Nixon Administration Section 1
Many Americans wanted an end to the violence of the 60 s Nixon promised peace in Vietnam, streamlined government and a return to conservative values Nixon defeated Wallace and Humphrey in the 1968 election Much of his success came from the South- large numbers of white democrats voted for Nixon because of promises made The Election of 68
Nixon had become resentful, defensive and secretive of his critics on his climb to the White House He even made a Enemies List To win again in 1972 his staff was looking for any advantage The Enemies
Slow desegregation Battle crime Opposed mandatory bussing Promised a Southern approved VP Welfare Reform Promised to place a Southerner on the Supreme Court Promised Less Government in their lives Southern Strategy
Revenue Sharing Bills from Congress Funds provided to states and local agenciesincreasing their power Allowed states and local agencies to determine how they wanted to spend this money Reverse effect- people began to rely on Federal funds New Federalism
Troubles began in the mid-60 s because of the US support in the Vietnam Conflict and Great Society programs drain on the economy President Johnson was committed to not raising taxes Large run of inflation occurred A Decade of Hard Times
1973 OPEC, Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, announced an embargo against countries that supported Israel The price for a barrel of oil in America went from $3.00 in 1973 to $30.00 in 1980. High oil costs meant Americans would have less money for other goods taking the economy into a recession In 1971, for the first time since 1889, the US imported more goods then it exported- this is an imbalance in trade Causing factories to close Workers losing their jobs Economy faced Stagflation- economic dilemma that combined rising prices with economic stagnation RECESSION!
Foreign Affairs was his focus Henry Kissenger was his National Security Advisor Attempted friendlier relations with China and the Soviet Union to ensure world peace Ping-Pong Diplomacy Foreign Policy
To better relations with China Nixon will Remove trade restrictions on China Remove the 7 th Fleet from the coast of Taiwan Take a historic trip to China CHINA
After his successful trip to China President Nixon is invited and will be the first President to visit the Soviet Union American-Soviet Summit Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty I (SALT) Countries agreed to increase trade and exchange scientific information Soviet Union
WATERGATE Section 2
Problems Vietnam was still going and Americans were still being killed Protests were in full swing over Vietnam The economy was on a down turn Civil Rights protests raged Crime is still on the rise
The President was looking for any edge possible and breaking into the Democratic National Headquarters seemed like a good idea- at the time View their plans for the upcoming election Put wiretaps on the phones and place bugs in the offices June 17, 1972 Security guard saw the door taped and called the police Led to the arrest of the four men there One of those arrested was a former CIA operative, James McCord The Break-in
The American public believed the President when he said he had nothing to do with the break-in Gets elected again in 1972- LANDSLIDE 1973 the Watergate burglars go on trial McCord has made a deal with the prosecution His testimony led to a mass of confessions and exposed White House illegalities Counsel to the President John Dean exposed Nixon s involvement in the cover-up President was told to turn over the tapes that recorded what was said in the Oval Office- Nixon pleaded Executive Privilege 1973- Spiro Agnew was forced to resign because he had taken bribes as governor of Maryland. Gerald Ford will become the new VP 1972 Election
The Tapes April 1974 Nixon releases edited tapes to show he is innocent July 1974 the Supreme Court orders unedited tapes to be presented House Judiciary Committee votes to impeach the President August 9, 1974 President Nixon resigned and Gerald Ford becomes President
Immediately prompted several new laws limiting the power of the Executive branch- re-establishing a balance of power Federal Campaign Act- Limited campaign contributions Ethics in Government Act- Financial disclosure by high government officials in all three branches Limits on the investigative abilities of the FBI in political intelligence gathering Vietnam and now Watergate left America distrustful of public officials The Impact of Watergate
FORD AND CARTER Section 3
Our long nightmare is over. I m a Ford, not a Lincoln. Had gained the VP when Spiro Agnew was forced to resign Ford Takes Over
Ford in Office Someone must write The End. I have concluded that only I can do that. September 8, 1974 President Ford grants a full pardon to Richard Nixon- America disagrees! By 1975 Americas economy was in its worst recession since the Great Depression Ford presented W.I.N.- Whip Inflation Now. It failed Ford continued Nixon s Foreign policy Met with NATO and Warsaw Pact to establish boarders of Eastern Europe Helsinki Accords was his greatest achievement
Election of 1976 Jimmy Carter, the Governor of Georgia, runs for President Seen as a person of high moral values and an easy way about him Carter wins the election Not necessarily was the public voting for Carter but against Ford First up, the energy crisis Carter s Turn
Economic Crisis Asked Congress to create the Department of Energy and Education Asked Americans to reduce energy consumption- most ignored Historians believe that Carter s inability to solve the nation s economic problems was due to a lack of leadership and his relationship with Congress By 1979 his popularity rating was lower than Nixon s before he resigned! Foreign Policy Focused on human rights Agreed to give the Canal back to Panama in 1999 Camp David Accords- Egypt and Israel Tensions with the Soviet Union Violator of human rights-imprisoned those that spoke out against the government December 1979 Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan We embargoed wheat and boycotted the 1980 Summer Olympic games in Moscow Collapse of Detente 1979 the Ayatollah Khomeini ordered the taking of American hostages from the Embassy in Iran 52 Americans were taken and held for 444 days- until Reagan took office in 1981 Carter s Presidency
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wxgydtzaay Television gets Real!
ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISM Section 4
Love Canal Rachel Carson and Silent Spring Earth Day, April 22,1970 was the first Establishment of the EPA Environmentalism
Power to regulate pollution caused by American Industry Clean Air Act Emissions Control Put forth ideas for legislation The EPA
Early 20 th Century approach Lasiezze Faire Responsibilities TR Nixon and Carter conservation of Alaskan land while gaining much needed oil Exxon Valdez Natural Resources
Three Mile Island- Near Disaster Chernobyl, Ukraine Government Regulations and Standards Fossil Fuels are Non- Renewable Choices? Alternative Energy Sources