Social History of the United States

1980s: The Unfinished Revolution

Andrew E. Hunt

Key Themes/Chapters:

1.Introduction: Social History and the Age of Conservatism

Chapter 1 Word Count: 5,000 Words

2.Moving Rightward
a.Conservatism Triumphant (1964-1980)
i.Timeline: 500 words
ii.Causes: 500 words
iii.Major Events: 500 words
iv.Theme 1: Barry Goldwater and the Rise of Conservatism, 500 words
v.Theme 2: New Right Social Movements of the 1970s, 500 words
vi.Sidebar: Women and the New Right, 250 words
vii.Theme 3: The California Tax Revolt (1978), 500 words
viii.Theme 4: Conservatism and Religion, 500 words
ix.Impact: 500 words
x.Biographies: 500 words
Sample Biographies: Phyllis Schlafly, Jerry Falwell, Richard Viguerie (New Right grassroots organizer), Howard Jarvis (California Tax Revolt leader), Anita Bryant.
xi.Bibliography and Weblinks: 250 words
b.The Pivotal Year: 1980
i.Timeline: 500 words
ii.Causes: 500 words
iii.Major Events: 500 words
iv.Theme 1: The Great Malaise, 500 words
v.Theme 2: The Iranian Hostage Crisis and Public Morale, 500 words
vi.Sidebar: Popular Resentment Toward Jimmy Carter, 250 words
vii.Theme 3: The Long Hot Summer of 1980, 500 words
viii.Theme 4: The 1980 Elections and the American People, 500 words
ix.Sidebar: A Class Divided: Working-Class Americans and Reagan, 250 words
x.Impact: 500 words
xi.Biographies: 500 words
Sample Biographies: John Anderson, Wayne Williams (convicted Atlanta child killer), Sonia Johnson (E.R.A. advocate, excommunicated from Mormon Church in 1979), Lane Kirkland, Deborah Harry (lead singer, Blondie).
xii.Bibliography and Weblinks: 250 words
c.The Age of Reagan
i.Timeline: 500 words
ii.Causes: 500 words
iii.Major Events: 500 words
iv.Theme 1: Ronald Reagan in the Popular Imagination, 500 words
v.Sidebar: Reagan's Enduring Popularity, 250 words
vi.Theme 2: The Air Traffic Controllers' Strike, 500 words
vii.Theme 3: Momentum Stalled: The Recession, 500 words
viii.Theme 4: Reaganomics and American Society, 500 words
ix.Impact: 500 words
x.Biographies: 500 words
Sample Biographies: David Stockman, Mitch Snyder (homeless rights advocate), Murray Rothbard (libertarian economist, foe of Reaganomics), Robert Lekachman (leftist economist, foe of Reaganomics), Kevin Phillips.
xi.Bibliography and Weblinks: 250 words
d.Celebrations of Wealth
i.Timeline: 500 words
ii.Causes: 500 words
iii.Major Events: 500 words
iv.Theme 1: Yuppie Nation, 500 words
v.Theme 2: The Rich and Popular Culture, 500 words
vi.Theme 3: The Redistribution of Wealth, 500 words
vii.Theme 4: Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, 500 words
viii.Impact: 500 words
ix.Biographies: 500 words
Sample Biographies: Donald Trump, Leona Helmsley, Ivan Boesky, Sam Walton, Jerry Rubin.
x.Bibliography and Weblinks: 250 words

Chapter 2 Word Count: 20,000 words.

