A CRISIS IN CONFIDENCE, 1969-1980

1. A CRISIS IN CONFIDENCE, 1969-1980 America: Past and Present Chapter 31

2. Nixon in Power • Apparent success in first term • Triumphs in foreign affairs • Nixon cuts himself off from Congress, his own cabinet, and the nation

3. Reshaping the Great Society • Nixon and the Great Society • more efficient administration • shift responsibility to the states • shift school desegregation to the courts • Shift to conservative Supreme Court • appointment of conservatives and moderates • Burger Court similar to Warren Court • Pace of change slows but continues

4. Nixonomics • Nixon and inflation • inflation spurred by Vietnam • federal spending cuts • interest rates forced up • 1970--Nixon-induced recession • 1971--wage and price controls • Economy revives

5. Building a Republican Majority • Nixon obsessed about reelection • Inactive on desegregation to win South • Attack cultural revolution to win “middle America” • Democrats retain majority by joining crusade against drugs, crime

6. In Search of Détente • Foreign-policy assumptions • Cold War to be managed, not won • America must make a strategic retreat • improve relations with China to neutralize Russia • February 1972--Nixon visits China

7. In Search of Détente:Outcome of China Visit • February 1972--U.S. recognition of Communist China set in motion • May 1972--Russians sign SALT I • Apparent mutual desire to reduce Cold War tensions

8. Ending the Vietnam War • Nixon’s plan • gradual reduction of American troops • intensify American bombing • hard line at the peace talks • 1970--invasion of Cambodia • January, 1973--peace talks conclude with disguised American surrender

9. The Crisis of Democracy • June, 1972--Nixon agents arrested for attempted Watergate break-in • Nixon stonewalled the press about White House involvement • even instructed aides to lie under oath

10. The Election of 1972 • Nixon’s opponents • American Independent George Wallace--shot and disabled, followers vote for Nixon • Democrat George McGovern--nomination alienates middle class • Nixon landslide suggests new alignment • middle class shifting to Republicans • African Americans, Jews, the poor remain strongly Democratic

12. The Watergate Scandal • Summer 1973--Senate investigation • damaging Senate hearings on cover-up • White House tapes discovered • Summer 1974 • Nixon must relinquish tapes • House Judiciary committee recommends impeachment • August 9, 1974--Nixon resigns

13. The Watergate Scandal: Consequences • Demonstrates growing power of the executive branch • Illustrates vitality of institutions • the press • the federal judiciary • Congress

14. Energy and the Economy • U.S. way of life based on cheap energy • 1970s energy crisis sparks inflation

15. The October War • October, 1973--Yom Kippur War pits Egypt, Syria against Israel • U.S. supplies weapons to Israel • Arab oil nations retaliate with boycott • prices of gasoline and home heating fuel rose sharply

16. The Oil Shocks • Effects of soaring oil prices • consumer spending plunges • recession by 1974 • inflation persists through 1970s • Tax cut aids recovery • 1979--Iranian Revolution causes second surge in oil prices

17. The Oil Shocks: Price Increases of Crude Oil and Gasoline, 1973-1985

18. The Search for an Energy Policy • Ford tries to encourage production • Carter tries to encourage conservation • Congressional legislation to • encourage production, e.g. Alaska pipeline • encourage conservation, e.g. gas rationing • Energy problem persists

19. The Great Inflation • Oil prices drive inflation • price of goods soars • real income declines • Attempted government controls result in record high interest rates

20. The Shifting American Economy • U.S. share of world markets declines • U.S. heavy industry declines • High technology prospers • Businesses tend to diversify

21. Private Lives—Public Issues • Traditional American family gives way to more diverse living arrangements • Number of working women increases sharply • Gay rights movement emerges

22. The Changing American Family: Family Life by 1990 • 21% of women solely in childrearing • 30% of married coupes without children • 25% of households consist of one adult • Birthrate begins to climb after 15-year fall • Divorce rate levels and drops slightly

23. The Changing American Family: New Family Structure • Many never marry or postpone marriage • Most mothers work outside the home • Proportion of single-parent households doubled • Women without partners head 1/3 of impoverished families • Children comprise 40% of the poor

24. Types of Households in the United States, 2000

25. Gains and Setbacks for Women • Rapid movement of women into work force • Breakthroughs for women • leaders in industry, higher education • Roe v. Wade strengthens reproductive rights • women appointed to Supreme Court • Resistance • most women remain in female-dominated jobs • wages only 77.5% of men’s earnings • Equal Rights Amendment fails • abortion widely stigmatized

26. Voting on the Equal Rights Amendment

27. The Gay Liberation Movement • 1969--Stonewall Riot sparks gay rights movement • 1980--Democrats include gay rights plank • 1980s--AIDS activism • 1987--600,000 march on Washington • 1993--“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy a setback • 1996--Defense of Marriage Act prohibits state recognition of same-sex unions • 2000--Vermont legalizes same-sex “civil unions”

29. Politics After Watergate • Watergate erodes public trust • Confrontation leaves nation leaderless

30. The Ford Administration • Pardon of Nixon unpopular • Democratic Congress alienated • disclosure of illegal CIA activities under Kennedy and Johnson • opposes Democratic bills protecting the environment and civil rights

31. The 1976 Campaign • Ford damaged by Watergate • Democrat Jimmy Carter wins close vote • former governor of Georgia • campaigns as outsider • calls for decency, morality in government

33. Disenchantment with Carter • Carter displays lack of political vision • Outsider status hampers effectiveness • 1979--Carter blames American people for "national malaise"

34. From Détente to Renewed Cold War • U.S. international dominance declined sharply in the 1970s • Internal and external events weakened foreign policy

35. Retreat in Asia • April 1975--North Vietnam captures Saigon • U.S. response--evacuation, no aid • Subsequent incidents met with caution, restraint

36. Accommodation in Latin America • 1977--treaty returns Panama Canal to Panama • 1979--U.S. refuses aid to Nicaraguan government against Sandinistas • Carter assists El Salvador against Marxist rebels

37. The Quest for Peace in the Middle East • Carter’s success • 1978--Camp David Accords • 1979--Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty • Carter’s failure • 1979--Iranian Revolution • November--U.S. embassy in Teheran invaded, 58 Americans taken hostage • Carter fails to secure hostages’ release

38. The Cold War Resumes • Carter, Brzezinski shift from Détente • condemn Soviet human rights abuses • new missile systems deployed • increased aid to China • December, 1979--Russians invade Afghanistan

39. A Failed Presidency • Carter lost public confidence during the Iranian hostage crisis • Double-digit inflation also contributed to voter disappointment