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Key Events and Demographic Trends, 1981-2000

Key Events and Demographic Trends, 1981-2000. Key Economic and Political Events, 1981-2000. A new beginning

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Key Events and Demographic Trends, 1981-2000

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  1. Key Events and Demographic Trends, 1981-2000

  2. Key Economic and Political Events, 1981-2000 • A new beginning • At noon on January 20, 1981, Ronald Reagan placed his left hand on a family Bible and solemnly swore to “preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.” As howitzers sounded a 21-gun salute, the new President turned to face the huge crowd gathered at the West Front of the Capitol. Reagan acknowledged that the nation faced serious economic problems. He also rejected the idea that America faced “an inevitable decline.” Instead, the new President confidently called upon America to “begin an era of national renewal.”

  3. Key Economic and Political Events, 1981-2000 • A new beginning • While the President delivered his Inaugural Address, a bus 6,300 miles away carried 52 American hostages onto an airport runway outside Tehran, Iran. A beaming President Reagan now told the nation the news it has waited 444 days to hear: “Some 30 minutes ago, the planes bearing our prisoners left Iranian airspace and are now free of Iran.” The President’s dramatic announcement triggered a wave of national joy and relief. • Reagan’s inauguration marked a new beginning for America. The long hostage crisis had finally ended and a new presidency had begun.

  4. Key Economic and Political Events, 1981-2000 • Reaganomics • President Reagan wasted little time in announcing his plans to revive the economy. Less than three weeks after taking office, the President told the nation, “We’re in the worst economic mess since the Great Depression.” He then identified inflation, high interest rates, too much government spending, high taxes, and unemployment as five key problems that had to be solved. • Reagan opposed the use of a New Deal-type program to revive the economy. “Government is not the solution to our problem,” Reagan declared. “Government is the problem.” Reagan boldly championed a series of new solutions to deal with stagflation. He called upon Congress to sharply reduce government funding of social and welfare programs. Reagan argued that these cuts would help curb federal spending and fight inflation. He also asked Congress to enact a 3-year, 30 percent, cut in personal income taxes. The President believed that these cuts would stimulate the economy. With more money to spend, consumers would buy more goods. At the same time, Reagan also called upon Congress to ease government regulations of business. He believed that free-market capitalism would create jobs and promote economic growth.

  5. Key Economic and Political Events, 1981-2000 • Reaganomics • Reporters promptly labeled the President’s supply-side economic program Reaganomics. Critics argued that Reaganomics would hurt the needy and fail to stimulate the economy, but Reagan skillfully used television speeches to generate support for his program. The President’s success soon earned him the nickname the “Great Communicator.” Within a few months, Congress passed Reagan’s budget and tax cuts. • Reaganomics failed to produce immediate results. Instead of being revived, the economy sank into a steep recession. Unemployment climbed to over 10 percent – the highest since the Great Depression. Despite the difficult beginning, Reagan urged the public to “stay the course.”

  6. Key Economic and Political Events, 1981-2000 • Reaganomics • Reagan’s confidence proved to be justified. America enjoyed a sustained period of economic growth from late 1982 to 1988. During that time, the economy added more than 17 million jobs, inflation dropped to single digits, and the gross national product showed the biggest percentage increase in 33 years. • However, Reaganomics also produced troubling long-term problems. Despite deep cuts in social programs, federal spending continued to escalate as the defense budget soared to counter the perceived Soviet threat. Because of Reagan’s massive tax cuts, the government took in less money and had to borrow heavily to pay its bills. From George Washington to Jimmy Carter, the United States had accumulated $1.1 trillion in national debt. Under Reagan, the United States added $1.8 trillion in debt. Once the world’s biggest lender, the United States had become its largest debtor.

  7. Key Economic and Political Events, 1981-2000 • U.S.-Soviet relations, 1981-1984 • While economic problems received Reagan’s highest priority, relations with the Soviet Union played a dominant role in his foreign policy. Reagan believed that the Soviet Union caused much of the world’s troubles. In his first news conference, Reagan charged that the Soviets were aggressors who “reserve unto themselves the right to commit any crime, to lie, and to cheat.” • Soviet actions seemed to support Reagan’s accusations. In late 1979, the Red Army invaded Afghanistan. Events in Poland further strained U.S.-Soviet relations. In 1980, Polish workers formed an independent labor union called Solidarity. Under the leadership of Lech Walesa, Solidarity demanded greater freedom for the Polish people. The Soviet leader refused to permit a more open Polish government. In December 1981, Communist authorities in Poland arrested Walesa and abolished Solidarity. • The Soviet actions in Afghanistan and Poland helped convince many Americans that military spending should be increased. President Reagan called upon Congress to approve a massive military buildup. Between 1980 and 1985, U.S. defense budgets increased from $144 billion to $295 billion.

  8. Key Economic and Political Events, 1981-2000 • The 1984 election • President Reagan’s popularity rose as the 1984 election approached. Americans liked Reagan’s can-do personality and admired his ability to lead the nation. The President proudly pointed to the nation’s strong economic recovery and to his tough new foreign policy. Declaring that he wanted to “make America great again,” the President told voters, “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.” • While the republicans unanimously renominated Reagan and Bush, the Democrats selected former Vice-President Walter Mondale. In a bold break with tradition, Mondale chose a female running mate, Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro of New York. • The Mondale-Ferraro team ran a spirited race. However, they proved to be no match for Reagan and Bush. Millions of voters agreed with republican ads proclaiming that “America is back, standing tall.” On election day, Reagan won a landslide victory carrying 49 states.

  9. Key Economic and Political Events, 1981-2000 • The Clinton presidency • The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) created a free-trade zone with Canada and Mexico. • The World Trade Organization (WTO) was established in 1984 to oversee trade agreements and enforce trade rules. • The House of Representatives impeached President Clinton for perjury and obstruction of justice. However, the Senate did not uphold the charges.

  10. Three Key Demographic Trends, 1981-2000 • The “graying” of America • After reaching a peak of 4.3 million births in 1957, the baby boom began to decline. Between 1970 and 1988, an average of less than 3.5 million births occurred each year. The declining birth rate caused a significant drop in the percentage of Americans under the age of 17. • While the number of young Americans declined, the number of older Americans increased. In 1900, just 4.1 percent of the population was over 65. By 2000, the percentage climbed to about 12 percent. This “graying” of the population poses a threat to the long-term viability of social security.

  11. Three Key Demographic Trends, 1981-2000 • The rise of the Sunbelt • Many older citizens chose to retire in the South and West. Known as the Sunbelt, the band of states that stretches from the Carolinas to Southern California also attracted millions of other Americans. Fast growing electronics and computer industries offered job opportunities to go along with the Sunbelt’s mild climate. • By 2000, a majority of Americans lived in the Sunbelt states. In 1994, Texas passed New York as the nation’s second most populous state.

  12. Three Key Demographic Trends, 1981-2000 • A new wave of immigrants • Immigration has played an important role in shaping American culture. The Immigration Act of 1965 triggered a major new wave of immigration. Between 1990 and 2000, over 10 million immigrants entered the United States, more than in any previous decade in the nation’s history. • The largest number of immigrants came from Latin America and Asia. By 2000, over half the foreign-born population of the United States came from Latin America and about one-quarter came from Asia.

  13. Prompts #14 and #15 • President Reagan exclaimed, “Government is not the solution to our problem. Government is the problem.” To what extent do you agree or disagree with his statement? • Discuss the main issues facing the United States in the 21st century.

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