Period 9

Third Great Awakening

• The "Third Great Awakening" refers to a period of religious revivalism in the United States that occurred in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It followed the Second Great Awakening, which took place in the early 19th century. The Third Great Awakening was characterized by a renewed emphasis on evangelicalism, social reform, and moral purity.

• During this period, various religious movements and revivals swept across the nation, particularly in urban areas. These revivals aimed to revitalize Christian faith and promote personal salvation through individual conversion experiences. Evangelical preachers played a significant role in leading these revivals, drawing large crowds and emphasizing the need for spiritual renewal.

• The Third Great Awakening also intersected with broader social and political movements of the time, including the temperance movement, the abolitionist movement, and the early stages of the women's suffrage movement. Many religious leaders involved in the revivalist movement saw social reform as a natural outgrowth of their spiritual convictions and sought to address social injustices and moral decay in society.

• Emphasis on personal conversion: Both the Second and Third Great Awakenings emphasized the importance of individual spiritual experiences and personal conversion. They promoted the idea that salvation was attainable through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and a sincere commitment to religious faith.

• Expansion of evangelical Christianity: Both awakenings led to a significant expansion of evangelical Christianity in the United States. They spurred the growth of evangelical denominations and churches, as well as the establishment of missionary organizations and educational institutions aimed at spreading the Christian faith.
  

Ronald Reagan

Overview:

• Conservatism and the New Right

• Saw the end of the Cold War—supported anti-communism movements and the SDI

• Pro-business lowered taxes and reduce regulations on corporations

• Reduce welfare/social programs created by liberals (benefit the elite)

• Raised funding on US military

The New Right

The New Right- right wing coalition term coined by candidate Barry Goldwater in 1964 Presidential Election

• Reagan rose as a strong leader of the New Right and the conservative wing of the Republcan Party

Election of 1980

• Reagan campaigned on tax cuts advocated by conservatives with prior tax revolts/antitax movements

• Jimmy Carter Democratic President lose popularity due to the Iran hostage crisis, stagflation

• Reagan won overwhelming majority of electroal votes in the election

Reaganomics AKA Suppy-side economics

• Supply-side economics: advocate for little government interference in the economy (reduce taxation, cut government welfare programs), benefiting corporations and the wealthy to encourage private sector investments and let the wealth trickle down to the rest of society

  • Contrary to liberal Keynesian Economics believing eocnomy benefits from government spending

• Deregulation- reduce government interference

  • Opened up government-owned public lands to development

  • Relax/eliminate enforcement of environmental regulations by the EPA

  • Civil Rights Division of Justice Department ease enforncement of civil rights laws

  • Department of Transportation slowed implementation of new environmental and safety standards

• The Fiscal Crisis

  • Federal budget deficits and national debt due to tax cuts (1981 tax cuts) and increased spending in military

  • Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981: included 25% decrease in income taxes (personal and corporate), capital gains tax, gift and inheriteance taxes—most tax cuts to high income taxpayers

  • Reduce government spending to make up for tax cuts by cutting back welfare programs

  • 1982 severe economic recession then later recovered relatively quickly

  • Eventually Reagan passed several bills to increase taxes due to the large federal deficit

War on Drugs

• Aimed at reducing the illegal drug trade, drug use, and associated crime.

• Increased funding for law enforcement agencies to combat drug trafficking, stricter penalties for drug offenses, expansion of drug education and prevention programs, and international cooperation to disrupt drug trafficking networks

• Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 and the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 imposed harsher penalties for drug offenses, particularly crack cocaine

• Faced criticism for its focus on punishment rather than treatment, its disproportionate impact on minority communities, and its failure to significantly reduce drug use and trafficking.

• Impact: rise in prison population (esp. for non-violent drug offenses) and exacerbated racial disparities in the criminal justice system

Reagen Domestic Policy Successes

• Economic Recovery: Reaganomics helped to end stagflation (high inflation combined with stagnant economic growth) and spur economic expansion, leading to a sustained period of economic growth throughout much of the 1980s.

