1. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: How well did American leaders deal with the challenge of stagflation? Does America have a moral responsibility to be world’s policeman?
Carter and Reagan

2. TEKS and Objectives
We will…
I will…
(10B) describe Reagan’s leadership through Reaganomics and Peace through Strength
(10D) describe U.S. involvement in the Camp David Accords, the Iran-Contra Affair, Marines in Lebanon, and the Iran Hostage Crisis
(10E) describe the Heritage Foundation, the Moral Majority, and the National Rifle Association
(11A) describe U.S. involvement in world affairs
(13A) analyze causes and effects of migration from Rust Belt to Sun Belt
(17C) describe the impact of defense spending on the economy
(24B) evaluate the contributions of Sandra Day O’Connor
Summarize the political achievements of Carter and Reagan Presidencies

3. ( )
The Carter Presidency

4. Election of 1976 Gerald Ford (R) Jimmy Carter (D) Replaced Nixon
Plagued by Watergate scandal
Jimmy Carter (D)
Former Governor of Georgia
Promised to end corruption and “clean up” Washington
Defeated Ford

5. Domestic Policy The Energy Crisis Stagflation
Created Department of Energy
Congress denied him the power to tax large automobiles and ration gas
Stagflation
Cut federal spending in 1979
Inflation did not come down until 1981 under Reagan

6. Domestic Policy The Environment Diversity Cleaned up toxic dumpsites
Created the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Diversity
Appointed women/minorities to government posts
Sponsored bill to instruct students in native language

7. Foreign Policy – Camp David Accords
Israel
Established as homeland for Jews after the Holocaust
Many Palestinian Arabs living in the area
Israel received economic/military aid from U.S.
Egypt and Israel warring since 1948

8. Foreign Policy – Camp David Accords
Anwar Sadat
President of Egypt
Menachem Begin
Prime Minister of Israel
Camp David
Presidential retreat
Face-to-face negotiations between Carter, Sadat, and Begin

9. Foreign Policy – Camp David Accords
Israel returned Sinai Peninsula to Egypt
Egypt established diplomatic relations with Israel
Ended 20 years of warfare between Egypt and Israel

10. Foreign Policy – Panama Canal
The Panama Canal Treaty (1977)
Returned control of the canal to Panama by the end of the century

11. Foreign Policy – Soviet Union
Afghanistan
Invaded by USSR
Increased tensions between U.S. and Soviets
Carter halted grain sales to Soviets, boycotted Olympics in Moscow, and postponed ratification of SALT II

12. Foreign Policy - Iran Iranian Revolution Ayatollah Khomeini
Revolution broke out against his brutal dictatorship
U.S. supported Shah (ruler)
Shah fled the country
Ayatollah Khomeini
Took control of Iran
Hostile to Western influence
Resented U.S. for helping Shah and supporting Israel

13. Foreign Policy - Iran U.S. Embassy Seized
Shah entered U.S. for medical treatment
Iranian students held embassy staff hostage for more than a year
Carter unable to negotiate release
Hostages released the day Reagan took office

14. ( )
The Reagan Presidency

15. Election of 1980 Jimmy Carter (D) Ronald Reagan (R)
Plagued by inflation and Iranian Hostage Crisis
Ronald Reagan (R)
Popular Hollywood actor
George H. W. Bush, VP
Landslide victory

16. In his Inaugural Address of 1981, Reagan explained his views on government:
“In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem. From time to time we’ve been tempted to believe that society has become too complex to be managed by self-rule, that government by an elite group is superior to government for, by, and of the people. Well, if no one among us is capable of governing himself, then who among us has the capacity to govern someone else? All of us together, in and out of government, must bear the burden. The solutions we seek must be equitable, with no one group singled out to pay a higher price.” Based on his Inaugural Address, how did Regan view government? Why does Reagan’s view of government continue to appeal to many citizens today?

