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CHAPTER 32
Conservatism Revived, 1980–1992
CHAPTER SUMMARY
As the American people became more and more deeply troubled and frightened by political, social, and
economic changes and forces over which they and their government seemed to have little control, they
became more distrustful both of government and of those groups that continued to advocate change
within society. This conservative mood was buttressed by the uniting of political and economic
conservatives of the “old right” with supporters of the tax-revolt movement and with evangelical
Christians of the “new right.” The channeling of these forces into a new conservative coalition, plus a
distrust of government born of a generation of chaos produced America’s “turn to the right” in 1980
and led to Ronald Reagan’s victory in the presidential election of that year.
With widespread support from the American people, President Ronald Reagan, the standard-bearer of a
new conservative coalition and a strong advocate of supply-side economic theory, persuaded Congress
to enact three major aspects of his conservative agenda: (1) deep spending cuts in social and health
programs; (2) a five-year, $750 billion tax cut that primarily benefited the wealthy; and (3) a dramatic
increase in defense spending. In addition, out of the belief that government regulations reduced
business profits and slowed economic growth, the Reagan administration launched an attack against
federal environmental, health, and safety regulations. Although the stated intent of “Reaganomics” was
the reduction of the federal debt, the federal deficit increased dramatically during the Reagan-Bush
years and made the United States the world’s largest debtor nation.
Although inflation and interest rates declined during Reagan’s first two years in office, these successes
resulted from the Federal Reserve Board’s policies, a decline in oil prices, which had a ripple effect
throughout the economy, and a massive recession lasting from mid-1981 to late 1983. The recession
affected both industrial and agricultural workers; and, in spite of an economic recovery that began in
1984, poverty increased to pre-Great Society levels and the gap widened between rich and poor.
However, improved economic conditions worked to Reagan’s advantage in the 1984 presidential
election. Using positive slogans and themes that depicted a renewed, prosperous, and strengthened
America, Reagan won a landslide victory over Walter Mondale, his Democratic opponent.
Deregulation, begun during the Carter administration, expanded under President Reagan. With less
government oversight of the nation’s Savings and Loans institutions, high-risk investments became the
order of the day, setting the stage for the industry’s collapse. High-risk investments in the “junk-bond”
industry were a factor in the merger mania of the decade, characterized by corporate downsizing, debtburdened corporations, and the further consolidation of sectors of the economy.
After examining the social and economic policies of the Reagan years, the authors, in “Reagan and the
World,” turn to an examination of foreign policy. Ronald Reagan’s election in 1980 marked a return to
foreign-policy themes rooted in America’s past and reminiscent of the early days of the Cold War. As
defense spending increased, the questioning of U.S. intervention in Third World nations, so apparent in
the immediate aftermath of the Vietnam disaster, was absent in the Reagan administration. Reagan,
simplistically blaming unrest in the world on the Soviets, issued the Reagan Doctrine in which he
pledged the support of the American government to anticommunist movements battling the Soviets or
Soviet-backed governments. Application of the doctrine in Afghanistan turned the tide against Soviet
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Chapter 32: Conservatism Revived, 1980–1992
forces. However, application of the Reagan Doctrine in the Caribbean and Central America led to
alliances with antirevolutionary but unrepresentative regimes in El Salvador and Nicaragua. In fact,
Reagan’s policies toward El Salvador and Nicaragua recall phrases used to describe American policy in
previous eras; and Reagan’s desire for victory rather than negotiation brings to mind the early years of
the Kennedy administration. However, since the Kennedy years the American people had been through
the traumas of Vietnam and Watergate, and the power of Congress, relative to that of the president, had
increased. Therefore, Congress in the mid-1980s was much more willing to play an active role in
foreign policy decisions than it had been in the 1960s. But Congress, reflecting the debate among the
American people over the nation’s policy toward Nicaragua, vacillated between ending aid to the
contras in mid-1984 and again extending aid in 1986. During the period when aid was prohibited, the
executive branch of the government, through the National Security Council and the Central Intelligence
Agency, acted to circumvent the will of Congress. These actions came to light in 1986 in the Irancontra scandal, a scandal that deeply wounded Ronald Reagan’s ability to lead during his last two years
in office.
