US History Review

The Reagan Era and the End of the Cold War

• Election of Ronald Reagan (1980): Marked a shift from liberalism to conservatism.

  • Campaign Promises:
    • Reduce taxes
    • Cut government spending
    • Increase military resources
    • Appoint conservative judges to the Supreme Court

• Reaganomics (Supply-Side Economics):

  • Economic growth through tax cuts and deregulation.
  • Consumers benefit from lower prices.
  • Reduced spending on welfare programs.
  • Increased military spending significantly.
  • Deregulation of the auto industry.

• Judicial Appointments:

  • Sandra Day O'Connor, Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy.
  • Restricted affirmative action.
  • Made abortion more difficult.

Reagan's Role in Ending the Cold War

• Strategies: Speeches, diplomatic efforts, and military build-up.
• Military Interventions:
  • Iran-Contra Affair:
    • US sold weapons to Iran to support them in the Iran-Iraq War (since 1980).
    • Profits used to aid Nicaraguan contras.
    • Illegal diversion of funds; Congress has budgetary authority.
    • Reagan faced no major consequences.
  • Nuclear Weapons Buildup:
    • Reagan increased military spending, including the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI, "space lasers").
    • The Soviets increased missile deployment in response, leading to mutual escalation.
• Diplomatic Efforts and Speeches:
  • "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall."
• End of the Cold War (Under George H.W. Bush):
  • The Soviet Union dissolved in 1991 due to internal issues.
  • START I: Agreement between the US and Russia to reduce nuclear warheads, first to 10,000 each, then to 3,000.

Economic Changes in the 1990s

• Clinton Administration (1992):
  • Longest peacetime economic boom due to:
    • Technological advancements in digital communications (Internet).
    • Increased productivity in industrial and agricultural sectors (mechanization).
    • Digital mobile technology (cell phones).
    • Social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter) transformed daily life.
  • Manufacturing outsourced to other nations (cheaper labor).
  • Transition to a service-based economy in America.

Migration and Immigration After 1980

• Sunbelt Migration:
• Immigration:
  • Immigrants accounted for nearly 28% of population growth in the 1990s.
  • Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986: Created a process for immigrant entry but criticized for granting amnesty to some Mexican immigrants.
  • Hispanic immigrants became the largest minority.
  • Asian Americans: approximately 10 million by the year February.

The War on Terror and Environmental Concerns

• September 11, 2001 (9/11):
  • Attack in New York and Washington D.C. by Al-Qaeda.
  • President George W. Bush initiated the War on Terror.
  • The Taliban in Afghanistan refused to surrender Osama bin Laden.
  • US troops entered Afghanistan, overthrew the Taliban, but faced a prolonged conflict.
  • Patriot Act (2001, 2003): Increased government surveillance powers, raising concerns about Fourth Amendment rights to privacy.
• Environmental Concerns:
  • Renewed debate over reliance on fossil fuels.
    • Iraq's invasion of Kuwait (1990): Highlighted US dependence on oil; led to war with Iraq.
  • Climate Change:
    • Al Gore raised popular awareness, arguing that fossil fuel use increased greenhouse gases and global warming.
  • The US remained a leading superpower in the 21st century.