End of Cold War & Contemporary America
I.Reasons behind Ronald Reagan’s, as well as other conservatives’, rise to power in the early 1980’s (as a response to what?)
- Be aware of the election results (electoral college, popular vote, etc.)
Information:
- Gets 51% popular vote, 44 states in electoral race, Senate majority
- “New Right” —collection of grass-roots (local) conservative groups promoting single issues
- A. The Conservative Movement Builds
- rebirth of conservatism in politics largely a negative reaction to the liberal
social changesof the 1960’s and 1970’s
II.Reagan’s political platform/goals/philosophy (be specific)
- Economics (“supply-side” economics, what to do about taxes, amount of governmental regulation of business, amount of governmental spending, how to fight recession, etc.)
III. Role of government (size of government, purpose/role of government, military
spending levels, etc.)
NOTE: The answers to both of theseitems are discussed below.
Information:
A. “Reaganomics” Takes Over
1. Reagan’s Economic Policies
a. Reagan encourages private investment by cutting federal government
b. *Reaganomics: budget cuts, tax cuts (especially on the
wealthy), increased defense spending
2. Budget Cuts
a. Maintains entitlement programs that benefit middle class
b. Cuts programs that benefit poor, urban population
3. Tax Cuts
a. Supply-side economics operates on the theory that lower taxes
(especially on the wealthy) would result in:
- investment, greater productivity, more supply, lower prices
- also known as “trickle-down economics”
b Congress decreases taxes by 25% over 3 years
c. see the “Theory of Supply-Side Economics”graphic organizer
C. Deregulating the Economy
1. *Reducing the Size of the Federal Government
a. Reagan reduces government by deregulation—less regulation over
business
- increases competition, results in lower prices
b. Cuts budget of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
fights pollution, conserves natural resources
c. Interior Dept. permits more oil drilling, lumbering, coal mining
- sells millions of acres of public lands
d. reducing the size of the federal government was a major goal of
Reagan – and the conservative movement – during this time
IV. Reagan’s Foreign Policy
- Iran-Contra Affair/Scandal (who it involved, what it was about, etc.)
- towards Soviet Union (approach towards, treaties about reducing nuclear weapons, détente, end of détente, etc.)
- fall of Berlin Wall & subsequent collapse of Soviet Union (causes of)
Information:
The end of the Cold War, marked by the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991, leads to a redirection of many U.S. goals and policies.
A. The Cold War Ends
1. Gorbachev Initiates Reform
a. Mikhail Gorbachev—general secretary (leader) of Soviet Communist Party and
the Soviet Union
b. Soviet economy stressed; Reagan’s defense spending adds pressure
c. Gorbachev adopts glasnost—allows criticism, some freedom of press
d. Plans perestroika—some private enterprise, move to democracy
e. Wants better relations with U.S. to cut U.S.S.R. military spending
- arms-control INF Treaty (Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty
- this agreement cuts the amount of nuclear Weapons
2. The Soviet Union Falls Apart
a. 1991, 14 republics declare independence; Gorbachev forced to resign
b. Commonwealth of Independent States forms; 1993 START II signed
*3. The Collapse of Communist Regimes
a. Gorbachev reduces Soviet control of Eastern Europe, urges democracy
b. 1989, Berlin Wall torn down (marks the symbolic end of the Cold War)
1. 1990, 2 Germanys reunited
c. Czechoslovakia, Baltic states, Hungary,
Bulgaria,Romania democratic
d. Ethnic civil war breaks out in Yugoslavia
B. Central American and Caribbean Policy
1. Nicaragua
a. Sandinistas—rebel group, takes over
Nicaragua; Carter sends them aid
b. Reagan calls them communists;
helps Contras— the anti-communist forces
c. 1990, Contra supporter Violeta de Chamorro elected president
2. Grenada
a. 1983 Reagan sends troops; pro-Cuba government replaced with pro-U.S.
3. Panama
a. Bush sends troops to arrest dictator Manuel Antonio Noriega
b. Noriega convicted of drug trafficking in U.S., sentenced to 40 years
C. Middle East Trouble Spots
*1. The Iran-Contra Scandal
a. 1983, terrorists loyal to Iran take Americans hostage
in Lebanon
b. Reagan says no negotiating with terrorists; secretly
sells arms (weapons)in return for hostages
c. Reagan’s staff send some profits from the sales of
weapons and send it to the Contras (rebel fighters in
Nicaragua), breaking U.S. law
1. The U.S. is basically fighting a secret war in Nicaragua about which not
even Congress knows.
