Download Booklet Late 20th Century

Important Items about the Late Twentieth Century
You need to begin familiarizing yourself with these terms. You will be having an identification quiz at
the halfway point of the Unit. Remember, the quiz has no word bank, you must know these terms.
Chapter 20 (Reagan)
20. Nicaragua
1. Entitlement Program
21. U.S. Marines in Lebanon
2. Affirmative Action
22. Iran-Contra Scandal
3. Conservative Coalition
23. Persian Gulf War
4. Moral Majority
24. GATT
5. Televangelist
Chapter 21 (Clinton)
6. Jerry Falwell
25. Perjury
7. Billy Graham
26. Ethnic Cleansing
8. Reaganomics
27. Refugee
9. Strategic Defense Initiative
28. Global Warming
10. Supply-side Economics
29. NAFTA
11. Peace Through Strength
30. Newt Gingrich
12. Sandra Day O’Connor
31. Contract with America
13. Deregulation
32. Welfare Reform
14. George H.W. Bush
33. Oklahoma City Bombing
15. Glasnost
34. Balkans Crisis
16. Perestroika
35. Election of 2000
17. INF Treaty
18. Tiananmen Square
19. Operation Desert Storm
THE LATE TWENTIETH CENTURY 1975-2000
CHAPTERS 20-21
Essential Questions (you should be able to answer these by the time we finish the Unit)
1. Why is the Election of 1980 considered a turning point election in U.S. History?
2. What were some of the core ideas of conservatism?
3. Describe Ronald Reagan’s economic strategy:
4. Describe Reagan’s foreign policy strategy:
5. Why did Reagan build up the military?
6. How was new technology changing life in the 1980’s?
7. How did discount retailing and new forms of media contribute to the exonomic boom of the 1980s?
8. Where, when, and why did the Cold War end?
9. How did the end of the Cold War lead to more global U.S. military conflicts?
10. Why did the United States get into the Persian Gulf War? What was the outcome?
11. What major domestic policy changes happened during Bill Clinton’s presidency?
12. How did the Republican Party respond to victory in the 1994 midterm elections?
13. What were 2-3 major international events from Clinton’s presidency?
14. How did NAFTA and other regional trading blocs affect the global economy?
15. Why was the Election of 2000 a controversial election?
The Conservative Tide, 1980-1992
Ronald Reagan's presidency embodied the rise of the
conservative movement in the 1980s, which
supported a smaller federal government, a reduction
in taxes, and less government regulations. The
fraught political landscape of the late 1960s and
1970s fueled growing rejection of expansive federal
policies that encroached on all aspects of society, a
precedent established by President Franklin D.
Roosevelt's New Deal during the Great Depression.
Reversing the trend of "big government," the Reagan
administration cut taxes as well as workplace and
environmental regulations in an attempt to improve
the U.S. economy. In addition, Reagan bolstered
defense spending, reigniting the arms race between
the United States and the Soviet Union that would
ultimately lead to the end of the Cold War in 1991.
The Conservative Movement
In response to the devastating impact of the Great
Depression in the 1930s, President Roosevelt
launched the New Deal, a set of extensive
government programs and initiatives that greatly
expanded federal power, in order to stabilize the
economy and support the creation of jobs. Later
successors to the presidency further built upon the
framework established by the New Deal. For
example, in the 1960s, President Lyndon Johnson
enacted a series of federal policies called the Great
Society that aimed to eradicate poverty in the United
States.
However, by the 1970s, public discontent was
building against the U.S. government. The decade
was bogged down by inflation, or the increased prices
of goods due to the dropping value of currency; an oil
crisis spurred by a trading embargo against Iran; and
the highly unpopular Vietnam War. The political
turmoil of the era and, by extension, growing distrust
in the federal government resulted in a newfound
conservative movement that opposed big government
policies.
The Presidency of Ronald Reagan
President Reagan, who was elected in 1981,
implemented conservative principles into policy. In his
inaugural address, Reagan boldly proclaimed that
"government is not the solution to the problem;
government is the problem." The "Reagan Revolution"
cut back on government programs and policies that
have been enacted since the New Deal and, on a
broader level, reduced the influence of the federal
government.
In his first year of presidency, Reagan enacted the
Economic Tax Recovery Act, which reduced tax rates.
The Reagan administration believed that reducing
taxes would give Americans more spending power
and in consequence, improve the productivity of
companies in order to cater to eager consumers. The
resulting economic growth would offset the loss of
revenue due to the tax cuts. This economic policy was
referred to as "supply-side economics," or more
informally "Reaganomics." In addition, the Reagan
administration reversed various regulations for
workplace and environmental safety as a way to
further encourage economic productivity and growth.
End of the Cold War
The relationship between the United States and the
Soviet Union in the 1970s was defined by détente, or
a policy that aimed to foster a peaceful coexistence
between the two superpowers. However, following the
Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan in 1979,
Reagan—who famously referred to the Soviet Union
as "the evil empire"—heavily expanded military
spending, reigniting the arms race. $1.5 trillion was
dedicated to defense spending throughout Reagan's
presidency.
Reagan's heavy defense spending forced the Soviet
Union to increasingly dedicate dwindling resources
and funds into the military in order to remain
competitive with the United States. Such
unsustainable spending ultimately destabilized the
Soviet Union's economy. Despite a series of reforms
pursued by General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev that
emphasized openness and increased cooperation
with the United States, the influence of the Soviet
Union continued to weaken over time, leading to its
fall in 1991.
The downfall of the Soviet Union brought an end to
the imminent threat of nuclear warfare that loomed
over the world for decades. Furthermore, the end of
the Cold War also established the United States'
position as the sole superpower on the world stage.