3.Cold Wars, Hot Wars and the World Stage
a.America and the World
i.Timeline: 500 words
ii.Causes: 500 words
iii.Major Events: 500 words
iv.Theme 1: Reviving Anticommunism in American Society, 500 words
v.Theme 2: The New Cold War Culture, 500 words
vi.Sidebar: Rambo, 250 words
vii.Theme 3: The Military-Industrial Complex, 500 words
viii.Sidebar: Defense Industries and American Communities, 250 words
ix.Theme 4: Terrorism Abroad, Anxiety at Home, 500 words
x.Impact: 500 words
xi.Biographies: 500
xii.Bibliography and Weblinks: 250 words
b.The Centrality of Central America
i.Timeline: 400 words
ii.Causes: 400 words
iii.Major Events: 400 words
iv.Theme 1: Resisting the Reagan Doctrine: The Nicaraguan Revolution, 400 words
v.Theme 2: The Tragedy of El Salvador, 400 words
vi.Sidebar: CISPES (The Committee in Solidarity With the People of El Salvador), 200 words
vii.Theme 3: The Sanctuary Movement, 400 words
viii.Theme 4: Struggles for Democracy in Central America, 400 words
ix.Impact: 400 words
x.Biographies: 400 words
xi.Bibliography and Weblinks: 200 words
c.The War on Drugs
i.Timeline: 500 words
ii.Causes: 500 words
iii.Major Events: 500 words
iv.Theme 1: Illegal Drug Use in the 1980s, 500 words
v.Sidebar: Dealing Drugs, 250 words
vi.Theme 2: Crack, 500 words
vii.Theme 3: "Just Say No": The War on Drugs, 500 words
viii.Impact: 500 words
ix.Biographies: 500
x.Bibliography and Weblinks: 250 words
d.Legacies of Vietnam
i.Timeline: 500 words
ii.Causes: 500 words
iii.Major Events: 500 words
iv.Theme 1: The Vietnam War Memorial, 500 words
v.Theme 2: Vietnam Veterans in the 1980s, 1000 words, 500 words
vi.Sidebar: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, 250 words
vii.Theme 3: The Vietnam War in Popular Culture, 500 words
viii.Sidebar: Oliver Stone, 250 words
ix.Theme 4: The P.O.W./M.I.A. Controversy, 500 words
x.Impact: 500 words
xi.Biographies: 500
xii.Bibliography and Weblinks: 250 words

Chapter 3 Word Count: 20,000 words

4.A Nation of Nations: Diversity and Growth in America
a.Children and Families
i.Timeline: 500 words
ii.Causes: 500 words
iii.Major Events: 500 words
iv.Theme 1: Bringing Up Babies, 500 words
v.Theme 2: Divorce, 500 words
vi.Theme 3: Growing Up in the Eighties, 500 words
vii.Sidebar: Videogame Fever, 250 words
viii.Impact: 500 words
ix.Biographies: 500
x.Bibliography and Weblinks: 250 words
b.The New Immigrants
i.Timeline: 400 words
ii.Causes: 400 words
iii.Major Events: 400 words
iv.Theme 1: Latin Americans, 400 words
v.Sidebar: Coyotes y la Migra, 200 words
vi.Theme 2: Southeast Asians, 400 words
vii.Sidebar: "Boat People," 200 words
viii.Theme 3: Other New Immigrants, 400 words
ix.Theme 4: The New Nativism, 400 words
x.Impact: 400 words
xi.Biographies: 400
xii.Bibliography and Weblinks: 200 words
c.Minorities
i.Timeline: 400 words
ii.Causes: 400 words
iii.Major Events: 400 words
iv.Theme 1: African-Americans, 400 words
v.Sidebar: Racial Violence in the Early 1980s, 200 words
vi.Theme 2: Latinos, 400 words
vii.Theme 3: Asian-Americans, 400 words
viii.Theme 4: Native Americans, 400 words
ix.Impact: 400 words
x.Biographies: 400
xi.Bibliography and Weblinks: 200 words
d.Religions
i.Timeline: 400 words
ii.Causes: 400 words
iii.Major Events: 400 words
iv.Theme 1: Christianity, 400 words
v.Sidebar: The Decline of Televangelism, 200 words
vi.Theme 2: Judaism, 400 words
vii.Theme 3: Islamic America, 400 words
viii.Theme 4: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: A Case Study, 400 words
ix.Impact: 400 words
x.Biographies: 400
xi.Bibliography and Weblinks: 200 words
e.Rainbow Nation: Race Relations and Multiculturalism
i.Timeline: 400 words
ii.Causes: 400 words
iii.Major Events: 400 words
iv.Theme 1: Conservatives and Multiculturalism, 400 words
v.Sidebar: African-American Conservatives, 200 words
vi.Theme 2: African-Americans and Multiculturalism, 400 words
vii.Theme 3: Multiculturalism in Southern California, 400 words
viii.Theme 4: Assimilation and Racial Conflict in the 1980s, 400 words
ix.Impact: 400 words
x.Biographies: 400
xi.Bibliography and Weblinks: 200 words

