Chapter 20 History Test

Regional Political Viewpoints

1950's and early 1960's - South and the West were more conservative than other regions. - Southern conservatives voted democrat - Western conservatives voted republican - Party that won the Northeast would win the election - Northeast was liberal, so both parties supported liberal ideas to win.

Liberalism

1960's these ideas dominated 1.) Government should regulate the economy to protect people from the power of corporations and wealthy elites. 2.) Federal government should help disadvantaged Americans through social programs and by putting more of society's tax burden on wealthier people. 3.) Believe that those with greater assets should take on more of the costs of government.

Conservatism

1970's and 1980's this belief gained support and elected Ronald Reagan. 1.) Distrust the power of government and wish to limit it. 2.) Believe that government regulation makes the economy less efficient, and that free enterprise is the best economic system. 3.) Argue that increased economic regulation could lead to regulation in every aspect of people's behavior. 4.) Oppose high taxes and government programs that redistribute wealth. 5.) Believe most social problems result from issues of morality and character. 6.) Issues are best addressed through commitment to a religious faith and through the private efforts of churches, individuals, and communities to help those in need. 7.) Support police to regulate behavior.

Rap music was the new sound of the 1980s. Rap emphasized heavy bass and rhythmic sounds and lyrics that frequently focused on the African American experience in the inner city. Its rapid rise in popularity made rap into a multimillion-dollar industry.

1980s Music

1988 Election

1988 Republicans nominated George H. W. Bush The Democrats nominated Michael Dukakis, who was the governor of Massachusetts - promising to help minorities as well as working-class and poor Americans. Bush wins

Glasnost

A Soviet policy permitting open discussion of political and social issues and freer dissemination of news and information. Spread of this to Eastern Europe, and in 1989 revolutions replaced Communist rulers with democratic governments in Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, and Romania.

Conservative

A person who believes government power, particularly in the economy, should be limited in order to maximize individual freedom.

Liberals

A person who generally believes the government should take an active role in the economy and in social programs but should not dictate social behavior.

Perestroika

A policy of economic and government restructuring instituted by Mikhail Gorbachev in the Soviet Union in the 1980s. Allowed some private enterprise and profit making.

AIDS

A serious (often fatal) disease of the immune system transmitted through blood products especially by sexual contact or contaminated needles. Was first noticed among homosexual men. Soon, though, it spread among heterosexual men and women. Many people were infected by sexual partners. Between 1981 and 1988, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified more than 100,000 cases in the United States. cff

Sony Walkman

A small portable cassette player that used headphones and ran on batteries. This was first sold in 1979 and became extremely popular throughout the 1980s. Made music portable, marking the beginning of a new way for people to access music.

Cable Television

A television transmission system using cable rather than an over-air broadcast signal. In 1970 a businessman named Ted Turner pioneered a new type of broadcasting. - A television station that sold low-cost sports and entertainment programs via satellite to cable companies across the nation. Turner's innovation changed broadcasting and helped spread cable television. Other new cable networks focused on specific audiences, such as churchgoers, shoppers, or minorities.

Evangelicals

After World War II, a religious revival began in the United States among this group. Religious Conservatives Ministers such as Billy Graham and Oral Roberts built national followings, and some owned their own newspapers, magazines, radio stations, and television networks. With television, evangelical ministers reached a nationwide audience.

Strategic Arms Reduction Talks (START)

Agreement between the United States and Russia to cut their long-range nuclear arsenals by half.

Videocassette recorders (VCRs)

Allowed people to tape television shows or watch taped films whenever they wished. Had created a demand for home video editions of movies, and that a lot of additional money could be made selling videos. Helped Asia and Africa

Televangelist

An evangelist who conducts regularly televised religious programs

Gay Liberation Front (GLF)

An organization that was formed to end discrimination against homosexuals, it emphasized "gay pride" & encouraged people to "come out of the closet".

Ronald Reagan

At age 15, he worked as a lifeguard on the Rock River in Illinois. Along with a philosophy of self-reliance and independence, he took the belief that people do not want to be saved to the White House. He worked as a radio broadcaster and became a Hollywood actor in the late 1930s. In 1947, he became the president of the the actors' union. He had been a liberal Democrat, but dealing with Communists in the union shifted him toward conservative Republican ideas. By the time he ran for governor of California in 1966, he was a committed conservative. He won the election and was reelected in 1970. Ten years later, he won the Republican presidential nomination.

Opening of the Berlin Wall

At midnight on November 9, 1989, guards at the Berlin Wall opened the gates. Soon, bulldozers began leveling the symbol of Communist repression. East Germany and West Germany soon reunited.