From this discussion of the Iran-contra scandal, the authors turn their attention to continuing problems
in the Middle East, the problem of terrorism against United States citizens and property, America’s illfated 1983 mission in Lebanon, and to a discussion of Congress’s ability to force the Reagan
administration to alter its policy of “constructive engagement” toward South Africa.
In 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev entered the world stage as the new leader of the Soviet Union. Perhaps
President Reagan was right when he said that he was “dropped into a grand historical moment,”
because under Gorbachev’s leadership the Soviet Union undertook an ambitious domestic reform
program and Soviet foreign policy underwent significant changes. These dramatic changes helped
reduce international tensions and, in 1987, led to a Soviet-American agreement to eliminate
intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe.
As tensions between the world’s two superpowers subsided, the tensions within American society
continued. The crises of the 1960s and 1970s and the social and cultural changes resulting from those
crises were factors that led to the resurgence of fundamentalist Christianity during the 1980s.
Exemplified in the Moral Majority and the Christian Coalition, the “new right” began a multi-front
assault against the secular culture of the American majority. Those opposed to this assault found
expression in People for the American Way and warned that the “new right” preached a doctrine of
intolerance and threatened basic American freedoms. Thus began the “culture wars” of the 1980s.
The increase in poverty that accompanied the stagnant economy of the 1970s and the recession of the
early 1980s occurred most often among nonwhites, children, and female heads of households. While
racism continued to play a role in the disproportionate number of nonwhites mired in poverty, the
reality of the changing job structure meant that occupational opportunities, especially for unskilled
workers, were severely limited. As the gap widened between rich and poor, the crack epidemic, the
AIDS epidemic, an increase in violent crime, and urban despair led to even more polarization and
tension within pluralistic America. In addition, as waves of new Latin American and Asia immigrants
crowded into inner city ethnic neighborhoods and sought economic opportunities, anti-immigrant
sentiment, and nativist violence increased.
In 1988, George Herbert Walker Bush rode into the presidency on the back of peace and prosperity.
During his first year as president, relations between the United States and the People’s Republic of
China cooled as a result of the Tiananmen Square massacre. Although repression was the order of the
day in China, that was not true elsewhere. Not only did the democratization of South Africa transform
that society, but the collapse of communism in eastern Europe, the reunification of Germany, the
disintegration of the Soviet Union, and Mikhail Gorbachev’s fall from power signaled the end of the
Cold War. After examining the factors responsible for this remarkable event and a look at the costs of
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Chapter 32: Conservatism Revived, 1980–1992
407
the fifty-year contest, the authors turn to a discussion of the Bush administration’s attempts to fashion a
foreign policy applicable to the post–Cold War world.
Despite the end of the Cold War and an end to civil strife in Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Guatemala,
United States relations with the Third World remained turbulent, as can be seen in the discussion of the
U.S. invasion of Panama and the Persian Gulf War. A theme that runs through the discussion of the
economic and political problems of the Third World is the contribution of the United States to problems
that led to turmoil. From the U.S.-financed contra war in Nicaragua to the extension of U.S. aid to the
drug-trafficking dictator of Panama, Manuel Noriega, to assistance to Iraq in its war against Iran, the
story is much the same. Often in the name of “containment” of communism and always in the name of
national security, United States military aid often engendered the very instability the United States
sought to prevent.
Nowhere was this clearer than in Panama and Iraq, two areas in which the United States ultimately used
military force to deal with the excesses of dictators it had previously supported. Although Manuel
Noriega was removed from power in Panama, the United States had few resources to help rebuild the
devastated country. And although Iraq was decisively and humiliatingly defeated in the Persian Gulf
War, its dictator Saddam Hussein remained in power and continued to repress the peoples of his warravaged nation.
