AP U.S. History. 1960s-1970s: An Overview

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1 AP U.S. History 1960s-1970s: An Overview

2 Describe and account for changes in the American presidency between 1960 and 1975 as symbolized by Kennedy s Camelot, Johnson s Great Society and Nixon s Watergate. In your answer address the power of the presidency and the role of the media.

3 Kennedy Power of presidency: Generally increased under JFK, because of Cold War need for strong presidential leadership against the Soviet threat (Castro in Cuba, Cuban Missile Crisis, meetings with Khrushchev, involvement in Vietnam) Increased size of federal government (due to prior developments and to JFK s New Frontier programs) Democratic control of legislative and executive branches of federal government

4 Kennedy Role of the media: The media generally strengthened JFK s presidency JFK and advisors used the media, in particular television, very effectively to convey an image of the president as youthful, athletic and glamorous (this begins with the election of 1960) Images of president s wife and young son also conveyed a youthful vigorous image Assassination of JFK and the extensive coverage of it cemented the Kennedy legend

5 Johnson Power of presidency: Reached something of a high point under LBJ but then began to decline LBJ, a former Senate leader, was very effective at getting his legislative agenda through Congress Cold War challenges continued to make a strong president necessary However, many of LBJ s policies (support for civil rights, anti-poverty programs, increasing involvement in Vietnam provoked strong opposition from different groups

6 Johnson Role of the media: LBJ was generally less able to manage his media image LBJ was less telegenic than JFK, not seen as young and glamorous credibility gap developed between the administrations optimistic accounts of Vietnam and the images of war seen by Americans every night Riots and domestic disturbances, also heavily covered by TV and other media seemed to show that LBJ was increasingly out of touch and no longer in control of events

7 Nixon Power of presidency: Despite his efforts to create an imperial presidency, Nixon s administration saw an overall decline in the power of the presidency Opposition party in control of Congress makes it hard for Nixon to pass his legislative agenda Slow to disengage from Vietnam, costing him support Used executive actions to fight his enemies, both foreign and domestic Revelations of illegal actions taken to insure his re-election in 1972 and a cover-up of them (Watergate) Power of Congress to oversee president increased

8 Nixon Role of the media: The media and the Nixon White House became increasingly hostile, weakening the president s effectiveness Nixon had some success appealing to the silent majority War in Vietnam and domestic protests continued to be covered heavily (invasion of Cambodia, Kent State shootings), largely unfavorable for Nixon Watergate scandal put Nixon on the defensive, made him see much of the media as another enemy

9 Analyze the effects of the Vietnam War on TWO of the following in the United States in the period from The presidency The population between years old Cold War diplomacy

10 The Presidency The Vietnam War diminishes Americans faith in their government, shatters the liberal consensus, ends the Age of Roosevelt, and makes possible the Age of Reagan and the conservative resurgence of the 1980s and 1990s Each president hands off to his successor a situation that is worse than the one he inherited Eisenhower and the Domino Theory Johnson and the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution Nixon and Vietnamization, Cambodia, The Pentagon Papers reveal a legacy of deception on the part of the executive branch

11 The Presidency War Powers Act curtails the president s ability to commit U.S. forces Watergate: (White House staffers H.R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman resign due to Watergate revelations. The existence of a White House taping system is revealed. John Dean reports that Nixon was involved in the Watergate Affair. Nixon refuses to turn over White House tapes to investigators.)

12 The Population between 18 and 35 More than 58,000 Americans are killed, 300,000 wounded Vietnam leads Americans to question their history in ways that cast doubt on many of the country s core beliefs, Vietnam challenges notions of American exceptionalism and the morality of its behaviors The first teach-in is held at the University of Michigan University of Wisconsin students demand that recruiters from Dow Chemical, the producer of napalm, no longer be allowed on campus Four students killed during demonstrations by members of the National Guard at Kent State University

13 Cold War Diplomacy Vietnam, suddenly seen as vital to international credibility Nixon Doctrine: nations must be willing to shoulder responsibility for defending their own areas Nixon bombs parts of North Vietnam, trying to force its hand in the peace negotiations Vietnam alienates U.S. from much of the world and, for a time, discredits the U.S. military

14 Analyze the extent to which TWO of the following transformed American society in the 1960s and 1970s: the civil rights movement, the antiwar movement, the women s movement.

