The 1970s were difficult times in America… The oil crisis The economy is weak

1. The 1970s were difficult times in America… • The oil crisis • The economy is weak • The outcome of the Vietnam War • Marxist regimes in Nicaragua & El Salvador • The Soviets invasion of Afghanistan. • The Iranian Hostage Crisis & Carter’s failed rescue • As a result of Carter’s policies the American military had low morale, low pay & outdated equipment …Key military personnel were not re-enlisting

2. The Conservative Tide Conservatism Ronald Reagan & Bush H.W. Bush 1981-1989 1989-1993

3. Ronald Reagan • Movie star…. President of the Screen Actors Guild • 1966: Elected Governor of CA • 1980: Elected President • 1981: Attempted assassination • 1984: Re-elected …Landslide victory

4. The Conservative Movement in The U.S... • Reduce the size of the Government • Reduce government spending • Reduce government regulations to stimulate business • Lower taxes • Strengthen the national defense • Promote family values & patriotic ideas • Supported by the New Right… • Pro- Life • School Prayer • Anti-Affirmative Action • Personal Responsibility

5. The 1980 Election: Reagan vs. Carter • The major campaign issues… • The Iranian Hostage crisis • The weak economy

6. 1984: Ronald Reagan vs. Walter Mondale • Reagan landslide • Geraldine Ferraro was Mondale’s VP… The first women on a major party’s Presidential ticket.

7. What was Reaganomics? • Commonly associated with “supply-side economics” or “trickle-down economics.” • The four pillars of Reagan's economic policy were… • Reduce the size of government • Reduce government spending • Reduce taxes • Reduce government regulation • Reduce inflation Reagan’s First Inaugural address: “Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.” Drastic cuts in social programs… Welfare; Job-training; Medicaid; School lunches; & Student loans.

8. Recession, Recovery & the National Debt • Tax Cuts & consumer spending spark the economy • Stocks surged, unemployment declined& GNP went up 10%. • Major stock market crash in1987… The market rebounds • Federal spending still exceeded Federal revenue due to the tax cuts. By 1984 the national debt doubles under Reagan

9. Deregulation • Reagan cut back on the regulation of industry • Deregulation increased business competition & lower prices for consumers • Reagan cuts Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funding…More mining, logging, oil & gas drilling… Potential environmental risk? • Deregulation of the Savings & Loan Banks

10. Urban Crisis in the 1980s... • High Unemployment • Homelessness • Crumbling Infrastructure • Lack of health services • Deteriorating Schools • Drugs (Crack) • A surge in gangs and gang violence

11. Social Issues of 1980’s… • AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) • Drugs • The abortion issue: Roe v. Wade 1973…Over turn the Roe decision...Pro-life vs. Pro-choice • The War on Drugs… Nancy Reagan’s anti- drug campaign “Just Say no!” to drugs… “This is your brain on drugs.”

12. Education 1980’s • A Federal Commission issued a report in 1983 called A Nation at Risk • 23 million Americans can’t fill out a job application or follow an instruction manual

13. 1983: The “evil empire”…. • In a speech Reagan refers to the USSR as the “evil empire” • Reagan sought to exceed the SU's military power. • Reagan predicted this would be “the final pages of the history of the S.U.” • Reagan angered Soviet leaders & escalated the Cold War.

14. Reagan begins the largest peace build up of the military in history. Cold war victory through strength… Reagan begins a massive military build up to wear down the Soviets… Revived the B-1 bomber program, (canceled by the Carter) Deploys the Peacekeeper missile NATO deploys the Pershing II missile in West Germany Reagan expanded the U.S. military budget to a staggering 43% increase over the height of the Vietnam war.

15. 1983: Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI)… AKA: Star Wars • A plan to develop a space-based missile defense program that could defend a nuclear attack. • If successful, could destroy the Soviet ability to make a first strike. • An arms race... The Soviets wanted to keep pace with the US, but they couldn't afford to the game. • It was unrealistic?...Dependent on not yet developed space-based laser systems. • Reagan beat the Soviets economically... The cost of the arms race damages the Soviet economy... Soviet Communism will collapse.

17. 1983: The Grenada Invasion • Reagan sends 2,000 US Marines to overthrow a Pro-Cuban government & rescue US citizens • 18 US soldiers were killed

18. 1977-1979: Nicaragua • The Sandinistas (Communists) take control on Nicaragua ...This was the Contra War (1981-89) • This was a Cold War confrontation between the US & Soviets • Reagan viewed the Sandinistas as a regional threat • The US supported the “Contras” (Counter revolutionaries) with CIA training & weapons • The Congress banned aid to the Contras for two years

19. 1985: Iran-Contra Scandal • In 1985, 7 Americans were taken hostage in Lebanon by Pro- Iranian group • Reagan approved the sale of arms to Iran in exchange for the hostages release • National Security Council Aid Colonel Oliver North diverted millions in profits from the arms sale to the Anti- communist Contras fighting in Nicaragua http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nix_vj2DaqQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QikSorPak6M

20. 1986: US Bombing of Libya • In response to a 1986 Berlin discotheque bombing …3 dead, 220 wounded • Air-strikes against Libya • Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi was a sponsor of terrorist acts against the West.

21. George H.W. BushRepublican1989-1993

22. Background George H.W. Bush… • From a wealthy family with a history of public service • Attends elite private school & Yale University • Decorated Navy pilot in WW II • Government service… -House of Representatives Texas -Ambassador to UN -Chair of RNC -Liaison to China -Director of CIA -Reagan VP – 2 terms

23. Election of 1988 • Good economy, no reason to change • Bush “Read my Lips: no new Taxes!” • Dedicate to “Traditional American values” GHW Bush (R) vs. Michael Dukakis ( D)

24. Collapse of Communism • 1985 – Gorbachev became General Sec. of the USSR • The Glasnost period – “Openness” -Allows criticism of government -“Perestrokia” – Restructuring of The Soviet Economy Mikhail Gorbachev

25. 1989: East Germany opens the Berlin Wall & Germany is reunited…

26. 1989: Collapse of Communism • Czechoslovakia divided, Latvia, Estonia& Lithuania became independent • Hungary, Bulgaria& Romania transition from communism • Yugoslavia collapsed, igniting a brutal war among Muslims, Orthodox Serbs & Catholic Croats

27. 1991: The Break-up of the USSR • 14 republics declare independence • Common Wealth of Independent States (CIS) was established

28. 1990: Americans with Disabilities Act Protects those with disabilities from discrimination in public places. The act makes American society more accessible to disabled Americans.

29. 1989: The Panama Invasion President Bush sends 20K troops to overthrow & arrest General Manuel Noriega on charges of international drug-trafficking Noriega is trafficking drugs, guns & laundering money.

30. 1990: The Persian Gulf War • Saddam Hussein/Iraq invades Kuwait • Saddam threatens Middle East stability …Oil • President Bush organized an international coalition & with the support of the UN launched Operation Desert Storm • Kuwait was liberated & Iraq was weakened • 137 Americans KIA…. 100K Iraqi KIA