The Reagan Era Flashcards
Identify the factors that influenced the outcome of the Election of 1980.
- Struggling economy during 1970s.
- Ongoing Iranian Hostage Crisis.
- Pace of social change and reform during 1960s/70s caused some to feel unsettled- and desire more conservative values.
- Ronald Reagan’s strong communication skills from his career as an actor.
Explain how President Reagan impacted the way many Americans perceived the federal government and their elected officials.
- After the struggles of the 1970s, many Americans appreciated Reagan’s optimism.
- President Reagan appealed to the American public’s desire for a stronger leader after the struggles of the 1970s.
Describe the changes President Reagan proposed to address ongoing challenges in the American economy.
- Reagan wanted to adopt large tax cuts for high income earners; (70% to 50% in 1981; 50% to 28% in 1986)
- Reagan wanted to challenge the influence of labor unions- including the air traffic controller union- which led to a decline in union membership.
Describe Reaganomics.
- Nickname given to Reagan’s tax cuts for high income earners.
- Also known as Supply-Side Economics or “Trickle-Down Economics”.
- Reagan argued that if the wealthy had more money in their pockets– they could spend more– allowing businesses to make more money and create new, higher paying jobs.
Describe the changes President Reagan proposed to address American military spending during his presidency.
- Reagan wanted to dramatically increase military spending.
- Unlike Nixon’s detente, Reagan believed doing so would demonstrate US stength- and force the Soviets to compete with the US.
Describe the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI).
- Nicknamed Star Wars; Reagan’s proposed space-based missile defense system, intended to prevent a Soviet nuclear attack from outer space or within the atmosphere.
- Research into this program played a role in Reagan’s significant increase in military spending.
Explain the controversy surrounding the Iran-Contra Scandal during the Reagan Administration.
- Congress refused to approve the sale of weapons to the Contra insurgercy in Nicaragua.
- Instead, the Reagan Administration sold weapons to Iran (an enermy of the US) during the Iran-Iraq War; and funneled the profits to the Contras without telling Congress.
- When the story leaked in 1986, Congress opened an investigation and several members of the Reagan Administration got in trouble– but not Reagan.
Explain how the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union changed during the Reagan presidency.
- At first, the US and Soviet Union had a negative relationship as Reagan publicy called the Soviets the Evil Empire and increased military spending.
- However, this relationship vastly improved after Mikhail Gorbachev came to power and Reagan developed a strong partnership with the Soviet leader.
Identify Mikhail Gorbachev.
- Soviet Premier who came to power during the mid 1980s.
- Gorbachev promoted significant reforms in the Soviet Union that contributed to the decline of communism and end of the Cold War.
Identify the factors that resulted in the decline of the communist world throughout the 1980s.
- Increased Soviet military spending during the Soviet Afghan War.
- Declining conditions for civilians, such as food shortages and lack of consumer goods, became common.
- These challenges led to mass protests in Communist satellite states and calls for reform.
Describe the historical significance of the destruction of the Berlin Wall in 1989.
- The fall of the Berlin Wall marked a symbolic end of the Cold War in 1989.
- It inspired growing protests in other satellite states, leading to the end of communism in those countries.
- Led to the reunification of W. and E. Germany in 1990.
Identify the factors that contributed to the collapse of the Soviet Union.
- High military spending during Soviet Afghan War hurt the Soviet economy.
- Gorbachev adopted many changes in Soviet society- promoting more openness, decreased military spending, and a rollback of many communist elements in the Soviet economy.
- These changes paved the way for several satellite states to break off from the Soviet Union between 1989 and 1991.
Describe how the world map changed at the end of the Cold War.
- Germany was reunified.
- Yugoslavia, Czechslovakia, and the Soviet Union broke into multiple countries.
- Countries, like Ukraine and Russia, reemerged after the breakup of these countries.
- While this independence movement was widely peaceful, it did result in violent conflict- as seen in the former Yugoslavia during the Balkan Crisis.
Identify the factors that allowed for the growth of modern technology during the 1980s.
- Smaller computer microchips became available, which allowed prices to decrease for modern technology.
- Innovators, like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, emerged with products that made modern technology easier to operate and more useful for average Americans.
- Many new products were introducts that appealed to consumers: personal computer, Sony walkman, VCR, mobile phone, Internet.
Describe how the emergence of modern technology during the 1980s impacted American society.
- Growth of the US economy
- New sources of entertainment.
- Easier to do business and learn.
- Improvements in mobile communication- early cell phones.