15 Thesis Statement Formula in relation to this prompt X = The movement transformed American society by (list one or two examples) However A,B,C = However, the movement A, B, and C, Therefore, y = Therefore, the movement had more of an impact on American society during the 1960s and 1970s than did the movement.

16 Possible Details: Civil Rights Martin Luther King, Jr. and nonviolent resistance Malcolm X, Black Muslims, Nation of Islam Greensboro sit-ins, 1960 Freedom Riders, 1961 Birmingham protests, 1963 MLK s March on Washington, I Have A Dream Civil Rights Act of 1964 Twenty-Fourth Amendment Voting Rights Act of 1965 Cesar Chavez, Hispanic rights, AIM, Native American rights, Wounded Knee of 1973

17 Possible Details: Antiwar Movement Gulf of Tonkin Resolution Student demonstrations sit-ins, peace-ins, teach-ins Hawks vs. Doves Tet Offensive: consequences TV and the Vietnam War Human and economic costs of the war Conscientious objectors, Muhammad Ali stripped of title Vietnam Veterans against the war Vietnamization, invasion of Cambodia War Powers Act

18 Possible Details: Women s Movement Betty Friedan s The Feminine Mystique NOW, 1966 Advocacy of social reforms (child care, maternity rights, abortion rights, birth control, equal pay) Women s Liberation Movement Civil Rights Act of 1964 Radical feminism Title IX Roe v. Wade Phyllis Schlafly

19 Analyze the ways in which the events and trends of the 1970s diminished the nation s economic power and international influence, and challenged Americans confidence in both.

20 Economic Events and Trends Tax cuts and increased spending on public works projects temporarily lowered the unemployment rate, The Federal Reserve Board permitted the money supply to grow. These measures drove price inflation. The U.S. ran its first ever trade deficit. The trade deficit undermined the value of the American dollar by enabling foreign banks to exchange U.S. dollars for gold at highly favorable rates. In 1974, President Ford introduced Whip Inflation Now, or WIN. Stagflation continued as both prices and inflation rose.

21 Economic Events and Trends Ever-rising international oil prices triggered a series of gasoline and home heating fuel price increases that rippled through the economy. The Carter administration had no answers for stagflation. Inflation and high interest rates choked off productivity and economic growth.

22 International Events and Trends U.S. bombing of Cambodia becomes known to the public (1970), resulting in student protests around the country (including Kent State and Jackson State) Daniel Ellsberg leaks the Pentagon Papers to the New York Times, Nixon unsuccessful in getting a Supreme Court injunction to stop publication (1971) Break-in at Democratic Party National Headquarters in the Watergate Hotel (1972) U.S. and North Vietnam sign the Paris Peace Accords, agreeing to return prisoners of war (January, 1973) John Dean testifies and links President Nixon to the cover-up of the Watergate break-in (May, 1973)

23 International Events and Trends Supreme Court unanimously rules that Nixon s claim of executive privilege over the release of the Watergate tapes is not justified (July, 1974) Nixon resigns, Ford becomes President (Aug, 1974) North Vietnam overran South Vietnam (April, 1975) President Carter extends amnesty to Vietnam War draft evaders on his first day in office in 1977 U.S. initiates negotiations with Panama for the transfer of control of the Panama Canal to Panama (1977) Sandinistas rose to power in Nicaragua after Carter removed support for the country s dictator, a longtime friend of the U.S., over the issue of human rights (1979)

24 International Events and Trends Soviet Union invades Afghanistan. Carter pulls U.S. Olympic team out of the Moscow Olympics (1979) Iranians overrun U.S. Embassy in Tehran and take 66 Americans hostage (1979). The U.S. talked tough but only levied economic sanctions. A military rescue attempt in 1980 failed.

3/22/2017. The Seventies. Richard Nixon 37 th President Domestic Policy

3/22/2017. The Seventies. Richard Nixon 37 th President Domestic Policy 1 2 3 4 The Seventies Richard Nixon 37 th President 1969-1974 Domestic Policy New Federalism Nixon wanted to slow down the growth of Great Society programs -Family Assistance Plan- a reform of welfare