Hillary Clinton

Definition

Hillary Clinton is an American politician who served as the First Lady of the United States from 1993 to 2001, as a United States Senator from New York from 2001 to 2009, and as the 67th United States Secretary of State from 2009 to 2013. She was the first woman to be nominated for president by a major U.S. political party, winning the popular vote in the 2016 presidential election before losing the Electoral College to Donald Trump.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Hillary Clinton was the first woman to be nominated for president by a major U.S. political party, running as the Democratic nominee in the 2016 election.
2. As First Lady, Hillary Clinton played a prominent role in healthcare reform and other social issues, and was the first First Lady to have a postgraduate degree and her own career.
3. During her tenure as Secretary of State, Clinton advocated for the empowerment of women and girls, and was a key figure in the Obama administration's foreign policy decisions.
4. Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign focused on issues such as economic inequality, immigration reform, and climate change, but she ultimately lost the Electoral College to Donald Trump despite winning the popular vote.
5. Throughout her political career, Clinton has been a polarizing figure, with supporters praising her experience and policy positions, and critics accusing her of being untrustworthy and elitist.

Review Questions

• Describe Hillary Clinton's role and influence as First Lady of the United States.
  • As First Lady, Hillary Clinton played a prominent and active role in shaping the social and political agenda of the Clinton administration. She was the first First Lady to have a postgraduate degree and her own career, and she used her position to advocate for healthcare reform and other key issues. Clinton's involvement in policy decisions and her willingness to take on controversial topics made her a polarizing figure, but also demonstrated her political acumen and desire to make a tangible impact during her husband's presidency.
• Analyze Hillary Clinton's tenure as Secretary of State and her approach to foreign policy.
  • As Secretary of State under President Obama, Hillary Clinton was a key figure in the administration's foreign policy decisions, particularly in response to the Arab Spring uprisings and the killing of Osama bin Laden. Clinton advocated for the empowerment of women and girls globally, and was known for her hawkish stance on certain issues, such as the intervention in Libya. Her tenure as Secretary of State was marked by both successes and controversies, and her foreign policy approach was often viewed as more assertive and interventionist than that of her predecessor, Colin Powell.
• Evaluate the significance of Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign and its impact on American politics.
  • Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign was historic, as she became the first woman to be nominated for president by a major U.S. political party. Her campaign focused on issues such as economic inequality, immigration reform, and climate change, and she ultimately won the popular vote but lost the Electoral College to Donald Trump. Clinton's loss was seen by many as a setback for the advancement of women in American politics, but it also sparked a renewed conversation about the role of gender in political campaigns and the continued challenges faced by female candidates. Clinton's campaign and its aftermath have had a lasting impact on the Democratic Party and the broader political landscape in the United States.

Related terms

First Lady: The wife of the President of the United States, who often takes on a prominent role in social and political issues during their husband's presidency.

Secretary of State:

The head of the United States Department of State, responsible for conducting and managing the country's foreign policy and international relations.

Presidential Election: The process by which the president and vice president of the United States are elected, with the winner determined by the Electoral College system rather than the popular vote.