1. The 1970s
Nixon, Ford & Carter

2. Emergence of Conservatism
Period of small gov’t and reduction in gov’t spending
Causes –
Economic downturn
American prestige damaged by failures in Vietnam
Anti-war protests, hippie culture, liberal gov’t programs = moral decay
Election of 1968
Silent majority– Americans who wanted a more conservative gov’t and turned out at the polls to support Nixon

3. Nixon’s Domestic Policies
Reduced spending on welfare programs (LBJ’s the Great Society)
Supported states taking a bigger role in politics
Formed EPA – Environmental Protection Agency to manage air and water pollution

4. Nixon’s Foreign Policies
Cold War still a threat
Nixon’s policies included better relationships with communist nations “détente”
First president to visit China – Pressured USSR to re
duce tension
Met with Brezhnev – 1972 – SALT – Strategic arms limitation treaty
Signed cease-fire with Vietnam in Vietnamization

5. Watergate – June 1972
5 men arrested inside the Democratic National Committee’s office in the Watergate complex in Washington DC
Attempted to wiretap phones and steal secret documents to win reelection
Evidence collected by journalists from the Washington Post made scandal public - Possible “hush money” given to burglars
Aid to Nixon revealed he recorded conversations in the oval office
Initially, Nixon refused to give up tapes – Article II Executive Privilege -Supreme Court said he is not above the law. Tapes proved his involvement in the scandal
Nixon resigned on August

7. The Mid 70s High unemployment and inflation = economic recession
American distrusted the gov’t
High unemployment and inflation = economic recession
Gerald Ford became President in 1974 after Nixon’s resignation
Pardoned Nixon in Sept 1974 loosing popular support
Criticized as lack of policies failed to help economy

8. Economic Crises under Nixon and Ford
Stagflation
Stagnant economy + inflation
Oil
1950s = auto mania
1960-s OPEC – Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries formed between Middle Eastern and Latin American countries
Cut off oil to the US after America backed Israel in Israeli, Syrian, Egyptian conflict 1973 and again in 1979
Gas prices soared and shortages led to long lines
“Energy Crisis”

10. James “Jimmy” Carter – 1977-1981
Defeated Ford in the election of 1976
Wanted to re-instill confidence in the American people “I’ll never tell a lie”
Inherited financial problems from the Nixon and Ford administrations
Inflation, high unemployment, high interest rates
Nominated a record number of women, Hispanics, and African Americans to his cabinet
Initially popular, but problems of the 70s plagued his presidency

11. International Crises
Suspended aid to countries in protest of human rights abuses
Iran Hostage Crisis *Biggest Failure*
Ayatollah Khomeini led successful revolution in Iran from
Overthrew pro-western monarchy and replaced gov’t with anti-western theocracy
Nov 1979 – radical Iranian students seized US embassy taking 52 Americans hostage
Hostages held for 444 days – released day after Carter left office
IHC led to another oil crisis, as Middle Eastern nations put an embargo on the sale of oil to the US

12. Crises Continued States of Israel and Palestine formed in 1948
Camp David Accords - **Biggest success**
Mediation between Egypt and Israel
Both nations argued over Sinai Peninsula
Carter and leaders negotiated deal to have Israel evacuate region
Created lasting peace between the 2 nations
USSR invaded Afghanistan in 1970
Stopped potential end of cold war tensions
US sent aid to Afghan rebels
International problems tarnished Carters legacy

13. Election of 1980
-Americans desperate to see their nation return to the world’s stage
-Failures in the Middle East
-Stagflation, economic recession
-Failure of Nixon, Ford, and Carter led people to question gov’t Americans in search of a strong, conservative leader
New Right
Ronald Reagan, former Hollywood actor, won the election
Republican
Defeated Carter in a landslide