1. PRESIDENCY OF GEORGE HERBERT WALKER BUSH Aim: How did the presidency of the first George Bush impact the United States?

2. Election of 1988 Promised to carry out on Reagan’s programs. “No New Taxes” Attacked opponent Michael Dukakis as soft on Crime

3. Difference Between Reagan and Bush Presidency Reagan Reagan had much stronger mandate Bush Democrats controlled the House and Senate

4. End of the Cold War Gorbachev was Soviet Leader Encouraged satellite nations to support perestroika and glasnost Popular support in Eastern Europe for better living conditions and economy Increased calls for free trade and free enterprise Berlin Wall comes down in 1989 Germany reunited in 1990 Soviet Union collapses around the same time and renamed Russia Boris Yeltsin elected President Mikhail Gorbachev

5. Persian Gulf Crisis August 1990: Saddam Hussein invades Kuwait to gain control of oil there US gives deadline of January 15, 1991 to withdraw Operation Desert Storm (air assaults) begins on January 16 Ground war lasts 5 days in February Entire conflict lasts 42 days Ends with liberation of Kuwait Would be continued by Bush’s son more than 10 years later

6. US Involvement US troops weren’t sent onto Iraq to take down Saddam Hussein Thought regime was weak and would be overthrown by opponents within Iraq Saddam not taken down until current conflict in Iraq, 2003

7. Panama 1989 Continuation of Reagan’s War on Drugs Manuel Noriega (dictator of Panama) captured and brought to US on drug charges Currently in federal prison 81 years old 2015

8. Bush’s Approach to the Recession 1990’s Slowly spent more on social programs Launched a deficit reduction plan that included new taxes

9. Domestic Policy Budget deficit Cut some military spending Slight increase in taxes Never made significant impact on deficit Supreme Court appointment David Souter and Clarence Thomas Both conservatives Civil Rights Rodney King (LA) police brutality (violently arrested) causes race riots 70 killed Bush fails to take strong stand in favor of King Savings and Loan Scandal 1990 Misuse of funds by savings and loans institutions surfaced American taxpayers would pay hundreds of billions of dollars to bail out the savings and loan industry David Souter Clarence Thomas