Modern Era: 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s

Nixon Visits China

• Nixon follows policy of détente—easing Cold War tensions

• Takes advantage of rift between China, Soviet Union

• 1971, Nixon’s visit to China a huge success

• U.S. and China agree to:– cooperate over

disputes peacefully, have scientific and cultural exchange

Watergate Scandal:A Bungled Burglary

• Committee to Reelect the President break into Democratic headquarters

• Watergate- scandal is administration’s attempt to cover up break-in

• destroy documents, try to stop investigation, buy burglars’ silence

• Washington Post reporters link administration to break-in

Startling Testimony

• John Dean, who was fired by Nixon, declares Nixon involved in cover-up

• Alexander Butterfield says Nixon tapes presidential conversations

• Special prosecutor subpoenas tapes, but Nixon refuses

• Vice President Spiro Agnew resigns, revealed he accepted bribes

• Nixon nominates, Congress confirms Gerald R. Ford as vice-president

Watergate Comes to an End

• Nixon Releases the Tapes:

• Nixon tells TV audience he is releasing edited transcripts

• July, Supreme Court rules unanimously Nixon must surrender tapes

• The President Resigns:

• House Judiciary begins impeachment process

• Charges Nixon with: obstruction of justice, abuse of power, contempt of Congress

• Nixon releases tapes, reveals he knew of administration role and cover up

• Before congress votes on impeachment, Nixon resigns

“A Ford, Not a Lincoln”

• September 1974, new president Gerald R. Ford pardons Nixon

• Carrying Out Nixon’s Foreign Policies:

• Signs Helsinki Accords—cooperation between Eastern and Western Europe

• Ford Tries to “Whip” Inflation:

• Unsuccessfully asks public to cut back use of oil, gas, save energy

• Cuts government spending and urges higher interest to restrict credit

• Continually battles Democratic Congress with own economic agenda

Important Supreme Court Cases

• Roe v. Wade:• (NOW) support of

woman’s right to an abortion is controversial

• Roe v. Wade: women have right to an abortion in first trimester

• University of California Vs. Bakke

• Affirmative Action- an action to hire and promote African Americans

• 1978 Bakke case, Supreme Court states that affirmative action quotas are unconstitutional, however, race can be one factor in university admissions

The Carter Administration

• The Camp David Accords:

• 1978 Carter hosts talks between Anwar el-Sadat (Egypt’s Prime Minister) and Menachem Begin (Israel Prime Minister)

• Camp David Accords forge peace between Israel and Egypt:

• Israel withdraws from Sinai Peninsula

• Egypt recognizes Israel’s right to exist

The Iran Hostage Crisis

• Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini leads overthrow of shah

• establishes Islamic state where everyone would follow the Qur’an

• Carter supports shah and allows him entry to U.S. for cancer treatment

• Iranian students seize U.S. embassy, take 52 hostages, they demand shah’s return

• Carter refuses to return shah and a standoff begins

• intense secret negotiations follow (but the hostages remain)

• Captives released Jan. 1981, shortly after Ronald Reagan sworn in

The Regan Administration

• Reagan’s Economic Policies:

• Reaganomics: budget cuts, tax cuts that benefit the upper and middle class, and increased defense spending

• Reduces budget for social programs that benefit the lower income families (Food stamps, welfare, Medicaid, student loans)

• Increased Defense Spending:

• Defense Dept. budget almost doubles and offsets cuts in social programs

• Reagan asks scientists for Strategic Defense Initiative--anti-missile defense system (also known as “Star Wars”)

The Iran-Contra Scandal

• 1983, terrorists loyal to Iran take Americans hostage in Lebanon

• Reagan says no negotiating with terrorists, however he approves the sell of weapons for hostages

• Staff divert some profits to Contras which violates the Boland Amendment

• 1988, several staffers indicted; 1992, Bush pardons Reagan officials

The Soviet Union Declines

• Mikhail Gorbachev—general secretary of Soviet Communist Party

• Gorbachev plans perestroika—some private enterprise, move to democracy

• Soviet economy stressed; Reagan’s defense spending adds pressure

• Wants better relations with U.S. to cut U.S.S.R. military spending

• 1991, 14 republics declare independence; Gorbachev forced to resign

• Gorbachev reduces Soviet control of Eastern Europe and urges democracy

• 1989, Berlin Wall is torn down and in 1990

• East and West Germany are reunited

The Clinton Administration

• Clinton wants North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA):– free-trade for

Canada, Mexico, and U.S

• Critics fear U.S. will lose jobs to Mexico

• 1999, demonstrators protest World Trade Organization Seattle meeting

• Anti-globalization protests held worldwide

Republicans Take Control of Congress

• Newt Gingrich turns unhappiness with Clinton into Republican support

• In 1994, Republicans win both houses

• Clinton and republicans clash over budget, both sides refuse to compromise

• Federal government shut down for several weeks between the winter 1995–1996

Clinton Impeached

• Clinton was charged with obstruction of justice and perjury:– Charged with

improperly using money as the governor of Arkansas

– Lying under oath about relationship with white house intern Monica Lewinsky

• Clinton was the 2nd president to be impeached when the house of Reps approved 2 articles of impeachment

• However, the senate failed to approve the article of impeachment and he was able to stay in office

Election Night Confusion

• In the 2000 Election, Democrats nominate Vice President Al Gore and Republicans choose Texas governor George W. Bush

• Close race: Florida electoral votes needed to win presidency

• As votes counted, lead shifts repeatedly between Gore and Bush

• Bush wins by narrow margin, this triggers an automatic recount

Dispute Rages in Florida

• The electoral college made up of electors representing the 50 states and one federal district

• electors generally cast their votes for the winner of the popular vote in their respective states

• Recount gives Bush narrow win

• Alleged voting irregularities in several counties

• Gore campaign requests manual recount in 4 Democratic counties

The Battle Moves to the Courts

• Republicans sue to stop manual recounts and a court battles begin

• Supreme Court votes to stop recounts: lack of uniform standards

• Bush gets electoral votes from Florida, wins presidency

September 11th, 2001

• 9/11/01 terrorists hijack 4 planes

• 1 crashes into Pentagon, 2 planes destroy World Trade Center, and one crashes in field near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Terrorist strike at the symbolic center of American Finance

• Over 3000 people were killed, hundreds more were injured

Antiterrorist Measures

• After September 11, antiterrorism bill passes

• Department of Homeland Security created to combat terrorism

• Afghan Govt. was harboring Osama Bin Laden and his al- Qaeda terrorist network

• U.S.-led coalition breaks up al-Qaeda in Afghanistan

War in Iraq

• Bush feared that Hussein was supplying terrorist with Weapons of Mass Destruction

• Bush called for renewed weapons inspection in Iraq, However, Hussein refused to cooperate fully

• U.S and Great Britain then ordered Hussein to leave the country

• Hussein refused to leave and in 2003 the U.S and G.B invaded Iraq

• Within in a month the Iraqi forces were defeated

• Hussein was found hiding in a hole months later and given to the Iraqi Govt. to face charges