What impact did the Reagan presidency have?

Question 1

When did Reagan become president?

Answer 1

1981 (following 1980 election)

Question 2

How old was Reagan when he was first elected?

Answer 2

69

Question 3

What question from Reagan tipped the balance in the final TV debate?

Answer 3

“Are you better off than you were four years ago?”

Question 4

How much of the 1980 popular vote did Reagan get?

Answer 4

50.7%

Question 5

How much of the 1980 popular vote did Carter get?

Answer 5

41.0%

Question 6

Who won control of the Senate at the 1980 election?

Answer 6

Republicans, for first time since 1955

Question 7

What was the Electoral College outcome of the 1980 presidential election?

Answer 7

Reagan 489, Carter 44

Question 8

When was Reagan shot and badly wounded?

Answer 8

March 1981

Question 9

Who was the third candidate at the 1980 presidential election?

Answer 9

John Anderson, for the National Unity Party

Question 10

What were Reagan’s three key campaign promises?

Answer 10

• cut taxes
• cut domestic spending
• increase military spending

Question 11

What was the basic premise of Reaganomics

Answer 11

supply-side economics, so reducing taxes so as to increase incentives to work, save and invest

Question 12

Under what Act were Reagan’s first tax cuts?

Answer 12

Economic Recovery Tax Act (1981)

Question 13

What budget cuts were recommended in 1981?

Answer 13

$35.2 billion

Question 14

What was the key premise of Reagonomics?

Answer 14

supply-side economics, reducing government interference and taxes, so increasing incentives to work, save and invest

Question 15

What changes did Reagan initially make to welfare?

Answer 15

Changed to provide only for those who could not work due to disability or childcare; little actual reduction in welfare spending

Question 17

Why did national debt massively increase under Reagan?

Answer 17

increase in defence spending

Question 18

What happened to government deficit in 1982?

Answer 18

Nearly doubled to $111 billion

Question 19

What happened to total national debt in 1982?

Answer 19

went above $1 trillion

Question 20

What did the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Bill (1982) do?

Answer 20

• reversed some of the 1981 tax concessions to business
• increased taxes on cigarettes and airline tickets

Question 21

What effect did Reagan’s economic changes have?

Answer 21

severe recession with high unemployment but by 1983, inflation below 2% and unemployment began to fall (partly due to increased defence spending)

Question 22

What did the 1986 Tax Reform Act do?

Answer 22

• simplified tax, reducing number of tax brackets
• reduced tax rates - highest went from 50% to 28%
• exempted millions of low-income families from paying tax

Question 23

How many new jobs were created 1983-89?

Answer 23

18 million

Question 24

What happened to the balance of payments during the Reagan years?

Answer 24

USA become a debtor nation for first time since 1914

Question 25

By 1986, what was the National Debt?

Answer 25

$2 trillion

Question 26

Did Reagan reduce or increase regulation?

Answer 26

reduced regulation

Question 27

Name two government agencies affected by deregulation of Reagan's administration.

Answer 27

* Consumer Product Safety Commission * Environmental Protection Agency

Question 28

Why did Reagan remove federal regulations on price of domestic oil and natural gas?

Answer 28

* to reduce consumption * to stimulate search for alternative energy sources

Question 29

Give two examples of Reagan's stance on "green" issues.

Answer 29

* encouraged use of land for industrial purposes * little regulation of nuclear industry

Question 30

What did Reagan do when 12,000 air-traffic controllers went on strike in 1981?

Answer 30

He fired them, sent in the military, revoked federal certification of their union and ordered Department of Transport to train up 12,000 new controllers.

Question 31

Which parts of social welfare did Reagan reduce?

Answer 31

* food stamps * school meals * childcare

Question 32

Which parts of social welfare did Reagan increase?

Answer 32

* social security * Medicare * farming subsidies

Question 33

What was Reagan's stance on civil rights?

Answer 33

* supported Justice Department in removing affirmative action programmes for jobs and education * opposed bussing of students to schools in other neighbourhoods

Question 34

What was Reagan's stance on abortion?

Answer 34

He opposed it and encouraged anti-abortion organisations.

Question 35

What was Reagan's stance on gun control?

Answer 35

He opposed legislation limiting purchase and use of guns (despite having been nearly assassinated himself)

Question 36

What was Reagan's stance on women's rights?

Answer 36

* He opposed the Equal Rights Amendment (that prohibited sex discrimination) as he thought women already protected by 14th Amendment. * He opposed the cause of equal pay for jobs of comparable worth. * But he named the first female justice to the Supreme Court.

Question 37

Who did Reagan beat in the 1984 election?

Answer 37

Walter Mondale

Question 38

What % of the popular vote did Reagan get in 1984 election?

Answer 38

58.9%

Question 39

What was the Iran-Contra affair?

Answer 39

1. In 1985, Reagan secretly authorised sale of arms to Iran to secure release of American hostages in the Middle East. 2. Some of the money instead purchases military supplies for the Contras, a right-wing group trying to seize control of Nicaragua, in defiance of a ban. 3. Reagan denied knowledge of it.

Question 40

What was Reagan's populatory rating in 1989?

Answer 40

70% (higher than any president since Roosevelt)

Question 41

What lucky circumstances helped Reagan to seem a successful president?

Answer 41

* fall in world oil prices (reduced inflation) * USSR in difficulties (so appeared to "back down") * managed to escape Irangate and other scandals involving officials he appointed

Question 42

What foreign policy achievements did Reagan have?

Answer 42

* stood up to USSR in his first term * established friendly relationship with Gorbachev * helped USA win the Cold War

Question 43

What was Reagan's political legacy?

Answer 43

* restored USA's faith in presidency * USA shifted politically to the right

Question 44

What was Reagan's economic legacy?

Answer 44

USA moved from deep recession to economic prosperity and stayed there: low unemployment, booming stock market, budget surplus

Question 45

What was Reagan's social legacy?

Answer 45

* Wider gulf between rich and poor * Increase in crime, violence and drug addiction in poorest areas * wider diversity, eg increase in Hispanic population and Asians