APUSH Period 9 Key Concepts

Why was REAGAN's 1980 election victory a milestone?

ALLOWED FOR CONSERVATIVES TO ENACT . . .

Tax Cuts

• Reaganomics, supply-side, trickle-down economics (tax cuts for WEALTHY, similar to 1920s)

DEREGULATED many industries:

Reagan promised to decrease ENVIRONMENTAL regulations.

"Govt is not the solution to our problem. Govt IS the problem"

Conservatives seeking to LIMIT liberal programs

Conservatives believed that liberal programs (Social Security, Medicare) were COUNTERproductive in fighting poverty.

However they met RESISTANCE bc these programs remained popular w/ voters.

POLICY debates that occurred

Free Trade Agreements:

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) btwn Mexico, Cananda, and US

SCOPE of govt Social Safety Net:

WELFARE reform (1996) (Bill Clinton, although a Democrat, was MODERATE economically)

• Some though public was too DEPENDENT on govt assistance

• Wanted stricter LIMITATIONS on welfare

Reforms of US Financial System:

Financial Services Modernization Act -- repealed parts of the Glass-Steagall Act (New Deal, prevented banks from operating as both commercial and investment banks)

American globalization (greater participation in world economics)

Economic PRODUCTIVITY increased as a result of DIGITAL communications:

Computers, phones, etc.

Impact of new TECHNOLOGICAL innovations

• Increased ACCESS to information (however many PRINT newspapers are replaced)

• New social behaviors / networks

Why was there a DECREASE in manufacturing jobs?

Employment INCREASED in service sectors & decreased in manufacturing. Union membership went down.

RUST Belt - Northern cities that LOST manufacturing jobs (Buffalo, Cleveland, Detroit)

The SUN BELT

Population growth in South and West (post 1980). More political influence & representation in House.

Latin America & Asia Immigration

INCREASED drastically.

• Result of 1965 immigration act

• Gave US an important LABOR force

Debates over immigration & cultural issues

Immigration Reform and Control Act 1986, PENALTIES for employers who hire "illegal immigrants"

Don't Ask, Don't Tell, BANNED openly gay from serving in the MILITARY (overturned under Obama adminstration)

How did Reagan assert OPPOSITION to communism?

Speeches: "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall 1987; "Evil Empire" 1983

Limited military interventions: Overthrow of govt in Grenada

Buildup of weapons: ICBMs, "Strategic Defense Initiative" ("Star Wars"! Lasers from space)

What contributed to the END of the COLD WAR?

Increased US military spending: Buildup of ICBMs (intimidating)

Reagan's diplomatic Initiatives: Relationship w/ Mikhail Gorbachev

Gorbachev's glasnost and perestroika.

What were the impacts of the ENDING of the Cold War?

NEW Diplomatic relationships - expansion of NATO

PEACEKEEPING interventions - Iraq (Persian Gulf War 1991), bombing of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

DEBATES over America's role in world

9/11 Attacks

Caused US to launch its WAR ON TERROR

Al Qaida led the attacks. Resulted in conflict in Afghanistan, Taliban was holding Osama bin Laden

Conflict in Iraq (starts in 2003) US suspected Saddam Hussien had WMDs & had connections to terrorism.

IMPACTS of the War on Terrorism

Wanted improved security in US

Led to questions about civil liberties & human rights:

Patriot Act allowed federal govt to check emails, wiretap, w/o warrant. Edward Snowden then released classified documents of US examining phone records, "spying" on people)

Why were there new debates about FOSSIL FUELS?

Conflict in Middle East (1st gulf war 1991)

Concerns about climate change -- "An Inconvenient Truth" movie about climate change