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Ch. 20: Nixon Presidency. OSHA- govt. agency that was to make sure that all work places were considered safe DEA- created to combat the rise of drug abuse during the late 1960s EPA- goal was to protect and clean up the environment.
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Ch. 20: Nixon Presidency • OSHA- govt. agency that was to make sure that all work places were considered safe • DEA- created to combat the rise of drug abuse during the late 1960s • EPA- goal was to protect and clean up the environment
26th Amendment- gave 18 year olds the right to vote in federal elections • Realpolitik- goal was to focus on realistic political goals • Nixon Doctrine- said that Asian nations needed to protect themselves and can not rely on the U.S. military • Goal was to prevent another Vietnam
US-China Relations- Nixon improved relations with a 1972 visit to Beijing which led to more trade • Nixon also visited Moscow and improved relations • Détente- relaxation of tensions between US and Russia
Nixon’s greatest accomplishments was his foreign policy efforts • His visits to Russia and China were major events of the 1970s • SALT Talks- US and Russia agreed to reduce the size of their nuclear arsenal
Presidency in Crisis • Spiro Agnew- VP resigned under suspicion that he took bribes as the governor of Maryland • Watergate Complex was the home of the Democratic Headquarters
5 men were arrested for breaking in • 1972- Nixon wins the presidency by a huge margin • Writers for the Washington Post accused the White House of the break-in
Senate began to hold hearings investigating the break in • Nixon said he knew nothing about the break in • Senate Committee learned that Nixon taped all of his conversations in the White House
Nixon claimed executive privileges and said he didn’t have to turn over the tapes • Nixon v. U.S.- said Nixon had to turn over the tapes • 18 minutes of the tape were blank (very controversial)
Senate Committee found that Nixon knew nothing of the break in but tried to cover it up • 1974- House of Representatives recommended that Nixon be impeached • Aug. 8th 1974 Nixon Resigns
Watergate Legacy • Presidents power was greatly weakened • People began to distrust govt. officials • Shows that checks & balances actually works
New President • Gerald Ford became VP after Agnew resigned and President after Nixon quit • Ford selected Nelson Rockefeller of NY as his VP
1st time in American history when the Pres. & VP were not elected by the people • Ford pardoned Nixon of any crimes dealing with Watergate • Very controversial decision
1st Oil Crisis • U.S depends heavily on oil from the Middle East • OPEC placed an embargo on oil to the U.S. in 1973 • Gas prices skyrocketed to all time highs
People had to buy gas on odd/even days • U.S. automobile industry was badly damaged • Commonly called the “Energy Crisis”
Energy Crisis • Led to a large demand for foreign cars (Rice Burners) • Alaskan Pipeline was built • 1974 embargo ended • U.S. still relies on M.E. oil
Carter’s Presidency • Election of 1976- Jimmy Carter (D) vs. Gerald Ford (R) • Carter became the 1st southern president since 1848 in a very close election
Carter’s Leadership • Great intentions but did little • His party ended up hating him • Seldom followed through with his plans • Changed his mind a lot
Cared about human rights • Amnesty for Draft Evaders- pardoned all those that dodge the draft during Vietnam • Three Mile Island- 1979 partial meltdown of a nuclear plant in Pennsylvania • U.S. began to move away from the use of nuclear power
Middle East in Turmoil • U.S. supports democratic Israel • U.S. supports Arab states for a steady supply of oil • Prevent USSR influences • Goal was to keep peace
Middle East Mediation • Camp David Accords (1979) • Historic peace agreement between Egypt and Israel • Carter mediated it and it was considered his only good thing
1979 USSR invades Afghanistan • U.S. condemns them and boycotts 1980 Olympics in Moscow • Afghanistan is called the USSR’s Vietnam
Iranian Hostage Crisis • 1979 Carter allows the former Shah of Iran to come to the U.S. for medical help • Iranians were angry and took over the U.S. embassy
Iran wanted the Shah for trial and Carter refused to turn him over • 1980 Carter initiated a military rescue but it failed • Hostage crisis greatly hurt his reelection effort
1980 Election- Reagan destroys Carter and the day he takes office the hostages are released • Carter Legacy- he had great intentions but failed on almost everything he did