90 likes | 226 Views
Modern America. Reagan – George Bush. Ronald Reagan. Calif. Gov. – Conservative Republican Signed INF Treaty with Gorbachev, promising to destroy 2,500 missiles in Europe Believed in supply side (trickle down) economics. Offer businesses tax cuts
E N D
Modern America Reagan – George Bush
Ronald Reagan • Calif. Gov. – Conservative Republican • Signed INF Treaty with Gorbachev, promising to destroy 2,500 missiles in Europe • Believed in supply side (trickle down) economics. • Offer businesses tax cuts • Businesses would, in turn, hire more workers and produce more goods
Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) • Often called “Star Wars” • Planned to have lasers in space shoot down nuclear missiles launched at the U.S. by other countries • Nicaragua • Aided the contras (counterrevolutionaries) of Nicaragua • Fought the Sandinistas, the ruling Marxist group of Nicaragua
George Bush • Cold War ended • Berlin Wall came down • Boris Yeltsin became 1st elected President of Russia • 1991 – Bush and Gorbachev signed Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START)
Persian Gulf War • Persian Gulf War / Operation Desert Storm • Dictator Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait • The U.S. entered the war when Hussein refused to withdraw • Led by Collin Powell and Norman Schwarzkopf • 700,000 troops from US, Britain, France, Egypt, Saudi Arabia • 5 day ground war.
Bill Clinton • Arkansas DemocraticGov. • Lost a battle with Congress over universal health care. Opponents said it would be too expensive and was “big government” • Republicans, under Newt Gingrich, called for a CONTRACT WITH AMERICA… a pledge to end big government
Impeachment • August 1994, prosecutor Kenneth Starr and Att. Gen. Janet Reno investigate Whitewater investments by the Clintons • Affair with WH intern emerges • Lying under oath • Impeached by House but not convicted by Senate
Clinton battled Congressional Republicans through his entire Presidency • Arranged the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) which ended trade restrictions with Canada and Mexico