The End to a Century

1. The End to a Century Four Decades of Somewhat Calm 1968-2008

2. Medicare Care for the Elderly Medicaid Aid to the Poor LBJ’s Great Society – Welfare Reform Food Stamps Program Most of the programs failed because of money being spent on defense (WAR!)

3. Affirmative Action Confirmed • University of California v. Bakke • Bakke sued university that his rights were being violated by the mandatory admission program that required a quota of minority students be admitted

4. After being beaten by the Police at the Stonewall Inn, Homosexual people began to riot and for a movement to gain equality.

5. American Indian Movement • Indians protested at Alcatraz and Wounded Knee in order to reach equality

6. Manson Family Cult convicted of Tate-LaBianca Murders Helter Skelter

7. Roe v. Wade

8. Title IX

9. Watergate Scandal • G. Gordon Liddy headed the Committee to Re-Elect the President (CREEP) • Authorized to fund a “black-ops” info finding mission against the Democratic Party • In attempt to wire-tap the DNC office at the Watergate Hotel burglars were arrested • Through investigative journalism led by Woodward & Bernstein of the Washington Post Nixon and his administration were implicated • House moved to impeach, but recently reelectedPresident Nixon resigned before the vote Disillusionment * Interesting note – Fred Thompson served on the investigative Watergate Committee

10. The Un-Elected President Gerald Ford

11. 1976 Bicentennial

12. OPEC Oil Embargo • Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries • Reaction to U.S. support of Israel in the Yom Kippur War

13. Jimmy Carter Wins Election • Inherits Inflation Problems • Stagflation – combination of decrease in value of money and low corporate output

14. Banned the use of DDT • Response to Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring • A “strange stillness” had replaced the sound of birds

15. NOW, led by Betty Friedan, marched for support of the ERA

16. Luke Saved the Galaxy Elvis Overdosed Travolta Lit Up the Disco Stage

17. Harvey Milk became the first openly gay elected official in San Francisco – he was later assassinated

18. Jonestown Massacre • Over 900 followers of the People’s Temple Cult and the Reverend James Jones committed mass murder/suicide

19. Tom Wolfe refers to the 1970s as the “ME” Decade

20. Carter’s “Finest Hour” Camp David Accords summit with Anwar Sadat, Menachem Begin - 2 Frameworks: Sinai returned to Egypt, West Bank and Gaza, "autonomy" to PLO

21. Détente Continues • China’s Ruler Deng Xiaoping visits the U.S. and the Harlem Globetrotters

22. SALT II – Limited ICBMs

23. Love Canal, NY • Sited for having tons of toxic waste

24. China Syndrome Eerily Mirrors Reality as Three Mile Island Reactor Nears Melt Down

25. Iran-Hostage Crisis • U.S. sponsored government in Iran is overthrown by the Ayatollah Khomeni • Student Protestors take hostages at US Embassy

26. U.S. Boycotts 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow to ProtestCommunism

27. “Do You believe in Miracles?”

28. Ronald Reagan Wins the 1980 Election • “Are you better off than you were 4 years ago?” • Electoral Votes 486-49 • Former Actor and governor of California • “Win one for the Gipper!”

29. $16 million Inauguration(Ordered 3.5 tons of jelly belly’s)

30. Reagan becomes Hero Freeing Iran Hostages

31. Shift in Politics toward CONSERVATISM

32. Cold War Heats Up • Support Mujahedeen in Afghanistan against the Soviet Union • Send Stinger missiles

33. Support Dictators like Ferdinand Marcos in the Philippines

34. "Our reluctance for conflict should not be misjudged as a failure of will. When action is required to preserve our national security, we will act." • U.S. becomes the global arms merchant selling fighters and weapons to the world • (Remember the “military-industrial complex” Eisenhower warned against?)

35. “Rawhide” is Shot! “Honey, I forgot to duck!” James Brady was shot. A future gun control bill would be named after him.

36. Reagan places first female onto Supreme Court Sandra Day O’Connor

37. G.I. Joe Rereleased “…we have moved to reconstruct our national defenses. We intend to keep the peace--we will also keep our freedom."

38. 1982 – Relinquish Iraq from sanctions and begin selling arms to them to support their war against Iran

40. Urged Americans not to ignore "the aggressive impulses of an evil empire." • SDI – Strategic Defense Initiative • Missile/Laser Defense system to destroy nuclear attack in the atmosphere • “Star Wars”

41. May of 1983 Return of the Jedi hit the Box Offices

42. 1983 Television special showed the effects of an imagined nuclear attack

43. Israel attacked Lebanon and Reagan sent troops to keep the Peace. October 1983 a terrorist drove a van full of explosives into the Marine barracks.

44. Invasion of Grenada

45. 1984 Election Geraldine Ferraro runs for VP Gary Hart loses lead after Scandal The Boss yells at Reagan for using his anti-Vietnam song as a political campaign song.

47. Video Killed the Radio Star

48. The Era of Big Government is Over! • Supply-Side Economics (Trickle Down Theory/Voodoo Economics) • Tax cuts provide more money for use in saving and investing • Mostly benefited the wealthy who were supposed to invest their increased profits in more jobs and production

49. Deregulation Cut back on government regulations in airlines, technology, phone services, etc. would hopefully stimulate the economy after the 1982 recession. (Also, increase federal insurance for Savings & Loans.)

50. Endorsed by Ronald Reagan, Tom Clancy wrote his first Cold War thriller