Political Party:

Republican

Terms : 2


Dates: 1981–1989


 State
State
-- George George Pratt
Pratt Shultz
Shultz (1981)
(1981)

 Treasury
-- Donald Donald Thomas
Thomas Regan
Regan (1981)
(1981)
-- James James Addison
Addison Baker
Baker III
III (1985)
(1985)
- Nicholas Frederick Brady (1988)

 Defense
Defense
-- CasparCaspar Willard
Willard Weinberger
Weinberger
- Frank Charles Carlucci III (from November 21, 1987

 Attorney
Attorney General: General:
-- William
William French
French Smith
Smith (1981)
(1981)
-- Edwin
Edwin Meese
Meese III
III (1985)
(1985)
-- Richard
Richard Lewis
Lewis (Dick)
(Dick) Thornburgh
Thornburgh (1988)
(1988)

 Interior:
Interior:
-- James
James Gaius
Gaius Watt
Watt (1981)
(1981)
-- William
William Patrick
Patrick Clark
Clark (1983)
(1983)
-- Donald
Donald Paul
Paul Hodel
Hodel (1985)
(1985)
• Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI)
 Also known as “Star Wars” by popular press
 first initiated on March 23, 1983
 The purpose of this program was to develop a sophisticated
anti-ballistic missile system in order to prevent missile
attacks from other countries, specifically the Soviet Union.
 States legislators and congressmen argued that a creation
of a large anti-ballistic missile system would raise tensions
between the two nations and potentially spark a conflict so
they decided to abandon this program.
Increase in Military Budget
 $1.5 trillion over five years to rebuild armed forces 

Substantial Cuts in Domestic Spending

 reduced federal subsidies for low-income housing
 cut spending on food stamps
 reduced federal aid to education and federal
contributions to state governments
 was almost assassinated by John Hinckley


 air traffic controllers strike resulted in the firing of over 11000 air traffic controllers


 Sandra Day O'Connor named first woman Supreme Court justice



 Granada invasion in 1983 was codenamed Urgent Fury, the operation was caused by a coup de tat


of grenadas government by a regime allied with Fidel Castro Iran-Contra Scandal in 1985 was a
political
political scandal
scandal in
in the
the Reagan
Reagan administration,
administration, where
where senior
senior administration
administration officials
officials secretly
secretly sold
sold
weapons and arms to iran for the release of 52 american hostages Glasnost with the Soviet Union
1985-1991 was a time where information about government institutions and affairs was more
publicized under Mikhail Gorbechev Strategic Defense initiative, a plan to make a missile defense
system for the US Reagan persuaded the soviets to allow more democracy and free speech, this
would lead to the strategic arms reduction talks or START and to the end of the cold war
Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981 - lowered income tax rates
Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 - revoked some provisions of the
Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981
Social Security Amendments of 1983 - amended Social Security to adjust for new
retirees
1984 Expansion of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 - tightened
federal standards for the disposal of toxic waste and extends controls to small
companies//
Tax Reform Act of 1986 - simplified the income tax code, broaden the tax base and
eliminate many tax shelters and other preferences
Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986 - sweeping change to the Department of Defense
command structure
Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 - granted amnesty to illegal immigrants
who entered the United States before January 1, 1982 and had resided there
continuously
Sandra Day O'Connor named first woman
Supreme Court justice

William Rehnquist as chief justice

The Reagan Military Buildup
 defense buildup was predicated on an analysis that the Soviet
Union had not abided by the limitations of the SALT II treaty
intended to maintain nuclear parity between the superpowers
Confronting the Soviets, 1981-1983
The Reagan Doctrine
-Reagan believed that it was necessary for the United States to
combat the spread of Soviet-backed Marxist and leftist
regimes throughout the globe.
Middle Eastern Terrorism
-Beginning in late 1983, anti-American terrorist groups
stepped up their attacks on the United States.