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Trickle-Down Economics (Reaganomics)
During his campaign, Reagan introduced trickle-down economics (the media referred to it as Reaganomics). It was meant to initiate a 30% tax cut that would concentrated more towards the higher-income levels in the United States. Many economists throughout the years have questioned his method, as it cost the federal government trillions of dollars.
Credit: http://www.ushistory.org/us/59b.asp -
1980 Election
In the election of 1980, Ronald Reagan defeated candidate Jimmy Carter and was elected to be the President of the United States. Reagan's presidency was referred to as the "Reagan Revolution".
Credit: https://www.270towin.com/1980_Election/ -
AIDS
In 1981, the first AIDS cases were reported in the United States. In September of 1982, the CDC gave the disease the name it is known by today, saying it was "a disease at least moderately predictive of a defect in cell mediated immunity, occurring in a person with no known case for diminished resistance to that disease".
Credit: https://www.avert.org/professionals/history-hiv-aids/overview
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/was-first-major-news-article-hivaids-180963913/ -
Release of American Hostages by Iran
On this day, the 52 American hostages being held in Iran were released following negotiations between the United States government and the Iranian government in 1980 and 1981.
Credit: https://www.cnn.com/2013/09/15/world/meast/iran-hostage-crisis-fast-facts/index.html -
Assassination Attempt on Reagan
The President was shot by John Hinckley, Jr. outside of the Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C., Reagan had just finished addressing the AFL-CIO construction workers. The shooter had been planning multiple assassination attempts on different government officials throughout the years. After the attempt, he was discovered to be suffering from insanity.
Credit: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/ronald-reagan-is-shot-by-john-hinckley-jr
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJjHcbU_LLw -
Strategic Defense Initiative
On this day, Reagan proposed this initiative as a missile defense system intended to defend the United States in the case of a ballistic nuclear attack. It was given the nickname "Star Wars" because of some of its more outlandish ideas, some of which involved lasers, which were not widely used at the time.
Credit: http://www.coldwar.org/articles/80s/SDI-StarWars.asp -
1984 Election
The 1984 Presidential Election was between current President Ronald Reagan and former Vice President Walter Mondale. Reagan won the most electoral votes ever received by a Presidential candidate with 525 out of 538. One major thing that Reagan had going for him in this election was the economic recovery from the recession between 1981 and 1982.
Credit: https://www.270towin.com/1984_Election/ -
Gorbachev’s Glasnost and Perestroika
At this time, Gorbachev rose to power. He changed the way the Soviet government was run, specifically with his dual program of "glasnost" (openness) and "perestroika" (restructuring). These policies changed the Soviet Union's economy, but most importantly, international affairs. He inadvertently set up the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Credit: https://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/perestroika-and-glasnost
https://www.amazon.com/Posters-Glasnost-Perestroika-John-Crowfoot/dp/0140122737 -
The Reagan Doctrine
The United States enlisted this strategy in an attempt to end the Cold War and take down the Soviet Union. This doctrine was the basis of Reagan's support of the freedom fighters all around the world, and it outlined his plans for foreign policy during his presidency.
Credit: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-reagan-doctrine-is-announced
https://www.sfgate.com/opinion/article/Reagan-doctrine-still-influencing-U-S-foreign-2533031.php -
Iran-Contra Affair
This two-year affair took was between the United States and Lebanon. In exchange for American hostages being held hostage by Iranian terrorists in Lebanon, the US traded missiles and various other arms. Funds from this deal were also used in Nicaragua, to support the armed conflict there. This was the biggest scandal during Reagan's presidency, and it reflected horribly on him.
Credit: https://www.history.com/topics/iran-contra-affair
https://www.history.com/topics/iran-contra-affair -
The Challenger Disaster
This was the 10th mission of the Challenger, one that ended in disaster. 73 seconds into flight, the spacecraft exploded, ending the lives of all seven astronauts on board. Due to the cold temperatures outside, there was a mechanical failure. This mission would have been the first to take a civilian into space (a teacher).
Credit: https://www.history.com/topics/challenger-disaster
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Challenger_disaster -
1988 Election
The Presidential Election of 1988 was between George H. W. Bush, Reagan's Vice President, and Michael S. Dukakis. Candidate Bush emphasized international peace and a good economy. He defeated Dukakis in the race, becoming the President of the United States and serving one term.
Credit: https://www.270towin.com/1988_Election/ -
Unraveling of the Soviet Bloc
The Soviet Bloc began to unravel in June of 1989 in Poland. Polis voters opted to elect a noncommunist government. This had the whole world watching, though the Soviet Union did not act on it. After this, the rest of the Soviet Union fell fairly quickly as it dissolved into individual countries.
Credit: http://www.ushistory.org/us/59e.asp -
Tiananmen Square Massacre
Chinese troops marched through, arresting and even killing pro-democracy protestors. Thousands were arrested or killed, shocking the world and prompting action from the US. The US sent sanctions and denunciations to China for the actions which took place.
Credit: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/tiananmen-square-massacre-takes-place
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/tiananmen-square-massacre-death-toll-secret-cable-british-ambassador-1989-alan-donald-a8126461.html -
The Fall of the Berlin Wall
For 30 years, the Berlin Wall was a defining symbol of the Cold War, as it separated East and West Berlin. On this day, the spokesman for East Berlin's Communist Party announced that GDR citizens would be allowed to go past the border.Almost a year later, the reunification of East and West Germany was made official.
Credit: https://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/berlin-wall
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-sarotte-putin-berlin-wall-20141109-story.html -
Operation Desert Storm
On this day, Bush announced the start of this operation. It was meant to protect Saudi Arabia. Over 500,000 American troops were stationed in Saudi Arabia to defend them in the case of an attack by Iraq. The main goal of this plan was to get rid of the Iraqi forces that were still left in Kuwait.
Credit: http://www.ushistory.org/us/60a.asp
https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2016/01/operation-desert-storm-25-years-since-the-first-gulf-war/424191/ -
Collapse of the USSR
On this day, the whole world saw the Soviet Union dissolve into fifteen individual countries. The fall of the USSR began when Gorbachev became its leader in 1985. He was criticized for his inability to fix the economic problems they were facing and he ended up resigning.
Credit: http://www.coldwar.org/articles/90s/fall_of_the_soviet_union.asp
https://history.state.gov/milestones/1989-1992/collapse-soviet-union