Chapter 4 Word Count: 20,500 words

5.Culture Wars, Dissent and Other Conflicts
a.AIDS and Gay and Lesbian Liberation Struggles
i.Timeline: 400 words
ii.Causes: 400 words
iii.Major Events: 400 words
iv.Theme 1: Gays and Lesbians, 400 words
v.Theme 2: Gay and Lesbian Liberation Struggles, 400 words
vi.Sidebar: ACT UP, 200 words
vii.Theme 3: AIDS, 400 words
viii.Theme 4: Homophobia, Fear of AIDS and Tolerance, 400 words
ix.Impact: 400 words
x.Biographies: 400
xi.Bibliography and Weblinks: 200 words
b.Feminism and its Critics
i.Timeline: 400 words
ii.Causes: 400 words
iii.Major Events: 400 words
iv.Theme 1: The Decline of Feminism in the 1970s, 400 words
v.Sidebar: The Struggle Over the Equal Rights Amendment, 200 words
vi.Theme 2: Abortion, 400 words
vii.Theme 3: Women and Economic Opportunities, 400 words
viii.Theme 4: The "F" Word: Making Feminism Relevant Again, 400 words
ix.Impact: 400 words
x.Biographies: 400
xi.Bibliography and Weblinks: 200 words
c.The State of American Labor
i.Timeline: 400 words
ii.Causes: 400 words
iii.Major Events: 400 words
iv.Theme 1: The Automotive Industry in Transition, 400 words
v.Sidebar: Japanese Cars and the Limits of Economic Nationalism, 200 words
vi.Theme 2: The Hormel Strike, 400 words
vii.Theme 3: Unions in Retreat, 400 words
viii.Theme 4: Labor's Last Hurrah in the 1980s: The Pittston Strike, 400 words
ix.Impact: 400 words
x.Biographies: 400
xi.Bibliography and Weblinks: 200 words
d.Social Movements of the 1980s
i.Timeline: 400 words
ii.Causes: 400 words
iii.Major Events: 400 words
iv.Theme 1: No Nukes, 400 words
v.Sidebar: Protests Against Underground Nuclear Tests, 200 words
vi.Theme 2: The Animal Rights Movement, 400 words
vii.Theme 3: The Anti-Apartheid Movement, 400 words
viii.Theme 4: Social Movements and the Radical Right, 400 words
ix.Impact: 400 words
x.Biographies: 400
xi.Bibliography and Weblinks: 200 words
e.The American Left
i.Timeline: 400 words
ii.Causes: 400 words
iii.Major Events: 400 words
iv.Theme 1: What Ever Became of the 1960s? 400 words
v.Theme 2: Michael Harrington and the Heyday of Democratic Socialism, 600 words
vi.Theme 3: Anarchism, 400 words
vii.Theme 4: The Rainbow Coalition, 400 words
viii.Impact: 400 words
ix.Biographies: 400
x.Bibliography and Weblinks: 200 words

