The 1980 Presidential Election of Ronald Reagan marked in important moment in domestic and international politics, American conservatism, the Republican party, and the economic trajectory of the nation. Scholars and instructors return to this era, a period that includes the Star Wars Crisis, the Iran-Contra scandal, as a crystallization of the 70s, an introduction to the 80s, and a lynchpin of contemporary history.

In five short chapters and historical documents, The 1980 Presidential Election situates the contentious history of this famous election while teaching students about the...