2. Colonel Oliver North is at the heart of the scandal (shown above)
d. 1987, Congressional committees held investigations on live TV
e. 1988, several staffers charged with crimes (including lying to Congress);
1992, Bush pardons Reagan officials
V. Gulf War (Who? When? Where? Why? Effects?)
Information:
A. The Persian Gulf War
1. Iran-Iraq War leaves Saddam Hussein with
great war debt
- 1990, Iraq invades Kuwait to take
its oil, threatens U.S. oil supply
2. President Bush, Secretary of State
James Baker organize international
coalition (alliance of nations)
3. 1991, Operation Desert Storm liberates
Kuwait from Iraq
4. Victory parades greet returning soldiers
5. Under 400 coalition casualties; 100,000 Iraqi
deaths
6. U.S. demonstrates its military superiority once
again; the defeat of Vietnam is fading.
VI. Economic changes in America in 2nd half of 20th Century (switching from an economy
based upon one thing to having it based upon another; what were those things?)
Information:
Because of technological advances and new trade laws, the U.S. economy undergoes a boom
during the late 20th century.
*A. The Shifting Economy
1. More Service, Less Security
a. Unemployment falls; many low-paying, part-time, temporary jobs
b. Most jobs in service sector—provide services to consumers
*1. the industrial sectors of the U.S. economy (i.e. steel mills,
manufacturing factories, etc.) begin to be replaced by technology
and service sector jobs
c. Many companies downsize—cut jobs for efficiency, higher profits
VII. The trend regarding the U.S.’ position/power/role/reputation in the 2nd half of the
20th Century
Information:
- overall, America’s economic, military, and political power grew/increased in the 2ndhalf of the 20th Century (we were a Superpower)
VIII. Election of 2000
- Who?
- Initial results?
- Final results? How final results were determined?
A. Election Night Confusion
a. Democrats nominate Vice President Al Gore
b. Republicans choose Texas governor George W. Bush
c. Ralph Nader, Green Party, promote environment, liberal causes
d. Close race: Florida electoral votes needed to win presidency
e. As votes counted, lead shifts repeatedly between Gore, Bush
f. Bush wins by narrow margin, triggers automatic recount (this is a “contested”
election, which means that the results regarding who won were being disputed)
B. Dispute Rages in Florida
a. Recount gives Bush narrow win
b. Alleged voting irregularities (problems) in several counties
- Gore campaign requests manual (by hand) recount in 4 Democratic
counties
3. The Battle Moves to the Courts(a “contested”/disputed election)
a. Republicans sue to stop manual recounts; court battles begin
b. Supreme Court votes to stop recounts: lack uniform standards
c. this gives Bush the electoral votes from Florida; he wins presidency
IX. 9/11/01 Attacks
- Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?
- Significance/Effects?
- Society? Rights? Security? Wars?
- Similarities to another historical event?
A. Sept. 11, 2001
1. al Qaeda terrorists (their leader was Osama bin Laden) hijack 4 planes;
- 1 crashes into Pentagon
- two planes destroy World Trade Center, fourth crashes in field
- the attack reminds many Americans of the 1941 Pearl Harbor Attack
B. The Bush Administration
1. Antiterrorist Measures
a. After September 11, antiterrorism bill passes(the “Patriot Act”)
1. leads to increased security measures by the federal
government,
including the monitoring of communications (e-mail, phone,
web, etc.)
2. some Americans grow concerned that their rights
(especially privacy) are being reduced or taken away
b. Department of Homeland Security created to
combat terrorism and to protect Americans at home
c. An aggressive U.S. foreign policy is adopted to fight terror
1. U.S.-led coalition attacks al-Qaedain Afghanistan
- many terrorist training camps there
- U.S. overthrows Taliban government that had protected terrorists
d. 2004, Hamid Karzai is first democratically elected Afghan leader
2. War Against Iraq (2003)
a. Bush says Iraq has weapons of mass destruction (WMD)
- fears Saddam Hussein will give WMD to terrorists
b. Bush calls for renewed arms inspections; Saddam limits cooperation
c. 2003, U.S., Britain oust Iraqi regime, capture Saddam
d. No WMD found
Visual: A Time magazine cover showing the bombing of
Baghdad, Iraq at the very start of the war.