17. The New Conservatism National Rifle Association (NRA)
Created to promote rifle shooting and marksmanship
Opposed Gun Control Act of after assassinations of JFK, Robert Kennedy, and MLK
Endorsed Reagan in 1980

18. The New Conservatism The Moral Majority
Composed of Fundamentalist Christians
Founded by Evangelist, Jerry Falwell
Favored a strict interpretation of the Bible
Opposed ERA
Helped Reagan get elected

19. The New Conservatism Heritage Foundation
Believe in free-enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, and strong national defense
Greatly influenced Reagan’s policies

20. Reaganomics Tax Cuts and Domestic Spending
Reagan cut taxes on businesses/wealthy
Tax cuts would “trickle down” (supply-side economics) to other groups
Reduced federal welfare programs to offset tax cuts

21. Reaganomics Deregulation Increased Military Spending
Reagan eliminated many regulations on businesses
Relaxed enforcement of anti- trust laws
Increased Military Spending
Borrowed money for military spending
Stimulated the entire economy

22. Reaganomics Other Factors World oil prices stabilized
Computer programming/healthcare industries created new jobs
Reagan acted against unions (i.e. fired air traffic controllers on strike)

23. The Federal Deficit and the National Debt
What a country spends beyond what it collects in taxes
Increased greatly during Reagan’s term because of tax cuts
National Debt
More than doubled during Reagan’s term
Because of military spending

24. Reagan and Trade Trade Imbalance
Americans bought more goods/services from other countries than they sold overseas
Led to the loss of millions of jobs, closing steel mills/auto plants

25. Immigration Policy Mazzoli-Simpson Act (1986)
“legalized” illegal immigrants living in the U.S. since 1981

26. U.S. Supreme Court Sandra Day O’Connor
First woman Justice of U.S. Supreme Court
Appointed by Reagan

27. Migration Patterns Midwest “Sun Belt” Hot summers/cold winters
Home to most Americans until 1970
“Sun Belt”
Southeast and West
Too hot/humid
Too dry/remote

28. Migration Patterns Technological Developments
Government-built dams made more water available in West
Air conditioning/hydro- electric power kept homes/offices/factories cool in summer

29. Migration Patterns From “Rust Belt” to “Sun Belt”
Factories abandoned in the Midwest to move to the “Sun Belt”
Population increased sharply
Regions became more urbanized

31. Foreign Policy The Reagan Doctrine
Communists tried to take Caribbean island of Grenada
Reagan sent U.S. Marines to protect Americans on island and stop Communism
Reagan stated U.S. would aid anti-Communist “freedom fighters” in Afghanistan, Angola, Nicaragua, and Cambodia

32. Foreign Policy Peace through Strength
“Let he who desires peace prepare for war.”
Best way to prevent war is to make enemies think U.S. had means/willingness to stop aggression
Increased military spending
Proposed Star Wars (using lasers to stop missiles)

33. The Threat of Terrorism
Lebanon
Civil war between Christians and Palestinians in 1982
U.S. Marines/French paratroopers sent to restore order
Suicide bomber killed 241 Americans/58 French

34. The Threat of Terrorism
Reagan’s Reaction
Pulled troops from Lebanon
Vowed he would not negotiate w/terrorists
Muammar Gaddafi
Leader of Libya
Supported terrorists attacks in Berlin
Admitted responsibility for blowing up Pan Am flight in 1988
Reagan bombed 2 Libyan cities

35. The Iran-Contra Affair
“Contras” in Nicaragua
Anti-Communist rebels
Congress prohibited U.S. aid to Contras
Reagan Administration
Sold arms to Iran in exchange for American hostages in Lebanon
Money sent to Contras

36. Iran Contra-Affair Reagan Effects
Failed to monitor actions of top officials
Cleared of any wrong-doing
Several officers sent to prison
Effects
Led many citizens to seriously question their trust in the government

37. The Triumph of Democracy
Mikhail Gorbachev
Became head of USSR in 1985
Introduced political and economic reforms
Withdrew troops from Afghanistan
Improved relations with U.S.

38. The Triumph of Democracy
Reagan and the End of the Cold War
Critics don’t think he deserves credit for ending Cold War
Supporters believed he placed military/economic pressure on Soviets

39. In June 1987, Reagan gave a speech near the Berlin Wall
In June 1987, Reagan gave a speech near the Berlin Wall. Many saw this address as the beginning of the end of the Cold War and the fall of Communism.
“We hear much from Moscow about a new policy of reform and openness. Some political prisoners have been released. Certain foreign news broadcasts are no longer being jammed. Some economic enterprises have been permitted to operate with greater freedom. Are these the beginnings of profound changes in the Soviet state? Or are they token gestures, intended to raise false hopes in the West? We welcome change and openness; for we believe that freedom and security go together. There is one sign the Soviets can make that would be unmistakable, [and] advance the cause of freedom and peace. General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe: Come her to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!...”