Even though President Bush presented himself as the heir of his conservative predecessor, Ronald
Reagan, in deed and action he seemed indecisive and out of touch. Although he most certainly wanted
to be president, he seldom seemed to know what he wanted to achieve as president. Therefore, rather
than leading in a decisive and positive direction, he engaged in crisis management as he attempted to
maintain the status quo. Wanting an unchanging America over which he could be caretaker, President
Bush instead inherited an America in which economic and social problems abounded. Although the
American people had been told, and many believed, that government was the problem, a significant
number still expected government to respond with meaningful solutions to the real national problems
that existed. In this America George Bush’s aversion to active government made him seem out of place
and out of step.
After the Persian Gulf War, the U.S. economy, already stagnant, drifted into recession. Despite rising
unemployment, President Bush remained passive. His ineffectual response to the recession caused
Bush’s approval rating to fall. As criticism of the administration mounted, the Clarence Thomas–Anita
Hill confrontation galvanized many Americans, especially women, and increased opposition to the
Republican Party as the country entered the election year of 1992.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1.
Examine the emergence, characteristics, goals, and accomplishments of the new conservative
coalition, and discuss the impact of this coalition on the election of 1980.
2.
Discuss Ronald Reagan’s personal and political background, and explain his political, social, and
economic views.
3.
Examine the issues and personalities and explain the outcome of the 1980 presidential election.
4.
Examine Ronald Reagan’s economic policies in relation to federal spending, federal income taxes,
organized labor, and federal environmental, health, and safety regulations; explain Congress’s
reaction to these policies; and assess the impact of these policies on the United States.
5.
Discuss the causes and consequences of the 1981–1983 economic recession.
6.
Examine the issues and personalities and explain the outcome of the 1984 presidential election.
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Chapter 32: Conservatism Revived, 1980–1992
7.
Examine the reasons for, the extent of, and the effects of poverty in America during the 1980s,
and discuss the characteristics of the poor.
8.
Discuss the expansion of the policy of deregulation during the Reagan administration, and explain
the consequences of this expansion.
9.
Examine, evaluate, and discuss the consequences of the defense and foreign policy views, goals,
and actions of the Reagan administration.
10. Discuss the activities that constituted the Iran-contra scandal, and explain the scandal’s impact on
the presidency of Ronald Reagan.
11. Examine the forces that caused increased polarization within American society during the 1980s.
12. Discuss the emergence of the religious right as a force in American society and American politics;
explain the characteristics and goals of this group; and examine the “culture wars” between the
religious right and its opponents.
13. Discuss the problems that nonwhites, immigrants, and women faced in American society during
the 1970s and 1980s; explain their approaches to those problems; and discuss the extent to which
they were successful in achieving their goals.
14. Discuss the drug epidemic and the AIDS epidemic; explain their impact on the American people
and American society; and assess the government’s response to the threats posed by these
epidemics.
15. Examine the issues and personalities and explain the outcome of the 1988 presidential election.
16. Discuss George Bush’s personal and political background; examine the domestic issues and
political problems that faced the Bush administration; and explain and evaluate the
administration’s actions concerning those issues and problems.
17. Examine, evaluate, and discuss the consequences of the defense and foreign policy views, goals,
and actions of the George H. W. Bush administration.
18. Discuss the multiplicity of factors that led to the collapse of the Soviet empire in eastern Europe,
the disintegration of the Soviet Union, and the reunification of Germany.
19. Explain the reasons for the end of the Cold War, and discuss the war’s legacy for the United
States, the former Soviet Union, and the world community of nations.
20. Discuss the causes and consequences of the 1991 Persian Gulf War.
21. Discuss the nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court; explain the issues addressed
by the Senate Judiciary Committee in its confirmation hearings; and discuss the reaction of the
American people to those hearings.
CHAPTER OUTLINE
I.
Introduction
Economic problems, an increasing distrust of government, and fear of groups advocating social
change made possible a conservative resurgence with the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980 and
to a twelve-year period of Republican rule. Unfortunately, the Reagan years also polarized
America and, by the end of the Bush administration, left a federal deficit five times larger than
when Reagan took office. Although the Cold War at first intensified, it then ended, leaving the
United States as the world’s only superpower.
