Transcript ADMINISTRATION OF NIXON, FORD, & CARTER

ADMINISTRATION OF
NIXON, FORD, & CARTER
NIXON’S FOREIGN POLICY
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Détente-deliberate reduction of cold war
tensions
China-Feb. 1972, traveled to Beijing to
meet with Mao Zedong (communist
leader), First president to visit China, led
to US recognition of Peoples Republic of
China in 1979
NIXON’S FOREIGN POLICY
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Soviet Union-New relationship with China
put pressure on Soviets to meet and
discuss limiting anti-ballistic missiles
(ABMs), Nixon travels to USSR
Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT I)Agree to freeze the number of ballistic
missiles carrying nuclear warheads
NIXON’S DOMESTIC POLICY
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New Federalism-shifted some social
programs (welfare) back to state
governments
Economy-”stagflation”-economic
slowdown and high inflation
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Imposed 90 day wage and price freeze
Took US off gold standard
Improve Economy
NIXON’S DOMESTIC POLICY
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Southern Strategy-Nixon wanted support
in the South
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Appealed to “Silent Majority”-southern
democrats who were concerned with the
liberal turn of the party
Delayed integration by busing (court rejected)
Appointed two southern judges to Supreme
Court (Senate rejected)
BURGER COURT
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Four justices resign
Nixon’s opportunity to replace liberal judges with
conservatives
1969-appoints Warren Burger, Chief Justice
Two nominees rejected by Senate
Harry Blackman-Nixon’s favorite, accepted,
moderate-ironically will write the pro-abortion
ruling in Roe v. Wade
During Watergate-Court he appointed and
should have controlled will deny his claims to
executive privilege
ELECTION OF 1972
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Nixon’s re-election assured by three
factors-popularity of foreign policy,
removal of nominee George Wallace by
attempted assassination, and nomination
of Democrat George McGovern-very
liberal
ELECTION OF 1972
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Results: Nixon wins by landslide
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60% of popular vote
Carried all states except Massachusetts
Broke “solid South”-supported first
Republican since 1860
Made revelations about Watergate scandal so
shocking
WATERGATE SCANDAL
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June 1972,During campaign for re-election,group of men hired by Nixon’s re-election
committee were caught breaking into
Democratic National Headquarters in the
Watergate complex
Led to uncovering of a series of illegal acts and
tricks conducted by the Nixon Administration
and The Committee to Re-elect the President
(CRE(E)P)
WATERGATE SCANDAL
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Nixon orders wiretaps on government
employees to find those leaking
information
Presidential aides created group called
“the plumbers” their job was to discredit
individuals thought to be leaking
information
WATERGATE SCANDAL
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Investigators had no solid proof that Nixon knew
about the break in
However, they did have proof that Nixon had
helped in the cover up
Discovered an “enemies list”-names of
Americans who opposed Nixon
Discovery of taping system throughout the White
House including the Oval Office
Nixon claimed the tapes could not be used as
evidence because they were classified as an
executive privilege
RESIGNATION
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Fall 1973-Vice President, Spiro Agnew,
forced to resign when it is discovered that
he took bribes as the governor of
Maryland
Nixon appoints Gerald Ford (minority
leader in the House) to Vice President
July 1974-Nixon forced to turn over tapes
RESIGNATION
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House of Representatives indicts on three
articles of impeachment
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Obstruction of justice
Abuse of power
Contempt of Congress
RESIGNATION
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Tapes have enough proof to impeach and
convict
August 9th, 1974-Nixon resigns
Ford becomes the first unelected
president
FORD’S ADMINISTRATION
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Most controversial act-granted Nixon full
and unconditional pardon
Economic recession-unemployment over
9%-worst since the Great Depression
Tried to restore morals and humility to the
White House
Majority of public still do not trust
Republicans
ELECTION OF 1976
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Republican-nominated Ford, although
heavily challenged by Ronald Reagan
Democrats nominate James “Jimmy”
Carter
Close election-Carter wins 287 to 241
CARTER’S ADMINISTRATION
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Human Rights-Focus of Foreign Policy
Gave ultimatum to South Africa,
Argentina, and Chile-rights to citizens or
the US would cut off trade
Panama Canal (1978)
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Re-negotiated Panama Canal Treaty
Turnover the canal to Panama by 2000
Cost him the 1980 election-very unpopular
CARTER’S ADMINISTRATION
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Camp David Accords (Sept. 1978)
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Greatest achievement of Presidency
Invited Egyptian President, Anwar Sadat, and Israeli
Prime Minister, Menachen Begin, to Camp David
Negotiated peace settlement between the two
countries
Treaty opposed by the Palestine Liberation
Organization (PLO) and most of the Arab world
because Egypt recognized the Nation of Israel
CARTER’S ADMINISTRATION
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Iran Hostage Crisis (1979)
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Shah of Iran supported by the US because he
adopted western policies that were unpopular
in Middle East
Islamic fundamentalists in Iran led by the
Ayatollah Khomeini overthrew the Shah
Oil production came to a halt causing a
worldwide oil shortage
CARTER’S ADMINISTRATION
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Iran Hostage Crisis (1979)
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Nov. 1979-Fundamentalists seized the US embassy
in Tehran and held 50 Americans hostage
April 1980-Carter approved a rescue attempt by
Blackhawk helicopters
The mission was aborted when the helicopters broke
down over the desert
Failure will by used by the Republicans in the 1980
election
CARTER’S ADMINISTRATION
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SALT II Treaty (1979)-limited size of nuclear
delivery system-Senate rejected
Afghanistan (Dec. 1979)
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Soviet troops invaded Afghanistan
Carter orders embargo on grain and technology
exports to the Soviet Union
Give support to rebel government-Taliban
To show disapproval-US boycotts the 1980 Summer
Olympics held in Moscow
ELECTION OF 1980
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Democrat nominee-Pres. Carter (although heavily
challenged by Ted Kennedy)
Republican nominee-Ronald Reagan, Gov. of
California-”Are you better off then you were four
years ago?”
Results-Reagan received 51% of popular vote and
91% of electoral vote
Significance-blue collar workers abandoned the
Democratic party, Republicans majority in the
Senate, and “working” majority in House. Marked
the end to 50 years of Democratic dominance in
Congress
SOCIETY IN THE 1970S
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Population: 205 million
Average salary: $7600
Life expectancy: Males-64, Females-75
Prices: Bread- 24 cents; Milk- 33 cents;
Steak-1.30/pound
Art in 1970s
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Popular forms of expression in Earth
Art and Pop Act
Wanted people to question their
interpretation of reality
Architecture
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Sears Tower in Chicago-World’s tallest
building-1974
National Air and Space Museum in
Washington DC-1976
Literature
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Main theme-Man’s alienation from his
spiritual roots
Top authors-John Updike and Kurt
Vonnegut
Music
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Due to the break up of the Beatles and
the death of Elvis, Rock N Roll divides
into splinter groups
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Soft Rock
Hard Rock
Punk Rock
Dance craze of the decade-Disco
Movies and Television
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Due to new technologies in sound the motion picture
industry makes a come back with blockbusters such
as; Star Wars, Rocky, The Godfather, and Saturday
Night Fever
All were relived in sequels
Television explored new controversial topics like
abortion, race, and homosexuality in shows like: All
in the Family and Saturday Night Live
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is created
bringing children’s shows like Sesame Street
People were also glued to their sets watching live
broadcasts of the Watergate Hearings