ipl-logo

What Are The Key Events Of The 1980's

1809 Words8 Pages

The 1980’s had many impacting events which lead to many cultural differences amongst all American citizens. This was an era in which many American lives were transformed. Although many conflicts erupted, the outcome of the eighties has helped to shape American society into present day. During the 80’s, the Reagan election made it possible for a positive shift in the economics of the nation, as well as many influential people like Bill Cosby, events such as the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan, a shift in the American Dream and technological advances. The eighties brought about many technological advances, faced political discrepancies and economic dilemmas. In addition, the eighties had many influential people and events which all lead …show more content…

During the 1980’s there was no stable economy as there were constantly economic recessions, expansions and a constant problem of unemployment. During the 1980’s, “the national debt increased from $9 billion in 1980 to more than $2.8 trillion in 1989” (Trescott, Page 157). With this constant increase in national debt, American citizens began having to pay more money in taxes, in addition to prices skyrocketing. Although the economic recession ended in 1982, followed by an economic boom, there will still a constant fear of spending more money on the country rather than the families needs. After Reagan had been elected president, there was a promise that, “the rate of monetary creation would be slowed to help reduce inflation and interest rates” (Trescott, Page 161). When Reagan promised this, the citizens held him accountable to that and they trusted that he would be able to reduce the national debt and prevent any more money from being spent unnecessarily. This reveals the economy during the 1980’s due to the fact that Americans wanted the cheapest possible lifestyle and Reagan tried to accomplish that. In addition to promising this, Reagan had reduced the income tax from 70% to 28%. Unemployment was a major problem during the 80’s and “had risen to 10% by late 1982” (Trescott, Page 163). Americans wanted to be able to work and earn enough money to still provide for their families as well as buy some of the new products, which had been developed. With high unemployment rates, many Americans began letting go of their hopes of becoming successful with everything they do. The 1980’s economy had changed the overall society into being quite materialistic. Many American citizens had referred to this new system of economics as “Reganomics” due to the fact that Ronald Reagan had transformed the economy. With this

Show More
Related
411 Words | 2 Pages

During the campaign of 1980, Ronald Reagan announced a formula to fix the nation’s economy. He claimed an inordinate tax burden, intemperate government regulation, and huge social spending programs hindered growth. Reagan proposed a 30 percent tax cut for the first three years of his term in office. The bulk cut would be directed towards the upper income levels. The economic theory was called supply-side of trickle-down economics.

Read More
740 Words | 3 Pages

During this time Nixon was running for presidency and was running on a campaign that promised a return of more “conservative social and economic policies and a restoration of law and order”(Brinkley 741). He was voted into office, and by the year 1973 he had abolished the Office of Economic Opportunity. By the early 1970’s the United States was starting to see “long-term transformation of the American Economy”(Brinkley 745). During the 1970’s the United States was starting to experience extreme rises in inflations because of the end of cheap raw materials. During this time the cost of living rose by up to 15 percent (Brinkley).

Read More
1577 Words | 7 Pages

In America’s past events there are many moments in which were impactful to this country’s history. One of the most impactful eras would have to be World War II and the 1940s. The growth of technology through atomic bombs leaving an impact on America’s view in modern times for future events and political events such as GI Bill of Rights to help veterans with certain programs when they come home from a war that continues to be used today. As well as issues of race and gender were faced with women and African Americans working in which influenced the working environment today. Comparing all the eras that were discussed, the least impactful era was during the 1970s.

Read More
2505 Words | 11 Pages

America knew that something had to change. “A competitive America—let alone a compassionate America—will need every trained mind and every pair of skilled hands.” Reagan's New Federalism marked a concrete shift from the Great Society programs of the 1960s and 1970s, which targeted minority groups that were struggling. Almost everybody was on board with this plan and contributed to the help, showing us that America is coming together, for the most part. Ronald Reagan's economic policies initially proved less successful than its partisans had hoped, the only reason was that they couldn't balance the budget correctly.

Read More
1664 Words | 7 Pages

The rise of conservatism began with the defeat of Barry Goldwater in the hands of Lyndon B. Johnson and continued with Nixon and Ford’s presidencies. The groups that supported conservatism also opposed: big gov., liberalism, gun control, feminism, gay rights, welfare, affirmative action, sex permissivements, abortion, and drug use. They believed in traditional values of family and faith, work ethic, and national security all while keeping the government limited in their power. In California, voters passed Proposition 13 due to increasing property taxes in the state. Proposition 13 helped cut property taxes in CA.