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Chapter 32: Conservatism Revived, 1980–1992
II.
409
Reagan and the Conservative Resurgence
A. Ronald Reagan
Reagan was well known for his right-wing rhetoric.
B.
The New Conservative Coalition
In the election of 1980, Reagan forged traditional political conservatives, economic
conservatives, neoconservatives, supporters of the tax-revolt movement, and the religiouslybased New Right into a new conservative coalition.
C.
Reagan’s Conservative Agenda
Although Reagan did not focus on the details of governing and preferred to see things in
simple terms, he had a clear vision about America’s future. He wanted to roll back the
liberalism of the past fifty years.
D.
Attacks on Social Welfare Programs
Reagan used stereotypes and played to the resentment of many Americans in seeking and
eventually succeeding in cutting funding for social welfare programs by $25 billion. He
found that it was impossible to make massive cuts in Social Security and Medicare.
E.
Pro-Business Policies and the Environment
Reagan appointed opponents of federal regulations to agencies charged with enforcing them.
His appointment of James Watt, an antienvironmentalist, as Secretary of the Interior
reenergized the nation’s environmental movement.
F.
Attacks on Organized Labor
Due to an anti-union Secretary of Labor and pro-business appointments to the National
Labor Relations Board, union negotiators had to settle for less than they were accustomed to
receiving.
G.
The New Right
Reagan supported the New Right agenda by opposing abortion and supporting prayer in
schools. His judicial appointments also pleased the religious New Right. As a result of his
appointments to the Supreme Court, that body became more conservative.
III. “Reaganomics”
A. “Supply-Side Economics”
Reagan contended that government intrusion into the free-market system was the reason for
the nation’s economic problems.
His economic policy was based largely on “supply-side economics.”
Congress passed a three-year, $750 billion tax cut. Cuts in domestic spending were cancelled
by increases in defense spending. The federal deficit exploded.
B.
Harsh Medicine for Inflation
Higher interest rates and OPEC’s decision to increase oil production helped stop the
inflationary spiral and end stagflation. Although unemployment initially increased, the GNP
grew in 1984 by 7 percent and by mid-1984, unemployment fell to a four-year low of 7
percent.
C.
“Morning in America”
An improved economy and his reputation as a strong leader helped Reagan as he faced reelection. Reagan won by a landslide, taking every state except Mondale’s home state of
Minnesota.
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Chapter 32: Conservatism Revived, 1980–1992
D.
Deregulation
Deregulation, begun under President Carter, expanded under Reagan and created new
opportunities for American business and industry.
Regulation of the banking and finance industries was loosened, and the enforcement ability
of the Securities and Exchange Commission was cut. Deregulation of the S&L industry
created the conditions that led to that industry’s collapse.
E.
Junk Bonds and Merger Mania
Michael Milken pioneered the “junk bond” industry. Hundreds of major corporations fell
prey to “merger mania.”
Corporate downsizing caused a loss of jobs for white-collar workers and management
personnel. The wave of mergers left many corporations more burdened with debt.
Consolidation allowed a smaller number of companies to control sectors of the economy.
F.
The Rich Get Richer
Corruption is associated with the boom of the 1980s.
The number of wealthy Americans grew, but middle-class incomes tended to be stagnant.
Much of the inequality of wealth was due to the Reagan tax cuts which benefited the
wealthy at the expense of middle- and lower-income Americans.
IV. Reagan and the World
A. Reagan’s Core Principles
Reagan’s world view was shaped by a deep and abiding anticommunism.
Reagan believed that American power and American values would bring positive change in
the world.
B.
Soviet-American Tension
The Reagan administration rejected both the détente of the Nixon years and the focus on
extending human rights of the Carter years.
Rather than accepting the concept of a multinational international system, Reagan had a
bipolar perspective.
