Chapter 16: 1980-Present Inquiry Organizer

Compelling Question: How does the American experiment play out in the foreign and domestic policy of modern America?

Chapter Objectives:

Students will examine the ongoing debate about the scale and scope of the role of government by examining the conservative challenge to the New Deal liberal order.
Students will explain the causes of the end of the Cold War and ensuing changes and continuities in American foreign policy.
Students will explore the significant social and economic changes caused by deindustrialization, globalization, new technology, and the role of government.

Supporting Question 1: How have debates on the scale and scope of government continued from 1980 into the present day?

Resources:

Ronald Reagan and Supply-Side Economics Narrative
The 1992 Presidential Election and the Rise of Democratic Populism Narrative
Herblock, Cartoons of Ronald Reagan, 1984-1987 Primary Source
Executive Power in Times of Crisis Lesson (from reaganfoundation.org)
Republican House Representatives, “Republican Contract with America,” 1994 Primary Source
Is Affirmative Action Justified? Point-Counterpoint

Supporting Question 2: What were the causes of the end of the Cold War, and what new challenges has the United States encountered in its foreign policy?

Resources:

George Washington’s Foreign Policy: Comparisons across U.S. History Lesson (from mountvernon.org)
The Iran-Contra Affair Narrative
Cold War DBQ (1947-1989) Lesson (from reaganfoundation.org)
Tear Down This Wall”: Ronald Reagan and the End of the Cold War Decision Point
Ronald Reagan, “Tear Down this Wall” Speech, June 12, 1987 Primary Source
George H. W. Bush, Address to the United Nations General Assembly, September 23, 1991 Primary Source
U.S. Foreign Policy in Somalia and Rwanda Decision Point
U.S. Military Intervention in Afghanistan Decision Point
Has Francis Fukuyama’s “End of History” Thesis Been Proven Correct? Point-Counterpoint
Was the Invasion of Iraq Justified? Point-Counterpoint
Is It in the Interest of the United States to Maintain Its International Obligations? Point-Counterpoint
Francis Fukuyama, “The End of History?”, 1989 Primary Source
New Yorker Covers, 2001-2011 (Reflections on 9/11) Primary Source

Supporting Question 3: How have deindustrialization, globalization, new technology, and the role of government affected U.S. society?

Resources:

Fossil Fuels, Foreign Policy, and Climate Change Narrative
Rodney King and the Los Angeles Race Riots Narrative
Timothy McVeigh and the Oklahoma City Bombing Narrative
Tech Giants: Steve Jobs and Bill Gates Narrative
The USA PATRIOT Act Narrative
Barack Obama, Keynote Address at the Democratic National Convention, July 2, 2004 Primary Source
Continuity and Change: Immigration in the United States<? Lesson
Security, Liberty, and the USA PATRIOT Act Lesson
Does the Threat of Terrorism Justify Increased Surveillance? Point-Counterpoint

Additional Resources:

Chapter 16 Introductory Essay: 1980-Present
The Space Shuttle Program and the Challenger Disaster Narrative
Ronald Reagan, Address to the Nation on the Challenger Disaster, January 28, 1986 Primary Source
AIDS Memorial Quilt, 1987 Primary Source
Maya Angelou, “On the Pulse of Morning,” January 20, 1993 Primary Source
Comparing Presidential Campaign Advertising 1964-1980 Lesson
Unit 8 Civics Connection Lesson

Unit 8 Essay Activity

How does the American experiment play out in the foreign and domestic policy of modern America? Explain the effects of the end of the Cold War on U.S. foreign policy. Option B: Explain the effects of the War on Terror on U.S. society.

Through this inquiry, students will evaluate primary and secondary sources to explain the factors that contributed to new and old challenges to U.S. foreign and domestic policy from 1980 to the present day. Ultimately, students will use the primary and secondary sources in this chapter to practice constructing an essay, in AP Long Essay Question format, demonstrating their skills in explaining historical causation. Students should be evaluated using the AP Rubric.. Assess students’ progress in understanding the compelling question for this chapter by assigning the Unit 8 Essay Activity.

Some components of this resource may contain terminology that is no longer used because the terms are recognized to be offensive or derogatory, and some components may contain images that would be considered offensive or derogatory today. These terms and images have been retained in their original usage in order to present them accurately in their historical context for student learning, including understanding why these are not acceptable today.

You may also need

Herblock, Cartoons of Ronald Reagan, 1984–1987

Francis Fukuyama, “The End of History?”, 1989

Maya Angelou, “On the Pulse of Morning,” January 20, 1993

Republican House Representatives, “Republican Contract with America,” 1994

New Yorker Covers, 2001–2011 (Reflections on 9/11)

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