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Building the Shining City On A Hill

Delve into Reagan's administration, Reaganomics, the war on drugs, social changes, AIDS epidemic, and Reagan's impact on America.

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Building the Shining City On A Hill

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  1. Building the Shining City On A Hill The Reagan Revolution Reagan

  2. Favor laws that protect minorities Active federal gov’t Value social programs for poor Favor regulation of industry Favor cooperation with the UN Reduce taxes Limit gov’t regulation of industry Reduce involvement of the federal gov’t Strong national defense/military Traditional religious values – less freedoms Liberal Conservative

  3. Why A Conservative Mood? • Democrats unappealing • Vietnam, Urban Riots during the Great Society, counterculture, the oil crisis, high taxes, stagflation & Iran Hostage Crisis… • Failures of Welfare- perpetual underclass • Failed black family

  4. Conservative Activists • Sagebrush Rebels – wanted Feds to give control of land to the states (Greens mad) • The Moral Majority – angry at Federal stands on social issues. (Pro-life, pro-religion in school, anti-ERA, anti-gay) Jerry Falwell – founder of the Moral Majority

  5. …enter Ronald Wilson Reagan • Goldwater conservative • Opposed “big government”, wanted a strong military, believed in “traditional values” • The “Great Communicator” radiated optimism

  6. The Appeal of Reagan, the Man • Sportscaster & Hollywood Movie Actor • GREAT speaker • Pres. of SAG then Gov. of CA • STRONG anti-communist, led Hollywood against communism

  7. The 1980 Election • Reagan asks, “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” • “Can Do” attitude sweeps Reagan to victory

  8. The Reagan Inaugural Read excepts from his address. Highlight all examples of conservative values

  9. Reaganomics • Supply-Side Economics • Major tax cuts to individuals and businesses (from 70% down to 28%) • More federal revenue projected from new sales & payroll taxes in lieu of income taxes • Cut regulations & size of Fed Goverment

  10. Effects of Reaganomics • Inflation drops from 11.83% to 3.8% by 1982 • 16 million Jobs Added • GDP grows at average rate of 3.4% • Total Family wealth & income surge

  11. Critiques of Reaganomics • Though jobs added in total, overall average 7.5% unemployment • 25% jump in poverty as Social net cut • Median income drops as people forced off welfare & into lower paying jobs • Budget swells (militarism)

  12. Reagan’s America

  13. Things Begin To Look Up

  14. Reagan Gets Tough • 1981- Illegally, Air Traffic controllers went on strike • Reagan fired them all after 48 hour warning & hired new workers • Labor HATES Reagan, US admires his strength • Union power broken in the US

  15. CRACKED!!!The War on Drugs • Crack cocaine hit America’s cities • surge in addiction, homelessness, murder, theft, robbery, and long-term imprisonment. • Nancy Reagan started “Just Say No” program • Fed. $ cut 4 druggies (housing, college) • Random Drug Tests for Fed. workers • Treatment Facilities Should we tax & legalize them?

  16. The War on Drugs Spurred on by the crack epidemic in the inner-cities, Reagan increases funding for the Drug War. Nancy Reagan’s “Just Say No” Campaign

  17. The Racism of Drugs • Rock or Crack cocaine common among blacks. Powdered cocaine common among whites • Courts sentence crack abusers MUCH more harshly (100:1) • More jail time for blacks. ANGER!!! • “Ghettoization” of cities “Crack Babies” have smaller heads and brains, birth defects & more.

  18. Social Changes for Women • Increasingly involved in politics • 1981 - Sandra Day O’Connor 1st woman on Court • By 1989, 20 states have equal pay laws • Cuts for federally funded daycare

  19. Social Changes for Blacks • More elected to public office • Jesse Jackson runs for President in ‘84 • Split in black community between educated / wealthy & poor / uneducated

  20. AIDS • 1981 – disease hits US • Called “Slim Disease”, the “gay disease”, the “4H Disease” (Haitians, homosexuals, heroin users,hemophiliacs,) • By 1990, myths separate from fact • Transfusions (Ryan White), toilets, touching • Now hetero, too

  21. The AIDS Epidemic • Reagan is criticized for remaining silent on AIDS for years as it ravages America • Controversy over its impact in the gay community • Controversy over sex education in schools

  22. H.I.V. Discovered Reagan

  23. A Global Issue… Sort Of • In US today, AIDS now seen as something one can live with. Lifestyle… • On the rise again as sexual caution disappearing • 2009 – DC sees 22% jump in AIDS

