President Ronald Reagan January 20, 1981 January 20, 1989 Created & edited by Steve Armstrong SHS, 1994-2006

President Ronald President Ronald ReaganReagan

January 20, 1981January 20, 1981

January 20, 1989January 20, 1989

Created & edited by Steve ArmstrongCreated & edited by Steve ArmstrongSHS, 1994-2006SHS, 1994-2006

Rise of Christian Rise of Christian conservatism and the conservatism and the

Moral MajorityMoral Majority Jerry Falwell, founderJerry Falwell, founder Demanded that the Demanded that the

Supreme Court Supreme Court reverse its decisions reverse its decisions on school prayer and on school prayer and abortionabortion

Agitated by the sexual Agitated by the sexual revolutionrevolution

Promoted “family Promoted “family values”values”

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Anti-abortion rally, 1979Anti-abortion rally, 1979

Fight against ERAFight against ERA

Phyllis Schlafly and Phyllis Schlafly and her organization her organization fought against fought against ratification of the ratification of the Equal Rights Equal Rights AmendmentAmendment

ERA defeated in ERA defeated in Illinois in 1979Illinois in 1979

New conservative agendaNew conservative agenda

Conservatives blamed 20-years of liberals Conservatives blamed 20-years of liberals in Congress for large budget deficitsin Congress for large budget deficits

Californians passed Proposition 13, an Californians passed Proposition 13, an initiative to freeze property taxesinitiative to freeze property taxes

Conservatives blamed liberals for the Conservatives blamed liberals for the 1970s period of stagflation1970s period of stagflation

Conservatives in England elected Conservatives in England elected Margaret Thatcher as Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher as Prime Minister (1979)(1979)

1980 Election Campaign1980 Election Campaign

Ronald Reagan, Ronald Reagan, former governor of former governor of California was California was nominated for nominated for presidentpresident

Reagan pushed a Reagan pushed a conservative agendaconservative agenda

Reagan criticized Reagan criticized welfare, affirmative welfare, affirmative action programs and action programs and high taxeshigh taxes



George Bush ran as wellGeorge Bush ran as well

Former CIA Director Former CIA Director and Ambassador to and Ambassador to China sought the China sought the Republican Republican nomination, toonomination, too

Bush called Reagan’s Bush called Reagan’s economic program economic program voodoo economicsvoodoo economics



Democrats were dividedDemocrats were divided

Senator Ted Kennedy Senator Ted Kennedy sought the nominationsought the nomination

Kennedy’s DUI which Kennedy’s DUI which resulted in the death resulted in the death of Mary Jo Kopechne of Mary Jo Kopechne haunted his try for the haunted his try for the presidencypresidency The Chappaquiddick The Chappaquiddick

incidentincident



Independent PartyIndependent Party

John Anderson ran as John Anderson ran as a third party a third party candidatecandidate



Libertarian PartyLibertarian Party

Ed Clark ran as the Ed Clark ran as the Libertarian candidateLibertarian candidate

Promised to reduce Promised to reduce the size of the size of government and government and significantly cut taxessignificantly cut taxes



Reagan’s victoryReagan’s victory Republicans won in traditional Democratic areasRepublicans won in traditional Democratic areas Reagan’s coalition included Jews, some Blacks, Reagan’s coalition included Jews, some Blacks,

anti-government crusadersanti-government crusaders Reagan’s public speaking ability eased Reagan’s public speaking ability eased

AmericansAmericans

Reagan’s inaugural paradeReagan’s inaugural parade

Reagan, Ford, Carter, NixonReagan, Ford, Carter, Nixon

ReaganomicsReaganomics Reagan strived to Reagan strived to

reduce taxes, reduce taxes, particularly reducing particularly reducing the highest tax the highest tax bracketbracket Tax Reform Act of Tax Reform Act of

1985 reduced brackets 1985 reduced brackets from 70% to 28%from 70% to 28%

Argued that Argued that Americans should be Americans should be free of strict free of strict government government regulationregulation