Read More
1297 Words | 6 Pages

He encourages the idea of advanced policies and equality for the future of America as he asserts, “Well, this administration’s objective will be a healthy, vigorous, growing economy that provides equal opportunities for all Americans, with no barriers born of bigotry or discrimination” (Reagan 10). In this passage, the speaker conveys a thoughtful and confident aspect about his administration to the public and gives them the expectation that they will work towards improving the economy. Addressing the quality of opportunities and the economy, in general, was crucial when considering the status of the nation during the time the speech was delivered. As the United States had recently lost in the Vietnam War several years prior, their morale among the citizens and military had drastically plummeted. Amid rising interest rates, unemployment, and deficits, Reagan sought to reconstruct America as a more prosperous nation, namely by dismantling a big government.

Read More
897 Words | 4 Pages

Politically, the era witnessed the rise of conservative ideologies and the election of President Ronald Reagan, who implemented policies focused on deregulation and tax cuts. These policies, known as Reaganomics, aimed to stimulate economic growth and reduce government intervention. Socially, the 1980s brought about cultural shifts, such as the emergence of MTV and the popularization of consumerism, as well as significant advancements in technology, including the widespread adoption of personal computers. Economically, the decade experienced a period of rapid growth and prosperity, fueled by technological innovations and an emphasis on entrepreneurship. However, it also saw a growing wealth gap and the onset of the savings and loan crisis, which marked the end of the economic boom.

Read More
560 Words | 3 Pages

The United States economy was in disarray, suffering after the 1979 energy crisis. Due to high unemployment and inflation, many Americans had lost faith in the government and the nation as a whole. When Reagan took office in 1981, the recession and this “national malaise” were already about a year old. However, many people faulted him for America’s poor condition. Immediately, he addressed the declining economy, introducing many new policies that came to be known as “Reaganomics.”

Read More
673 Words | 3 Pages

1950’s America was a time a prosperity and conformity. The 1960s and 1970s saw a huge step backwards from the 1950s. The social and societal changes showed that there was a lot wrong with the American society and that there needed to be a change. The African American migration toward the cities in the 1950s, led to an urban crisis.

Read More
385 Words | 2 Pages

For example, he stated that he wanted to improve the middle class, young and elderly alike, to strive without the economic upheavals during their hard labor. In addition, he said, “But as great as our tax burden is, it has not kept pace with public spending.” “We suffer from the longest and one of the worst sustained inflations in our national history. It distorts our economic decisions, penalizes thrift, and crushes the struggling young and the fixed-income elderly alike. It threatens to shatter the lives of millions of our people” (Reagan).

Read More
484 Words | 2 Pages

In 1991, the economy slipped into a recession. Unemployment increased as the average income stagnated. The majority of the public felt unease about America’s future. President Bush seemed to ignore ordinary Americans’. The Republican Party attacked gays, feminists, and abortion rights advocates.

Read More
1286 Words | 6 Pages

The idea of trickle down economics stated that heavily reduced taxes for the rich would “trickle down” and ultimately help the lower class. This economic policy was almost the polar opposite compared to what many former democratic presidents had pushed in their agendas. As a result, Reagan’s economic plan was completely different compared to the president that came before him, Jimmy

Read More
2092 Words | 9 Pages

The 1980s were a time when people were in their prime and changes were happening all around. Because of the creation of a new economic policy, supply-side economics, in the 1980s, the modern government’s involvement in the economy evolved into a mix between a free market system with government intervention and regulations that still exists today. Before the 1980s, the economic policy known as Keynesianism was the primary policy used by the government. It was created in the 1930s, by a man named John Maynard Keynes, during the Great Depression, which was a time when unemployment skyrocketed, and many people lost their homes, savings, and businesses. The economy needed major help and therefore the creation of Keynesianism, which advocated for active government intervention to stabilize the economy’s problems and help combat unemployment,

Read More
191 Words | 1 Pages

The 1980s were also a period of ideological change and a break with the ‘post-war consensus’. The Conservative party pursued a form of monetarism and were influenced by free-market economists like Milton Friedman. There was a host of supply-side

Read More
791 Words | 4 Pages

The tax cut and increased defense spending increased the federal deficit. Increased spending for welfare programs and unemployment compensation, both of which were induced by the plunge in real GDP in the early 1980s, contributed to the deficit as well. As deficits continued to rise, they began to dominate discussions of fiscal policy. The events of the 1980s do not suggest that either monetarist or new classical ideas should be abandoned, but those events certainly raised doubts about relying solely on these approaches. Reducing the deficit dominated much of fiscal policy discussion during the 1980s and 1990s.

Read More

More about What Are The Key Events Of The 1980's

Related Topics

Open Document