1. The Resurgence of Conservatism 1980-1992
Unit 12: Modern America, Cold War, Social Crises, etc.

2. Chapter Themes
Leading a conservative movement to power in Washington, Ronal Reagan vigorously pursued new right economic and social policies. Under Reagan and his successor George Bush, these policies brought economic growth and massive budget deficits that put severe constraints on the federal government.

3. Chapter Themes
Religion pervaded American politics in the 1980s; especially conspicuous was a coalition of conservative, evangelical Christians known as the religious right – led by Jerry Falwell, an evangelical from Virginia. An organization called the Moral Majority rose to oppose what they viewed as the moral deterioration of American values.

4. Chapter Themes
The 1980s saw a revival of Cold War confrontation, but the decade ended with the collapse of Communism, first in Eastern Europe and then in the Soviet Union itself. With the end of the Cold War and the U.S.-led victory over Iraq in the Persian Gulf War, America remained the world’s only superpower. A series of relatively small military interventions in the Caribbean, Africa, and the Balkans raised questions about the proper use of American force in the underdeveloped world.

5. Ronald Reagan Raised before the upheavals of the 1960s New Right
Opposed government activism
Actor, spokesperson, politician
Role in the Red Scare of 1950s

6. Democratic Split ABC movement in Democratic Party Edward Kennedy
Liberal wing
Chappaquiddick

7. Election of 1980 Disaffection with Carter
Reagan’s skill as a campaigner
Senate gained control of the Senate
Carter’s post presidential record

8. Conservative Shift Alliance with Margaret Thatcher
Proposition California
Boll weevils: southern conservative democrats

9. Supply Side Economics Recaptured the power of the presidency
Tax cuts and budgetary discipline
stimulate business investment and consumer spending
Deepest recession since the 1930s
11% unemployment
Partially due to tight money of 1979

10. Trickle Down Economics

11. Impact of Supply Side Economics
Uneven economic recovery
Growing income gap
Conspicuous consumption
Economic growth tied to massive military spending
$2 trillion
Increased deficit spending
Rising dollar led to trade deficits

12. Cold War Politics Negotiate from a position of strength
Strategic Defense Initiative
Soviet response to Solidarity movement in Poland
Leadership changes in USSR

13. Foreign Unrest – Middle East
Israeli settlements in the West Bank
1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon
Defeat unraveled Lebanon
U.S. part of peace keeping mission
1983 suicide bomb attack on Marine barracks

14. Foreign Unrest – Latin America
Nicaraguan Sandinistas
Leftist revolution
Covert aid including CIA harbor - mining operations and aid to the contras
U.S. military “advisers” sent to El Salvador
Invasion of Grenada

15. Election of 1984
Democratic ticket – former V.P. Mondale and Geraldine Ferraro
First woman nominated to the national ticket
Landslide victory for Reagan

16. Change in Soviet Leadership
Gorbachev signals change in the Soviet Union
Economic health depended on an end to the Cold War
Perestroika
Glasnost

17. Thawing Cold War Relations
Four summit meetings
Geneva, Reykjavik, Washington, and Moscow
Intermediate-Range-Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty

18. Iran-Contra American hostages in Lebanon
Congressional refusal to aid the contra rebels in Nicaragua
Arms deal to Iran, funnel money to contras
Reagan claimed to be unaware of deal
Portrayed as inattentive and uninvolved

19. Reagan’s Economic Legacy

20. Reagan’s Economic Legacy

21. Religious Right Religion in American politics Moral Majority
Jerry Falwell
Oppose abortion, sexual permissiveness, gay rights, feminism
Use of televangelists
Use of tactics developed in the civil rights movements of the 1960s

22. Supreme Court Conservatism
Appointment of Sandra Day O’Connor
Roll back affirmative action and limit access to abortion
Ward’s Cove Packing v. Antonia
Martin v. Wilks
Webster v. Reproductive Heath Services
Growing militancy in the battle over abortion rights

23. Waning Reagan Revolution?
Black Monday
Savings and Loan crisis
Foreign debt exposure
Rejection of ultraconservative Supreme Court nominee

24. Democratic Challenge Democratic midterm victory
“Seven Dwarfs” race for Democratic ticket
Gary Hart disgraced
Jesse Jackson and the rainbow coalition
Michael Dukakis wins nomination

25. Election of 1988 V.P. George H. W. Bush easily wins nomination
Ran on Reagan record

26. Changes in Asia and Europe
Tiananmen Square
Solidarity movement in Poland
Fall of communist regimes
Unification of Germany

27. The End of the Soviet Union
August 1991: military coup
Gorbrachev resigns
Commonwealth of Independent States
Democratic reforms
Free-market economy
START II accord
Ethnic warfare
Economic downturn as a result of end of Cold War

28. Crisis in the Persian Gulf
Arrest of Manuel Noriega in Panama
Saddam Hussein – Iraqi invasion of Kuwait
Former U.S. ally
Operation Desert Storm
Mission successful but Saddam remained in power

29. Bush I Domestic Policies
American with Disabilities Act
Water Project – environmental legislation
Nomination of Clarence Thomas
Republican social agenda losing support
Economic downturn
Broke campaign promise not to raise taxes