While communist regimes in such countries as China
and North Korea remained, the world was no longer
strictly divided according to the ideologies
of capitalism or communism. In place of the global
threat of the Soviet Union, the United States utilized
its influence to focus on smaller-scale, regional
conflicts. In 1991, the United States led coalition
forces in the Persian Gulf War in order to liberate
Kuwait from invading Iraqi troops led by Saddam
Hussein.
The Reagan Revolution transformed the United
States on both a domestic and international level. The
Reagan administration overturned New Deal ideology
and policy, curbing the wide-reaching influence of the
federal government. In addition, Reagan's aggressive
military policies helped turn the tide of the Cold War
and bring about the end of the Soviet Union, ushering
a new era for the United States.
Lee, Deborah. "The Conservative Tide, 1980–1992." American
History, ABC‐CLIO, 2017, americanhistory.abcclio.com/Topics/Display/10. Accessed 3 Apr. 2017.
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The Close of the 20th Century, 1992-2000
The end of the 20th century brought about political and
economic developments in the United States that set the
stage for the new millennium. On the domestic level, Bill
Clinton, the first elected president following the end of
the Cold War, became the second president in U.S.
history to be impeached by the House of
Representatives, an event that would become
emblematic of the 1990s. In addition, the leadership of
Republican House representative Newt Gingrich in
opposition to Clinton cemented the influence of
the Republican Party for future generations. On the
international level, as more countries began to
industrialize and become economically competitive
during this period, the United States became
increasingly interconnected in an emerging global
economy.
The Presidency of Bill Clinton
Clinton took office in 1991 and was popular among the
U.S. public for his progressive platform. However,
Clinton's efforts to implement such ambitious proposals
as health care reform were curbed by Republican
Congressional opposition. Although Clinton was able to
successfully advance various policy goals such as gun
control and workers' rights, overall, Clinton's presidency
was defined by careful negotiation between clashing
progressive and conservative viewpoints.
Internationally, Clinton faced conflicts in the Balkans, a
region in southeastern Europe that became volatile
following the fall of the Soviet Union. In particular, the
previously communist nation of Yugoslavia, composed of
many different religious and ethnic groups, broke apart
into smaller, separate republics. Heavy violence
between ethnic groups soon overtook one of the newly
formed republics, Bosnia and Herzegovina. In response
to the violence, Clinton led the efforts of the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)—a military alliance
between the United States and allied nations—to stop
the warfare. Through these actions, Clinton redefined
the role of NATO, originally established in the context of
the Cold War, as an important player in modern global
relations.
Contract with America
Clinton became a target of controversy and newspaper
headlines in 1994 due to allegations of past illegal
financial dealings with the Whitewater Development
Company. Taking advantage of the media attention,
Republican congressman Gingrich spearheaded the
creation of the "Contract with America," a document that
introduced a series of conservative reforms that aimed to
reduce federal power and government regulations.
Showcasing the document in front of the Capitol
Building in Washington, D.C., Gingrich and other
Republican congress members promised the public that
they would enact these reforms if they had enough
support in the 1994 midterm elections.
Positive reception of the Contract with America as well
as the impact of the Whitewater scandal led to a
"Republican Revolution"—for the first time in decades.
Republicans took over the majority of the seats
in Congress, and Gingrich's leadership cultivated a new
generation of young Republicans in the U.S. political
landscape.
Impeachment of Bill Clinton
In light of the Whitewater scandal, Kenneth Starr was
appointed as independent counsel, or an impartial
investigator, to further look into the matter. During his
initial investigation, however, Starr discovered additional
claims of the Clinton administration abusing its power in
order to cover up a relationship between Clinton and
White House intern Monica Lewinsky. The resulting Starr
Report, which summarized Starr's findings, led the
House of Representatives to vote to impeach Clinton in
1998, based on charges of obstruction of
justice and perjury, or lying under oath.
The landmark impeachment trial took place in 1999;
however, the Senate failed to reach the majority, or twothirds, vote required to convict Clinton. Although Clinton
was widely criticized for his actions, many believed that
the acts were not serious enough to be considered, as
stated in the Constitution, "high crimes and
misdemeanors" that justified removal from office.
Ultimately, Clinton maintained high approval ratings for
the remainder of his second term in office, and in the
long-term, his presidency left behind a positive legacy
among the public.
The Global Economy
Beyond matters of the White House, the spread
of industrialization across the world at the end of the
century caused the U.S. economy to undergo significant
changes. Previously underdeveloped countries became
competitive in manufacturing and other markets. As a
consequence of this global shift as well as the rise in
U.S. businesses, workers began to migrate from
manufacturing to the fields of data
processing, advertising, and other service-oriented
industries.
More broadly, expanding international markets as well
as advancements in long-distance transportation and
communication made nations more interconnected in an
overarching global economy. Countries increasingly
participated in the international trade of labor,
technology, and natural resources.
The close of the 20th century transformed the political
and economic landscape of the United States. On the
world stage, Clinton's leadership of NATO in response to
the war in the Balkans as well as the growth of the global
economy reflected a new generation of global relations
following the end of the Cold War. Within the United
States, Gingrich's persuasive skills reinvigorated the
Republican Party and their power in Congress. In
addition, although the Clinton administration was fraught
with scandal, Clinton proved to be popular throughout
his time in office.
Lee, Deborah. "The Close of the 20th Century, 1992–2000." American
History, ABC‐CLIO, 2017, americanhistory.abcclio.com/Topics/Display/36. Accessed 3 Apr. 2017.