United States History

1. United States History Chapter 34: From Nixon to Carter

2. President Nixon • Much of Nixon’s support came from middle class Americans • He called his supporters the “Silent Majority” • People that were not involved in the protesting and violence of the 1960s • Welfare reform was biggest policy concern • Thought that Great Society programs were wasteful and made people rely on the government • Proposed the Family Assistance Plan (FAP) to replace most welfare, but it was never passed • Not a big supporter of civil rights laws • Hoped to lure southerners from the Democratic Party, so he assured people that he would not support more civil rights laws • Appointed a conservative in Warren Burger in 1969 when Earl Warren retired

3. President Nixon • The economy was stumbling when Nixon took over in 1969 • Normally, if unemployment was high, inflation was low, and vice versa • However, both were high during his presidency, which is called stagflation • Enforced price and wage freezes to curb inflation, which worked; inflation rose again when controls were lifted in 1974, up to 12%! • The Energy Crisis • By 1973, the US used twice as much oil as it produced • Much of the oil imported came from a group of nations called OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries)

4. President Nixon • Because of US support of Israel in the Arab-Israeli War, OPEC cut off shipments to the US • Prices for oil rose 400% in a few short months • Energy prices skyrocketed, and lines for gas stations sometimes ran for miles • The embargo was lifted in 1974, but prices remained high • Nixon wanted the nation to rely less on foreign oil • Proposed the 55 mph speed limit • Authorized building of Trans-Alaska Pipeline • Authorized the building of dozens of nuclear power plants throughout the nation • Many were scared of nuclear accidents • Supporters said the benefits outweighed the negatives

5. President Nixon • Worked to help protect the environment • First Earth Day, April 22, 1970 • Created the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 1970 • Clean Air Act, 1970 • Water Quality Improvement Act, 1972 • Endangered Species Act, 1973 • Foreign policy (outside of Vietnam) based on realpolitik (practical politics) • Serve the national interest, rather than democracy and human rights • Balance power between nations, otherwise risk a war

6. President Nixon • China • Worked to improve relations with China, who had become an enemy of the Soviet Union • Made an historic visit to China in 1972 that eventually led to greater trade and cultural ties • Soviet Union • Met in May 1972 to Leonid Brezhnev, leader of USSR • Signed the Strategic Arms Limitations Talks (SALT) • Limited the number of ICBMs a nation could possess • Did not end arms race, but took steps to reduce arms • Entered a period of détente, a lessening of tensions between the two superpowers • Israel • Oct. 1973 Yom Kippur War • USSR threatened to intervene, but a cease fire was called between Israel, Syria and Egypt

8. Watergate • Nixon was a very paranoid man, and felt that he had the power to do almost whatever he pleased • After the Pentagon Papers were leaked, he organized a system to stop info from leaking again • Compiled an “enemies list” • Created the Plumbers, a group of CIA and FBI agents used to ensure things would not be leaked • In June 1972, the Plumbers were being used to ensure Nixon’s reelection that fall • A group of Plumbers were caught breaking into the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate complex • They were carrying wiretaps and other spying equipment • Paid by the Committee to Re-elect the President (CRP)

9. Watergate • Nixon immediately denied any links to the break-in • However, two reporters from the Washington Post continued to investigate • Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward • Used a highly secretive source, known only as “Deep Throat” to obtain info on the break-in • Informed that 50 agents had been hired to sabotage Dems reelection bid for 1972 • Nixon easily won reelection, but investigations began on the Watergate break-ins • Investigations were held over accusations of criminal activities and a presidential cover-up • Several White House officials were found guilty and sent to jail for their role • Nixon was accused of being directly involved, to which he denied

10. “I am not a crook!”

11. Watergate • Nixon had secretly tape recorded conversations in his office • The prosecution demanded the tapes, but Nixon refused, saying it would endanger national security • Spiro Agnew, his vice president, plead guilty to tax evasion in Oct. 1973, and resigned • Gerald Ford was named the new vice president • A series of firings took place over the tapes • Nixon ordered Archibald Cox, the man demanding the tapes, to be fired • His Attorney General and assistant resigned rather than fire Cox • Robert Bork, who took over as Attorney General, fired Cox in what became known as the Saturday Night Massacre • The public was outraged and demanded Nixon’s impeachment

