Chapter 25 - Describe how the movements of the 1960s forced a reconsideration of foreign policy. What did the civil rights movement do to empower other minorities to fight for their rights? Of all the movements, which one had the most success? By 1968 are their any groups that are still left behind in achieving full freedom? Why?

The movements of the 1960's forced Americans to reconsider their foreign policy. The Civil Rights Movement, which by 1965 had removed the legal basis for second class citizenship, reinforced the belief that racism shouldn't be a basis for public policy. (p986) This belief spilled over into other realms and one example was the Hart Celler Act. This Act abandoned the national origins quota system of immigration and lifted the ban on immigration from the severely restricted Southern and Eastern European nations and included people previously excluded from Asia. The new criteria was radically neutral and included the priority of family reunification and placed a value on in demand skills. There was, however, a growing hostility in the Southwest toward the Mexican migrants and the new laws actually established a limitation on immigrants from the Western Hemisphere. This limitation on immigrants from the Western Hemisphere created, for. The first time, "illegal aliens". The new quota was 120,000 people from the Western Hemisphere and 170.000 from the rest of the world and it also included special provisions for refugees from communist countries. This provision had unexpected results and actually lead to an explosive rise in immigration. (p 986)

The Civil Rights Movement empowered other minority groups to fight for their rights. They saw the militancy, the pride and power demonstrated, the accomplishments achieved, and were inspired to claim civil rights for themselves (p 1008). The Woman"s Liberation Movement had the most success. At the beginning of the 1960's very few women held political office, newspaper jobs were separated into male and female sections, universities limited female enrollment, and in many states the husband still controlled the wife's earnings (p 1004). In 1964, though, Congress passed the Equal Pay Act barring sex discrimination and in 1964 the Civil Rights Act was passed which prohibited inequalities based on sex as well as race. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission became a major force in helping break the barriers of female employment. By 1967 women had established consciousness raising groups which paved the way to radical feminism. (p 1006). One group which hadn't made significant headway by 1968 was the Gay Liberation group. The Mattachine Society worked hard to persuade the public that, aside from sexual orientation, they were average Americans. It wasn't until a police raid in 1969 on Stonewall Bar in Greenwich Village which turned into 5 days of rioting caused a militant gay movement to be born. Gay people came out of the closet and a few years later gay pride marches were being held in major cities (p 1008).

Chapter 26 - What caused capitalism’s golden age to end? Looking back at eight years in office, what was the Reagan Revolution?

There were many things that contributed to the end of capitalism's golden age. The US, in an effort to strengthen its anticommunist allies, promoted the industrial reconstruction of Japan and Germany. The US also encouraged new centers of manufacturing in places like Taiwan and South Korea. American companies were encouraged to invest in overseas plants and didn't seem to mind the allies protecting their own industries while still wanting unrestricted access to the US market. The problem with this was demonstrated in the US Steel Industry and the growing competition of foreign steel. The dollar was still linked to gold and was very strong. This made it harder to sell US goods overseas because the US products cost more. For the first time in the 20th Century the US had a trade deficit and by 1980 almost 3/4 of goods produced in the US had direct foreign competition. The export of factories and lower skilled workers to foreign countries along with the automation of factories in the US caused a sharp decline in the number of workers in manufacturing (38% in 1960 to 28% in 1980). Nixon thought he could help the situation by taking the Dollar off of the gold standard. He felt that weakening the Dollar, when compared to the Mark and the Yen, would promote US exports because US products would now cost less and that foreign imports would be reduced because they would be more expensive to the US. This move, though, implanted a new aspect of instability into the world economy. (p 1033) These policies helped temporarily only but then a war broke out between Israel and Egypt and Syria.  The US supported Israel, so in return for US support of their enemy, the middle east countries retaliated by quadrupling the cost of oil and suspending the export of oil to the US for a few months. This caused an energy crisis and rising oil prices.  (p 1034) The sharp rise in fuel costs caused Americans to buy less US made vehicles because they had a higher fuel consumption, in favor of foreign vehicles with better fuel economy. This shift furthered the loss of manufacturing jobs. These factors all combined to contribute to stagflation. The trend of US companies to move jobs overseas were devastating to industrial cities.  Smaller industrial cities tax bases decreased so sharply they were forced to shut down public services and some cities were even forced to sell public buildings. (p 1035)  All of this was instrumental in causing the end of the golden age. 

The Reagan Revolution began because US people were tired of the terrible economy and failed policies of the liberals. There was a sense of anxiety and conservatives offered a different idea.(p 1041) Reagan emerged, he was an excellent public speaker and appealed to large numbers of Americans. He made conservatism seem progressive rather than regressive and he repeatedly invoked the idea that America was a shining city on a hill and a beacon of liberty and freedom. (p 1050) His policies of reducing taxes, high interest rates, and cutting back on EPA and OSHA rules was known as supply side economics, by doing this people would want to work more because the could keep more of their income.  This would allow them to have more money to spend and that would stimulate the economy. Reagan felt it was important to "earn your own keep and keep what you earn". Reagan was also instrumental in working with Gorbachev in ending the cold war and softening US relations with the Soviet Union. Who could forget the words "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!", it took 29 months but the challenge Reagan issued was met and the Berlin wall came down.