Sandra Day O'Connor

Became the first female justice in 1981. Moderate Conservatist

Tiananmen Square Massacre

China's Communist leaders were determined to stay in power. China's government had relaxed controls on the economy, but continued to repress political speech. In April and May 1989, Chinese students and workers held pro-democracy demonstrations at Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China's capital. In early June, government tanks and soldiers crushed the protests. Many people were killed. Hundreds of pro-democracy activists were arrested and later sentenced to death. Shocked, the United States and several European countries halted arms sales and reduced diplomatic contacts with China. The World Bank suspended loans.

Conservative Views of the Cold War

Cold War helped revive support for conservative ideas. Struggle against communism revived the debate about the role of the government in the economy. 1.) Believed that liberal economic ideas were slowly leading the United States toward communism and set out to stop this trend. 2.) Thought the United States had failed to stop the spread of Soviet power because liberals did not fully understand the need for a strong anti-communist foreign policy. 3.) Some Americans viewed the Cold War in religious terms, seeing the struggle against communism as a struggle between good and evil. 4.) Liberalism gradually lost the support of these Americans as they increasingly turned to conservatism.

Persian Gulf War

Conflict between Iraq and a coalition of countries led by the United States to remove Iraqi forces from Kuwait which they had invaded in hopes of controlling their oil supply. A very one sided war with the United States' coalition emerging victorious.

Heritage Foundation

Conservative american think tank in washington D.C to promote conservative public policies. Based the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional american values and a strong national defense. Suggestions on how to reduce the size of the federal government and move government in a more conservative direction.

William Rehnquist

Conservative associate justice that succeeded retiring chief justice Warren Burger.

Bill Clinton

Democratic Candidate (Won the 1992 Election) Despite stories that questioned his character and his evasion of military service, he was elected. Calling himself a "New Democrat," he promised to cut middle-class taxes, reduce government spending, and reform the nation's health care and welfare programs. His campaign repeatedly blamed Bush for the recession.

Collapse of the Soviet Union

Eastern Europe abandoned communism, Gorbachev faced mounting criticism at home. Boris Yeltsin and a coup arrested Gorbachev and Yeltsin took power for a little. The coup soon collapsed and Gorbachev returned to Moscow. All 15 Soviet republics declared their independence from the Soviet Union. In late December 1991, Gorbachev announced the end of the Soviet Union.

1984 Election

Election where Reagan wins over Mondale. By 1984, the nation had begun the biggest economic expansion in its history. Incomes climbed and unemployment fell. The recovery made Reagan very popular.

Moral Majority

Founded by Marion "Pat" Robertson and Jerry Falwell. This built up a network of ministers to register new voters who backed conservative candidates and issues. The group registered 2 million new voters in the 1980 election.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)

Founded to try to stop underage drinking and drunk driving in general In 1984, Congress cut highway funds to any state that did not raise the legal drinking age to 21.

Vernonia School District v. Acton (1995)

Held that random drug tests do not violate students' Fourth Amendment rights.

Young Americans for Freedom (YAF)

In 1960, some 90 young conservative leaders met at Buckley's family estate and founded this organization. This independent conservative group pushed for their ideas and supported conservative candidates.

Afghanistan

In 1979, Soviet troops had invaded Afghanistan. Reagan sent hundreds of millions of dollars in covert military aid to Afghan guerrillas who were fighting the Soviets. As casualties mounted, the war strained the Soviet economy, and in 1988 the Soviets decided to withdraw.

Music Television (MTV)

In 1981, music and technology merged when this network went on the air to broadcast performances of songs and images, or music videos. Although the videos were often criticized for their content, this was a hit. Music videos boosted the careers of artists such as Madonna and Michael Jackson.

Geraldine Ferraro

In 1984 she was the first woman to appear on a major-party presidential ticket. She was a congresswoman running for Vice President with Walter Mondale.

Mikhail Gorbachev

In 1985, this man became the leader of the Soviet Union and agreed to resume arms-control talks. He believed that the Soviet Union could not afford another arms race with the United States. Reagan and him met in a series of summits. In West Berlin, Reagan told him to tear down the Berlin Wall

Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty

In December 1987, the two leaders signed this Treaty. With an arms control deal in place, Gorbachev pushed ahead with economic and political reforms, which eventually led to the collapse of the Soviet Union. In the United States, the economy was booming, the military was strong, and relations with the Soviet Union rapidly improving as Ronald Reagan's second term came to an end.

