1. The Iranian Hostage Crisis November 4, 1979 – January 20, 1981
After a coup in 1953, the CIA reinstalled the government of Reza Mohammed Pahlevi – The Shah of Iran
The Shah was a U.S. ally that bordered the Soviet Union

2. The Iranian Hostage Crisis November 4, 1979 – January 20, 1981
Iran’s petrodollars ended up in the hands of the Shah and his allies and NOT the mass of Iranian people
He brutalized political opposition (secret police)

3. The Iranian Hostage Crisis
The Shah sought to modernize/westernize Iran and this met with opposition from Islamic fundamentalists
One of his leading opponents was the Ayatollah Khomeini

4. The Iranian Hostage Crisis
Khomeini represented Islamic fundamentalists who rejected the westernization of Iran
They viewed the U.S. as the embodiment of evil (The Great Satan)

5. The Iranian Hostage Crisis
In 1978, the Iranian people revolted against the Shah (The Iranian Revolution)
President Carter and the U.S. continued to support its long time ally
The Shah was forced to leave Iran

6. The Iranian Hostage Crisis
November 4, 1979
Iranian students in Tehran storm the U.S. embassy and take Americans hostage

7. The Iranian Hostage Crisis
They hold these hostages for the next 444 days
Massive anti-U.S. protests are held in the streets of Tehran

8. The Iranian Hostage Crisis
The protests and President Carter’s inability to do anything about it frustrated the American people
A botched rescue mission added to the frustration

9. The Election of 1980 Election of 1980 (November 4, 1980)
1 year anniversary of the hostage crisis

10. The Election of 1980
Reagan called for an America with greater military power
Vowed we would not be humiliated as a superpower
Criticized budget deficits and the progressivism of the 60’s and 70’s

11. Election of 1980

13. The Reagan Presidency 1981-1989
Reagan became the oldest man ever to be elected president at age 69
On the day of his inauguration the hostages were released from Iran
In his inaugural speech he outlined his political philosophy

14. 1st Inaugural Address January 20, 1981
“In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.”
“It is my intention to curb the size and influence of the Federal establishment and to demand recognition of the distinction between the powers granted to the Federal Government and those reserved to the States or to the people.”

15. 1st Inaugural Address January 20, 1981
“We are a nation under God, and I believe God intended for us to be free. It would be fitting and good, I think, if on each Inauguration Day in future years it should be declared a day of prayer.”
“Can we solve the problems confronting us? Well, the answer is an unequivocal and emphatic "yes."

16. The Reagan Presidency 1981-1989
The Reagan appeal
The Great Communicator
Upbeat, positive, patriotic in the traditional sense
Survived and recovered from an assassination attempt, two months in office, with great speed and great humor

17. The Reagan Presidency 1981-1989
Reaganomics
Tax cuts
Cut federal spending/programs
Deregulation
Worst economic downturn since the Depression (1982) followed by the longest period of economic prosperity (to that time), (low UE and low inflation)

18. Reagan Foreign Policy Staunchly anti-Communist
Referred to the Soviet Union as the Evil Empire
Lebanon and Grenada ( )
220 U.S. Marines in Lebanon killed by two trucks lined with explosives
Within days, the Reagan administration launched a successful invasion of the island nation of Grenada (in Caribbean)

19. Grenada
The invasion was condemned by the United Nations but very popular in the U.S.
The U.S. was successfully exerting its military might again, in the name of freedom and democracy

20. Election of 1984
Reagan runs for re-election claiming it is morning again in America
Economy back on track
America flexing military might
Tax cuts
The Democrats nominate Carter’s VP, Senator Walter Mondale

21. Election of 1984

22. The Reagan Presidency Second Term
The Challenger Disaster (January 28, 1986)

23. The Reagan Presidency Second Term
Reagan and Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev
Negotiate historic arms reduction agreements

24. Iran-Contra Scandal (1987)
Despite a congressional law (Boland Amendment) forbidding it, the Reagan administration was funneling money to anti-Communist rebels in Nicaragua (The Contras)
The money came from the sale of weapons to Iran (at war with Iraq) in exchange for Iran’s help in the release of American hostages in Lebanon

25. Iran-Contra Scandal
Oliver North worked for the NSC and was an ex-Marine coordinating this activity
He became a hero to some Americans for proudly proclaiming the illegal act, “a neat idea”

26. Iran-Contra Scandal
Throughout the process President Reagan claimed he had no memory of the events
A number of Reagan administration officials were convicted of crimes in relation to Iran-Contra
President Reagan was never officially implicated

27. The Reagan Legacy The Reagan Revolution Conservative, anti-government
The Religious Right
Budget Deficits
National Debt Tripled
Widening gap between rich and poor
Arms reduction agreements with Gorbachev
Contributed to the fall of communism in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe
Restored America’s confidence and sense of pride