Chapter 5 Word Count: 20,000 Words

6.Consumerism and Class
a.Computers and Technology
i.Timeline: 400 words
ii.Causes: 400 words
iii.Major Events: 400 words
iv.Theme 1: The Personal Computer, 600 words
v.Theme 2: The Macintosh, 400 words
vi.Theme 3: VCRs and CD Players, 400 words
vii.Theme 4: TV Transformed: Cable Television, 400 words
viii.Impact: 400 words
ix.Biographies: 400
x.Bibliography and Weblinks: 200 words
b.Video Killed the Radio Star: MTV and its Discontents
i.Timeline: 400 words
ii.Causes: 400 words
iii.Major Events: 400 words
iv.Theme 1: The Emergence of MTV, 400 words
v.Biography Sidebar: Madonna, 400 words
vi.Theme 2: The Music Video and Popular Music, 400 words
vii.Theme 3: "MTV get off the air!": The Punk Rebellion, 400 words
viii.Sidebar: The Dead Kennedys, 200 words
ix.Impact: 400 words
x.Biographies: 400
xi.Bibliography and Weblinks: 200 words
c.Homes and Housing
i.Timeline: 400 words
ii.Causes: 400 words
iii.Major Events: 400 words
iv.Theme 1: Suburban Comforts and Suburban Anxieties, 400 words
v.Sidebar: The Subdivision Boom, 200 words
vi.Theme 2: Housing in Cities, 400 words
vii.Theme 3: Rural Living, 400 words
viii.Theme 4: Homelessness, 400 words
ix.Impact: 400 words
x.Biographies: 400
xi.Bibliography and Weblinks: 200 words
d.The Middle Class Ideal
i.Timeline: 400 words
ii.Causes: 400 words
iii.Major Events: 400 words
iv.Theme 1: Celebrations of Middle Class Life, 400 words
v.Sidebar: The Middle Class Idyllic in Popular Culture, 200 words
vi.Theme 2: The Elusive Ideal: Striving to Be Middle Class, 400 words
vii.Theme 3: Minorities and the Middle Class, 400 words
viii.Theme 4: Fears of a Shrinking Middle Class, 400 words
ix.Impact: 400 words
x.Biographies: 400
xi.Bibliography and Weblinks: 200 words
e.Poverty
i.Timeline: 400 words
ii.Causes: 400 words
iii.Major Events: 400 words
iv.Theme 1: The Assault on Social Welfare, 400 words
v.Theme 2: The Elderly and Poverty, 400 words
vi.Sidebar: Maggie Kuhn, 200 words
vii.Theme 3: The Feminization of Poverty, 400 words
viii.Theme 4: The Violence of Poverty, 400 words
ix.Impact: 400 words
x.Biographies: 400
xi.Bibliography and Weblinks: 200 words

Chapter 6 Word Count: 20,000 Words

7.Popular Culture, Leisure and Amusement
a.Youth Cultures
i.Timeline: 400 words
ii.Causes: 400 words
iii.Major Events: 400 words
iv.Theme 1: Teenage America, 400 words
v.Theme 2: Teen Culture, 400 words
vi.Sidebar: Youth Fashions, 400 words
vii.Theme 3: Dating, Courtship and Teen Sex, 400 words
viii.Sidebar: John Hughes Movies, 200 words
ix.Theme 4: College Life, 400 words
x.Impact: 400 words
xi.Biographies: 400
xii.Bibliography and Weblinks: 200 words
b.Music
i.Timeline, 400 words
ii.Causes: 400 words
iii.Major Events: 400 words
iv.Theme 1: New Music Revolutions, 400 words
v.Sidebar: The Us Music Festival (1982), 200 words
vi.Theme 2: "The Boss": Bruce Springsteen's America, 400 words
vii.Theme 3: Rap Music, 400 words
viii.Theme 4: Music With a Message, 400 words
ix.Impact: 400 words
x.Biographies: 400
xi.Bibliography and Weblinks: 200 words
c.The Printed Word
i.Timeline: 400 words
ii.Causes: 400 words
iii.Major Events: 400 words
iv.Theme 1: Nonfiction, 400 words
v.Sidebar: The Closing of the American Mind, by Allan Bloom, 200 words
vi.Theme 2: Fiction, 400 words
vii.Theme 3: The Mainstream Press, 400 words
viii.Theme 4: The Alternative Press, 400 words
ix.Impact: 400 words
x.Biographies: 400
xi.Bibliography and Weblinks: 200 words
d.Sports
i.Timeline: 400 words
ii.Causes: 400 words
iii.Major Events: 400 words
iv.Theme 1: Sports and Community, 400 words
v.Theme 2: The Los Angeles Olympics of 1984, 400 words
vi.Theme 3: Race and Sports, 400 words
vii.Sidebar: Mike Tyson, 200 words
viii.Theme 4: Sports and Labor: The Football Strike of 1987, 400 words
ix.Impact: 400 words
x.Biographies: 400
xi.Bibliography and Weblinks: 200 words
e.Cinema
i.Timeline: 400 words
ii.Causes: 400 words
iii.Major Events: 400 words
iv.Theme 1: The Birth of the Multiplex Theater, 400 words
v.Theme 2: The Decline and Fall of Drive-in Theaters, 400 words
vi.Theme 3: Box Office Hits and Escapism, 400 words
vii.Sidebar: Steven Spielberg, 200 words
viii.Theme 4: Independent Cinema and Documentary Films, 400 words
ix.Impact: 400 words
x.Biographies: 400
xi.Bibliography and Weblinks: 200 words

