Crisis of Confidence & The Reagan Era Terms

Flashcards covering key terms, events, and figures from the Crisis of Confidence and the Reagan Era.

Richard M. Nixon

37th U.S. President, a Republican who ended U.S. involvement in Vietnam and opened relations with China, but resigned due to the Watergate scandal.

Watergate

A political scandal stemming from a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters and the Nixon administration's attempted cover-up. It led to Nixon’s resignation in 1974.

The Saturday Night Massacre

Refers to Nixon's firing of the special prosecutor investigating Watergate, Archibald Cox, and the resignations of the Attorney General and his deputy in October 1973. It intensified public distrust.

Executive Privilege

The president’s right to withhold information from Congress or the courts for national security. Nixon tried to use this to avoid handing over the Watergate tapes but was overruled.

Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT I)

A 1972 agreement between the U.S. and the Soviet Union to limit the number of nuclear weapons and arms buildup during the Cold War.

Gerald Ford

38th U.S. President (1974–1977), who took office after Nixon’s resignation. He is known for pardoning Nixon and trying to restore trust in government.

Stagflation

An unusual economic situation during the 1970s marked by stagnant growth, high unemployment, and inflation— challenging traditional economic theory.

Deindustrialization

The decline of manufacturing industries in the U.S., especially in the Midwest ("Rust Belt"), leading to job losses and economic restructuring in the 1970s and 1980s.

Clean Air Act (1970)

A landmark environmental law requiring the federal government to regulate air pollution and emissions, leading to major reductions in smog and pollutants.

Clean Water Act (1972)

U.S. legislation aimed at reducing pollutants in the nation's waterways and improving water quality by regulating discharges and funding sewage treatment plants.

Jimmy Carter

39th U.S. President (1977–1981), a Democrat known for emphasizing human rights, dealing with the Iran Hostage Crisis, and facing economic difficulties like inflation and energy shortages.

Three Mile Island

A nuclear power plant accident in Pennsylvania (1979), which led to public fear about nuclear energy and tighter regulations, despite limited radiation release.

Iran-Hostage Crisis

A 444-day standoff (1979–1981) in which 52 Americans were held hostage by Iranian revolutionaries after the U.S. admitted the deposed Shah for medical treatment.

Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan

In 1979, the USSR invaded Afghanistan to support its communist government. The U.S. responded with aid to Afghan rebels and a boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics.

Crisis of Confidence

A 1979 speech by Jimmy Carter (also called the "Malaise Speech") that blamed Americans’ loss of spirit and unity for national problems. It backfired and lowered public support.

Equal Rights Amendment

A proposed constitutional amendment guaranteeing equal rights regardless of sex. Passed by Congress in 1972 but failed to be ratified by enough states.

Camp David Accords

1978 peace agreement brokered by President Carter between Egypt and Israel—the first Arab-Israeli peace treaty, reducing tensions in the Middle East.

The “Miracle on Ice”

The 1980 Winter Olympics hockey game where the underdog U.S. team defeated the Soviet Union, symbolizing American morale during Cold War tensions.

Ronald Reagan

40th U.S. President (1981–1989), a conservative Republican known for tax cuts, increased military spending, deregulation, and ending the Cold War.

Washington Outsider

A term describing a candidate or politician who is not part of the established political elite. Reagan used this image to appeal to voters frustrated with government.

Moral Majority

A political organization of evangelical Christians founded by Jerry Falwell in 1979. It played a key role in mobilizing conservative voters and supporting Reagan.

The New Right

A conservative political movement in the 1980s focused on social issues (like abortion and school prayer), small government, and traditional values.

Reaganomics

Reagan's economic policy involving tax cuts, decreased social spending, deregulation, and increased military budgets—based on supply-side economics or "trickle-down" theory.

Iran-Contra Affair

A secret U.S. operation during Reagan’s presidency where arms were sold to Iran (despite an embargo), and the profits were illegally used to fund Contra rebels in Nicaragua.

HIV

The virus that causes AIDS by weakening the immune system. It emerged in the early 1980s and led to a global health crisis.

AIDS

A deadly condition caused by HIV that severely damages the immune system. It disproportionately affected the LGBTQ+ community early on, and government response was slow.

War on Drugs / “Just Say No” Campaign

Anti-drug initiatives led by Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan in the 1980s promoting drug prevention education and harsh criminal penalties for drug offenses.

Strategic Defense Initiative (“Star Wars”)

A proposed missile defense system intended to protect the U.S. from nuclear attacks by shooting down missiles from space. It was technologically ambitious and never fully developed.

Deregulation of Business

Reagan-era policy of reducing government oversight and regulations in industries like banking, airlines, and energy, with the goal of boosting economic growth.

Sandra Day O’Connor

The first woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court (1981) by Ronald Reagan. A moderate conservative, she became a key swing vote on many major cases.