1. President Ronald Reagan

2. Reaganomics – Supply-Side Economics
Provided businesses incentives to increase the supply of goods and services
Lowered taxes
People save more and invest their savings
Companies produce more and hire more workers
Tax cuts benefited the rich
more than the poor
Widened the gap between
rich and poor

3. Reaganomics - Deregulation
Pros
Cons
Increase business competition
Businesses more profitable
Pass savings onto their customers
Lower standards on air and water quality
Weaken worker safety laws

4. Reaganomics – Reduction in Social Welfare
Reagan believed that welfare trapped people in a cycle of poverty and dependence on government aid
Hurt the poor and forced cities to reduce services to those in need
Most affected:
Single moms with young
children
Young adults

5. New Jersey v. TLO
A student was suspected of carrying drugs in her purse. Her purse was searched and she was suspended for having drugs on campus.
The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the school district.
Schools needed to be able to
maintain discipline and
ensure student safety
Denied students equal
protection under the law

6. Appointment of Sandra Day O’Connor
Born in El Paso, Texas
She struggled to find a job as a lawyer because of gender discrimination
In 1981, President Reagan nominated Sandra Day O’Connor as the first women Supreme Court Justice
Reagan appointed O’Connor as a response to the feminist movement and his administration's stance on Roe v. Wade
O’Connor was conservative, but
also served as the swing vote
between liberals and
conservatives.

7. Strategic Defense Initiative (Star Wars)
Led to the largest peacetime military build-up in history
Goal: build a “missile shield” to protect the U.S. from nuclear attack
Included both land-based and space-based weapons

8. Reagan Doctrine and Star Wars

10. Reagan Doctrine What is the Reagan Doctrine? Central America Nicaragua
U.S. trained and armed an insurgent group called the Contras to overthrow the communist Sandinista government
Continue covert actions even after Congress no longer approved

12. U.S. Intervention in Southwest Asia Reagan Doctrine
Civil War in Lebanon
The U.S., France, and Italy sent in peacekeeping troops
Many people living in the region did not approve of outside intervention
Bombed the U.S. embassy in Lebanon
Terrorist attacks continued, so the U.S., Italy, and France withdrew their troops
Terrorist attacks continued despite troop withdrawal

13. Iran-Contra Affair
U.S. was illegally selling arms to Iran, to try and get hostages released
Americans were shocked because Reagan had vowed “never to deal with terrorists”
Money was also used to supply Contras in Nicaragua, which was a violation of
U.S. law
There is some evidence that Reagan
did not know what was going on

14. Summit Meetings and INF Treaty
Gorbachev became Premier of Russia
Introduced perestroika (economic
restructuring) and glasnost (openness)
Summit Meetings
Reagan and Gorbachev met at a serious
of different locations over the span of several years
Talks stalled for various reasons at various times
Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty
Destroy missiles ranging between
300 and 3,400 miles
Countries could inspect each other

15. Communism and Eastern Europe
1989 Gorbachev announced the Soviet Union would no longer take part in the internal affairs of other countries
With this announcement communism fell across Eastern Europe
Berlin Wall falls in 1989/1990
Development of Nation States
Eastern Europe started to create
nation states, countries whose
population share a common
culture, history, and language

16. Reagan and the End of the Cold War

17. Communism in Other Countries
Cuba, Vietnam, North Korea, and China
Vietnam
Began to embrace a mixed economy
Improved relations with the U.S. and other Western Nations
North Korea
Remained isolated and rigidly controlled
China
Some economic change but no political change
Tiananmen Square Incident

18. Political Cartoon Analysis
Using your notes, decide which cartoon(s) relate to what event you just learned about. Label each cartoon with the event
For each cartoon, answer this question: Does this cartoonist believe the effects of President Reagan’s foreign policy actions were mostly positive or mostly negative? Explain your answer.