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White House reporters watching the televised Watergate address by U.S. Pres. Richard M. Nixon on April 30, 1973. The Watergate scandal included a break-in at the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters in the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C., on June 17, 1972, and subsequent cover-up by people who worked for or with the White House, and by Nixon himself.

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Gas prices soared in 1979 and some fights broke out and lines were miles long just to get gas at a gas station.

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Jimmy Carter shakes hands with Anwar el-Sahat (Egyptian President), establishing diplomatic relations between Israel & Egypt.

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Photo: Richard E. Aaron/Redferns   The Rolling Stones

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Stadium-filling rock bands like the Rolling Stones, Van Halen, Led Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac, Bruce Springsteen, Pink Floyd, and Queen, with frontman Freddie Mercury, dominated the airwaves and ushered in an era of blockbuster concert tours. By the time the iconic band the Beatles broke up in 1970, many people had turned to other aspects of pop culture—easy to do in such a trend-laden, mass-media decade. They listened to 8-track and cassette tapes of solo artists like Dolly Parton, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, David Bowie, Olivia Newton-John, and Marvin Gaye.

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"I'm convinced -- and I believe that the evidence backs me up -- that just as deregulation of oil has led to a better deal for the American consumer, a freer market in natural gas will have the same beneficial effect for you. So, next week I'm sending the Congress a proposal for correcting the problems that have resulted from past excessive regulation of the natural gas market."

-President Ronald Reagan (Radio Address February 26th, 1983- National Archives)

Much of President Reagan's Deregulation would center around environmental regulation and decreasing it. In this radio address Reagan tells the public he believes deregulation of the oil market will lead to a better economy. Reagan's focus on the economy put the environment in danger as many key environmental regulations were lifted. This would lead to greater oil spills, toxic chemicals and hazardous waste being released improperly, and increased overall pollution. Reagan gave up national forest and sold land cheaply for oil rigging, leading to an extreme increase in pollution.

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Steve Jobs co-founded Apple Computer in 1976 and two years later released an affordable personal computer that revolutionized how people used computers at home and at work. It was called the Apple II.

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The U.S. Mint made coins with bicentennial plans in 1976. Numerous of these plans motivated a sense of national pride.

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In the 1970s women started working in careers that were previously considered “men’s work”. This included construction sites, newscasting weather, or defending clients in the courtroom. Some jobs were still segregated by gender.

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The water in many areas was extremely polluted by sewage, chemicals, and pesticides. Passed the Safe Drinking Water Act in 1974 - set national standards for safe drinking water.

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“I want to talk to you right now about a fundamental threat to American democracy … It is a crisis of confidence. It is a crisis that strikes at the very heart and soul and spirit of our national will. We see this crisis in the growing doubt about the meaning of our own lives and in the loss of unity of purpose for our Nation …

In a nation that was proud of hard work, strong families, close-knit communities, and our faith in God, too many of us now tend to worship self-indulgence and consumption. Human identity is no longer defined by what one does, but by what one owns. But we’ve discovered that owning things and consuming things does not satisfy our longing for meaning. We’ve learned that piling up material goods cannot fill the emptiness of lives which have no confidence or purpose.”

—Jimmy Carter, “Crisis of Confidence” speech, July 15, 1979

Jimmy Carter's "malaise speech," delivered on July 15, 1979, addressed the American people's crisis of confidence amidst economic struggles, energy crises, and a sense of national disillusionment. Carter called for energy conservation, self-sacrifice, and a reassessment of American values to overcome the challenges facing the nation. However, the speech was criticized for its somber tone and was perceived by some as overly negative, contributing to Carter's political challenges during his presidency.

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“Inflation, our public enemy number one, will, unless whipped, destroy our country, our homes, our liberties, our property, and finally our national pride, as surely as any well-armed wartime enemy.” - Henry Ford

The economy continued to suffer from stagflation, the severity of which Ford emphasized in this speech to Congress.