• Recovery from Recession: Reagan inherited a severe recession when he took office in 1981. While his economic policies were controversial, many credit them with helping to pull the United States out of recession and spur long-term economic growth.

Reagen Domestic Policy Challenges:

1. Budget Deficits and National Debt: Reagan's tax cuts and increased defense spending contributed to significant budget deficits during his presidency. While some argued that the tax cuts spurred economic growth, others criticized Reagan for prioritizing short-term economic gains over long-term fiscal responsibility. The national debt more than tripled during Reagan's time in office, leading to concerns about its sustainability.

2. Economic Recession of 1982: The recession, which began in July 1981 and lasted until November 1982, was one of the most severe economic downturns in the United States since the Great Depression. Characterized by high unemployment, rising inflation, and declining GDP, the recession posed a significant challenge to Reagan's economic agenda.

3. Social Welfare Programs: Reagan sought to reduce the size and scope of social welfare programs, including Medicaid, food stamps, and welfare. His administration proposed significant cuts to these programs, leading to debates over the role of government in providing a social safety net and concerns about the impact on vulnerable populations.

4. Income Inequality: Critics argue that Reaganomics exacerbated income inequality by disproportionately benefiting the wealthy through tax cuts and deregulation. While the economy experienced overall growth during Reagan's presidency, wages for many workers stagnated, leading to widening income disparities.

Foreign Policies

• Reagan advocate for continuing to fight communism in the world—spoke out against the Soviet Union

• SDI (Strategic Defense Initiative) AKA Star Wars: Invest in the development and usage of space lasers and satellites to defend against incoming nuclear attacks

• Reagan Doctrine: US support anti-communism movements anywhere in the world

  • Nicaragua- Overtaken by communist and anti-American Sandinistas → US supported contras guerrilla antigovernment groups attempting to overthrow the Sandinistas—failure

  • Grenada- sent American solders/marines into Grenada to overthrow anti-American communist regime

  • Lebanon- Israeli army invaded Lebanon to drive guerrillas of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) from the country and Americans entered to supervise evacuation of PLO forces from Lebanon and protect the Levanese government → led to Americans becoming targets of terrorist bombing in Beirut

• Mikhail Gorbachev and the fall of the Soviet Union

  • Perestroika restructure economy to introduce free market capitalism

  • Glasnost dismantle repressive regimes of the Soviet Union

  • Reduce Soviet influence over satellite nations in Eastern Europe → many reverted back to noncommunist regimes

  • Dissolution of the USSR with many republics of the USSR declaring independence

  • Reagan and Gorbachev eventually sign treaty eliminating American and Soviet intermediate range nuclear forces (INF) from Europe

Reagan Foreign Policy Successes

• Strategic Arms Reductions: Reagan's administration engaged in arms control negotiations with the Soviet Union. These negotiations eventually led to the signing of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty) in 1987, which marked the first time the superpowers agreed to eliminate an entire category of nuclear weapons.

• End of the Cold War: Reagan's strong stance against the Soviet Union, combined with his policy of military buildup, economic pressure, and support for anti-communist movements, is often credited with hastening the end of the Cold War. His strategy contributed to putting pressure on the Soviet economy and fostering internal discontent within the Eastern Bloc countries.

• Release of Iranian Hostages: The release of the American hostages held in Iran for 444 days on the day of Reagen’s inauguration. The successful negotiation and release of the hostages provided a significant boost to Reagan's image.

Reagan Foreign Policy Challenges

• Iran-Contra Affair: One of the biggest foreign policy challenges of Reagan's presidency was the Iran-Contra Affair, in which administration officials secretly facilitated the sale of arms to Iran in exchange for the release of hostages and used the proceeds to fund Nicaraguan rebel groups (contrary to congressional restrictions). This scandal damaged Reagan's credibility and led to multiple investigation

• Lebanon: Reagan faced criticism for some of his strategic decisions, including the handling of the Lebanon crisis, where a bombing killed 241 U.S. service members, leading to the withdrawal of American forces from Lebanon.

