Jimmy Carter Section 31.3

Main Idea Jimmy Carter used his reputation for honesty to win the presidency in 1976, but he soon met challenges that required other qualities as well.

Jimmy Carter Navy submarine engineer Grew up in rural Georgia during Great Depression Governor of Georgia Elected in 1976 because he was a Washington “outsider” Remember: Americans were jaded by Watergate and Vietnam! Wanted someone who had nothing to do with it!

Inflation Inflation caused by the OPEC Oil Embargo crushed the national economy. Inflation + Rising unemployment = Stagflation Carter’s administration worked hard, offering tax cuts and incentives for hiring, but the economy never fully healed during his term.

Environmentalism Since Rachael Carson published Silent Spring in the 1960s, Americans had increasingly been concerned with the Earth. Carter hoped to heal the environment and decrease our dependency on oil by promoting energy conservation. Solar and wind power began to be developed. Carter also created the Department of Energy

Three Mile Island TMI was a nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania. In 1979 a near meltdown caused American concerns over the safety of nuclear energy. No new nuclear plants were constructed (until Obama)

Three Mile Island

SALT II Carter worked with the USSR to pass SALT II Limited the types and amount of nuclear weapons each nation possessed.

Camp David Accords Carter sought to resolve the law standing war between Egypt and Israel. Since the Yom Kippur War Israel controlled part of Egypt. Carter invited Egyptian leader Anwar el-Sadat and Israeli leader Menachem Begin to the US for peace talks. The 2 nations settled their differences, and have been peaceful neighbors for over 30 years.

Camp David Accords

USSR invades Afghanistan 1978 Carter does not respond with force, does not use containment. Instead he places an economic embargo on the USSR. Immediate impact not felt, but crippled the Soviet economy in a few years. The Soviets will spend 11 years trying to conquer Afghanistan, never succeed.

Iran 1979: Islamic fundamentalists lead by Ayatollah Khomeini overthrow the US supported Iranian government. Iran attacked and took over the American Embassy, taking several dozen American hostage. This became the major issue of the Carter years.

Iranian Hostage Crisis

Carter’s Reaction Carter tried to negotiate a release, he failed. Carter ordered a military escape, it failed, killing 8 soldiers. Each night the news reports lead off with the crisis, for 2 years America waited. The economy and Iran doomed Carter’s chances for reelection in 1980. The hostages would not be released until Reagan became president in 1981.