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“Questions of justice, equity, and human rights.” “Fairness, and not force,” Carter urged, “should lie at the heart of our dealings with nations of the world.” - Jimmy Carter

Whereas Nixon had prided himself on his realism, Carter emphasized idealism in foreign affairs and insisted that the government not separate foreign policy.

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“With its driving beats, [disco] almost had a hypnotic feel that makes you wanna dance … It’s really hard to sit still when you hear a good disco tune.” - A disco fan from the textbook.

The 1970s also had a fun, less serious side. Disco, a genre of dance music loved by some and loathed by others, drew young people to dance clubs called discotheques, where disc jockeys kept records spinning and dancers dancing long into the night.

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“ However, the first computers were large and complicated to use. During the 1970s, new technologies replaced bulky vacuum tubes and transistors with tiny silicon chips, inspiring a computing revolution. For the first time, ordinary Americans could easily purchase and use a personal computer, or PC.” - Textbook

The quote highlights the significance of the 1970s by emphasizing the transformative shift in computing technology. It showshow the decade saw the replacement of bulky vacuum tubes and transistors with small silicon chips, sparking a revolution in computing. This period marked the accessibility of personal computers to ordinary Americans, signifying a pivotal moment in the democratization of technology.

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“I am not the candidate of black America, although I am black and proud. I am not the candidate of the women’s movement of this country, although I am a woman, and I am equally proud of that . . . I am the candidate of the people.” - Speech made by Shirly Chisholm

Representative Shirley Chisholm made a historic bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. Announcing her candidacy, that is what she stated.

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"We are now in the Me Decade," he wrote, "seeing the upward roll of … the third great religious wave in American history." The focus of this latest "great awakening," Wolfe observed, was "the most fascinating subject on earth: Me."

Tom Wolfe captured these bicentennial concerns in his essay, "The Me Decade and the Third Great Awakening," by documenting changes he had witnessed in American life since the end of the 1960s. In the 1960s, he noted, idealistic Americans had struggled to end racism, fight poverty, and create a more just society. Wolfe claimed that this drive for social change had been replaced in the 1970s with a quest for self-improvement and personal fulfillment.

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“Stop at Two,” - ZPG Slogan

A group called Zero Population Growth (ZPG) formed in 1968 to raise awareness of rapid population growth’s role in accelerating environmental destruction. The Slogan encouraged families to stay small.

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Each president, Obama (left), Clinton (center), and George W. Bush (right), needed to prove to American society, their ideas of domestic policy goals would be helpful for the current and future American society.

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President Clinton appointed his wife, Hillary Clinton, to oversee a committee that would develop a universal health care plan. The proposal was widely criticized and the idea was lost in Congress.

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The Rolling Stones music video was popularized during the 1990s and was mainstreamed through television and computers.

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Obama wanted to see change within America. During his campaign, he criticized former President Bush's tax-cut policies and his pursuit of the Iraq war. Obama created a campaign slogan, "Yes, we can!", and inspired many Americans to believe in the future of a greater country.

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In 1992, Ross Perot became the second third-party candidate to participate in televised presidential debates.

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George W. Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act increased federal funding to public schools. To receive these funds, the schools were expected to show that students were learning basic subjects such as math and reading.

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A supporter of the Green Party holding a sign for independent candidate Ralph Nader. The party focused on universal health care, environmental and consumer protections, and campaign finance reforms.

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Hurricane Katrina swooped through New Orleans, specifically the area of Ninth Ward. Many Americans criticized the Bush Administration for its slow response. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) response was slow and disorganized to provide aid to New Orleans.

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"George H.W. Bush lost his second term as president to Bill Clinton."

During his presidency, America was coming out of an economic recession, and Bill Clinton focused on improving the current American economy.

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"Economy boomed under Clinton."

