Period 9 APUSH Review

Ronald Reagan’s Presidency (1980-1988)

• Election of 1980: Won against Jimmy Carter, promising conservative policies.
• Reaganomics: Focused on supply-side economics, tax cuts, and deregulation.
  • Controversial impacts: Economic growth vs. wealth gap and national debt.
• Iran-Contra Affair: Illegal arms sales to fund Nicaraguan rebels, leading to a drop in approval ratings.
• End of the Cold War:
  • Opened communication with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.
  • Called for the fall of the Berlin Wall.

George H.W. Bush’s Presidency (1988-1992)

• Election of 1988: Benefited from Reagan’s popularity, promised “no new taxes.”
• Persian Gulf War (Desert Storm): Liberated Kuwait from Iraq; military success.
• End of the Cold War: Soviet Union dissolved in 1991.
• Lost 1992 election due to recession and breaking tax promise.

Bill Clinton’s Presidency (1992-2000)

• Election of 1992: Ran as a “New Democrat.”
• Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell: Controversial policy on LGBTQ+ military service.
• NAFTA: Reduced trade barriers between the US, Mexico, and Canada.
• Budget Reform: Reduced federal deficit through tax increases and spending cuts.
• Impeachment: Perjury and obstruction charges related to Monica Lewinsky affair.

George W. Bush’s Presidency (2000-2008)

• 2000 Election: Contested, decided by the Supreme Court.
• Challenges:
  • Hurricane Katrina response.
  • 2008 Economic Recession: Poor lending practices led to a housing crisis.
• No Child Left Behind Act: Criticized for emphasis on standardized testing.
• War on Terror:
  • Post-9/11 military actions in Afghanistan and Iraq.
  • USA PATRIOT Act expanded law enforcement powers.

Barack Obama’s Presidency (2008-2016)

• Election of 2008: First African-American president.
• Affordable Care Act (Obamacare): Expanded healthcare access.
• Economic Crisis Response:
  • American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
• Foreign Policy:
  • Osama bin Laden killed.
  • Troop withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Economic and Social Changes

• Globalization: Opened new markets, increased competition; affected manufacturing sectors.
• Technology: Rise of personal computers, internet, and social media.
• Immigration:
  • Increase from Latin America and Asia post-1980.
  • Policies: Immigration Reform and Control Act (Reagan), DACA (Obama).