  24. Triumph & DisasterThe Space Shuttle • 1981 – new, reusable, cheaper vehicle created • 1986 – Challenger explodes…

  25. 1984 Election Reagan Rocks Mondale

  26. Scandal Hits Wall Street • The S&L Scandal • Federally Insured banks hit by $2.6 billion theft • Deregulation of banks blamed… • Reagan uses tax-payer $ to pay off • Americans angry

  27. Reagan’s Foreign Policy

  28. Afghanistan – A Secret War • 1973 – communists seize Afghanistan • Peasants fear anti-religious message, organize Mujahideen • Soviets fear spread of Holy War into southern USSR • Enter the US…

  29. The Triumph of Reagan -1980, Reagan runs to oppose communism • Massive Raises Defense Spending • Star Wars (SDI) • Liberals see him as dangerous… what’s he doing? Signs INF Treaty destroys 2500 nukes

  30. Afghanistan and Reagan • Afghan War spending, combined with new US arms race, cause Soviet economic disaster. • Social programs cut • Soviets can’t buy bread and guns at the same time… Soviet Bread Line

  31. Taking on the “Evil Empire” Reagan approved a 40% increase in defense spending from 1981 to 1985. “Peace Through Strength” (Deterrence)

  32. Mikhail GorbachevA Last Ditch Soviet Effort • Perestroika • Economic restructuring • Capitalism? • Glasnost • Social Openness • Freedoms of press and speech

  33. The Summits with Gorbachev • A moderate, Mikhail Gorbachev, was someone Reagan could work with. • Perestroika and Glasnost

  34. 1989 • Solidarity leads Poland (Lech Walesa) • In wake of Gorbachev renouncing Brezhnev… • Backed by Pope John Paul II (assassination attempt b/c threat) • Berlin Wall falls 11/9/89

  35. Other States Fall… • Hungary, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia (Velvet Revolution and Vaclav Havel), Romania (Ceausescu), etc. • FREEDOM!!!!!

  36. Christmas 1991 The world gets a present… • August 1991, hardliners seize power and Gorbachev • Boris Yeltsin (Pres. of Russian Republic) leads people to freedom • USSR bans communism 12/25/91 Yeltsin on a tank leading the people

  37. The Cold War Is Over

  38. A Poor Start – 1982’s War in Lebanon • Civil War in Lebanon threatened regional peace & security • US sent in troops as peacekeepers with multi-national force • 1983 – US Marine barracks bombed, 220 killed • US leaves -Iranian funded Hezbollah did it -Now seen as early Islamic terror event

  39. The Bombing in Beirut - 1983 • 241 Americans are killed by suicide bombers in barracks in Beirut, Lebanon. • Hezbollah (backed by Iran) claims responsibility

  40. Libya • US & Libya dispute international H20 • Libyans attack US Navy & US crushes • Libya contracts for W Berlin disco bombing. 2 US soldiers killed • April 86, US bombs Libya • Dec. 88, PanAm Flight 803 blown up over Scotland. Linked back to Libya.

  41. Bombing of Libya - 1986 Reagan launches air strikes on Libya in retaliation for state-sponsored terrorist bombings Colonel Muammar Gaddafi

  42. Iran-Contra Affair • Reagan alleged to have secretly & illegally sold weapons to Iran (to get Iranian aid in pressuring Lebanon to release US hostages) & funneling $ to anti-Sandinista Nicaraguan rebels (Contras) • Oliver North took the fall, but many blame Reagan.

  43. George H.W. Bush Considered the last Cold War PresidentFamous for the Quote“Read my lips: No New taxes”-had to raise taxes (S & L Crisis) 1988 Election – defeats Michael Dukakis Upset Conspiracy Theorists when he talked about“Creating a New World Order” -felt that the U.N. was going to take over Bush Sr.

  44. Savings and Loan Crisis President Bush authorizes the bailout of the S&L Industry to the tune of $125 billion. Contributes to large deficits Causes by deregulation

  45. Tiananmen Square - 1989 Chinese students push for democracy in Communist China Student uprising is crushed by Red Army Tanks

  46. Tianamen Square Bush Sr.

  47. Who were the protestors? Students What country did this take place In? China What American monument was the Goddess of Liberty fashioned after? Statue of Liberty Bush Sr. What did the students want? Democracy

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