Reagan described the Soviet Union as “the focus of evil in the modern world” and as “an
evil empire.”
Reagan believed that an American military buildup would counter the Soviet threat and
intimidate the Soviets. The Reagan administration was responsible for the largest peacetime
arms buildup in American history.
C.
Reagan Doctrine
Reagan declared that the United States would openly support anticommunist movements
wherever they were battling the Soviets or Soviet-backed governments.
The doctrine was applied in Afghanistan, Grenada, and El Salvador. In applying the doctrine
in El Salvador, the administration supported a military-dominated government associated
with right-wing death squads.
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Chapter 32: Conservatism Revived, 1980–1992
D.
411
Contra War in Nicaragua
Reagan, afraid that Nicaragua was becoming a Soviet client, worked to topple the Sandinista
regime. The CIA began to train, arm, and direct more than 10,000 counterrevolutionaries
(the contras) to overthrow the Nicaraguan government.
In 1984, Congress voted to stop U.S. military aid to the contras. Unknown to Congress, the
Reagan administration convinced other countries to funnel money to the contras.
E.
Iran-Contra Scandal
The Reagan administration secretly sold arms to Iran and sent the profits to anti-Sandinista
forces, in violation of the law.
Reagan survived the scandal, but his presidency was weakened. Congress began to reassert
its authority over foreign policy.
F.
U.S. Interests in the Middle East
The troubled Middle East was strategically and economically important to the United States.
The United States faced increased hostility between Israel and the Palestinians and the
emergence of an anti-American and anti-Israeli Islamic fundamentalist movement.
Reagan sent troops to Lebanon, where a terrorist attack killed 241 American servicemen in
Beirut in 1983. The marines were pulled out four months after this attack.
G.
Terrorism
Groups associated with the Palestinian cause or with Islamic fundamentalism increasingly
used terrorist tactics against American citizens and property.
The Palestinian intifada began in 1987.
After Yasir Arafat renounced terrorism and accepted Israel’s right to exist, the United States
agreed to talk with the leader of the Palestinian Liberation Organization.
Reagan at first followed a policy of “constructive engagement” in dealing with South
Africa’s racist policy of apartheid. Because of public pressure, Congress passed economic
restrictions against South Africa in 1986.
H.
Enter Gorbachev
Gorbachev called for a friendlier relationship between the superpowers and called for a more
cooperative world system.
At a meeting in Reykjavik, Iceland, in 1986, Reagan and Gorbachev came close to an
agreement to reduce strategic weapons, but the Strategic Defense Initiative stood in the way.
I.
Perestroika and Glasnost
Gorbachev worked to modernize the Soviet economy (perestroika) and to liberalize the
political system (glasnost), which eased tensions.
In 1987 Gorbachev and Reagan signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty which
banned all land-based intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe.
V.
American Society in the 1980s
A. Growth of the Religious Right
By the 1980s, few Americans believed in the vision of an America united by a set of shared
values.
The Moral Majority began an effort to create a “Christian America” by supporting political
candidates on the local and national levels. The New Right waged campaigns against secular
culture throughout the 1980s.
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Chapter 32: Conservatism Revived, 1980–1992
B.
“Culture Wars”
People for the American Way was founded in 1982 to support civil liberties and freedoms,
the separation of church and state, and the values of tolerance and diversity.
The struggle between the New Right and their opponents is called the “culture wars.”
The agenda of the New Right ran counter to the way in which many Americans, especially
women, lived their lives.
C.
The New Inequality
People of color made up a disproportionate share of America’s poor.
Reasons for poverty were racism and the shift from an industrialized economy to a service
oriented economy. Families headed by single mothers were far more likely to be poor than
families maintained by a married couple, with racial differences being significant.
D.
Social Crises in American Cities
Violent crime, school dropout rates, crime rates, and child abuse grew significantly in innercity neighborhoods.
Illegal drugs, particularly cocaine and “crack,” have been extremely harmful to the urban
underclass.
Homelessness grew during the 1980s.
E.
