Important Presidents (according to the Regents) 1960-1990

JFK 1961-1963

ELECTION OF 1960 Richard Nixon- Republican John F Kennedy- Democrat Electoral Vote 303- 219 only 120,000 out of 34 million popular votes separated Kennedy and Nixon

KENNEDY SPACE PROGRAM 1961- Soviets send first man into space Kennedy announces that US will land on moon by end of 1960’s July 1969 Neil Armstrong landed on the moon

BAY OF PIGS April 1961 CIA trained Cuban exiles attempted to overthrow Communist leader Fidel Castro Pres Kennedy backs out at last minute and uprising fails embarrassment to USA and CIA

BERLIN AIRLIFT June 1961 Americans fly supplies to City of West Berlin to prevent Soviet communist expansion.

CUBAN MISSLE CRISIS October 1962 Soviet Union builds nuclear bases in Cuba Oct 22- Kennedy blockades Cuba and demands removal of Soviet missiles Soviets back down and remove missiles

Assassination of JFK November 1963 JFK was shot in Dallas Texas Vice-President Johnson becomes President

LBJ 1963-1969

Volunteers In Service To America THE GREAT SOCIETY Volunteers In Service To America Americans volunteered to help other poor Americans Economic Opportunity Act 1964 $950 million Elementary and Secondary Education Act 1965 $1.3 billion in aid to poor schools

Department of Housing and Urban Development 1965 Medicare 1965 provides healthcare for Americans over 65 Medicaid 1965 provides health care for poor Americans Department of Housing and Urban Development 1965 develops and rehabilitates urban communities

Richard Nixon 1969-1974

Inflation rate doubled in 1973 Unemployment rate increased by 50% TROUBLED ECONOMY Inflation rate doubled in 1973 Unemployment rate increased by 50% CAUSES high spending on Vietnam war reduced supply and higher price of oil

DETENTE Nixon eased Cold War tensions 1972 he visited mainland China signed Strategic Arms Limitations Treaty with Soviet Union which reduced nuclear weapons

PENTEGON PAPERS June 13, 1971 New York Times series of stories revealing top-secret information about Vietnam war and the actions of American Presidents

PLUMBERS Nixon was concerned with information that was “leaking” out to media ordered wiretaps on staff G. Gorden Liddy former FBI and E Howard Hunt former CIA

“enemies list” Nixon aides developed a list of a few hundred people who Nixon directed the IRS and other government agencies to audit and harass

Committee to RE-Elect the President June 17, 1972 five members of CREEP broke into the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee in the Watergate Hotel complex. The men were caught and arrested- the police began to connect them to Whitehouse

Cover-Up June 23 Nixon orders FBI and CIA to block investigation claiming it was an issue of national security

Watergate Scandal April 1973 the Watergate cover-up began to unravel. Aids involved were arrested and convicted. The secret tapes Nixon made revealed his involvement June 1974 Nixon ordered by Supreme Court to turn over tapes

Threat of Impeachment House Judiciary Committee voted on three articles of impeachment- obstruction of justice, abuse of power and contempt of Congress Rather than face a trial Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974

Ronald Reagan 1981-1989

TRICKLE DOWN THEORY Reagan followed Supply-Side Economic cut taxes on business business has more money hires more workers people make more wages people spend more business makes more profit hire more workers economy grows

ALL PEOPLE BENIFITTED BUT WEALTHIEST AMERICANS BENEFITTED THE MOST CUTTING TAXES 1981 5% cut in taxes 1982 10% cut in taxes 1983 10% cut in taxes ALL PEOPLE BENIFITTED BUT WEALTHIEST AMERICANS BENEFITTED THE MOST

END OF COLD WAR 1989 Berlin Wall taken down