The 1970s

Nixon, Ford, & Carter

Learning Targets

• I can evaluate the domestic and foreign policies of the Nixon administration.

• I can trace the developments that led to Nixon’s resignation.

• I can characterize the social, political, and economic climate of the 1970s.

• I can evaluate the presidency of Jimmy Carter.

The Election of 1968

• Robbie Kennedy- kilt after winning California Primary

• Democratic National Convention– VP Hubert Humphrey

• American Independent Party– George Wallace

The Election of 1968

• Rep. Richard Nixon– VP Spiro Agnew

• The Southern Strategy• “Honorable peace”

Foreign Policy

• Détente• USSR & Soviet Union• Realpolitik• Balance of power• Henry Kissinger– NSC & Sec. of State

Foreign Policy

• China (72)• USSR (72)– SALT I– ABM– “Grain Deal”

• Ends in ‘79 w/Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan

Foreign Policy

• Tet Offensive (68)• Secret plan• “Vietnamization”– 500K to 25K by ‘73– Nixon Doctrine– Stepped up bombing

campaigns

• My Lai Massacre (69)• Pentagon Papers (71)

Domestic Happenings

• Kent State (May 4, 1970)

• Pentagon Papers Published (71)

• “Silent Majority”

Domestic Happenings

• 70s Inflation & Stagnation- “stagflation”– Deficit Spending

• Growing Military• Vietnam• Welfare

– Competition– Energy prices

• Price and Wage Freeze

Domestic Happenings

• Civil Rights– Opposed “forced bussing”– affirmative action

“Philadelphia Plan”– Endorsed ERA

• OSHA• Environmental Protection

Agency (70)– Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring

(62)– Clean Air Act (72)– Endangered Species Act (73)

Election of 1972

• Dem- George McGovern• American Independent-

George Wallace• Nixon- emphasizes his

role in “winding down” the war– “Peace is at hand.”

Scandal & Resignation

• Nixon’s personality• The “yes” men

– Chief of Staff H.R. Haldeman

– Chief Domestic Policy Advisor John Erlichman

• The List (71)• CREEP• White House “Plumbers”

– Daniel Ellsberg

Scandal and Resignation

• Watergate (summer 72)• The role of the Press:– Bob Woodward & Carl

Bernstein (Washington Post)

• Senate investigates (73)• The tapes & Executive

Privilege• Saturday Night

Massacre

Scandal and Resignation

• Spiro Agnew• Gerald Ford• US v. Nixon• July 30, 1974• August 5, 1974• August 7, 1974: Nixon

Resigns

The Legacy of the Last 40 Years“The Imperial Presidency”

• FDR• Truman• Eisenhower• Johnson• Nixon• War Powers Act (1973)• Federal Elections

Campaign Act (1972)• Privacy Act

Gerald Ford: All you need to know

• First Unelected President

• Pardons Nixon in September

• Plagued by “stagflation”– “WIN” buttons

• Fall of South Vietnam (75)

Jimmy Carter

• Ford losses ‘76 Election to Jimmy Carter (D)

• “Washington outsider”• “I will never lie to you.”

Carter: Domestic Policy

• Amnesty for Vietnam draft dodgers (10,000)

• Department of Education and Department of Energy

• Still plagued by “stagflation” & unemployment

Foreign Policy

• Tensions between Israel and surrounding Arab countries– Israel recognized in ‘48– Suez Crisis in ’56– “Six Day War” ’67– Yom Kippur War ‘73

• Energy Crisis (73) or the “Oil Crisis”

• OPEC

Foreign Policy

• Camp David Accords (78)– Anwar Sadat (Egypt)– Menachem Begin (Israel)

• Official US Recognition of China

• SALT II• Soviets invade

Afghanistan (79)

Foreign Policy

• Iranian Revolution (78)– CIA under Eisenhower

placed Shah in power (53)

– Iranians overthrow the Shah in ’78, he flees

– Ayatollah Khomeini & Iranian, Islamic Theocracy

• Shah comes to US for medical care

Foreign Policy: Iranian Hostage Crisis

• Iranians demand return of Shah

• Iranians capture US Embassy in Iran, take 52 hostages

• Carter froze Iranian assets in the US; initiated trade embargo

• Rescue attempt (80)• Hostages released after

444 days

1980 Election

• “New Right”• Moral Majority of Jerry

Fallwell • The “Regan Revolution”

Reagan Summed• Government should be business oriented-this creates jobs and

increases tax revenue• Size of gov. should be reduced and run itself like a business, not

spending more than it takes in.• Excessive taxes hurt the economy.• Excessive regulation hurts the economy.• Government cannot solve the types of problems it tries to solve

with welfare programs.• Big government suppresses freedom.• Government should not try to redistribute wealth.• The best government is the one closest to the people- state and

local.