The Reagan and Bush Years

Objective: Analyze the presidency and domestic

policies of Reagan and Bush

President Ronald Reagan• President 1980-1988• His major goal was to reduce the size of

the Federal government by cutting programs

• Won the support of the “Silent Majority” of conservative Americans

• Was known as the “Great Communicator”• Vowed to never negotiate with terrorist• Credited with restoring pride in America

End of the Cold WAR• Reagan spent billions on Defense to

bring the Soviets to the negotiation table• Gorbachev comes to power• Reagan uses SDI ( Strategic Defense

Initiative) to break the back of the Soviet Union

• Gorbachev begins to make reforms in the Soviet Union (USSR) called Glasnost (openness) and Perestroika (ownership of private business)

• Within a few years the Soviet Union (USSR)would collapse and cease to exist

Civil Wars in Central America

• US moves to stop communism in Latin America

• Invades Grenada to crush a communist uprising

• Gives aid to El Salvador and Nicaraguan freedom fighters (Contras) to fight against communism

Iran-Contra Scandal• A Congressional investigation

into unlawful conduct by the Office of the President

• 7 American hostages were being held in Lebanon

• CIA secretly sells weapons to Iran to release the hostages and uses profits to support Contras in their fight against communism in Central America

The Bush Presidency • President 1989-1993

• Liberated Kuwait

• Saw the Berlin Wall collapse and freedom spread across Eastern Europe

• After the Cold War ended money was slashed from the military and shifted towards domestic programs

Persian Gulf War• August of 1990 Saddam invades

Kuwait • 28 nation coalition opposes Saddam

led by GHW Bush

• Ground War lasted 4 days

• 85,000 Iraqis KIA

• 147 US KIA

• 235 Killed in accidents

• US total 382

Review• This country ended communism for

democracy…

• Ans. USSR (Soviet Union)

• Glasnost was a program used in what country?

• Ans. USSR (Soviet Union)

• Who said “We will never negotiate with Terrorist”

• Ans. Reagan

Review

• Who was known as the “great communicator”?

• Ans. Reagan

• Who was President when the Berlin Wall fell?

• Ans. GHW Bush

• Who won the support of the “Silent Majority”?

• Ans. Reagan

Review• Nixon was forced to resign because of …..

• Ans. Watergate Scandal

• Nixon was pardon by whom?

• Ans. President Ford

• Nixon’s idea to help local governments was called?

• Ans. Revenue sharing

• What did John Dean tell Nixon to do?

• Ans. Stop hush money payments to the burglars