U.S. Presidents 1969-2008

Richard Nixon (1969-1974)

Foreign Affairs1. VietnamStarts removing U.S. troops from Vietnam

(Vietnamization)Begins bombings in North Vietnam & Vietcong

supply lines through CambodiaNew York Times v. U.S. – Supreme Court rules

that the New York Times newspaper is allowed to print the Pentagon Papers, revealing secret military operations in Vietnam in 1973

Nixon withdraws all troops from Vietnam

Richard Nixon (1969-1974)

War Powers Act 1973- in reaction to Nixon bombing Cambodia, Congress passed the War Powers Act to repeal the Tonkin Gulf Resolution; president only allowed to send troops into an area for 60-90 days with-out Congress approval.

Détente – a relaxation of tensions with communist nations (China, USSR)

U.S. signs SALT – Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty

Realpolitik – treating a country based on it’s power not it’s ideology(attempt to end Red Scare)

ChinaNixon visits mainland China – first US

President to do soRecognizes communist China and China is

admitted to United Nations in 1979

Soviet Union

26th amendment passed – lowers voting age to 18

New Federalism – Nixon’s social policy

OSHA – Occupational Safety and Health Administration

DEA – Drug Enforcement AgencyEPA- Environmental Protection Agency

created in 1970Clean Air Act(1970) –law that regulated

industry and toxins disposed of illegally.

Domestic Affairs

President Nixon orders a break-in into Democratic Party headquarters at the Watergate Hotel

His people get caught and attempted cover-up failsNixon forced to resign or face impeachment

United States v. Nixon – President Nixon refuses to give up Oval Office tapes as evidence of his knowledge of the Watergate break-in – claims executive privilege

Supreme Court orders Nixon to give up tapesSignificance – president is NOT above the lawNixon forced to resign in August 1974 or face

impeachment

 

Watergate

Pardoned Nixon for his crimes – cost him election)

Gerald Ford (1974-1976)

Jimmy Carter (1977-1981)

Foreign Affairs

Signs SALT II with Soviet Union – limits short range missile production

Camp David Accords – peace treaty between Israel & Egypt; ended 30 years of war between the two nations

1979 – Iranian Revolutionaries storm the U.S. embassy, led by Ayatollah Khomeini; taking 53 hostages (released after 444 days)

Détente ends when Soviets invade Afghanistan Carter puts embargo act on grain sales to the Soviets U.S. boycotts 1980 Moscow Olympic 5. Panama canal treaty- U. S. Promises to return the canal to

Panama in 1999 after having leased it for almost a hundred years.

  

Jimmy Carter (1977-1981)

Domestic Affairs

Energy crisis – organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries(OPEC) increases oil prices.

Three Mile Island- Nuclear power plant overheats and radiation is released

100,000 residents evacuated(Pennsylvania and surrounding communities)

Jimmy Carter (1977-1981)

3. Love Canal-late 1970’s- Niagara Falls residents become sick due to buried to toxic wastes discovered from Hooker chemical plant and other surrounding industries. Still an issue today! Houses are NOT selling.

4. Pardoned ALL draft evaders.

Jimmy Carter (1977-1981)

Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)

Foreign AffairsConsiders the Soviet Union to be the “Evil empire” Increased terrorism – airplanes hijacked (Pan-Am

Flight 101)Gave aid to Latin American nations fighting

communism in NicaraguaContras – received money from Reagan to fight

communism (Reagan bypassed Congress’s approval)Sandinistas – communist regime in Nicaragua

Reagan changes hard-line attitude towards Soviets when Mikail Gorbachev takes power – Soviet Union collapses in 1991.

Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)

Foreign AffairsConsiders the Soviet Union to be the “ Evil

Empire” Increased terrorism – airplanes hijacked(Pan-Am

Flight 101)Gave aid to Latin American nations fighting

communism in NicaraguaContras – received money from Reagan to fight

communism (Reagan bypassed Congress’s approval)Sandinistas – communist regime in Nicaragua

Reagan changes hard-line attitude towards Soviets when Mikail Gorbachev takes power – Soviet Union collapses in 1991

Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)

Domestic AffairsSupply-Side Economics a.k.a. “Reaganomics”

Giving money and tax breaks to businesses in hopes that business would pass along that money to workers

Known as “ Trickle – Down Economy”Cutting back of Federal Regulation of Industry

Lowers federal spending on social programs but increases defense spending(called Strategic Defense Initiative-SDI-media nicknamed it “Star Wars”)

Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)

A. HIV/AIDS emerges among gay men and IV drug users in 1982

B. Lack of knowledge of how AIDS is spread caused fear, panic and social stigma across America

C. Reagan largely ignores the crisis at first; little federal funding for research from federal government until mid to late 1980’s

HIV/AIDS

George H. Bush (1989-1993)

Foreign AffairsEnd of Soviet Communism

Fall of Eastern Europe Soviet satellites Fall of the Soviet Union (now called Russia) Berlin Wall comes down End of the Cold War

 Persian Gulf War

Iraq, led by Saddam Hussein, invades Kuwait With approval from Congress, Bush leads military operation to

free Kuwait 1. Operation Desert Shield 2. Operation Desert Storm

Iraq withdraws from Kuwait, but Saddam Hussein remains in power

George H. Bush (1989-1993)

Domestic AffairsIncreased taxes to pay for the Persian Gulf War

His campaign promise was “Read my lips. No new taxes.”

Economy goes into a short recession(causes Bush to lose re-election in 1992)

George H. Bush (1989-1993)

William Jefferson Clinton (1993-2000)

Foreign Affairs

1. sends peace keeping forces into Bosnia-Milosevic genocide, ignores Rewanda

2. NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) No tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico Some U. S. businesses move to Mexico because

operating costs are lower.

3. Palestianian/Israeli ; Conflict continues

William Jefferson Clinton (1993-2000)

Domestic Affairs Failure to pass National Health Care Reform bill

(headed by Hillary Clinton) Family Leave Act – person can takes leave from job

for family reasons without risk of losing job Monica & Impeachment

Brought up on impeachment charges for committing perjury (lying under oath)

U.S. economy stable during his presidency

Instituted the “Don’t Ask, Don’t tell” policy in the military--prevents gay men and lesbians from serving openly in the armed services.

William Jefferson Clinton (1993-2000)

Foreign Affairs9/11 – surprise attack on World Trade Center and PentagonWar in Afghanistan – against TalibanWar in Iraq – Why did U.S. go in?

Looking for weapons of mass destruction (WMD) – not found allegedly transferred to Syria and other networks involved in terrorism

Claimed Iraq supplied funding to Al Qaeda

 Domestic IssuesEconomy not good (turbulent, unstable)

Why? Loss of manufacturing jobs Outsourcing - sending jobs to other countries

George W. Bush (2000-2008)

Map of Middle East