Chapter 28 New Directions for a Nation

A Conservative Surge Carter’s Presidency –Elected in 1976 –No congressional support –Poor economy High inflation High taxes

Shah of Iran overthrown Ally of U.S. Embassy seized –66 hostages 52 kept for 444 days in Captivity

The Conservative Movement Liberal v. Conservative –Liberals favor Government Action –Conservatives split into political and social Political conservatives = shrink gov’t and lower taxes Social conservatives = traditional values Social Conservatives –Rev. Jerry Falwell, leader of the Moral Majority

Election of 1980 Conservatives want to: –Get rid of expensive social programs –Cut taxes –Balance the federal budget Balanced Budget- government spends only as much money as it collects Ronald Reagan v. Jimmy Carter

Ronald Reagan Movie Star President of Screen Actors’ Guild Elected governor of Californial in the 60s Known as the “Great Communicator”

Reducing Government Reaganomics –Give money to tax payers –Cut $40 billion out of budget –Cut federal jobs –1981 persuades Congress to cut taxes by 25% –Deregulation- scaling back federal rules for businesses –Reduce anti pollution regulations –Opened federal lands to industry

Reagan’s Legacy One of the most popular presidents Served two terms Did not balance budget Tax cuts + military spending = record deficit Deficit: results when the government spends more than it collects Slowed growth of federal government

George H.W. Bush Elected in 1988 Former Vice President “Read my lips, No new taxes!” Reduced spending and raised taxes 1991-U.S. slips into a recession Recession: a temporary economic slump Unemployment soars

The Clinton Years 1992 Bill Clinton v. George Bush v. Ross Perot –Clinton wins with 43% of the votes –First democratic in 12 years

Clinton’s Presidency Cut deficit by ½ in 1992 –Raise taxes on high income –Reduce spending Redo of Welfare system –Limit benefits –Reduce direct welfare –Give grants to state

Prosperity and Scandal Unemployment drops to 30yr low Federal budget surpluses Surplus: collection of more money than is spent Reelection in 1996 Impeachment!

The Dispute of 2000 Gore/Lieberman v. Bush/Cheney Gore wins popular vote Bush won electoral votes Recount Bush pushes for tax cuts Bush passes No Child Left Behind

Ending the Cold War SU invades Afghanistan Reagan aides Afghanistan Reagan increases defense spending by 50% –B2 Stealth –Strategic Defense Initiative

Decline of the S.U. Poor economy Conflict had drained funds US Buildup causes Soviet Buildup New Leader: Mikhail Gobachev Glasnost: speaking openly about Soviet problems 1987: Reagan and Gobachev agree on arms control

Changes in E. Europe S.U. quits support and control 1989: Poland sets up democratic gov’t Yugoslavia ends communism Berlin Wall is torn down in 1989 Czechoslovakia becomes Czech Republic and Slovakia

1991 Soviet Union Collapses Consists of 15 republics All become independent Boris Yeltsin becomes President of Russia Russia suffers from unemployment, inflation, crime, corruption Yugoslavia has Problems

Cold War Costs 100,000 lives $6 trillion

U.S. in the World South Africa –Apartheid: racial separation and inequality –Economic sanctions: penalties applied against a country in order to pressure it to change its policies Philippines –1986: first free elections in 14 years

Continued Aid/Participation Northern Ireland –Protestant v. Catholic –1998: power sharing agreement China –Communist government killed demonstrators –Policy of persuasion Cuba –Early 90s Cubans enter U.S.

Easing the Arms Race 1972: The Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) 1979: SALT II-Carter withdraws Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) –Destroy 20% of nuclear arms 1993: START II –Cut back long range nuclear by 2/3

Aiding the Threat 4 countries: 30K nuclear weapons Destroy = $400 million/year Worry: Spread of Nuclear Arms

Conflict in the Middle East Middle East: Southwest Asia + Egypt + Afganistan Founding Place of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam Known for vast amounts of Oil OPEC: Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries

Arab-Israeli Conflict Palestine: Holy Land of 3 major religions –Jews begin moving to the region in late 1800s –Increased immigration in mid-1900s –Israel builds a democracy Nearby Arab countries declare War 1948: Israel wins Palestinian Arabs flee

Continued Conflict Israel attacks Egypt in 1956 Arab nations attack Israel in 1967 and 1973 –Israel takes control of parts of Egypt, Jordan, and Syria

Camp David Accords 1977: Anwar el Sadat visits Israel Camp David Accords in 1978 –Pres. Carter, Pres. Sadat, and P.M. Begin –Israel is recognized in return for land taken

Issue of Palestine Arabs wage guerrilla warfare Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) –Led by Yasir Arafat –Set up independent government in Palestine Intifada: Palestinian uprising 1993: Clinton gets pact signed Violence continues

Cease the Violence Israel seizes Arafat Arafat dies in 2004 Cease-fire announced in 2005

Increasing Tensions Iran and Lebanon –Westernization: the adoption of ideas, culture, and technology from Western regions such as the US and Europe –1979: Shah flees, hostage crisis Lebanon civil war