The Presidencies of Nixon, Ford & Carter

U.S. History Goal 12

Richard Nixon

Nixon’sAccomplishmen

tswhile in office

• Born in 1913• Married Patricia Ryan• A Republican• Vice President to Dwight D. Eisenhower• Ran for President in 1960, but lost to JFK• He would win the election in 1968 against Hubert

Humphrey.• His Presidential term was from 1969-1974• He was seen as reserve, remote & not a people

person, emotionally fragile, low self-esteem, reserved, mean

• Ended the American fighting in Vietnam (Vietnamization)

• Improved relations with the USSR & China (SALT I and “ping-pong diplomacy” respectively)

• Revenue sharing• Ended the draft• Made new anti-criminal laws• Made a broad environmental program(EPA, Clean

Air Act, Clean Water Act)2

Nixon’s Domestic Policy

Foreign Policy

The Watergate Scandal

• “New Federalism”- was his policy to balance the power of the federal government and & the interest in local communities.

• “Stagflation”- term used to denote an economic condition characterized by high prices& low demand

• Environmental Awareness: The Clean Air Act 1970, The Environmental Protection Agency, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration, The Resources & Recovery Act (1970) & the Clean Water Act 1972

• Détente: helped ease tensions b/w Communist nations.• SALT I

• He had no actually part in the act.• However, he did try to cover the act up.• He refused to give up the tapes of the phone

recordings, he would later resign to avoid impeachment

• Ultimately cost him re-election in 19763

Gerald R. Ford

The Nixon Pardon

• Born in 1913• Married to Elizabeth Bloomer• Also a Republican• 38th president• He took office after Nixon’s resignation due to the

25th Amendment.

• During his presidency his challenges were difficult:– Rising inflation– Reviving a depressed economy– Solving chronic energy shortage– Ensuring world peace

• Ford would also grant Nixon a full pardon, one month while being in office.

• This heightened the speculations concerning a deal b/w the 2.

• He felt as if it was the easiest & best thing to do.• This would hurt his integrity, his credibility & his

popularity.

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Ford’s Domestic &

Foreign Policies

• Energy Crisis (1973-1934)- Sparked by the Oil & Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) embargo imposed on the US & its allies b/c of their support of Israel during the Yom Kippur War of 1973.

• SALT II (the beginning basis)• Helsinki Accords (1975)- The Soviet Union, the US,

& other western nation legitimized the borders drawn in Eastern Europe after WWII. The Soviet Union & its satellites signed a “human rights" guarantee, which included the right to emigrate.– US, Canada, the Soviet Union, and about 30

European countries pledged to cooperate economically, respect boundaries, and promote human rights

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• Show Clip• What was the reasoning behind Gerald

Ford’s decision to pardon Richard Nixon? How did this affect the public opinion of Ford?

James “Jimmy” Carter

Issues

• Born 1924• Married to Rosalynn Smith• A Democrat• His main goal was to make the government

“competent & compassionate.”• He dealt with high inflation tried deficit spending

and cutting federal spending to fix the problem • High unemployment• Energy & Fuel shortages (OPEC raised price of oil)

led to deregulation (reduction or removal of government controls in several industries- airlines, cars, railroads)– Avoid “gas guzzler” cars– Use less energy– National energy policy– Decontrolling domestic petroleum prices

• He wanted to improve the environment so he expanded the national parks system included 103 million acres in Alaska.

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Foreign Policy

Deregulation under Carter

Carter’s Set Backs

• Also wanted to increase human & social services:– Developed the Dept. of Education– Strengthened Social Security– Appointed record numbers of women, blacks &

Hispanics into government jobs.

• Camp David Accords, 1978 (Peacemaker)– He helped bring amity b/w Egypt & Israel

• Three Mile Island• Airline Deregulation Act 1978• The Motor Carrier Act 1980• The Rail Act 1980• The Depository Institutions Deregulation &

Monetary Control act 1980• Soviets invasion of Afghanistan dissolved SALT II• Hostages of the U.S. embassy staff in Iran; January

1979.• Due to the Hostage situation and high inflation,

Carter’s defeat was near. (he would lose his re-election to Reagan.)

• The 52 American Hostages would be released the same day Carter left office. 8