Stock market prices were at an all time high. High stock market prices were known as a bubble, and during George H.W. Bush's presidency, the bubble had popped. Stock market prices plummeted.

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"New Movies such as Toy Story and Titanic (1997)"

Movies such as Toy Story and Titanic were released and became popular. Toy Story continues to make more movies today. Tinnatic had a remake of the original in 1954, the new film was known for its visual effects, storyline, and emotion.

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"1991 - Marks the End of the Cold War"

In December, Gorbachev resigned as the Soviet leader and formally declared the end of the Soviet Union. Finally, the Cold War was officially over.

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“By 1998, the country was enjoying a period of prosperity. It was largely driven by new business opportunities related to the internet.”

By linking computers all over the world, the internet gave businesses instant access to distant markets. As the dot-com boom continued, unemployment dropped to around 4 percent, the lowest it had been in 30 years.

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“AFDC had created a culture of poverty that continued from one generation to the next”

Critics pointed out that if these recipients found work or got married they would loose their benefits. They believed it discouraged mothers from making changes that may help improve their economic stability.

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"Red Americans vs. Blue Americans"

“Red vs. Blue” America. Red Americans voted for more conservative agendas, while blue Americans were united purely for their belief in the US government to unite the American people.

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“National Parks began to shut down after the government had come to a halt in 2013.”

Federal areas and lands, including monuments and parks, were closed to the public during the government shutdown in 2013. The US Government had reached the national ceiling debt.

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While some US citizens were concerned about Reagan’s ability to lead the country, Reagan was able to serve two full terms in the 1980s. Surviving an assassination attempt, Reagan would promote his conservative agenda which included lowering taxes, decreased government regulation of business, and funding cuts to social reform programs. This era was known as the Reagan Revolution, a time marked by Reagan’s conservative agenda.

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Due to the tax cuts during Reagan’s terms, the US government lost significant amounts of their annual revenue which funds most governmental spendings. In 1982 the US federal budget deficit rose from $75 million to $100 billion, and in 1986 would reach a new record high of $221 billion and continue to rise. During Reagan’s terms the national debt nearly tripled, and was higher than any other president before. Reagan’s high national debt brought up an important debate between liberals and conservatives on the justification of this debt.

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President Ronald Reagan put in significant effort to ease tensions with the Soviet Union. He met up with the Soviet General Secretary, Mikhail Gorbachev, on multiple occasions. In November of 1985, the two leaders met in Switzerland to discuss decreasing nuclear weaponry in the arms race of the Cold War. While no agreements were made at the Geneva Summit, Reagan succeeded in improving relations between the US and Soviet Union.

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In 1981 MTV, the world's first music video channel, began. As a video platform MTV was able to share music videos, documentaries, concerts footage, and promote new artists and songs. MTV would popularize many artists Prince and Michael Jackson. It also popularized new genres of music like hip hop and rap and made music more accessible. MTV forever changed music, making an artist’s visual appearance just as important as their music.

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Invented in the mid 1970s the computer was revolutionary. In the 1980s after the recovery from the recession, the personal computer became readily accessible to the public. The personal computer allowed people to play games at their homes, complete word-processing, and to write programs at home.

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The term “yuppies” was frequently used in the 1980s to describe “young urban professionals”. This term was used for young baby boomers characterized by their affluence and success. They were known to dress in preppy expensive clothing, drive BMWs, and considered to be arrogant and undeserving and unappreciative of their wealth.

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While President Reagan was a beloved president, he wasn’t without opposition. Jesse Jackson for instance highly criticized Reagan’s policies as he felt they disadvantaged poor Americans and advocated for civil rights. He created the Rainbow Coalition, a political organization that advocated social progress and equal rights for people of color, women, and the LGTBQ community.

