Key Events and Figures in Late 20th Century Politics

Ronald Reagan

Conservative president; promoted Reaganomics and helped end the Cold War.

Jimmy Carter

Faced stagflation; signed Camp David Accords; gave Panama Canal back.

Richard Nixon

Opened relations with China; resigned after Watergate.

Gerald Ford

Became president after Nixon; pardoned Nixon; unpopular.

Henry Kissinger

Nixon's Secretary of State; led détente policy with USSR and China.

Woodward and Bernstein

Reporters who exposed the Watergate scandal.

George H.W. Bush Sr.

Vice president under Reagan; later became president.

Mikhail Gorbachev

Soviet leader who ended Cold War with reforms and talks.

Anwar Sadat

Egyptian leader who signed Camp David Accords.

The Shah

Former U.S.-backed Iranian leader; overthrown in 1979.

Ayatollah Khomeini

Iranian religious leader; created a theocracy.

Magic Johnson

Athlete who brought national attention to AIDS in the 1980s.

Watergate

Nixon's scandal involving a break-in and cover-up.

CRP

Nixon's re-election group tied to Watergate.

Slush fund

Money used secretly, like to cover up Watergate.

Ping-Pong diplomacy

U.S.-China relations improved through table tennis.

Camp David Accords

Peace deal between Egypt and Israel, brokered by Carter.

Panama Canal

Carter returned control of the canal to Panama.

OPEC

Middle East oil group that impacted U.S. gas prices.

Stagflation

High unemployment and inflation at the same time.

Reaganomics

Economic plan: tax cuts and less government spending.

Trickle-down economics

Tax cuts for rich lead to benefits for everyone.

Moral Majority

Religious group promoting traditional family values.

Conservative Coalition

Alliance of conservatives promoting small gov and family values.

A Nation at Risk

1980s report warning about poor student performance.

AIDS

Disease that spread in the 1980s; hit public awareness hard.

Iran-Hostage Crisis

Iranians held 66 Americans for 444 days.

Iran-Contra Affair

Reagan secretly traded arms for hostages; funded Contras.

Operation Eagle Claw

Failed U.S. rescue mission during Iran Hostage Crisis.

Détente

Nixon's policy to ease Cold War tensions with major nations.

The Challenger Disaster

1986 shuttle explosion; killed 7 astronauts.

S.A.L.T.

U.S.-USSR agreement to limit nuclear weapons.