Reagan pushed tax cutsReagan pushed tax cuts

Reagan blamed the bad Reagan blamed the bad economy on President Cartereconomy on President Carter

Criticism of ReaganomicsCriticism of Reaganomics

Critics said that Critics said that Reagan’s “trickle-Reagan’s “trickle-down” theory down” theory benefited only the benefited only the wealthywealthy

Reagan wanted to open Reagan wanted to open federal lands to explorationfederal lands to exploration

Assassination attempt, 1981Assassination attempt, 1981

Agent Tim McCarthy took a Agent Tim McCarthy took a bullet meant for Reaganbullet meant for Reagan



Reagan survivedReagan survived

Reagan’s humor after Reagan’s humor after the incident relieved the incident relieved AmericansAmericans

Reagan quipped, “Are Reagan quipped, “Are any of you doctors any of you doctors Republicans?”Republicans?”

He said to his wife, He said to his wife, “Nancy, I forgot to “Nancy, I forgot to duck!”duck!”

And returned to the White And returned to the White HouseHouse

Air traffic controller strikeAir traffic controller strike

Reagan fired Reagan fired members of the Air members of the Air Traffic Controllers Traffic Controllers Union (PATCO), who Union (PATCO), who went out on strikewent out on strike

Some businesses Some businesses pushed for non-union pushed for non-union workersworkers

Reaganomics in practiceReaganomics in practice

Factors such as a rising stock market, Factors such as a rising stock market, deindustrialization in the USA, deindustrialization in the USA, outsourcing, led to a decline in the outsourcing, led to a decline in the standard of living for some Americansstandard of living for some Americans

““Greed is healthy” said Wall Street Greed is healthy” said Wall Street financier Ivan Boeskyfinancier Ivan Boesky

Yuppies -> Young urban professionals Yuppies -> Young urban professionals earned higher incomesearned higher incomes

Downside of ReaganomicsDownside of Reaganomics

Increased defense Increased defense spending created spending created large federal deficitslarge federal deficits

National debt National debt expandedexpanded

Federal government Federal government bailed out failed bailed out failed Savings & Loans and Savings & Loans and other banksother banks

National debt = $3 National debt = $3 trillion, by 1988trillion, by 1988

Reagan and Pope John Paul IIReagan and Pope John Paul II

Reagan’s Civil RightsReagan’s Civil Rights

Reagan nominated Reagan nominated Sandra Day O’Conner Sandra Day O’Conner as the first woman on as the first woman on the Supreme Courtthe Supreme Court

Reagan cut back on Reagan cut back on some Great Society some Great Society programsprograms

Reagan did not push Reagan did not push the religious right’s the religious right’s agenda: abortion agenda: abortion remained legal, etc.remained legal, etc.

But Reagan signed the Martin But Reagan signed the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday BillLuther King, Jr. Holiday Bill

At 40th anniversary of D-DayAt 40th anniversary of D-Day

Reagan sought reelectionReagan sought reelection

Reagan was easily Reagan was easily renominated for renominated for another termanother term

Questions about his Questions about his age were mentioned, age were mentioned, but did not diminish but did not diminish his ability to campaignhis ability to campaign

Democrats nominated MondaleDemocrats nominated Mondale

Reagan’s sketchbookReagan’s sketchbook

Challenger accident, 1986Challenger accident, 1986



Fuel leak causes accidentFuel leak causes accident

A broken o-ring seal A broken o-ring seal caused the explosion caused the explosion of the space shuttle of the space shuttle ChallengerChallenger







Shuttle debris retrieved from Shuttle debris retrieved from Atlantic OceanAtlantic Ocean



Reagan at Challenger Reagan at Challenger Memorial ServiceMemorial Service

Reagan’s foreign policyReagan’s foreign policy Reagan was Reagan was

determined to reverse determined to reverse the “Vietnam the “Vietnam syndrome”syndrome”