• Reagan Doctrine: The Reagan Doctrine, which aimed to support anti-communist movements and insurgencies around the world faced criticism that the policy contributed to regional conflicts and human rights abuses (such as the contras in Nicaragua).

• Terrorism: The Reagan administration grappled with the rise of international terrorism, including high-profile attacks such as the bombing of the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut in 1983 and the hijacking of TWA Flight 847 in 1985.

• Cold War Tensions: His administration pursued a policy of "peace through strength," advocating for a military buildup to deter Soviet aggression and challenge Soviet influence around the world. However, this approach also raised the risk of nuclear confrontation and strained relations with the Soviet leadership.

George H. W. Bush (DIFFERENT FROM GEORGE W BUSH!)

Domestic Policy Challenges:

• Federal Deficit + Debt: Burden of dealing with federal deficit and debt that had been growing for a decade—pledged to reduce the deficit while having “no new taxes” + challenge of a Democratic Congress that disagreed with many of his policies

• 1990 Economic Recession: Caused my large amount of debt accumulated in the 1980s led to large number of bankruptcies and increased frustration among middle-lower class on rising health care costs and other issues

• Taxes: Forced to implement new taxes to combat federal deficit that raised federal excise taxes on beer, wine, cigarettes, gasoline, luxury cars + yatchs and increase top income tax rate—betrayed campaign promise of no new taxes

Domestic Policy Success:

• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Bush signed the ADA into law in 1990, which prohibited discrimination against individuals with disabilities in employment, public accommodations, transportation, and telecommunications. The ADA represented a significant step forward in civil rights legislation and has had a lasting impact on improving accessibility and opportunities for people with disabilities.

• Education Initiatives: Bush launched the America 2000 education initiative, which aimed to set national education goals, improve student performance, and promote innovation and accountability in education. While the initiative did not lead to significant legislative changes, it laid the groundwork for subsequent education reform efforts.

• Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990: Bush signed the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, which strengthened regulations on air pollution and mandated reductions in emissions of various pollutants, including sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. The amendments aimed to improve air quality and protect public health and the environment.

• Civil Rights: Bush signed the Civil Rights Act of 1991, which expanded protections against employment discrimination and provided for the right to trial by jury and the recovery of compensatory and punitive damages in cases of intentional discrimination. This legislation built upon earlier civil rights laws and aimed to further promote equality and justice in the workplace.

Gulf War and Invasion of Kuwait

• Saddam Hussein leader of Iraw led army of Iraqi forces to invade the oil-rich neighboring nation of Kuwait in attempts to annex it

• Decided to launch efforts in collaboration with other nations to force Iraq out of Kuwait—first used economic sanctions convinced nearly all nations including Soviet Union and Arab/Islamic states to join a United Nations-sanctioned trade embargo of Iraq

• US and allies send troops and bombings of Iraqiforces—easy victory

• Increased tensions between Muslims in the Middle East and US

Foreign Policy Successes

• Gulf War: One of Bush's most significant foreign policy successes was leading a coalition of nations to liberate Kuwait from Iraqi invasion in the Gulf War (1990-1991). The swift and decisive military operation, known as Operation Desert Storm, achieved its objectives of expelling Iraqi forces from Kuwait and restoring its sovereignty.

• Strategic Arms Reduction Treaties (START): Bush negotiated and signed the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I) with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1991. The treaty mandated significant reductions in the nuclear arsenals of both the United States and the Soviet Union, contributing to the overall reduction of nuclear weapons and easing tensions between the two superpowers.

• Panama Invasion: In 1989, Bush ordered the invasion of Panama, known as Operation Just Cause, to oust dictator Manuel Noriega and restore democratic governance. The operation successfully removed Noriega from power and paved the way for democratic elections in Panama.

Foriegn Policy Challenges:

• Tiananmen Square Massacre: In 1989, the Chinese government cracked down on pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square. Many in Congress cried out for a harsh response but the Bush administration imposed only limited sanctions. The Bush administration faced criticism for its initially cautious response to the crackdown, with some accusing the administration of prioritizing stability and economic interests over human rights concerns.

