The Age of Reagan Background : Most of us have lived much of our lives in the “Age of Reagan,” a period  that dates from 1980 and that may still be ongoing today. Historians increasingly agree that the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980 represented a “revolution” in American society and, particularly, its politics. Review Reagan’s presidential career to explain what about it precisely was so “revolutionary.” Resources:  When writing your response, draw from material in the following video: Isbouts, J. & Johnson, B. D. (Writers) & Johnson, B. D. (Director). (1998).   Powerplay: End of the empire [Television series episode]. In J. Florescu, J. Isbouts, & B. Johnson (Executive producers), Inside the Cold War with Sir David Frost. Los Angeles, CA: Porchlight Entertainment & David Paradine Television. Retrieved from http://digital.films.com/OnDemandEmbed.aspx?Token=8398&aid=18596&Plt=FOD&loid=0&w=640&h=480&ref= Also, draw from AT LEAST TWO of the documents listed below: (1994).   “Equal rights are not special”: Advocates call for an end to anti-gay employment discrimination .  In Employment Discrimination Against Gay Men and Lesbians , 103d Congress, 2d Session, June 20, 1994. Retrieved from http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6463 Alley, R. (2001). Experimenting with our liberties . Retrieved from http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5666  Apuzzo, V. (1983).   “A time bomb inside of you”: Social service organizations advocate an improved federal response to AIDS . In Federal Response to AIDS: Hearings before a Subcommittee of the Committee on Government Operations, House of Representatives , 98th Cong., 1st Sess., August 1 and 2, 1983. Retrieved from http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6893  Barack, O. (2009, Sept. 9). Address to Congress . Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-250_162-5299229.html  Buchanan, P. (1992, Aug. 17). Address to the Republican national convention . Available at http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/patrickbuchanan1992rnc.htm Carter, J. (1979, July 15). A crisis of confidence . Retrieved from http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/carter-confidence.htm Clinton, W. (1995, April 23). Oklahoma bombing memorial prayer service address . Retrieved from http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/wjcoklahomabombingspeech.htm Cosby, B. (2004, May 17). Address at the NAACP on the 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education . Retrieved from http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/billcosbypoundcakespeech.htm  Hill, A. (1991, Oct. 11). Testimony to Senate Judiciary Committee . Retrieved from http://www.speeches-usa.com/Transcripts/126_hill.html Houghton, T. (1992). “There’s been no real creative response”: Ted Houghton on homelessness in New York City . Retrieved from http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/7045 Kennedy, E. (1980, Aug. 12) .  Address to the Democratic national convention . Retrieved from http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/tedkennedy.h Reagan, R. (1982, June 8). Address to British Parliament . Retrieved from.

1. The Age of Reagan
Background
:
Most of us have lived much of our lives in the “Age of Reagan,”
a period that dates from 1980 and that may still be ongoing
today. Historians increasingly agree that the election of Ronald
Reagan in 1980 represented a “revolution” in American society
and, particularly, its politics. Review Reagan’s presidential
career to explain what about it precisely was so “revolutionary.”
Resources:
When writing your response, draw from material in the
following video:
Isbouts, J. & Johnson, B. D. (Writers) & Johnson, B. D.
(Director). (1998).
Powerplay: End of the empire
[Television series episode]. In J. Florescu, J. Isbouts, & B.
Johnson (Executive producers),
Inside the Cold War with Sir David Frost.
Los Angeles, CA: Porchlight Entertainment & David Paradine
Television. Retrieved from
http://digital.films.com/OnDemandEmbed.aspx?Token=8398&ai
d=18596&Plt=FOD&loid=0&w=640&h=480&ref=
Also, draw from
AT LEAST TWO
of the documents listed below:
(1994).
“Equal rights are not special”: Advocates call for an end to anti-
gay employment discrimination
. In
Employment Discrimination Against Gay Men and Lesbians
, 103d Congress, 2d Session, June 20, 1994. Retrieved from
http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6463
Alley, R. (2001).

2. Experimenting with our liberties
. Retrieved from http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5666
Apuzzo, V. (1983).
“A time bomb inside of you”: Social service organizations
advocate an improved federal response to AIDS
. In
Federal Response to AIDS: Hearings before a Subcommittee of
the Committee on Government Operations, House of
Representatives
, 98th Cong., 1st Sess., August 1 and 2, 1983. Retrieved from
http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6893
Barack, O. (2009, Sept. 9).
Address to Congress
. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-250_162-
5299229.html
Buchanan, P. (1992, Aug. 17).
Address to the Republican national convention
. Available at
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/patrickbuchanan199
2rnc.htm
Carter, J. (1979, July 15).
A crisis of confidence
.
Retrieved from http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/carter-
confidence.htm
Clinton, W. (1995, April 23).
Oklahoma bombing memorial prayer service address
. Retrieved from
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/wjcoklahomabombin
gspeech.htm
Cosby, B. (2004, May 17).

3. Address at the NAACP on the 50th anniversary of Brown v.
Board of Education
. Retrieved from
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/billcosbypoundcakes
peech.htm
Hill, A. (1991, Oct. 11).
Testimony to Senate Judiciary Committee
. Retrieved from http://www.speeches-
usa.com/Transcripts/126_hill.html
Houghton, T. (1992).
“There’s been no real creative response”: Ted Houghton on
homelessness in New York City
. Retrieved from http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/7045
Kennedy, E. (1980, Aug. 12)
.
Address to the Democratic national convention
. Retrieved from
http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/tedkennedy.h
Reagan, R. (1982, June 8).
Address to British Parliament
. Retrieved from http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/reagan-
parliament.htm
United States Supreme Court. (1973, Jan. 22).
Roe v. Wade
majority decision
. Retrieved from
http://www.vlib.us/amdocs/texts/roevwade.html
Instructions
: After reviewing your Instructor’s Guidance and completing the
weekly reading assignments (including those in the resource
section below), please post a substantive discussion post of at
least 200 words that analyzes the “Reagan Revolution” and its
impact on American society and culture. Please use the

4. following questions as the basis of your analysis:
Compare his approach to politics and foreign affairs with those
of his predecessors, and assess the ways that his successors
either built upon or attempted to reverse his legacy. Explain
why so many Americans opposed Reagan’s policies and those of
his successors. Consider also the social and cultural changes
that took place during the Age of Reagan. Finally, assess the
success of the “Reagan Revolution” by identifying which
problems it ameliorated and which it exacerbated. In your
response, consider AT LEAST TWO of the following topics,
with regard to how both Reagan and his successors handled or
contributed to them:
The economy
The federal debt
Federal regulation
Social welfare
Public health
Race relations
Gender equality
Foreign affairs
Before writing your response, reflect upon the topic by
considering the following questions:
How revolutionary was the Reagan Revolution and how was it
revolutionary? Consider the following topics and look at one or
two in detail:
The economy
The federal debt
Federal regulation
Social welfare
Public health
Race relations
Gender equality
Foreign affairs
In what ways was it beneficial to the American nation and in
what ways was it detrimental?
Did the positives outweigh the negatives or vice versa?

5. Did the Reagan Revolution make the American nation more
united or more divided?
What cultural issues caused the most friction during the Age of
Reagan?
Is the Age of Reagan still underway?
Your initial post should be at least 200 words in length. Support
your claims with examples from the required material(s) and
properly cite any references. You may use additional scholarly
sources to support your points if you choose. Respond to at
least two of your classmates’ posts by Day 7 in at least 100
words. When responding to classmates, you should refer to the
material from one of the sources which you did not reference in
your initial post.