The AIDS Epidemic
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome divided communities and led to a change in
Americans’ sexual behavior.
F.
An Era of Ostentation
The 1980s was a decade of ostentation for the wealthy.
G.
New Immigrants from Asia
Between 1965 and 1990 the percentage of Americans of Asian ancestry increased from 1
percent of the total population to 3 percent.
H.
The Growing Latino Population
Latinos were the fastest growing segment of the American population during the 1980s.
Many Americans believed that immigrants threatened their jobs and economic security, and
nativist violence increased.
In 1986, Congress passed the Immigration Reform and Control Act in an attempt to stem the
flow of illegal aliens into the United States.
VI. The End of the Cold War and Global Disorder
A. 1988 Presidential Campaign
George H. W. Bush waged one of the most negative presidential campaigns in American
history against his Democratic opponent Michael Dukakis.
Although George H. W. Bush won the presidency, the Democrats retained control of both
houses of Congress.
East Germany, Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and Romania repudiated communism in
1989. In November 1989, protestors tore down the Berlin Wall, and Germany reunited in
October 1990.
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Chapter 32: Conservatism Revived, 1980–1992
B.
413
Pro-Democracy Movements
In 1989, Chinese officials killed untold numbers of students demanding political change.
In 1990, South Africa began the process that led to an end of the apartheid system and the
election of Nelson Mandela as president in 1994.
C.
Collapse of Soviet Power
In 1991, the Soviet Union dissolved and Gorbachev lost power.
In the competition between the Soviet socialist economy and the free market economy of
America and the West, the West clearly won.
Gorbachev’s rise to power was the single most important event in the ending of the Cold
War. Reagan’s role was important because he was willing to enter into serious negotiations
and treat Gorbachev as a partner rather than as an adversary.
D.
Costs of Victory
The Cold War exacted a heavy price in money and lives.
Although Bush proclaimed a “new world order,” his administration struggled to describe the
dimensions of the new international system.
Authorities had ignored Manual Noriega’s role in the drug trade because he supported
American policies. In 1990, however, troops invaded Panama to arrest Noriega.
E.
Saddam Hussein’s Gamble
Believing that the United States would look the other way, Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait
in mid-1990.
Bush put together a coalition that included most of the world’s important governments and
most Arab and Islamic states. This coalition agreed to an economic boycott of Iraq.
In Operation Desert Shield, Bush dispatched over 500,000 U.S. forces to the Persian Gulf,
where they were joined by some 200,000 allied forces.
Congress authorized President Bush to use “all necessary power” to oust Iraq from Kuwait.
F.
Operation Desert Storm
In January 1991, an air war began against Iraq as Americans watched on CNN. The ground
war began in late February 1991, and the Iraqi forces were quickly defeated.
G.
Domestic Problems
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 outlawed discrimination against physically or
mentally challenged people. Bush also signed the Clean Air Act in 1990. A new civil rights
act to protect against job discrimination was passed in 1991.
The United States suffered a recession under Bush, and the president’s response was
ineffectual.
H.
Clarence Thomas Nomination
Charges of sexual harassment against Supreme Court appointee Clarence Thomas concerned
many voters, especially women.
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Chapter 32: Conservatism Revived, 1980–1992
LECTURE SUPPLEMENTS
“Greed is Good”
Students may have heard that the 1980s marked a period of unrestrained profiteering. The following
information might give them some insight into that criticism. The Carter administration introduced an
era of deregulation, and under Ronald Reagan much of corporate America began a binge of greed.
Profits had been low in the 1970s because of inflation, high taxes, and record interest rates. Reagan sent
a clear message to executives that “anything goes,” and they responded with a vengeance.
