9.1 US History - The Reagan Revolution

Elected 40th US President in 1981, served two terms until 1989. Previously served as 33rd Governor of California and the Director of the American Screen Actors Guild. Oldest President in US history. Ran on promises to change the United States and improve the economy using free markets. Was extremely popular for making these changes, the 80s was dubbed "The Reagan Revolution".

The revolutionary two-term presidency of Ronald Reagan. His administration ended the Cold War, causing a major collapse of Communism in Europe, they also created a period of economic growth that was previously thought unimaginable. His presidency was called the Reagan Revolution because of the changes and reforms that were made.

Reagan's master plan to reduce inflation in the United States. It involved reducing taxes, reducing government spending and regulations in order to tighten up the money supply. This would, in theory, create a trickle down effect to spread wealth nationally.

The series of threats, nuclear arms races and proxy wars waged between the United States and the Soviet Union from 1945 to 1991. It was spurred by fundamental differences in the way each government handled their economy. The Soviet Union believed in Communism, which the US hated.

A system of economic government hated by Reagan. Derived from the thought that the government should view everyone as equal. Everyone is paid equally based on their needs and the government owns all the property (capital) and gives it to those who need it. Created by Karl Marx and installed by Vladimir Lenin in the 1917 Russian Revolution.

The US economic government system where the top 1% own most of the capital and it trickles down to the majority. Jobs are paid individually and the government does not take one side. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

The most pressing issue at the time of Reagan's first run for President. American diplomats and employees of the US Embassy in Tehran, Iran were taken hostage during the seizure of the Embassy. They were kept by college students for 444 days until the Ayatollah Khomeini ordered their release on the day of Reagan's inauguration.

Union of Soviet Socialists Republic, created after the fall of the Russian Empire in 1922. A communist government that included most of eastern Europe at point. Thrived from 1922-1979. Weakened after a failed invasion of Afghanistan and fell during the Revolution of 1989. Officially dissolved in 1991, becoming 13 different countries. One of two world superpowers from 1945-1991, with their political rival being the USA.

A notable address given by Reagan at the National Association of Evangelicals in 1985. In the speech, Reagan de-legitamized the Soviet Union and called them an Evil Empire that commits crimes against humanity.

The kidnapping of 6 American diplomats in Lebanon in 1986. Shortly after the US Military base in Beirut was bombed. One of the biggest crises of the Reagan era. Forced the US to try to make deals and trades for their release.

A Reagan sanctioned US invasion of the Republic of Grenada, just days after the Lebanon crisis ended. Many thought that it was to take US minds off the fact that they had just lost a war Lebanon. The goal of the mission was to prevent Communist uprisings in South America. The US claimed victory with relative ease, in just 3 weeks.

A right-wing guerrilla rebel group in Nicaragua fighting against Communism in South America, trying to take down Daniel Ortega, a Communist sympathizer who wanted Nicaragua to be allies with the Soviet Union.

One of the biggest failures of the Reagan presidency. National controversy over Reagan secretly selling weapons to the Islamic Republic of Iran, the States' most dangerous enemy and using the profits to fund the Contras in Nicaragua.

Reagan's primary leader on the National Security Staff. Was indicted on sixteen charges in the Iran-Contra affair and found guilty of three - aiding and abetting obstruction of Congress, shredding or altering official documents and accepting a gratuity. His convictions were later overturned on the grounds that his immunized testimony had tainted his trial.

An unrealistic proposal funded by Reagan for research on the possible use of laser beam technology to intercept and destroy Soviet missiles before they harmed the US and their allies. Nicknamed "Star Wars" by Reagan critics for the fact that it was decades ahead of the technology available in the 1980s.

General Secretary of the Soviet Union from 1985-1991. Met with Reagan several times in the 1980s in an effort to stop the Nuclear Arms race and end the Cold War. Was allies with Reagan in the late 80s and was one of the main reasons the Cold War ended.

A war between the Soviet Union and Independent Republic of Afghanistan from 1979-1989. Thanks to the CIA training and funding of Afghan soldiers during the war (including Osama Bin Laden), the Soviets suffered a decisive loss in the War, one of the biggest losses in their history. The length of the War, and the amount that it cost forced the Soviets suspend government spending and raise taxes. Communism was becoming harder and harder for the Soviets and the rest of the world. In many ways it was the beginning of the end for Communism.

An independent trade union in Poland founded in 1980. One of the largest work strikes in world history, Solidarity was founded to improve conditions of independent trade. It was the first such union in a Warsaw Pact country that was not controlled by a Communist party. It constituted 1/3 of the total working age in Poland in the 1980s. It reached 9.1 million members in 1981, and created the 1st free election in a Communist country since 1949.

A wall separating East and West Germany built in 1945. After World War II, Germany was separated into East and West Germany with West Germany being an independent Capitalist country and East Germany falling under Communism and Soviet control. The wall was built to stop people from depleting East Germany's population by crossing into West Germany.

A speech given by Reagan at the Wall's gate, directly addressing Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev. The speech was created to convince Gorbachev to destroy the Wall and reunify Germany, which would have been a dramatic symbol of the end of Communism.

A series of uprisings in Eastern Europe and Asia that saw the end of Communism in Poland, Hungary, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Afghanistan, Angola, Benin, Congo-Brazzaville Ethiopia, Mongolia, Mozambique, Somalia and Yemen. The Berlin Wall was permanently destroyed, and the East and West Germany became one for the 1st time since 1945, symbolizing the end of the Cold War. The Soviet Union dissolved, leaving the United States as the world's only superpower. Russia returned for the first time since 1917 and elected a new non-communist leader. Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia both dissolved. the Chinese democracy movement ended, North Korea went into famine, American culture spread to Russia and China, the Warsaw Pact ended and Communism fell in Europe and began to collapse worldwide.

A nonviolent upheaval in Czechoslovakia that saw the transfer of power to a non-Communist government for the first time in the country since 1948, ending a 49-year Communist rule in the country. The Revolution caused Czechoslovakia to split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia. A part of the 1989 Revolutions.

A failed attempt by the Soviet Union government to seize power from President Mikhail Gorbachev and return Communist rule to the USSR. Resulted in the weakening of the Soviet Union and the resignation of Gorbachev, which ended symbolized the fall of the mighty USSR.

The fall of USSR communism, and the rise of the Russian Federation, which ended the Soviet Union's 46 year run as a world superpower, brought turmoil to Russia and officially ended the Cold War.