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The American Pageant:
Chapter 38
Challenges to the Postwar Order
1973 - 1980
Introduction
● Americans struggling with confidence in their
leaders
● Economy and politics are transforming
Introduction
● Stagnation and Inflation
● Gender and religion battles intensified
Watergate
● June 17, 1972
● Were tied back to Nixon
Watergate Continued
● Just one of many “dirty tricks” by Nixon
● Tapes were released on June 23, 1972
Watergate Continued
● The public turned on Nixon
● He resigned on August 8, 1974
Unmaking of a Presidency
● VP Spiro Agnew resigns
● Ford is new VP
Sources of Stagnation
● American workers doubled their average standard of
living
● Productivity gains slowed in the 70’s
Sources of Stagnation
Continued
● The median income of the average american family stagnated
and later declined.
● Baby boomers faced depressing living standards
Sources of Stagnation
Continued
● Women and Teenagers join the workforce
● Vietnam War drained tax dollars
● Inflation rates were high
Sources of Stagnation
Continued
● Big business had gone down
● Public was not happy
The First Unelected President
● Gerald Rudolph Ford entered the white house in 1974
● Only president because he was VP when Nixon resigned
● Ford wanted to improve foreign relations
Defeat in Vietnam
● Without aid, South Vietnam collapsed
● Refuges were sent to U.S.
● The war costed roughly $118 Billion
Feminist Victories and Defeats
● Congress passed title IX
● Equal Rights Amendment won approval
Feminist Victories and Defeats
● Roe v. Wade 1973
● The movement provoked films, books, and television
Feminist Movement
● Family transformation were happening (divorces, singleparents, and dual-income)
● Family wasn't first job for women anymore
Race Wars
● Milliken v. Bradley
● “White Flight”
Race Wars Continued
● “Reverse Discrimination”
● Native Americans made strides
Race Wars Continued
● United States v. Wheeler
● “Unique and limited” sovereignty
The Bicentennial Campaign
● Election of 1976
● Ford beats Reagan for republican Nominee
The Bicentennial Campaign
Continued
● “New Right”
● Republican nominee is Jimmy Carter
The Bicentennial Campaign
Continued
● “I’ll never lie to you”
● Carter dominated polls
The Bicentennial Campaign
Continued
● In the election of 1976, Jimmy Carter wins the
presidency
Carter’s Humanitarian
Diplomacy
● “Human rights”
● Improved relations with Egypt and Israel
Carter's Humanitarian
Diplomacy Continued
● Also resumed full diplomatic relations with China
● Panama Canal
Carter's Humanitarian
Diplomacy Continued
● “We bought it, we paid for it, we built it, and we intend to
keep it!” -Reagan
● Cold War and Cuba were flaws in foreign policy
Economic and Energy Woes
● The recession causes ups and downs in inflation
● The “oil shocks” taught U.S. a lesson on foreign
trade
Economic and Energy Woes
Continued
● The “prime rate” went to an unbelievable 20% in
early 80’s
● Carter blamed the U.S. reliance on foreign oil
Economic and Energy Woes
Continued
● Problems in Iran causes problem with oil in U.S.
● July 15, 1979 - Malaise speech
Economic and Energy Woes
Continued
● Fired four cabinet members shortly after the
speech
The Turn Toward the Market
● The energy crisis, stagflation, and Carter's political woes
brought powerful conservatives post war.
● Against “Big Government”
The Turn Toward the Market
● Former influential liberals of the 60’s are now
“neoconservatives”
● Neoconservatives called for tough, harshly, anti-soviet
positions in foreign policy.
The Turn Toward the Market
Continued
● Free to Choose is published
● Tried to change many things brought on from Carter
presidency
The Turn Toward the Market
Continued
● Younger Democrats began to move away from the New Deal
- era
● Taxes were the most politically explosive aspects of politics
in the late 70’s
Foreign Affairs and the Iranian
Imbroglio
● SALT II - President Carter meets with soviet leader, Leonid
Brezhnev
● Made agreement to limit lethal strategic weapons
Foreign Affairs and the Iranian
Imbroglio Continued
● November 4, 1979 - mob of passionately anti-american
muslim militants stormed the U.S. embassy and took hostages
● American people condemned the diplomatic felony in Iran
Foreign Affairs and the Iranian
Imbroglio Continued
● December 27, 1979 - Soviets blitzed into the nation of
Afghanistan. Close to oil.
● U.S boycotts olympics
Foreign Affairs and the Iranian
Imbroglio Continued
● President Carter states that the U.S. would “use any means
necessary, including force.”
● Failed military operations increases americans dissatisfaction
with Carter
Conclusion
● America was divided as 80’s approached
● This time set up future changes for the U.S.