28. The Bush (41) Presidency 1989-1993

29. The Bush (41) Presidency 1989-1993
Major Domestic Events and Issues
Americans With Disabilities Act
AIDS
Budget Deficits and Rising National Debt
Financial Crisis (Savings and Loans (S&L) Banks)
Beginnings of the Internet and the PC

30. The Bush (41) Presidency 1989-1993
Major Foreign Events and Issues
Collapse of the Soviet Union
Collapse of communism in Eastern Europe (Tearing down the Berlin Wall – A New World Order)
China and Tiananmen Square
Operation Desert Storm – The first war with Saddam Hussein and Iraq
Bush puts together a coalition of nations to repel Hussein

31. The Bush (41) Presidency 1989-1993
Also sent troops to Panama to remove Manuel Noriega from power
Noriega was accused of promoting drug trafficking from Panama and Colombia

32. Election of 1992 Recession in 1991
Bush raised taxes after his “read my lips, no new taxes” pledge
Billionaire Texas H. Ross Perot entered the race as an independent
Democrats nominate a young, “new” Democrat, Bill Clinton of Arkansas

34. Bill Clinton Presidency 1993-2001

35. Bill Clinton Presidency 1993-2001
Major Domestic Events and Issues
Clinton ran as a “New Democrat”
Increased tax rates on the wealthiest Americans but supported cuts in overall government spending (“The era of big government is over”)

36. Bill Clinton Presidency 1993-2001
Longest period of peacetime economic growth and reduction in budget deficit (Last 2 years were surpluses!)…Dot.com economy
Failed attempt at National Health Insurance
Welfare reform – Cuts and work requirement (New Democrat)

37. Bill Clinton Presidency 1993-2001
Major Domestic Events and Issues
Waco, WTC, OKC
Republicans control the H of R for the first time in 40 years (1994 midterm election – The Contract with America)…Government shutdown in 1995
Large reelection victory in 1996
Poverty fell, 20 million jobs created, Left a budget surplus

38. Bill Clinton Presidency 1993-2001
Major Foreign Events and Issues
Sent U.S. troops to Haiti, Somalia, and the Balkans
NAFTA

40. The Impeachment and Trial of Bill Clinton
There were a series of scandalous accusations against Clinton throughout his presidency
While testifying in a case where he was accused of sexual harassment, Clinton lied about a sexual affair in the Oval Office with a 22 year old White House intern named Monica Lewisnsky

41. The Impeachment and Trial of Bill Clinton
A Republican controlled House of Representatives, in a strictly partisan vote, filed two charges of impeachment against Clinton
Lying to a Grand Jury
Obstruction of Justice

42. The Impeachment and Trial of Bill Clinton
Clinton was put on trial in front of the Senate and found not guilty
Lying to the Grand Jury – 45 Guilty, 55 Not Guilty
Obstruction of Justice – 50 Guilty, 50 Not Guilty
Clinton left office with a 66% Approval Rating

43. The Election of 2000
The Republicans nominated the governor of Texas, and son of a former president, George W. Bush
The Democrats nominated Clinton’s VP Al Gore of Tennessee

44. The Election of 2000
Gore won the national popular vote (1st time since 1888 the winner of the national popular vote LOST the election)
The electoral results in Florida were disputed and subject to a recount
Ironically, Governor Bush’s brother Jeb was the governor of Florida at the time

45. The Election of 2000
What followed was five weeks of uncertainty and intrigue
The Florida Supreme Court determined that Gore won the state’s electoral votes
Bush appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court

48. The Election of 2000 Bush v. Gore (2000)
The Supreme Court in a 5-4 vote decided that Florida’s disputed votes (25) went to Bush
Bush won the electoral college 271 to 266

50. George W. Bush
Bush ran for president as a person who would unify the nation (a “compassionate conservative”) but governed as a divisive ideologue

51. September 11, 2001
And then, for a while, it all didn’t matter

52. 9-11 Aftermath
The terrorist group Al Qaeda proudly took responsibility for the attack
Al Qaeda had organized itself in Afghanistan and Bush sent U.S. troops to dismantle their operations and capture their leader OSAMA BIN LADEN
The country was united and the world was with us

53. 9-11 Aftermath Congress passed the PATRIOT ACT
Telephone and surveillance
Detention and deportation of suspected terrorists (like 1st Red Scare after WWI)
The Department of Homeland Security was created

54. IRAQ AND WMD’S
In a surprising twist, the Bush administration brought forth evidence in 2002 that Saddam Hussein and Iraq had weapons of mass destruction (WMD’s) that could potentially end up in the hands of terrorists

55. IRAQ AND WMD’S
This was surprising because Iraq had nothing to do with September 11th
Yet, the Bush administration argued that Iraq was a threat and we were justified in attacking them BEFORE they took any aggressive action against us (THE BUSH DOCTRINE)

56. IRAQ AND WMD’S
The period of unity in the U.S. was over as was our international support
This was a war of “choice” on top of the war of “necessity” in Afghanistan
In a controversial vote, Congress gave President Bush the authority to take aggressive action against Iraq