• Somalia Operation Restore Hope: Near end of his term Bush sent US troops for humanitarian aid in Somalia and later situation escalated into a military intervention with Operation Restore Hope. Eventually Bill Clinton had to withdrawal troops from Somalia after eighteen USsoldiers were killed in Mogadishu, the country's capital, in October 1993. "Operation Restore Hope" left many people wondering whether the United States should intervene in other countries when U.S. interests were not clearly at stake

• Yugoslav Wars: The breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s presented a significant foreign policy challenge for the Bush administration. The conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina, in particular, escalated into a brutal civil war marked by ethnic cleansing and genocide. While the United States provided diplomatic and humanitarian support, there was criticism of the administration's perceived reluctance to intervene militarily to halt the violence

Bill Clinton

• Election of 1992 Bill Clinton Democrat won over Bush and Perot (independent candidate who gained wide support)

• Increased taxation on the wealthy, reduction in government spending, and exemption of tax credits to working class as well as several other reforms

• NAFTA: Clinton proponent of free trade and globalism—support new free trade agreement that eliminated most trade barriers between US, Canada, Mexico

Clinton’s Reforms:

• Family and Medical Leave Act require businesses to allow workers to take unpaid leave for medical reasons

• Brady Bill mandated 5-day waiting period for purchasae of hand guns

• Anti-Crime Bill proivded $40 billion in funding for more police protection and crime prevention programs as well as ban of most assault rifles—angered the National Rifle Association (NRA)

• Raised minimum wage

• Failed to pass health care reform to provide coverage to every Americans and hold down the costs of medical care

Resurgence of Republican Congress and Clinton’s adjustment:

• Contract with America (1944) a document released by the Republican Party during the 1994 midterm elections in the United States. It outlined a set of policy proposals and promises that the party pledged to enact if they gained control of Congress. The contract was spearheaded by Newt Gingrich, who was the Speaker of the House at the time, and it played a significant role in the Republican Party's success in those elections, leading to them winning a majority in the House of Representatives for the first time in 40 years.

  • The Contract with America included a range of conservative-leaning policy proposals, such as balancing the federal budget, tax cuts, welfare reform, tougher crime laws, and term limits for members of Congress. It served as a blueprint for the Republican Party's legislative agenda once they took control of Congress following the 1994 elections.

• In 1994 Republicans gained control of both houses in Congress proposed series of measures to transfer powers from federal government to the states and large reductions in federal spending ex. restructuring of Medicare program

• Clinton declared “the era of big government is over” and adjusted his own agenda to a more moderate stance—plan to balance budget and cut taxes

• Welfare reform bill ended 50-year federal guarentee of assitance to families with dependent children, shift responsbility for allocating federal welfare funds to states, shift welfare benefits to low-wage workers rather than unemployed

• Balanced federal budget through spending cuts and tax increases as well as economic growth eliminated federal deficit produced first federal surplus since 1969

Scandal:

• Clinton charged with sexual relations with intern Monica Lewinsky and lying about it in front of the grand jury

• Charged with two accounts of impeachment lying to the grand jury and obstructing justice trial ended with acquittal of the president rather than impeachment

Domestic Policy Successes:

• Economic Growth and Budget Surpluses: Clinton presided over a period of robust economic growth, with low unemployment and inflation rates. His administration's economic policies, including deficit reduction measures such as the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993, contributed to the creation of budget surpluses in the late 1990s, marking the first time since the 1960s that the federal government had run a surplus.

• Welfare Reform: Clinton signed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) in 1996, commonly known as welfare reform. The law overhauled the welfare system by placing greater emphasis on work requirements, time limits for benefits, and state flexibility in administering welfare programs. Welfare caseloads declined significantly following the implementation of the reforms.

• Crime Reduction: Clinton's administration implemented tough-on-crime policies, including the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. While controversial and criticized for contributing to mass incarceration, these policies coincided with a significant decline in crime rates across the United States during the 1990s.

• Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA): Clinton signed the FMLA into law in 1993, which guaranteed eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for certain family and medical reasons. The FMLA represented a significant step forward in supporting work-life balance and providing job protection for employees dealing with personal or family health issues.

Domestic Policy Challenges:

• Healthcare Reform: Clinton's efforts to overhaul the healthcare system through the proposed Health Security Act, also known as Hillarycare, encountered significant challenges and ultimately failed to gain congressional approval.

• Budget Battles and Government Shutdowns: Clinton faced contentious budget battles with a Republican-controlled Congress, leading to two government shutdowns in late 1995 and early 1996. Disputes over fiscal priorities, including spending cuts, tax increases, and entitlement reform, resulted in prolonged budget negotiations and political gridlock, challenging Clinton's ability to advance his policy agenda.

Foreign Policy Successes:

• Bosnia: Civil war between ethnic groups of Muslims and the Serbians and Christians and successfully negotiated Dayton Agreement ended the Bosnian War and agreed to partition Bosnia

• Kosovo: Conflict between Servian government of Yugoslavia and Kosovo separatists turned into civil war and NATO forces led by US began Operation Allied Force to stop Serbian aggression and ethnic cleansing against Albanians through bombing campaign—eventually leader of Yugoslavia agrees to cease fire and Serbian troops withdrew from Kosovo

• Nuclear Nonproliferation: Clinton's administration made progress in advancing nuclear nonproliferation efforts, including negotiations with Russia on strategic arms reduction agreements such as the START II Treaty. Additionally, Clinton signed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) in 1996, which aimed to prohibit all nuclear test explosions.

• NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement): NAFTA aimed to eliminate barriers to trade and investment, leading to increased economic integration and cooperation among the three North American countries.

Foreign Policy Challenges:

• Rwanda Genocide: The Rwandan genocide in 1994, in which an estimated 800,000 people were killed in a matter of weeks, presented a significant foreign policy challenge for the Clinton administration. Critics argued that the United States and other Western powers failed to intervene effectively to stop the genocide, despite early warnings and evidence of mass atrocities.

• Terrorism: The Clinton administration grappled with the emerging threat of terrorism, including the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia, and the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania. These attacks highlighted the growing reach and sophistication of terrorist organizations such as al-Qaeda and raised concerns about the United States' vulnerability to terrorism.

• Balkans Conflict: The breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s led to ethnic conflicts and wars in the Balkans, including in Bosnia and Kosovo.

George W Bush (jr.)

• Election of 2000 Bush v. Al Gore—Gore recieved more popular votes but on election night short of electoral votes in Florida due to error-prone punch cards—following recount Bush leading Gore in votes but by the court ordered deadline recount was not yet fomplete—Democrats and Gore demanded recounts—took case to Supreme Court that voted to end the recount

• Promised to use budget surplus to finance massive tax reduction later passed largest tax cut in US history

War on Terrorism

• Past instances of terrorism included bombing of marines in Beirut (1983), bombing of American embassies (1998), assault on US vessel Cole (2000), and most primarily September 11, 2001 with the attack of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon

• Resulted in new security measures alterting immigration policies and government surveillance

• 9/11 orchestrated by terrorist network known as Al-Qauda led by Osama bin Laden

• War in Afghanistan: Taliban government of Afghanistan shielded bin Laden so the US lunched a bombing campaign and sent troops to help a resistance organization overthrow the Taliban—defeated but troops failed to capture bin Laden and other leaders who had fled to the mountains

• Patriot Act (2001):

  • Gave US government power to expand surveillance including wiretrapping and collecting phone calls and emails to prevent domestic terrorism

  • Allowed them to imprison people in Afghanistan suspected of being terrorists and having connections to the Taliban to bring to the prison at the American base in Guantanamo, Cuba without formal charges or access to lawyers—criticized for lack of basic civil liberties and unfair treatment

• Department of Homeland Security: Large reorganization of the government combined several federal agencies (Secret Service, Coast Guard) to protect from domestic terrorism