Many firms were bought by corporate raiders, who dismembered companies and then sold the assets for
enormous gains. Merger arbitration specialists, such as Ivan Boesky, arranged these sales. The
knowledge of such deals gave rise to “insider trading,” as people like Boesky bought stock before a
deal became public and resold it at enormous profits. They conducted this highly illegal activity under
false names, with offshore corporations, and through unregulated banks in the Bahamas. The mergers
were often financed by high-risk bonds, also known as junk bonds, issued by companies lacking the
financial security to receive a quality rating from corporate rating firms. Before the mid-1970s,
investors rarely bought these securities because they proved difficult to resell. Michael Milken made a
fortune by convincing people to invest in the bonds. He eventually controlled one-fourth of the market,
and as long as he kept juggling the bonds, finding a buyer for each seller, the market held. In the
meantime, he made commissions, often marking prices up twenty-five percent. Finally, as more
companies issued junk bonds, the supply of buyers ran out. In October 1989, the failure of a leveragedbuyout of United Airlines burst the bubble. Investors lost confidence and junk bonds became
impossible to trade.
The massive restructuring provided business with little besides an oppressive debt. The real profits went
to men like Ivan Boesky and Michael Milken. Boesky served a two-year prison term and paid a
hundred million dollars in penalties, a minuscule figure compared to his illegal gains. Milken, indicted
on ninety-eight counts of fraud and racketeering, admitted to six felonies and began a ten-year sentence
in 1991. He also agreed to pay fines of six million dollars—an amount only slightly more than he had
earned in 1986.
CLASS ACTIVITIES
1.
Ronald Reagan initiated America’s largest peacetime military buildup. Have students defend or
critique these actions.
2.
Have members of the class debate issues surrounding aid to the Contras in Nicaragua. Have one
group defend the Reagan policy; have another group oppose the actions.
3.
Have students make oral reports on how different minority or immigrant groups dealt with the
events of the period.
4.
Have students make reports on the specific problems that women faced from 1974 to 1989.
5.
Have students interview community leaders on how the end of the Cold War or the Bush
recession affected the community and have the students make presentations to the class.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1.
What effect did the Reagan years have on the United States? What policies provided his major
successes? Were there any failures? Would he have won a third term? Why or why not?
2.
How did Ronald Reagan’s policies toward the Third World differ from those of previous
presidents? What specific policies best illustrate the Reagan era? Why?
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Chapter 32: Conservatism Revived, 1980–1992
415
3.
Why did America polarize during the Reagan administration? What forms did that polarization
take? How did different Americans respond? How did it influence contemporary conditions? How
did it affect your local community?
4.
How has a shifting occupational structure influenced America? What led to the shift? How have
businessmen and politicians responded? How does this situation shape your future?
5.
How did the Reagan administration affect women and children, both positively and negatively?
What unique problems did women face? What is the “feminization of poverty”? Does it affect
your life?
6.
What international problems did George Bush face? How did he handle them? What would you
describe as his successes? Why? His failures? Why?
7.
What factors brought an end to the Cold War? In what way was Ronald Reagan important in
bringing an end to the Cold War? In what way was Mikhail Gorbachev important in bringing an
end to the Cold War? What is the legacy of the Cold War for the United States? The Soviet
Union? The world community of nations?
PAPER TOPICS
1.
Have students research the domestic, social, and economic agenda and legislative
accomplishments of Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and
George H. W. Bush. Based on their research, have them write papers on the following topic:
Using the efforts of Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and
George H. W. Bush as your examples, discuss the similarities and differences of Democratic and
Republican approaches to promoting the social and economic welfare of the American people in
the 1970s and 1980s.
2.
Have students research the environmental policies and accomplishments of Presidents Richard
Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush. Based on their
research, have them write papers on the following topic:
Using the efforts of Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and
George H. W. Bush as your examples, discuss the similarities and differences of Democratic and
Republican approaches to environmental issues in the 1970s and 1980s.
3.
Have students write papers on members of their families or communities who fought in Panama or
the Persian Gulf.
4.
Have your younger students identify the first historical event they can recall personally and have
them write papers on it.
5.
Have your older students select an event from this era and write papers on their recollections of
and feelings toward the event.
6.
Have students select an event, locate contemporary newspapers, and write on the editorial
responses to their topic.
7.
Have students write papers on the effect national policies and events had on different minority
groups.
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