Reagan/Bush

  1. Conservatism grew throughout a region of the nation known as the Sunbelt. This was a shift in the population to the south and the west.

  2. The counterculture movement seemed to go against the conservative values as well. It challenged the traditionalfamily values.

  3. Because people saw Reagan as a symbol of hope and pride, Reagan defeated Jimmy Carter in a landslide.

  4. Reagan’s idea of supporting high interest rates and tax cuts became known as Reaganomics.

  5. The idea of helping wealthy Americans and corporations with tax breaks and then they will help the less fortunate by providing jobs is known as “trickle-down” economics.

  6. Geraldine Ferraro was the 1st woman to run for Vice-President of a major political party (Democratic) and Walter Mondale’s running mate.

  7. President Reagan appointed two conservatives to the U.S. Supreme Court: Antonin Scalia and Sandra Day O’ Conner.

  8. Sandra Day O’Connor was the first woman chosen for the Supreme Court.

  9. Reagan rejected BOTH ideas of containment and Détente. He wanted to defeat evil, not contain or negotiate with it.

  10. Reagan believed the U.S. should support groups that were fighting to overthrow communist governments. This policy was called the Reagan Doctrine.

  11. Two places that Reagan implemented this policy were Afghanistan in South Asia and Nicaragua in Central America.

  12. Reagan aids the Afghan rebels by sending hundreds of millions of dollars in covert military aid to Afghan guerrillas who were fighting the Soviets in Afghanistan. Because of mounting casualties and a drained economy, the Soviets withdrew in 1988.

  13. The Iran-Contra affair was a scandal during Reagan’s presidency over arms-for-hostages deal with Iran in exchange for funds for Nicaraguan rebels known as the Contras.

  14. In the Iran-Contra Scandal, money was illegally funneled to support an attempted overthrow of Nicaragua’s communist government.

  15. A key figure in the Iran-Contra Scandal was Colonel Oliver North.

  16. The Reagan Doctrine in Nicaragua: Rebels known as Sandinistas overthrew the American-supported dictator in Nicaragua. The Contras were a large army recruited and trained by the CIA freedom fighters to overthrow the Sandinistas. Congress cut funding for the U.S.-backed Contras in 1984 fearing a Central American “Vietnam.” Reagan’s administration continued to secretly fund the Contras through illegal means. This was called the Iran-Contra Affair.

  17. The Tower Commission was formed by Reagan to investigate the Iran-Contra Affair.

  18. The Congressional investigation concluded that President Reagan had no “direct” knowledge about the transferring of money to the Contras.

  19. Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative or SDI was nicknamed “Star Wars” defense for its ability to shoot down Soviet incoming missiles with lasers from satellites in space.

  20. The Berlin Wall would fall. This was considered one of Reagan’s biggest successes.

1. In the election of 1988, most people saw Reagan’s vice-president George H. W. Bush as a solid choice to continue the Reagan policy.

2. George H. W. Bush made a pledge to the American people when he said:

“**Read my lips: no new taxes.**”

3. Because the Soviet economy was suffering, Gorbachev began to make reforms.

a. Perestroika – Economic restructuring (introducing limited market-like reforms)

b. Glasnost – Openness (greater freedom of expression and transparency in government)

4. With democratic ideas spreading throughout Eastern Europe, change came quickly. In November of 1989, the Berlin Wall gates were opened. East Berliners came through as free people for the first time in 40 years.

5. In December of 1991, Gorbachev announced the end of the Soviet Union. The Cold War was over.

6. In 1989, Chinese students held protests for democracy in Tiananmen Square, the town center in Beijing. Hundreds were executed and thousands more were either jailed or exiled. The U.S. responded by placing trade sanctions on China. This was known as the Tiananmen Square Massacre.

7. In 1978, the USA under President Carter gave Panama control of the Panama Canal. Panama’s dictator Manuel Noriega was using the canal to aid drug trafficking & harass USA military defending the canal. President Bush ordered US troops to invade Panama. Noriega was sent to the USA to stand trial for drug trafficking charges. The US troops helped Panamanians hold elections for a new (democratic) government.

8. In 1990, Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, wanting control of the oil-rich country. The U.N. set a deadline for Iraq to withdraw or face use of military force. Hussein refused.

9. On January 16th, 1991, coalition forces launched Operation Desert Storm. After 6 weeks of air strikes, the ground war began. After only 100 hours of fighting, President Bush declared victory. Iraq accepted the cease-fire terms and Kuwait was liberated.

10. Winning the Persian Gulf War caused some lasting problems:

The U.S. economy began suffering a major recession

Businesses started “downsizing” staffs (laying off workers)

Bush was forced to go back on his pledge when he raised taxes

American troops remained in the Middle East, angering many Muslims.

11. Once Papa Bush broke his promise on taxes, he wasn’t going to get reelected.