Panama Invasion

In December 1989, President George H. W. Bush ordered the invasion of Panama to remove the autocratic General Manuel Noriega. The alleged purpose of the invasion was to stop Noriega from using his country as a drug pipeline to the United States. U.S. troops remained in Panama until elections established a more credible government.

Peace Through Strength

In Reagan's opinion, the only option in dealing with the Soviet Union was "_____________ ______________ _______________," a phrase he used during his campaign. Reagan launched a $1.5 trillion military buildup meant to bankrupt and destroy the Soviet Union if it tried to keep up. The United States also tried to stop nations from supporting terrorism. Reagan's military buildup created new jobs in defense industries.

National Rifle Association (NRA)

In response to the gun control act of 1968, this was created. Formed in 1871 to help improve people's skills in the use of firearms. It did not engage in extensive influence until the 1970s when conservatives within the organization took control and began an intensive effort to influence Congress whenever legislation involving gun control and Second Amendment rights was proposed.

H. Ross Perot

Independent Candidate He stressed the need to end deficit spending. His no-nonsense style appealed to many Americans, and a grassroots movement.

Iran-Contra Scandal

Individuals in Reagan's administration also secretly sold weapons to Iran, considered an enemy and sponsor of terrorism, in exchange for the release of American hostages in the Middle East. Profits from the weapons sales were then sent to the contras.

Sunbelt

Large numbers of Americans moved south and west for jobs in war factories. These Sunbelt states experienced dramatic population growth. The movement was fueled by warmer climates and increasing job opportunities. As the Sunbelt's economy expanded, these residents began thinking differently about the government than people in the Northeast did. As more people moved to the Sunbelt, they eventually surpassed the population of the Northeast and gained more electoral votes.

Oliver North

Member of the National Security Council under President Ronald Reagan; Chief member of funneling arms to Iran and then transferring the money to the Contras in Nicaragua

Rust Belt Because the industry in the Northeast was in decline. Liberal ideas in the Northeast, relied on the government for social and economic problems.

Northeast Nickname

Senior Citizen Activism

Older Americans became very vocal in the political arena, opposing cuts in Social Security or Medicare. Because they tend to vote in large numbers, senior citizens are an influential interest group.

Operation Desert Storm

On January 16, 1991, coalition forces launched this operation. Cruise missiles and laser-guided bombs fell on Iraq, destroying its air defenses, bridges, artillery, and other military targets. After about six weeks, the coalition launched a massive ground attack. Thousands of Iraqi soldiers died. Fewer than 300 coalition troops were killed. Just 100 hours after the ground war began, Bush declared Kuwait to be liberated. Iraq accepted the cease-fire terms, and American troops returned home to cheering crowds.

Manuel Noriega

Panama leader who was overthrown in a 1989 US invasion; Tried and imprisoned for drug trafficking

Strategic Defense Initiative

Popularly known as "Star Wars," President Reagan's SDI proposed the construction of an elaborate computer-controlled, anti-missile defense system capable of destroying enemy missiles in outer spaced. Critics claimed that SDI could never be perfected.

Boris Yeltsin

President of the Russian Republic in 1991. Helped end the USSR and force Gorbachev to resign.

Grenada

Radical Marxists overthrew the left-wing government in 1983. Reagan sent in troops, who quickly defeated the Grenadian and Cuban soldiers, and a new anti-Communist government was put in place.

Deregulation

Reagan believed that excessive government regulation was another cause of the economy's problems. His first act as president was to sign an executive order to end price controls on oil and gasoline. Also, this happened in broadcasting, banking, and automotive industries too. Increased oil drilling, mining, and logging on public land angered environmentalists, as did EPA decisions to ease regulations on pollution-control equipment and to reduce safety checks on chemicals and pesticides.

1980 Election

Reagan's campaign appealed to frustrated Americans by promising to cut taxes and increase defense spending. He won the support of social conservatives by calling for a constitutional amendment banning abortion. Reagan won the election easily. For the first time since 1954, Republicans also gained control of the Senate.

Nicaragua

Rebels known as the Sandinistas had overthrown a pro-American dictator in Nicaragua in 1979, set up a socialist government, and accepted Cuban and Soviet aid. The Reagan administration responded by secretly arming an anti-Sandinista guerrilla force known as the contras. When Congress learned of this policy, it banned further aid to the contras.

George H. W. Bush

Republican Candidate in 1992 election Bush had alienated much of his conservative base by breaking his 1988 campaign pledge against raising taxes, the economy was in a recession, and Bush's perceived greatest strength, foreign policy, was regarded as much less important following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the relatively peaceful climate in the Middle East after the defeat of Iraq in the Gulf War.

