WARM UP 1 Create an episode map on NIXON, FORD & CARTER 2 THE Vietnam War episode map will be collected alongside this one and will be reviewed at another time 3 The notes can be found online
THE CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT Ronald Reagan & George H.W. Bush
The Birth of the Conservative Movement I. The USA experienced a growth in conservatism during the late 1970s A. Americans grew unhappy with the direction of the nation under Nixon, Ford and Carter and wanted change II. Conservatives believe: A. The government spends too much money B. Society is too liberal (too loose, free, no rules) C. The government is involved too much in the lives of the American people D. Conservative believe that American society is decaying
Conservative Vs. Liberal Conservative (Republican) I. Less taxes & less government spending Liberal (Democrat) I. More taxes & more government spending II. Laissez-faire economic II. Government should solve economic problems III. Build a strong military III. Liberal values (loose values) IV. Traditional Christian values V. Supported by middle and upper class IV. Equality between races V. Supported by poor & middle class
Conservatism Grows in the US I. Because the USA faced many economic, social and political problems in the 1970s many Americans began supporting conservative ideology II. The conservative supporters in the US became known as the New Right A. The New Right opposed abortion (Roe vs. Wade), government spending and affirmative action B. The New Right supported Christian values, school sponsored prayer & less governmental action III. The conservative movement in the US grew more influential during the late 1970s up until the election in 1980
Reagan vs. Carter (Election of 1980) I. In 1980 Republican Ronald Reagan ran for president against Jimmy Carter A. Reagan was a Hollywood actor and was well known in the USA B. Reagan began politically as a Democrat but switched to support conservatism in the 1950s C. Reagan served as governor of California in the 1970s II. Jimmy Carter was again nominated as the Democratic candidate for president A. Carter was blamed for the poor economy and energy crisis B. Carter was unpopular for the Iranian Hostage Crisis C. The majority of people have a negative view of Carter
Election of 1980 I. Reagan and the Republicans easily won the election in 1980 II. Conservative Republicans took control of Congress in 1980 III. Conservative principles overtook the entire USA
THE REAGAN PRESIDENCY
Reagan Takes Office I. Reagan promised to return the country to a simpler time of low taxes, small government, a strong military, and conservative Christian values. II. Focused on family, work, neighborhood, peace, and freedom III. Reagan s first term agenda included: A. Reducing federal bureaucracy (slow process to do things) B. Deregulate industries (allow businesses to grow) C. Cut taxes & government spend less D. Increase military spending E. Take an aggressive stance against the Soviet Union
First Terms Outcomes I. In his first few months as president, Reagan was able to implement the majority of his agenda II. His international image grew stronger when he survived an assassination attempt in 1981 by John Hinckley Jr.
Reagan s Economic Plan I. Reagan created a conservative economic plan known as Reaganomics: II. Reaganomics demanded tax and spending cuts III. Two goals IV. A. Reduce taxes to stimulate industrial economic growth B. Cut the federal budget Based on supply-side economics A. An economic theory that states offering tax breaks for businesses will increase their profits leading to more hiring and then economic growth V. Reaganomics focused on Trickledown Economics A. Giving the wealthy more money will eventually give the average people more money
The Effects of Reaganomics I. From 1981-1982 the USA suffered the worst economic recession since the Great Depression. II. Unemployment rose and government revenues fell. III. Federal spending soared and the federal deficit skyrocketed. IV. In 1983 the US economy began recovering as American consumers went on a spending spree V. Stock Market rose and the GDP went up 10%
Reagan s Social Concerns I. HEALTH CONCERNS HIV/AIDS A. The US experienced an HIV-AIDS (Human Immunodeficiency Virus- Acquired Immunodeficiency Symdrome) epidemic during the 1980 s B. AIDS is a virus that destroys the immune system, and allows other sicknesses to attack the body of the infected person until they die II. ABORTION CONCERNS A. The Supreme Court case of Roe vs. Wade stated that women had the right to an abortion B. Conservative with Christian values believed this was murder and the divide over abortion became a political one C. Abortion laws vary state to state
Reagan s Foreign Policy and the Cold War I. President Reagan took a hard line approach against communism and the Soviet Union II. Reagan rejected the policies of containment and détente; he wanted to destroy communism. A. Reagan s position worsened the relationship between the US & USSR B. Many people believed Reagan s recklessness would cause WWIII III. Reagan more than doubled US military spending A. The majority of the defense budget was spent on nuclear weapons B. Reagan promoted the Strategic Defense initiative (SDI) C. SDI was a shield in space to protect the United States against incoming Soviet missiles. i. SDI was called Star Wars by many critics who believed it wouldn t work.
The Beginning of the End of the Cold War I. By the late 1970s the Soviet Union s economy began shrinking A. Industrial production, agricultural production, population, education and medical care all collapsed II. The communist nations of the eastern bloc began demanding political and economic reforms to be like the western world III.Mikhail Gorbachev became the Soviet Premiere (leader) in 1984 A. Gorbachev was reform minded and ended hardcore communist beliefs in the USSR B. Gorbachev s beliefs changed the US & USSR relationship
Cold War Tension Cools I. Due to the economic decline of the USSR Cold War tensions between the USA and USSR began cooling off II. Reagan and Gorbachev signed the Intermediate- Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in 1987 III. Communist nations began demanding independence and capitalist reforms IV. The Berlin Wall fell in November of 1989 A. The fall of the wall signaled the beginning of the end of the Cold War B. Communism fell to capitalism after nearly 40 years of the Cold War
The Regan Presidency I. During the 1980 s Conservative values controlled the USA and Reagan easily won reelection in 1984 II. Reagan appointed three Conservative judges to the SCOTUS leaving a lasting conservative influence in the USA III. Reagan: A. Ended the Cold War B. Increased American economic prosperity C. Cut taxes and government spending D. Defeated Communism E. Gave Americans pride in their nation
THE GEORGE H.W. BUSH PRESIDENCY
The Election of 1988 I. In 1988 Reagan s VP George H.W. Bush ran as the Republican nominee for president A. The USA still has large conservative support II. Bush ran against Democrat Michael Dukakis from Massachusetts III. Bush easily won the election in 1988 promising to keep Reagan s social, political and economic policies in place A. Most famously Bush promised the American people NO NEW TAXES
BUSH & FOREIGN POLICY I. During the Bush administration the former Soviet Bloc began declaring independence from the USSR II. The majority sought independence and capitalist reforms III. Gorbachev resigned as president of the Soviet Union which then dissolved IV. Communism failed to capitalism and the Cold War is officially over in 1991
BUSH & ECONOMY I. America continued to desire a conservative government in the late 1980s II. Bush promised to continue Reagan s economic policies that were making the nation wealthy III. However an economic recession began in 1990 and Bush was forced to raise taxes. (which he promised to not do) A. American people are unhappy with Bush for lying & taxes IV. Unemployment & poverty rose during the Bush years