1. The 1980s FACTS about this decade. Population: 226,546,000 Unemployed in 1980: National Debt: 1980 - $914,000,000,000 National Debt: 1986 - $2,000,000,000,000 Average salary: $15,757 Life Expectancy: Male 69.9 Female 77.6 Minimum Wage: $3.10 BMW was $12,000; Mercedes 280 E was $14,800

2. 1970s Population: 204,879,000 Unemployed in 1970: 4,088,000 National Debt: $382 billion Average salary: $7,564 Food prices: milk, 33 cents a qt.; bread, 24 cents a loaf; round steak, $1.30 a pound Life Expectancy: Male, 67.1; Female, 74.8

3. Double digit inflation to start Sandra Day O’Connor, Geraldine Ferraro Jesse Jackson Video Games, Home Computers, Cable TV AIDS Vietnam Memorial + Movies

4. S. King, D. Steele, T. Clancy T. Morrison Most Popular Major – Business Book Banning (Finn, Catcher etc.) Minivans begin Gas prices drop MTV – Madonna, Start of Rap / Hip Hop

5. To understand the 1980s you must remember some things about the 1970s Vietnam, Pentagon Papers, Watergate led to skepticism about government Backlash to governmental covert ops Cold War détente – Afghanistan 1973,1979 Gas Crises Iran Hostage Crisis First big threat to US Manufacturing dominance Strong $ hurt economy Inflation, unemployment

7. Iranian Crisis Mossadeq – Pahlevi – Khomeini 1953 US supported coup to overthrow popular leader / place the Shah (Reza Pahlevi) Since ’53 Iran big part of Cold War defensive alignment v. USSR ’73 October War leads to increased Anti-Americanism in region ’79 Islamic Revolution – Student / Religious revolution –Ayatollah Khomeini –Backlash v. Western influence

8. Iran Crisis Hostages ’79 Student Revolutionaries Storm US embassy / kidnap all within Khomeini Gov wants Shah back US refuses US launches failed rescue attempt Shah dies Deal brokered by Carter adm, hostages released on day of Reagan Inauguration

9. “It’s morning again in America” Carter seen as weak leader Mostly because of Iran Success in Foreign Policy –Camp David Accords Reagan Represents Change –If you reject how things are going – vote for Reagan –Reaganomics (Similar to Hoover) –Prompts Financial Service, RE Investment Boom –Inflation/ unemployment do drop –Rich / poor gap grows –Like 1920s False Prosperity

10. 1980s Lebanon ’82 Israel Invades Lebanon ’83 US sends International Peacekeepers ’83 200 Marines Killed in Beirut Bombing ’83 Reagan withdraws peacekeepers ’83 - 88 Kidnapping of Americans ongoing in Beirut - US gov doing little about it –No negotiations with terrorists Are kidnappings sponsored by Iran?

11. 1980s Nicaragua Pro Communists Sandanista Government Contra Rebels fighting against Sandanistas US Congress rejects aid to Contras ’85 US Gov sells weapons to Iran –To secure hostage release? –Proceeds to benefit the Contras

12. The Iran Contra Scandal 1986 – First Reported in Lebanese Magazine President Confirms weapons sales to Iran but denies hostage exchange angle "Our government has a firm policy not to capitulate to terrorist demands.... We did not -- repeat, did not -- trade weapons or anything else for hostages, nor will we" - President Reagan November 1986

13. The Investigation Col. North caught shredding documents Tower Commission investigates activities of National Security Council Reagan testifies – answers inconsistent, filled with memory holes Report cites North, Poindexter, Weinburger as guilty parties –President had no direct knowledge –President should have had more control of council –63% Approval when he leaves office

14. US / Iran Relations since Late ’80s Satanic Verses Fatwa Death of Khomeini Non – Interference in 1991 War 1997 Election of Khatami 2001 – Assistance in Afghanistan 2002 – Axis of Evil Speech 2005 Election of Ahmadinejad Resumption of Nuclear enrichment program

15. 1990s FACTS ABOUT THIS DECADE Population: 281,421,906 (2000 Census) Unemployment: 5.8 million, or 4.2% (Sept 99) National Debt: $5,413.l Million (1997) Average Salary: $13.37/hr (1999) Teacher's Salary: $39,347 (1998) Minimum Wage: $5.15/hr (1997) Life Expectancy: Male 73.1 Female 79.1(1997) Auto Deaths: 49,772 (1997)