• Iraq War

  • Bush tried to build a case to justify the invasion of Iraq to topple the regime of Saddam Hussein asserted that 1. Iraw supported terrorist groups attacking the US (responsible for 9/11 attacks despite little evidence) 2. Iraq was developing weapons of mass destruction (nuclear, chemical, biological warfare)—found to be false

  • Operation Iraqi Freedom: With help of allies like the British the US invaded Iraw and quickly captured the capital of Baghdad and defeated Hussein

  • However groups of insurgents continued to attack US and allied troops causing the Iraq War to continue for 6 more years as support for the war steadily declined especially when the US failed to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq led to growing unpopularity of Bush

• Bush Domestic Policies

  • Tax cuts of 2001 benefitted wealthy Americans

  • No Child Left Behind: Proposed by the first lady which increased standardized testing—faced criticism for pushing students to learn how to take tests rather than think for themselves

  • Hurricane Katrina: Federal government’s slow response to damages caused by Katrina angered Americans contributing to the loss of Republican Majorities in both houses of Congress and declined support for Bush

• Bush Foreign Policies:

  • Believed US had the right to spread freeom throughout the world by military force if necessary value ending tyranny and oppression over stability as well as actively using preemptive attacks to combat terrorism

  • Worked to expand NATO and the EU as well as admission of China to the World Trade Organization

  • Refused to join Kyoto Accord to combat climate change, abandoned Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty with Russian (1972) and world not negotiate with North Korea or Iran for years—criticized for lack of cooperation with other nations

Barack Obama

• Election of 2008: Obama vs John McCain—Obama did not support the Iraq War wanted national health insurance and tax increases on the wealthy—due to unpopularity of Bush’s policies that people associated with McCain Obama wins

• Great Recession of 2008: Many people have been taking on larger and risker mortgages (adjustable rate mortgage ARM) and jumbo loans (caused by repeal of Glass-Steagall Act preventing irresponsible banking practices and mandating government oversight of banks) led to a housing bubble characterized by a rapid rise in housing prices fueled by high demand—eventual housing market collapse

  • Leaders proposed use of federal funds to help government bail out failing banks passed the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TRAP) to keep economy from collapsing

• Faced challenge of dealing with the poor economy, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the polarized political climate

Domestic Policies:

• Stimulus Package: Economic stimulus package included tax cuts, unemployment benefits, increased spending on education, infrastructure, police, health care, job creation to help recover from the financial crisis

• Financial Reforms: Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act improve regulation of baking and investment firms and set up new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to regulate consumer products like mortgages and credit cards

• Health Care: Aimed to pass the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act AKA Obamacare ot provide universal health care and replace the fee for service medical system—heavily opposed by Republicans (including group of libertarian Republicans called the Tea Party)

• Environment: Used stimulus bill to reduce reliance on oil turn to alternative energy souces pushing auto manufacturers to produce more hybrid/electric cars and joined the Paris Agreement to combat climate change

• Policies led to increase in national debt/deficit

Foreign Policies:

• Obama ended US involvement in the war in Iraq

• Increased troops in Afghanistan and opted to use more targeted operations by special forces and drone strikes rather than putting US troops on the ground

• Rise of the ISIS terrorist group send American air power and trainers to help Iraq regain lost territories

Obama Opposition:

• Tea Party: Group of evangelical, conservative, and libertarian Republicans led by Senator Ted Cruz spread conservative goals of deficit reduction, tax reduction, smaller federal government → appealed to wealthy conservatives that brought large financial contributions to give the Tea Party political influence eventually led to the control of Republicans over the house

• Leftist Critics: Critics from the left believe Obama moved too far right and failed to uphold promises like closing the Guantanamo prison and did not punish financiers responsible for the 2008 financial crisis

• Occupy Wall Street: response to increasing economic inequality with Protesters gathering near Wall Street

• In his second term faced political gridlock with many initiatives not passing due to the Republican Congress and the divided government

Presidential Election Years:

1980-1984 Ronald Reagan

1988 George H W Bush

1992-1996 Bill Clinton

2000-2004 George W Bush

2008-2012 Barack Obama