The Presidency of Ronald Reagan - The Election of 1980
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1980s America: The Ronald Reagan Presidency
Lesson Plans by Richard Cleggett
Ronald Reagan was an iconic and controversial president during the twilight of the Cold War. The impacts of his presidency remain in the news today; Reagan continues to be praised as a conservative hero, but is criticized for the long term impact of his social and economic policies. Learn more about his presidency with Storyboard That.
Storyboard Description
The Presidency of Ronald Reagan - The Election of 1980
Storyboard Text
- POLITICAL IDEOLOGY
- RONALD REAGAN
- POLITICAL IDEOLOGY
- JIMMY CARTER
- Re-elect me!...Please....
- Ronald Reagan ran as the Republican candidate in the 1980 Presidential election. He led an increasing conservative population dubbed the "New Right". Reagan and his supporters believed in smaller government influence, cutting federal programs and spending, and incorporating more Christian values into society. They wanted to reverse much of the emphasis on federal social support from previous decades.
- DOMESTIC POLICY
- Jimmy Carter entered the 1980 Presidential election as the Democratic incumbent. His popularity, however, waned under the midst of the Iranian hostage crisis and rising energy costs. Carter's democratic ideologies coincided with his belief in liberalism, social welfare, and his economic policy of "stagflation". In essence, due to Carter's poor decisions and lack of initiative, liberalism was seriously waning in popularity.
- DOMESTIC POLICY
- We must protect our people and nation!
- Ronald Reagan's domestic policy platform lay in protecting the United States at all costs. He pledged to build up military defenses as well as change the economy. Reagan wanted to return to more "traditional" economics, letting capitalism run itself. Furthermore, he wanted to reduce income taxes and reduce federal spending on welfare programs, leaving those decisions to the states.
- FOREIGN POLICY
- Carter's domestic policy lay in deregulating control over industry and transportation. Furthermore, Carter made strides in attempting to solve the energy crisis, which proved to be a complex problem. It would come to hurt him, as energy prices skyrocketed and no solutions seemed to be in sight. In addition, Carter struggled to work with Congress, further hurting his domestic initiatives.
- FOREIGN POLICY
- Image Attributions:US National Flag and California State Flag, City Hall, Santa Monica (https://www.flickr.com/photos/euthman/6890353708/) - euthman - License: Attribution (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)
- In regards to foreign policy, Reagan pledged to continue to protect the United States from Soviet influence, as the Cold War was still in full swing at the time of the 1980 election. Reagan pledged to protect the ideas and ideals of democracy and basic human freedoms, while also reducing Soviet influence. In addition, Reagan pledged to protect American interests in the Middle East and the Americas.
- Carter had an even tougher time with his foreign policy initiatives. The Iranian hostage crisis dominated airwaves, and Carter seemed weak in his stance to bring the hostages home. He did, however, achieve success in his Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt, as well as his initiatives on human rights.
Image Attributions
- US National Flag and California State Flag, City Hall, Santa Monica - euthman - (License Attribution )
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