Unit 9: 1980 to the Present

The Election of Ronald Reagan

  • In 1980, Ronald Reagan's election signified a shift from liberalism to conservatism.
  • Campaign Promises: Reagan pledged to:
    • Reduce taxes.
    • Cut government spending.
    • Increase military resources.
    • Appoint conservative Supreme Court judges.
  • Reaganomics:
    • Implemented supply-side economics, branded as Reaganomics.
    • Aimed for economic growth by decreasing taxes and removing business regulations.
    • The idea was that consumers would benefit from lower-priced goods.
  • Government Spending:
    • Reduced spending on welfare programs.
    • Significantly increased military spending.
  • Deregulation:
    • Cut regulations in the auto industry.
  • Judicial Appointments:
    • Appointed Sandra Day O'Connor, Antonin Scalia, and Anthony Kennedy.
    • These appointments led to restrictions on affirmative action and made abortions more difficult to obtain.

The End of the Cold War

  • Ronald Reagan contributed to ending the Cold War through speeches, diplomacy, and military buildup.
  • Military Interventions:
    • Iran-Contra Affair: The U.S. secretly sold weapons to Iran to support them in their war against Iraq (since 1980). Profits from these sales were illegally used to aid Nicaraguan Contras fighting against the socialist government.
    • This was an illegal diversion of funds, violating Congress's budgetary authority; Reagan faced no significant consequences.
  • Nuclear Buildup:
    • Increased military spending led to programs like the Strategic Defense Initiative (space lasers to destroy missiles).
    • The Soviet Union increased missile deployment, leading to mutual escalation.
  • Post Reagan:
    • George H.W. Bush oversaw the end of the Cold War in 1991; the Soviet Union dissolved.
    • Diplomatic agreements were made to dismantle nuclear stockpiles.
    • START I: Agreement between the U.S. and Russia to reduce nuclear warheads:
      • First to 10,000 apiece.
      • Then, later, to 3,000.

The US Economy in the 1990s

  • Big changes came to the US economy in the 1990s due to technological innovations and the transition to a service-based economy.
  • Clinton's Presidency:
    • Bill Clinton was elected in 1992.
    • America experienced its longest peacetime economic boom because of advancements in digital communications like the Internet.
    • Technological advancements also increased productivity in industrial and agricultural sectors.
  • Technological Innovations:
    • Digital mobile technology and cell phones emerged.
    • Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter transformed daily life.
  • Economic Shift:
    • Manufacturing work was outsourced, transitioning the American economy to a majority service-based economy.

Migration and Immigration After 1980

  • Migration and immigration significantly affected U.S. culture and economics after 1980.
  • Sunbelt Migration:
    • Significant portion of growing population during this time was immigrants.
    • Immigrants accounted for nearly 28% of the population growth in the 1990s.
  • Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986:
    • Created a process for immigrant entry into America.
    • It was criticized for granting amnesty to some Mexican immigrants who had entered illegally.
  • Demographic Changes:
    • By February, Hispanic immigrants became the largest minority in the United States.
    • The Asian American population reached about 10 million.

September 11th and Climate Change

  • The attacks of September 11, 2001, marked the beginning of the War on Terror; also, concerns grew over climate change.
  • September 11th Attacks:
    • Attacks in New York and Washington, D.C., by Al-Qaeda.
    • President George W. Bush initiated the "War on Terror."
    • The Taliban government in Afghanistan refused to deliver Osama bin Laden, leading to U.S. intervention.
    • The U.S. entered a difficult battle, similar to the Vietnam War, while pursuing terrorists.
  • Patriot Act:
    • Due to sentiments after 9/11, the Patriot Acts of 2001 and 2003 increased government surveillance permissions.
    • This raised debates over Fourth Amendment rights to privacy.
  • Environmental Concerns:
    • The debate over America's dependence on fossil fuels was renewed.
    • Iraq's invasion of Kuwait (a major oil source) led the U.S. into war with Iraq.
  • Climate Change:
    • Popularized by Al Gore, who argued that fossil fuel usage was increasing greenhouse gases and heating the planet, with disastrous effects.
  • Despite concerns, the U.S. remained a leading superpower in the 21st century.