12. Watergate • Nixon slowly gave up some of the tapes • Refused to give all of the tapes • Some of the tapes had gaps in them, supposedly erased by Nixon himself • In July 1974, the Supreme Court ordered he turn over the tapes • The tapes told the whole story of what happened • Nixon ordered the scandal covered up and other illegal activities • Articles of impeachment were recommended by the House Judiciary Committee • Rather than face impeachment, Nixon resigned, effective August 9, 1974 • Gerald Ford was sworn in as president, nominating Nelson Rockefeller as vice president • Became first president to resign

13. Gerald R. Ford 1974-1977

14. Ford’s Presidency • Ford had a tough job of trying to restore faith in the government • Ford pardoned Nixon for all wrongdoing in Watergate, to which the public was outraged • At odds with a Democratically controlled Congress, vetoing 66 bills in his short term • The economy pulled Ford’s approval even lower • Attempted to address inflation with Whip Inflation Now (WIN), a program of budget and tax cuts, but could not get Congress on board • The nation endured another recession during his presidency, harming his chances of reelection in 1976

15. Ford’s Presidency • Continued many of Nixon’s foreign policy measures • Kept Henry Kissinger as his secretary of state • Asian Relations • Proposed millions for Vietnam and Cambodia, but was only able to secure humanitarian aid • Mayaguez incident: Cambodia seized an American ship, to which Ford responded strongly; however, 41 were killed in the incident • Africa • Largely ignored, but Ford secretly funneled money to an anticommunist movement in Angola • Soviet Union • Continued détente, but fragilely • Failed to obtain a trade pact, but negotiated an arms-limitation treaty, however, the Senate failed to ratify

16. Jimmy Carter 1977-1981

17. Jimmy Carter • In 1976, Democrat Jimmy Carter narrowly defeated Republican Gerald Ford for the presidency • A Washington outsider barely known outside of the South • Promised to maintain an open presidency • Had to address many issues in his term • Pardoned Vietnam draft dodgers • High inflation of 13.3% that drove the economy back into recession by 1980 • Oil prices continued to hamper the economy • Energy Proposal • Keep the 55 mph speed limit • Reduce thermostats in home • Created the Department of Energy to oversee issues • Supported nuclear energy, but was delivered a blow by a near meltdown at Three Mile Island in 1979

18. Jimmy Carter • While he struggled with domestic issues, many foreign issues also plagued Carter’s term • Rejected the realpolitik of Nixon and Ford, upsetting many dictators of US allies • Panama: negotiated the Panama Canal Treaties to turn control of the canal over to Panama by 2000 • Supported African nations and self-rule, especially condemning apartheid in South Africa • Soviet Union: détente continued to decline • Officially ended in December 1979 when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan • Cut off grain shipments to USSR and boycotted the 1980 Olympics, held in Moscow • Nearly prevented the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” • Also postponed signing an arms treaty with the Soviets

19. Jimmy Carter • Most notable achievement was a Middle East peace treaty • Invited Egypt and Israel to the US to work out a peace before another war broke out • Anwar Sadat (Egypt) and Menachem Begin (Israel) signed the Camp David Accords in 1978 • Iran Hostage Crisis • Revolution in Iran overthrew the US backed Shah, while installing a theocracy led by Ayatollah Khomeini • When the US let the Shah in to the US for medical treatment, students overran the US Embassy • Hostages were held for 444 days • Carter tried to free them, but 8 soldiers were killed when their helicopter crashed • The hostages were released the day that Reagan became president

21. Life in the 1970s • Demographics • Immigration, mostly from Latin America and Asia • Many came from Mexico, Cuba, China and Vietnam • Voting Rights Act of 1975 required ballots to be printed in other languages • Bilingual Education Act gave money to schools to teach in native languages while people learned English • Sunbelt States • Many moved from the NE and Midwest to Sun Belt states of the South and Southwest • Home air conditioning made it possible for many to live in the hot climates • Family life • People put off marrying, many not marrying at all • Divorce rates increased to almost 50% • Family sizes drastically reduced, compared to the baby boom

22. Life in the 1970s • People began to look to ways to improve themselves • Health clubs and jogging became popular • However, alcohol and fast food consumption rose, with more and more meals coming from outside the home • Entertainment • The movie industry boomed during the decade, churning out blockbusters left and right • Music was defined by rock and new versions of it in the form of heavy metal, punk, and, most popular, disco • Technology • Creation of the personal computer by Steve Jobs and Stephen Wozniak (Apple) • Atari video game console in the home • Telephone answering machine • Skylab space station • Satellite and cable tv