1. Nixon on the Home Front

2. Background Information
Nixon approved increased actions regarding Food Stamps, Medicaid, and Aid to Families with Dependent Children while also implementing a new program called Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
The SSI assisted the elderly, the blind, and the disabled. He signed legislation in 1972 to increase Social Security cost of living so that elderly was protected.
In 1969, Nixon implemented the Philadelphia Plan which established “goals and timetables” for the hiring of black apprentices. This plan extended to all federal contracts and required thousands to meet hiring quotas.
Nixon escalated “affirmative action” into a program based on specific groups. Nixon and the Court allowed for doors to open with including the minority workers and students.
Nixon and the Court allowed for employment and educational opportunities for minorities and women.

3. Background Information
Nixon’s years included the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1970 and the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA).
These two programs allowed for concern in the environment and aided Rachel Carson’s campaign to save the environment through her publication of Silent Spring.
Silent Spring was a piece of literature that exposed the poisonous effects of pesticides and DDT.
Many more programs were being implemented like the Clean Air Act, Endangered Species Act, and more for the goal of “ecological sanity.”
Automobile emissions were cleaned up which uplifted the environmentalist mood.
Nixon was fearful of the potential inflation and imposed a 90 day wage and price freeze in 1971.

4. Source #1
O: The 1970s
P: The purpose of this source is to show the Food Stamps used in the 1970s to help people afford the necessities in life.
C: The point of view is from the government and the audience is the American society.
V: The value of this source is to give a visual representation of what a Food Stamp looked like in the earlier stages of its creation.
L: The limitations is that it does not show who was using it or where the source came from.

5. Source #2 O: Cagle Cartoons
P: The purpose of this political cartoon is to show the severity of the harmful pesticides in the environment.
C: The content shows the viewer that Rachel Carson warned us through her novel Silent Spring.
V: The value is that the people were unaware of who Rachel Carson was because they were not paying attention to the environmental concerns when they needed to be.
L: The limitation is that it does not tell the viewer what the Colony Collapse Disorder is.
Source #2

6. Source #3 O: The New York Times
P: The purpose of this newspaper article is to show that Nixon had a fear from the damage of the environment and wanted to change that.
C: This is to show the American people that the President cared about environmental sanity in this point in time.
V: The value is that there is a bolded title and picture of Nixon so that people were aware of the political point of view.
L: The limitation of this source is that you cannot read the actual article because the print is too small.
Source #3

7. Compare & Contrast 2 Sources
Both Source #2 and Source #3 talk about the desired protection for the environment. Source #2 suggests that people were unaware of the Silent Spring environmental movement because the people in the political cartoon were unaware of who Rachel Carson was. The political cartoon shows the detrimental effects of pesticides and DDT used in our crop yield at the time. The bee is important to note as well because the bee is one of the most important insects in the ecosystem, and if they are doomed so are a lot of other keystone species. However, Source #3 is a newspaper article that states the importance of protecting the environment. The source displays Nixon’s fear for the future in environmental politics due to observations by experts and scientists. He asks the people to battle with him.

8. Questions
Analyze factors that led to Rachel Carson’s publication of Silent Spring.
Discuss the importance of the implementations of programs like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), etc.