Important U.S. Deals Flashcards
CFPT
The New Deal (1933–1939)
Overview: A series of programs, policies, and reforms introduced by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in response to the Great Depression. These included the establishment of Social Security, labor rights protections, financial regulations, and public works programs
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Significance: The New Deal reshaped the relationship between the federal government and American citizens, expanding government involvement in the economy and social welfare.
The Fair Deal (1949–1953)
Overview: Proposed by President Harry S. Truman as a continuation and expansion of New Deal policies. Key proposals included national health insurance, public housing, civil rights legislation, and raising the minimum wage.
Significance: While many of Truman’s proposals were blocked by Congress, the Fair Deal set the stage for future reforms in areas like civil rights and social welfare.
The Square Deal (1901–1909)
Overview: A domestic policy program introduced by President Theodore Roosevelt. It focused on three main areas: regulating big business (trust-busting), protecting consumer rights, and ensuring environmental conservation.
Significance: The Square Deal helped establish the federal government as an active regulator of the economy and addressed issues like monopolies, labor conditions, and environmental protection.
The Great Society (1964–1965)
Overview: A set of domestic programs launched by President Lyndon B. Johnson aimed at eliminating poverty and racial injustice. Key components included Medicare, Medicaid, civil rights legislation, and education reforms.
Significance: The Great Society transformed American social policy, significantly expanding the welfare state and promoting civil rights for marginalized groups.
The Green New Deal (Proposed 2019–Present)
Overview: A set of proposals, mainly advanced by progressive members of Congress and activists, aimed at addressing climate change and economic inequality. It includes proposals for a transition to renewable energy, job creation in clean industries, and universal health care.
Significance: Although not yet enacted in full, the Green New Deal has sparked significant national debate about how to address environmental issues and create economic opportunities.
The Reagan Revolution (1980s)
Overview: The set of conservative economic policies promoted by President Ronald Reagan, including tax cuts, deregulation, and a strong anti-communist foreign policy. The “Reaganomics” framework aimed at reducing government involvement in the economy.
Significance: Reagan’s policies marked a shift toward a more market-driven economy, reduced the role of the federal government, and spurred debates about the balance between public and private sector roles in society.
The Affordable Care Act (2010) (also known as “Obamacare”)
Overview: A major healthcare reform law passed under President Barack Obama aimed at expanding healthcare coverage, controlling healthcare costs, and improving healthcare system efficiency. It includes the creation of health insurance marketplaces and the expansion of Medicaid.
Significance: The Affordable Care Act has been one of the most significant social policy reforms in U.S. history, with far-reaching effects on healthcare access and insurance coverage.
The Civil Rights Deal (1960s)
Overview: A series of legislative actions under President Lyndon B. Johnson that resulted in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Significance: These laws were monumental in securing legal equality for African Americans, ending segregation, and providing federal enforcement to ensure voting rights.
The Compromise of 1877
Overview: An informal agreement that ended the contested 1876 presidential election. In exchange for conceding the presidency to Rutherford B. Hayes, Republicans agreed to withdraw federal troops from the South, effectively ending Reconstruction.
Significance: The deal led to the end of Reconstruction and the return of white supremacy in the South, which set back civil rights progress for decades.
The Missouri Compromise (1820)
Overview: An agreement between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions in Congress that allowed Missouri to join the Union as a slave state while Maine joined as a free state. It also established a geographic line (the 36°30’ parallel) dividing free and slave states.
Significance: The Missouri Compromise temporarily eased tensions between North and South over slavery, though it foreshadowed the growing sectional conflict that would lead to the Civil War.
The Emancipation Proclamation (1863)
Overview: Executive order issued by President Abraham Lincoln declaring that all slaves in Confederate states were to be set free.
Significance: While not a “deal” in the traditional sense, the Emancipation Proclamation had a monumental impact on the United States, reshaping the Civil War’s goals and leading to the eventual abolition of slavery through the 13th Amendment.
The Social Security Deal (1935)
Overview: Part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, the Social Security Act created a system of old-age pensions, unemployment insurance, and welfare benefits for the elderly, disabled, and impoverished.
Significance: This program established a fundamental aspect of the American welfare state and has been central to the U.S. social safety net.
The Iran Nuclear Deal (2015) AKA The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)
this agreement between Iran and six world powers (including the U.S.) sought to curb Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
Significance: Though controversial, the deal was an important diplomatic effort to prevent nuclear proliferation and reduce tensions in the Middle East.
The Bretton Woods Agreement (1944)
Overview: An international monetary agreement that established the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, as well as a system of fixed exchange rates based on the U.S. dollar.
Significance: This agreement laid the foundation for post-World War II economic order, making the U.S. dollar the world’s primary reserve currency and setting up institutions that continue to play critical roles in the global economy.