Stonewall Riot

Riot by homosexuals in New York City against the police for the poor treatment they received. Marked the beginning of the gay activist movement.

Reagonomics

Ronald Reagan's economic program; founded on the belief that a capitalist system free from taxation and government involvement would be most productive, and that the prosperity of a rich upper class would "trickle down" to the poor. Called Supply-Side Economics They believed that high taxes took too much money away from investors, and that tax cuts could provide extra money to expand businesses and create new jobs. The result would be a larger supply of goods for consumers, who would now have more money to spend because of the tax cuts.

Drugs, poverty, homelessness, and disease, continued.

Social Problems of the 80s

Farm Aid (1985)

Started by country singer Willie Nelson to help American farmers who were going through hard times.

Increasing Budget Deficit

Supply-side economists had predicted that, despite the spending, lower taxes and cuts in government programs would generate enough revenue growth to balance the budget. Although tax revenues rose, Reagan could not cut popular programs significantly. The annual budget deficit went from $80 billion to more than $200 billion.

Video Games

Technology also brought about a new form of entertainment. These grew out of military computer technology. The first video arcade game was a game called Pong, released in 1972. Home video games developed quickly. In the early 1980s, sales reached about $3 billion with the popularity of games such as Pac-Man and Space Invaders. By the mid-1980s, home video games competed with arcade games in graphics and speed. Video games have continued to grow in popularity to the present day.

GPS

The Global Positioning System Composed of a series of satellites in low earth orbit that allow users to precisely determine their location on earth and navigate more accurately. The system was proposed in the 1970s by the U.S. military as a way to improve military navigation. But in 1983, a civilian airliner, Korean Air Lines Flight 007, made the mistake of crossing into Soviet airspace and was shot down. Soon afterward, President Reagan issued an order that GPS be made available for civilian use as soon as the system came online. It was quickly and widely adopted for air and sea navigation.

Reagan Doctrine

The US supporting guerrilla groups who were fighting to overthrow Communist or pro-Soviet governments.

1992 Election

The United States presidential election of 1992 had three major candidates: Republican President George H. W. Bush Democrat Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton Independent Texas businessman Ross Perot. Clinton won a plurality in the popular vote, and a wide Electoral College margin.

Protestant Evangelicals

The largest group of religious conservatives.

Conservative Think Tanks

The purpose was to provide political leaders with research papers, policy ideas, and concrete recommendations on how to change the law in support of the their values and beliefs.

Recession in the 1990s

The recession that began in 1990 was partly caused by the end of the Cold War. Nation cut back on military spending. Soldiers and defense industry workers were laid off. Other companies also began downsizing, or laying off workers to become more efficient. The nation's high level of debt made the recession worse. The huge deficit forced the government to borrow money to pay for its programs, keeping money from being available to businesses. The government also had to pay interest on its debt, using money that might otherwise have helped fund programs or boost the economy.

Discount Retailers

These people sell large quantities at very low prices, trying to sell the goods fast to turn over their entire inventory in a short period. Could make more money than traditional retailers who sold fewer products at higher prices. The most successful discount retailer was Sam Walton, the founder of Walmart.

Conservative Coalition

This was when Conservatives began to believe that society had lost its way. Political scandal, economic worries, growing federal power, and ongoing social turmoil seemed to plague the nation. International events such as the withdrawal from Vietnam seemed to make the nation look weak. Many Americans were tired of upheaval. They wanted stability and a return to what they remembered as better times.

Budget Cuts

To keep the deficit under control, Reagan proposed cuts to social programs, including food stamps, school lunches, Medicare payments, unemployment compensation, and student loans. After a struggle, Congress passed most of these cuts, but the fight convinced Reagan that Congress would never cut spending enough to balance the budget. He decided that cutting taxes and building up the military were more important than balancing the budget.

Religious Right

United States political faction that advocates for conservativism, school prayer, and federal aid for religious groups and schools ERA movement upset religious right because it went against traditional families.

New Jersey v. TLO (1985)

Upheld the school's right to search without a warrant if it had probable cause.

Saddam Hussein

Was a dictator in Iraq who tried to take over Iran and Kuwait violently in order to gain the land and the resources. He also refused to let the UN into Iraq in order to check if the country was secretly holding weapons of mass destruction.

Yuppies

Young urban professionals a young, college-educated adult employed in a well-paying profession and living in or near a large city

Live Aid

international music festival organized in 1985 to raise funds for Ethiopian refugees. Started as "Band Aid" by Bob Geldof. People in some 100 countries watched benefit concerts televised from London, Philadelphia, and Sydney, Australia.

Deficit

the amount by which expenses exceed income