 Feminism of the 1960s and early 1970s  To challenge the cult of domesticity.  National Organization for Women (NOW-1966)  Goals: to end job discrimination, legalize abortion, obtain federal and state support for child-care center.  Title IX of the Educational Amendments Act of 1972 (gender equity)  Support for the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) (1972)  Equal Rights Amendment was to provide for the legal equality of the sexes and prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex.(was never ratified)  Roe v. Wade (1973)  Legalized abortion

 American Indian Movement (AIM)  American Indian Movement, (AIM), militant American Indian civil rights organization, founded in Minneapolis, Minn., in  AIM was involved in many highly publicized protests. It was one of the Indian groups involved in the occupation (1969–71) of Alcatraz Island, the march (1972) on Washington, D.C., to protest violation of treaties (in which AIM members occupied the office of the Bureau of Indian Affairs), and the takeover (1973) of a site at Wounded Knee to protest the government’s Indian policy.

 Gray Panthers:  Founded in 1970 by Margaret E. "Maggie" Kuhn. The Gray Panthers is a national organization dedicated to social justice for old and young people alike. However, the Gray Panthers is best known for work on behalf of older persons. It has lobbied and litigated against Age Discrimination in the areas of retirement, housing, and health care.  United Farm Workers (UFW):  The United Farm Workers of America (UFW) began in 1962 as a coalition of poorly paid migrant farm workers and grew into a powerful Labor Union that has consistently fought to increase wages and improve working conditions for its members.  Cesar Chavez was an American farm worker, labor leader and civil rights activist, who, with Dolores Huerta, co-founded the National Farm Workers Association (later the United Farm Workers union, UFW).

 Gideon v. Wainright(1963)  the Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution requires the states to provide defense attorneys to criminal defendants charged with serious offenses who cannot afford lawyers themselves.  Regents of the University of California v.Bakke (1978)  It upheld affirmative action, allowing race to be one of several factors in college admission policy. However, the court ruled that specific racial quotas, such as the 16 out of 100 seats set aside for minority students by the University of California, Davis School of Medicine, were impermissible.

 The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an agency of the U.S. federal government which was created for the purpose of protecting human health and the environment by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress.  The EPA was proposed by President Richard Nixon and began operation on December 2, 1970, after Nixon signed an executive order  U.S. President Richard Nixon's 1972 visit to the People's Republic of China was an important step in formally normalizing relations between the United States (U.S.) and the People's Republic of China (PRC). It marked the first time a U.S. president had visited the PRC, which at that time considered the U.S. one of its foes, and the visit ended 25 years of separation between the two sides

 Watergate was a major political scandal that occurred in the United States in the 1970s, following a break-in at the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C. and President Richard Nixon's administration's attempted cover-up of its involvement.  Facing near-certain impeachment in the House of Representatives and equally certain conviction by the Senate, Nixon resigned the presidency on August 9, 1974

 Ford inherited a presidential office badly diminished by the Watergate scandals.  As the first unelected president, he had no popular mandate and was not well known outside of Washington.  Yet his easy manner and modest approach to government helped restore at least some degree of confidence in the office of president.

 Social and Fiscal Conservative  Believed the federal government exercised too much power over domestic affairs.  Resisted congressional pressure to reduce taxes and increase Federal spending.  Along with an energy crisis, this helped plunge the economy into a deep recession.

 SALT II  Ford met with Brezhnev in 1974 and accepted the framework for another arms- control agreement that was to serve as the basis for SALT II.  Helsinki Summit  Ford and Brezhnev met in Finland in August 1975 with other European leaders.  Agreed to recognize the political boundaries that had divided Eastern and Western Europe since 1945.

 Jimmy Carter (Democrat)  Peanut farmer &1 term governor of Georgia  Washington outsider  Gerald Ford (Republican)  Nixon pardon  Recession  Carter narrowly with 50.1% of popular vote  Carried 90% of black voters  Looked to bring a new simplicity and directness to the White House.

 Offered amnesty to the thousands of young men who had fled the country rather than serve in Vietnam.  Negotiated a treaty to turn over the Panama Canal Zone by  The Economy  Inherited a bad economy and left it much worse.  Stagflation – double digit inflation and increased unemployment.  Problems with the Oil Supply

 Yom Kippur War (1973)  Syria and Egypt launched a surprise attack against Israel  Soviet Union supplied the Arabs and the U.S. supplied the Israeli allies  The seven Arab members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) imposed a boycott of oil sales to countries seen as friendly to Israel. (October 1973 to March 1974)

 OPEC continued to raise prices.  Energy costs rose  Inflation rose  Interest rates shot to 20%.  Carter called only for voluntary restraints on prices and wages and conservation of energy.

 Motorists were forced to wait in long lines for limited supplies of gasoline that they regarded as excessively expensive.  Many Americans saw nuclear energy as the only alternative.  Three Mile Island (1979)  Nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania ruptured and released radioactive gas. 100,000 people fled their homes.  Carter’s approval rating dropped to 26%.  Lower than Nixon’s during Watergate

 The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) is an organization founded in 1964 with the purpose of the "liberation of Palestine" through armed struggle.  In 1978, Carter invited Egypt’s President Anwar el-Sadat and Israel’s Prime Minister Menachem Begin to Camp David.  Peace Agreement  Israel would return the Sinai to Egypt in exchange for recognition.  Israel had to negotiate a resolution of the Palestinian refugee dilemma. (Never happened)  Made an all-out war between Israel and the Arab world less likely.

 SALT II signed in  The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in  Iran Hostage Crisis ( )  Ayatollah Khomeini ousts Shah of Iran in 1979.(Iranian Revolution)  Carter allowed the ousted Shah to come to U.S.  Radicals captured U.S. embassy to trade for Shaw and wealth.  U.S. rescue mission ended with fatal helicopter crash.  53 Americans were held hostage until the day Reagan took office. (444 days)  Carter finally released several billion dollars of Iranian assets to ransom the kidnapped hostages.

Carter’s failure: The uneasiness of the late 1970s reflected a widespread disillusionment with liberal social programs.  Americans lose faith in government  Vietnam puts into question the containment doctrine  Government could not manage the economy  Decline in race relations

By 1980 rising prices, energy shortages, and similar economic uncertainties fed a growing resistance to a liberal agenda. Hard-pressed workers resented increased competition from minorities, especially those supported by affirmative action, quotas and government programs. Citizens resisted the demands for higher taxes to support social welfare spending.

The traditional family seemed under siege, as divorce rates and births to single mothers soared.  Sexually explicit media, an outspoken gay rights movement, and the availability of legal abortions struck many religious conservatives as part of a wholesale assault on decency. Increasingly the political agenda was determined by those who wanted to restore a strong family, traditional religious values, patriotism, and limited government.

Unleash the capitalist spirit. (limited government)  Dismantle the “bloated” federal bureaucracy.  Reduce taxes and regulations.  Undo the welfare state. Restore national pride and regain international respect. Emphasis is on patriotism.