Reagan sent troops to Reagan sent troops to Grenada to oust a Grenada to oust a pro-Cuban pro-Cuban governmentgovernment

The invasion lasted The invasion lasted only a few days with only a few days with only 19 Ameican only 19 Ameican deathsdeaths

Lebanon bombing, Oct 1983Lebanon bombing, Oct 1983

USA attacked LibyaUSA attacked Libya

April 1986, USA April 1986, USA forces carried out a forces carried out a night time attack night time attack against Libyaagainst Libya

USA accused Libya of USA accused Libya of harboring terrorists, harboring terrorists, and being behind a and being behind a bombing in Germany bombing in Germany which killed 63 which killed 63 soldierssoldiers

Artists conception of attackArtists conception of attack



Reagan called Russia the Reagan called Russia the “evil empire”“evil empire”

Russia’s crackdown in PolandRussia’s crackdown in Poland

Russia stifled pro-democracy movements Russia stifled pro-democracy movements in Polandin Poland

USA sent strongly worded messages to USA sent strongly worded messages to RussiaRussia

Russia hired an assassin to Russia hired an assassin to kill Pope John Paul II (1981)kill Pope John Paul II (1981)



Pope John Paul II woundedPope John Paul II wounded



Iran-Contra AffairIran-Contra Affair

Congress passed a Congress passed a law banning arms law banning arms sales to the sales to the Nicaraguan ContrasNicaraguan Contras

Contras were fighting Contras were fighting the Sandinista the Sandinista government of government of NicaraguaNicaragua

Lt. Oliver North set up Lt. Oliver North set up a scheme to by-pass a scheme to by-pass that lawthat law



Iran-Contra-GATEIran-Contra-GATE

Congress held public Congress held public hearings on the Iran-hearings on the Iran-Contra AffairContra Affair

President Reagan President Reagan appointed to appointed to Tower Tower CommissionCommission to to investigateinvestigate

11 members of 11 members of Reagan’s Reagan’s administration were administration were convictedconvicted

Reagan’s good relations with Reagan’s good relations with ChinaChina

Reagan and the Soviet UnionReagan and the Soviet Union

Reagan met Gorbachev Reagan met Gorbachev four timesfour times

Mikhail Gorbachev Mikhail Gorbachev wanted to reform wanted to reform RussiaRussia

Gorbachev proposed Gorbachev proposed glasnostglasnost (political (political openness) in Russiaopenness) in Russia

Gorbachev and Gorbachev and Reagan proposed Reagan proposed reductions of military reductions of military weaponsweapons

Reagan in Berlin (1987): Reagan in Berlin (1987): “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down

this wall.”this wall.”



Gorbachev in Washington, Gorbachev in Washington, 19871987

Reagan in Moscow, 1988Reagan in Moscow, 1988

AIDs in the 1980sAIDs in the 1980s AIDs became known AIDs became known

in the early 1980sin the early 1980s Government Government

response to the AIDs response to the AIDs crisis was slowcrisis was slow

Conservatives stated Conservatives stated that nature was giving that nature was giving its revenge against its revenge against decadencedecadence

Government Government promoted public promoted public education programseducation programs

Reagan left office in 1989Reagan left office in 1989

Reagan’s legacyReagan’s legacy

Reagan did not Reagan did not dismantle New Deal dismantle New Deal programsprograms

Reagan kept Reagan kept executive executive departments he departments he threatened to threatened to eliminate: Department eliminate: Department of Educationof Education

Reagan did not push Reagan did not push the programs of the the programs of the religious rightreligious right

Reagan created a Reagan created a new political agendanew political agenda

Renewed America’s Renewed America’s spiritspirit

Placed the Placed the Democratic Party on Democratic Party on the defensivethe defensive

Documents

President Ronald Reagan January 20, 1981 January 20, 1989 Created & edited by Steve Armstrong SHS, 1994-2006