America in the 70s-80s: Ford, Carter & Reagan Era

1. Chapter 30 Sections 2-3 America in the 70s-80s Ford, Carter & Reagan

2. President Gerald Ford • Former Michigan Congressman and Vice President under Richard Nixon • Known for his honesty and hard-working attitude • Ford was the only person to serve as President who wasn’t elected either President or Vice President by the people Gerald Ford – 38th President of the United States

3. Ford as President • Ended Watergate scandal by pardoning President Nixon • Ford’s popularity dropped drastically • Proposed WIN – Whip Inflation Now (cut spending and energy usage) • Asked Congress to help South Vietnam when cease-fire broke in 1974 • Negotiated the Helsinki Accords – spelling out basic human rights

4. Jimmy Carter as President • Elected as an outsider • Faced severe energy crisis (shortages of oil and natural gas) • Plagued by high unemployment and inflation • Panama Canal Treaty • Camp David Accords

5. Iran Hostage Crisis • Islamic leaders in Iran overthrew the Shah and installed a fundamentalist Islamic government • Nov. 1979 – 52 Americans were taken hostage from the U.S. Embassy in Tehran • Americans blamed Carter for failing to secure the hostages’ return • Was Carter making the U.S. look weak in the world?

6. Ronald Reagan • Elected President in 1980 as a Republican • Former actor and governor of California • Represented a more conservative voice for America • Iran Hostage Crisis ends with hostages released the day of Reagan’s inauguration • Survived assassination attempt - 1981

7. Reagan’s Conservative Goals • Lower Taxes (supply side economics) – People keep more of their own money. Business productivity would drive prices down (often called “Reaganomics”) • Lower taxes combined with increased military spending led to huge budget deficits • Economy grew at record rates / inflation fell / unemployment dropped

8. Reagan’s Conservative Goals • A Conservative Supreme Court – Conservative justices on the Supreme Court would use a strict interpretation of the Constitution – similar to Reagan’s beliefs • Reagan named the first woman to the Court – Justice Sandra Day O’Connor

9. Reagan and the Cold War • Reagan strongly opposed Communism • He set out to reverse the “détente” policies of the past and confront the “Evil Empire” of the Soviet Union • But how do you defeat communism in the Soviet Union without risking nuclear war?

10. Reagan’s Solutions • Oversaw a huge buildup in American defense spending with 2 trillion dollars being spent over 8 years (on programs like SDI and the B-1 Bomber) • America’s defense spending caused the Soviets to match the trillions spent with build-ups of their own • When the Soviet economy couldn’t handle the budget deficits, Soviet leaders were forced to make concessions to the U.S.

11. SDI – Strategic Defense Initiative • Reagan’s SDI plan was designed to send U.S. missiles into space to intercept any incoming missiles towards our borders • Plan was dubbed “Star Wars” by opponents for its Science Fiction characteristics • The plan did require the Soviets to make concessions and respect our power – even though SDI was never put into place

12. Reagan and Gorbachev • Reagan met with Mikhail Gorbachev to discuss relations • The two signed several treaties that improved relations • The “leverage” created by America’s defense buildup allowed Reagan to “push” Gorbachev further on many reforms • Soviet Union collapses in early 1990s