, it created the Department of Homeland Security, increased security, and expanded surveillance powers through laws like the USA PATRIOT Act. These measures reignited the debate between national security and civil liberties, a theme that recurs throughout US history.

TexasUS History

STAAR US History Module 6 The Modern United States: a complete overview of the conservative resurgence, the end of the Cold War, technology and globalization, contemporary America, and September 11

A deep-dive guide to Module 6 of the Texas STAAR US History EOC: the conservative resurgence and the Reagan era, the end of the Cold War, the technology and globalization economy, the contemporary United States, and September 11 and the war on terror, with the reporting categories and item patterns STAAR repeats.

Generated by Claude Opus 4.817 min readTEKS 113.41(c) The contemporary United StatesUpdated 2026-06-02

Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed

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What Module 6 actually demands
The conservative resurgence
The end of the Cold War
Technology and globalization
The contemporary United States
September 11 and the war on terror
Check your knowledge

What Module 6 actually demands

Module 6 brings the STAAR US History story to the present, from the 1970s to today. It explains the turn toward conservatism, the peaceful end of the Cold War, the transformation of the economy by technology and globalization, the demographic and political changes of contemporary America, and the defining event of the new century, September 11. The dominant skills are cause and effect, reading charts and maps (population and economic data), and recognizing the recurring themes of the whole course (security versus liberty, the role of government, the expansion of rights). The module is rich in History (Category 1), Government and Citizenship (Category 3), Economics and Technology (Category 4), and Geography and Culture (Category 2).

This guide ties together the matching dot-point pages, each with its own practice questions: the conservative resurgence, the end of the Cold War, technology and the economy, the contemporary United States, and September 11 and the war on terror.

The conservative resurgence

After the turbulence of the 1960s and 1970s, the country turned toward conservatism. The Watergate scandal forced Nixon to resign in 1974 and badly damaged trust in government (while United States v. Nixon affirmed the rule of law). Economic troubles like stagflation added to the discontent. The movement triumphed with President Reagan, whose era brought tax cuts, deregulation, smaller domestic spending, and a military buildup (supply-side economics), reacting against the expanded government of the New Deal and Great Society.

The end of the Cold War

The Cold War ended peacefully around 1989 to 1991. A stagnant communist economy, the cost of the arms race, US pressure, and Gorbachev's reforms undermined the Soviet Union. Communist governments fell across Eastern Europe, symbolized by the fall of the Berlin Wall (1989), and the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. The United States became the world's sole superpower.

Technology and globalization

The computer and the internet shifted the United States from manufacturing to an information and service economy and spawned new industries. Globalization brought cheaper goods and new markets but also cost many manufacturing jobs (deindustrialization) as production moved to lower-wage countries. As in the 1920s, technology reshaped the economy and society.

The contemporary United States

Recent immigration, increasingly from Latin America and Asia, made the country more diverse, and Americans moved to the Sunbelt (Texas, Arizona, Florida) for climate and jobs, shifting population and political power south and west. The expansion of rights continues, and politics features sharp conservative-liberal debates over the role of government, the economy, immigration, and civil liberties, shaped by civic participation.

September 11 and the war on terror

On September 11, 2001, al-Qaeda attacks killed nearly 3,000 people. The United States launched the war on terror, invading Afghanistan and later Iraq, and at home created the Department of Homeland Security and expanded surveillance (the USA PATRIOT Act). These steps reignited the security-versus-liberty debate seen in Schenck, internment, and McCarthyism.

Module 6 of the STAAR US History test covers the modern United States (1970s to the present): the conservative resurgence (the Watergate scandal and falling trust in government, and the Reagan era's tax cuts, deregulation, and military buildup); the peaceful end of the Cold War (the weakening of the Soviet Union, the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the 1991 Soviet collapse, and the United States as sole superpower); the technology and globalization economy (the computer and internet shift to an information and service economy, and the benefits and costs of globalization including deindustrialization); the contemporary United States (immigration from Latin America and Asia, the growth of the Sunbelt, the continuing expansion of rights, and conservative-liberal political debates shaped by civic participation); and the September 11 attacks and the war on terror in Afghanistan and Iraq, with their renewed debate over national security versus civil liberties. The recurring skills are cause and effect, data analysis, and recognizing the course's enduring themes.

Check your knowledge

A mix of recall and application questions covering Module 6. Attempt them under timed conditions, then check against the solutions.

Explain the main effect of the Watergate scandal on Americans' view of government. (2 marks)
Identify one Reagan-era economic policy and explain its goal. (2 marks)
State two reasons the Cold War ended. (2 marks)
Explain what the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 symbolized. (2 marks)
Explain how the computer and the internet changed the American economy. (2 marks)
Define globalization and give one effect on American workers. (2 marks)
Explain why the Sunbelt grew rapidly in the contemporary era. (2 marks)
Explain how immigration has changed the population of the contemporary United States. (2 marks)
Explain how the United States responded abroad to the September 11 attacks. (2 marks)
Explain the civil-liberties debate created by the domestic response to September 11. (2 marks)

Solutions

Q1: It sharply reduced public trust in the federal government and the presidency after Nixon's cover-up and resignation, while United States v. Nixon affirmed that no one, including the president, is above the law.
Q2: A policy such as cutting income taxes or deregulating business; the goal was to stimulate growth by shrinking government and freeing business (supply-side economics).
Q3: Any two of: a stagnant communist economy; the cost of the arms race; US pressure (Reagan's military buildup); Gorbachev's reforms loosening Soviet control.
Q4: It symbolized the collapse of communist control in Eastern Europe and the approaching end of the Cold War (and the reunification of Germany).
Q5: They shifted the United States from a manufacturing economy toward an information and service economy, created new high-tech industries, and transformed communication and commerce while displacing some older jobs.
Q6: The growing interconnection of the world's economies through trade, investment, and the movement of goods and jobs across borders; one effect is the loss of manufacturing jobs (deindustrialization) as companies moved production to lower-wage countries, or, positively, cheaper goods and new high-tech jobs.
Q7: A combination of a warm climate, job opportunities, and lower costs drew migration from other regions and from abroad, shifting population and political power to the South and West.
Q8: Recent immigration, increasingly from Latin America and Asia, has made the country more ethnically and culturally diverse and helped fuel population growth, especially in the Sunbelt.
Q9: It launched the war on terror, invading Afghanistan (which sheltered al-Qaeda) and later Iraq, beginning long and costly wars.
Q10: Measures such as the Department of Homeland Security, increased surveillance, and the USA PATRIOT Act aimed to improve security, but critics warned that expanded surveillance and detention powers could threaten Americans' privacy and civil liberties.

Sources & how we know this

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Social Studies, United States History Studies Since 1877 (19 TAC 113.41) — Texas Education Agency (2018)
STAAR US History Blueprint Effective as of Academic Year 2022 to 2023 — Texas Education Agency (2022)