POWERPOINT 31 The Reagan - Bush Years,

The Reagan Revolution Ronald Reagan wins landslide election in 1980 Former governor of California Republicans controlled Senate for early years of his presidency Reagan in Office “Great Communicator” Chose effective staff Supply-side economics

The Election of 1980 Web

The Reagan Revolution (cont.’d) Iranian hostages released January 20, 1981 Reagan shot March 30, 1981 Dealt firmly with Air Traffic Controller Strike Budget Act of 1981 Increased defense spending National debt rose sharply Deregulation causes problems for Reagan Environmental Protection Agency Savings and loan companies

Reagan and Foreign Policy Economy improves by late 1982 Took hard line with Soviets Supported Contras in Nicaragua Grenada invasion, October 1983 Middle East troubles impact America Terrorist attack kills 239 Marines in Lebanon Strategic Defense Imitative plan contributes to decline of Soviet Union

Social Tensions and Strains of the 1980s AIDS appears in U.S. in 1980s Cable television and personal computers change way Americans live Families experience growing problems, including divorce, single parenthood, and school problems Resurgence of evangelical Christianity in 1980s Moral majority Pro-life and pro-choice movements

The 1984 Presidential Election Democrats jockey for nomination Jesse Jackson and Gary Hart Walter Mondale emerges as candidate Reagan wins landslide victory Carried 49 states

The Election of 1984 ©2002 Wadsworth Group, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Thomson Learning ™ is a trademark used herein under license.

Reagan’s Second Term Major tax reforms are made in 1986 Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Yuppie youth culture Challenger tragedy Soviets and Americans reach agreements Mikhail Gorbachev Perestroika and glasnost Iran-Contra Affair damages Reagan presidency Colonial Oliver North

Reagan’s Second Term (cont.’d) Reagan has major impact on Supreme Court President names majority of justices Also names Sandra Day O’Connor first woman justice Soviets pull out of war in Afghanistan Reagan and Gorbachev visit each other’s capitols By 1987, agree to remove intermediate nukes from Europe Relations with Soviets improved

The 1988 Presidential Election In 1988, George H.W. Bush wins presidency “No new taxes” Democrats run unorganized campaign Michael Dukakis Dirty campaign Reagan legacy is mixed Not as good as his admirers claim Nor as bad as his detractors assert

The Election of 1988 ©2002 Wadsworth Group, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Thomson Learning ™ is a trademark used herein under license.

The Bush Succession In office, Bush pushes for improvements at home Americans with Disabilities Act Savings and loan debacle Foreign affairs claim much of president’s attention China mows down human rights along with students in Tiananmen Square American military seizes Panama’s Noriega and brings him to justice Americans lose faith in Bush over taxes

The Bush Succession (cont.’d) Gulf War brings America and world together to liberate Kuwait U.S. wins decisive victory against Iraq Saddam Hussein remained in power 1991 coupe led to collapse of Soviet Union In budget battle, Bush caves to Democrats Clarence Thomas Supreme Court nomination enthralls country Last years of presidency bring more anxiety

Persian Gulf War, 1991 Web

Discussion Questions Ronald Reagan is a liked and disliked president. What were his successes and failures, and why is opinion so diametrically opposed about him? Discuss Reagan’s foreign policy. How did his relationship with the USSR develop over his presidency? Examine the domestic policies of George Bush. What were his accomplishments? Failures? What were the causes of the Gulf War? How was Bush able to pull together a coalition to defeat Iraq? Was Iraq’s defeat a victory for the U.S.?