1980s beyond Reagan’s America | Teaching United States History
It might be interesting for student to read a college professor's rumination on teaching the 1980s
20: 1980s America
Reagan's Liberal Legacy | Washington Monthly
Statement on Signing the Older Americans Act Amendments of 1987 | Ronald Reagan
This is the first "signing statement" to a bill. Those who advance the unitary executive view of the presidency believes that the president has the authority to interpret laws passed by Congress as he sees fit. Others see this as an unconstitutional attack on democracy
Phyllis Schlafly on Women’s Responsibility for Sexual Harassment (1981) | The American Yawp Reader
Map - Cold War 1960-1991
Map showing distribution of loyalties between the United States and the Soviet Union
A History Blueprint Cold War Unit - Updates in Historiography
Notes about the changing nature of Cold War historiography and how it affects teaching the Cold War. World Studies already has this - does US History?
Why the nuclear arms race is on again | Mapped Out
11 minutes of DW news video to show students how vital the star wars lesson is
1981 SPECIAL REPORT: "SOUTH BRONX"
This 27 minute CBS News special report on the South Bronx serves well to show students that their "culture of the 1980s" isn't representative of all of the United States
Nuclear Matters Handbook - Department of Defense NMHB 2020 [Revised]
Lessons on Star Wars, SDI, the Cuban Missile Crisis should all include some reference to the status of the US nuclear arsenal at it stands today, and the continuously updated plans by various agencies to survive a nuclear attack
False Warnings of Soviet Missile Attacks Put U.S. Forces on Alert in 1979-1980
Teaching Reagan: Constructing a Unit Based on Argument
Entire unit plan
The Man who didn't push the button
Article about a soviet soldier who deviated from Soviet protocol and did not launch a retaliatory nuclear strike even though their appeared to be an inbound attack in 1983.
Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) - Nuclear Museum
Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier | United States Courts
The 30th anniversary of Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier this year is an opportunity to reflect on the state of journalism in schools. Apply the 1988 Supreme Court precedent to this contemporary scenario in which the student vampire club posts controversial content on the school’s FaceLook page.
Walsh Iran / Contra Report
Full text of the independent counsel's investigation
The Iran-Contra Affair, 1983-1988
The Iran-Contra Affair: The Making of a Scandal: 1983-1988 reproduces on microfiche over 20,000 pages of rarely-seen documentation from the government as well as the private sector. The result is a uniquely integrated, thorough history of the policies, operations, and investigations that constituted the Affair, from the autumn of 1983 when Congress first put limits on official U.S. assistance to the Contras, to the criminal indictments of Oliver North, John Poindexter, Richard Secord, and Albert Hakim in spring, 1988.
Iran-Contra
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, National Archives and Records Administration
Extensive collection of resources and exhibits
Executive Orders signed by Ronald Reagan
List of all executive orders signed by President Reagan while in office with links to the text of each
Print Advertisements from the 80s
The American Experience | Reagan
Companion site for American Experience documentary. Includes timeline and extra information of people and events in film
The Living Room Candidate - Commercials - 1980
The site includes a searchable database of television commercials and features commentary, historical background, election results, and navigation organized by year, type of ad, and issue
Everything You Think You Know About the Collapse of the Soviet Union Is Wrong
Article attempts to explain why the collapse of the Soviet Union was such a surprise to the West, from Foreign Policy magazine.
The 2000 Election and the "War on Terrorism"
from Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States"
The Coming Revolt of the Guards
from Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States"
Metallica - Enter sandman (live in Moscow 1991) HD - YouTube
This is what is looks like when communism falls. Mikhail Gorbachev asked Metallica, AC/DC the Black Crowes to perform in the Soviet Union and perhaps as 1.5 million fans crammed into the Tushino airfield to rock in one of the largest concerts of all time. Although official estimates put the crowd at somewhere around 800,000, the seething sea of human emotion is awe inspiring.
How much should the nation invest in defense?
Great debate series. Two short readings with comprehension and critical thinking questions. Ronald Reagan speech in 1983 compares with the Center for Defense Information's "The Need for a Level Military Budget"
John Paul II : The New Yorker
More for teachers than students, this article explains the role of John Paul II in the end of the Cold War. All too often, survey courses ignore the deep catalog of developments, people and events that together drive history. Perhaps a spot lesson on the role of an individual, or perhaps an insight into the internecine machinations of both sides of the Cold War. Was the US behind the election of a Polish Pope? Was the May, 1981 assassination attempt ordered by the Soviets?
Understanding the Iran-Contra Affairs
With primary and secondary documents and analysis, this site from Brown University provides a comprehensive look at the Iran-Contra Affairs, but it provides a framework for thinking about other government controversies too.
Ronald Reagan launched political career using the Berkeley campus as a political target
All too often we look at historical figures out of the context of their entire lives. Ronald Reagan's experience as Governor of California say as much, if not more, about him and history than his experience as president.