Chapter 7 Word Count: 20,000 Words

8.Transformations
a.From Rustbelt to Sunbelt: Demographic Shifts
i.Timeline: 500 words
ii.Causes: 500 words
iii.Major Events: 500 words
iv.Theme 1: Deindustrialization, 500 words
v.Theme 2: The Decline of the Industrial Heartland, 500 words
vi.Theme 3: The Ascendant Sunbelt, 500 words
vii.Sidebar: Atlanta in the Eighties, 250 words
viii.Theme 4: Population Growth in the West, 500 words
ix.Impact: 500 words
x.Biographies: 500
xi.Bibliography and Weblinks: 250 words
b.The Environment
i.Timeline: 500 words
ii.Causes: 500 words
iii.Major Events: 500 words
iv.Theme 1: The Reagan Revolution and the Environment, 500 words
v.Theme 2: Acid Rain, Holes in the Ozone and Greenhouse Effects: Environmental Crises of the 1980s, 500 words
vi.Theme 3: The Exxon Valdez Disaster (1989), 500 words
vii.Theme 4: The Environmentalist Movement, 500 words
viii.Sidebar: Case Study: The Environmental Justice Movement in Warren County, North Carolina, 250 words
ix.Impact: 500 words
x.Biographies: 500
xi.Bibliography and Weblinks: 250 words
c.The Reagan Revolution Evaluated
i.Timeline: 500 words
ii.Causes: 500 words
iii.Major Events: 500 words
iv.Theme 1: The Hourglass Society, 500 words
v.Theme 2: The Triumph of Corporate Culture, 500 words
vi.Theme 3: Life in the Military After the Cold War, 500 words
vii.Sidebar: The War Economy Endures, 250 words
viii.Theme 4: The Reagan Revolution and American Families, 500 words
ix.Impact: 500 words
x.Biographies: 500
xi.Bibliography and Weblinks: 250 words
d.The End of an Era
i.Timeline: 500 words
ii.Causes: 500 words
iii.Major Events: 500 words
iv.Theme 1: American Society in the Bush-Quayle Years, 500 words
v.Theme 2: A Weakened Economy: 1989-1992, 500 words
vi.Theme 3: Race Relations in the Late Eighties, 500 words
vii.Theme 4: Operation Desert Storm, 500 words
viii.Sidebar: Patriotic Fervor During the Gulf War, 250 words
ix.Theme 4: Malaise Revisited, 500 words
x.Impact: 500 words
xi.Biographies: 500
xii.Bibliography and Weblinks: 250 words

Chapter 8 Word Count: 20,000 Words



TOTAL WORD COUNT: 145,500 Words