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Source: The Truth About Supply-Side Economics (Michael K. Evans)

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A key aspect of Reagan’s political strategy was Deregulation or a policy encouraging less government control. This would include less funding and support for environmental agencies. In fact Reagan’s Secretary of the Interior, James Watt, would remove many previously approved environmental regulations that helped protect the environment. Reagan claimed removing these regulations and funding would help promote business activity. Yet he frequently ran into problems with Congress and struggled to eliminate these environmental regulations.

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“Freedom prospers when religion is vibrant and the rule of law under God is acknowledged”

-President Ronald Reagan

(1983 Speech to Conservative Christian- Textbook)

President Reagan, a republican, was able to win his presidential election by a landslide of over eight million votes. He campaigned for traditional religious values and was able to win over a group known as the New Right, Evangelical’s seeking conservative political change, along with most conservatives. He also was appealing to many moderate and even left wing voters due to his charismatic personality and promise to bring the country out of the recession it faced after the Vietnam War.

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“Government is not the solution to our problem. Government is the problem.”

-President Ronald Reagan

(On Government Regulation- Textbook)

President Ronald Reagan was known for his specific economic strategies, Reaganomics. Reaganomics was based on a theory called supply side economics, which claims that economic growth will occur with higher product supply which would occur because of governmental tax cuts. In August of 1981, Reagan signed a bill to cut federal taxes by 25%. While initially there was a lag, in 1983 the economy began to make a comeback with over 18 million new job opportunities coming to the market. While supply-side economics was seen as successful, many liberals claimed it only benefited the rich as the income gap would further widen.

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“If you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate!”

-President Ronald Reagan (Tear Down This Wall Speech, 1987- Textbook)

In 1987 President Reagan gave a speech in Berlin urging the Soviets to open the Berlin Wall dividing East and West Berlin. The Berlin Wall was one of the last significant physical barriers of the Cold War. The opening of the wall by Gorbachev in 1989, two years after Reagan's speech, represented the start of the end of the Cold War.

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“A big part of the appeal is that customers become part of the show, sometimes going so far as tossing a chicken bone into the arena to show their support."

-Mary Ann Galante (Los Angeles Times, 1988)

In the early 1980s restaurants began to pop up geared towards younger children. Many of them had animatronics, video games, and served greasy foods like pizza.Chuck E. Cheese and Dave and Busters are just two popular examples of something called “Eatertainment”. The trend of combining eating with entertainment became hugely popular at this time.

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“With electronics, the quality has been improving and the price has dropped significantly” on a range of products, said EIA spokesman Mark Rosenker. “I can’t think of any other industry that does that.”

-Nancy Rivera Brooks (Los Angeles Times, 1989)

The 1980s were a time of innovation, with tax cuts inventors were able to make products cheaper and faster than before. Therefore electronics began to improve significantly in design and became more affordable and accessible to the general public.

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“The 1980s were the years of buying dangerously. With twin recessions dispatched early on, this was the shopped-till-we-dropped decade.”

-Nancy Rivera Brooks (Los Angeles Times 1989)

Thanks to the tax cuts made by President Reagan, the US economy in the 1980s was booming. Consumerism was at an all time high. Shopping became less of a necessity and more of a hobby. People would participate in something called “conspicuous consumption” or the buying of luxury goods to show how well off they were. This economic boom created a new materialistic culture that would forever change consumerism in the US.

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“The past few days, I’ve thought a bit of the “shining city upon a hill.” … In my mind it was a tall, proud city … God-blessed and teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace, open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here.”

-Ronald Reagan, (Farewell Address, 1989- Textbook)

At the end of his final term in 1989, Reagan would give a speech glorifying the conservative America he created during his time as President. However many people disagreed with Reagan and felt as though he had ignored vital issues in the country. Specifically President Reagan had refused to address the AIDS/HIV epidemic that affected 8,700 people in his first term to 46,000 in his second. Reagan did little to advocate or support this health epidemic which was not taken well by the public. He also advocated drug usage prevention  with programs like “Just Say No” and “DARE”, yet refused to actually provide support to people recovering from drug addiction.