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Ronald Reagan Era (1980s)

• Reagan's Ideas (Platform)
    - Limited government to do less
    - Lower taxes for individual retention
    - Deregulation for businesses

• Economy Outcomes
    - Increased federal deficit
    - Growth in inequality between rich & poor

• Domestic Issues
    - AIDS crisis
    - Drug problems (War on Drugs)
    - Poverty issues

• Military & Cold War
    - Increased military spending
    - Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) for space-based defense

• Culture & Technology
    - Emergence of "Yuppies" (youth focused on money)
    - Rise of personal computers (IBM, Apple)
    - Beginnings of the "computer revolution"
    - Nancy Reagan's anti-drug campaign: "Just Say No"

Globalization & Economy

• Globalization
    - Increasing global trade & connection
    - Multinational corporations established

• NAFTA
    - Trade agreement among U.S., Canada, Mexico
    - Signed by Bill Clinton, fostering global trade

End of Cold War & New Threats

• Post-1991 Changes
    - Cold War ended, but new threats arose
    - Emergence of terrorism and regional conflicts

• War on Terror
    - Response to 9/11 al-Qaeda attacks
    - Focus on stopping terrorism and protecting U.S.

• Government Actions After 9/11
    - Implementation of the PATRIOT Act
    - Creation of the Department of Homeland Security
    - Identification of "Axis of Evil" countries

Economic Challenges

• 2008 Financial Crisis
    - Housing market collapse linked to reckless banking

• Healthcare
    - Introduction of the Affordable Care Act for broader access

• Technology
    - Increased use of Internet, cell phones, satellites

Foreign Policy

• Persian Gulf War
    - Initiated by Iraq's invasion of Kuwait

Politics & Culture

• 1984 Election
    - Geraldine Ferraro: First female VP candidate

• 2016 Election
    - Significant political shifts and their implications

Essay Topics (Big Ideas)

• Challenges after the Cold War
• Reagan's economic & governance impact
• Crisis period analysis of the 1970s
• Influence of technology on daily life

Crisis of the 1970s

• Stagflation
    - Combination of high inflation and unemployment
    - Foreign competition (notably from Japan)
    - Decrease in investment impacting economy

• Oil Crisis
    - OPEC embargo leading to oil shortages and price increases

• Political Context
    - Nixon's resignation due to Watergate
    - Ford and Carter's respective administrations
    - Iran Hostage Crisis affecting Carter's popularity

Political Shifts (1980s)

• Conservative Movement
    - Emergence of the "Silent Majority"
    - Advocacy for smaller government

• Key Figures
    - Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson

• Social Movements (1970s)
    - American Indian Movement
    - National Organization for Women
    - Focus on Native American sovereignty and women's equality

Reaganomics Ideas

• Economic Philosophy
    - Supply-side economics promoting economic growth

• Actions
    - Implementation of tax cuts, deregulation
    - Increased defense spending, reduction in social programs