1970s Crisis and Decline Quiz Flashcards
Identify the factors that influenced the outcome of the Election of 1968.
- President Johnson’s decision to not seek reelection.
- Assassination of Democratic candidate Robert Kennedy
- Extreme division in Democratic Party, as evidenced by riots at their convention.
Describe the impact of President Richard Nixon’s domestic agenda before the Watergate Scandal.
President Nixon increased attention on environmental and women’s rights issues, while allowing the Supreme Court to tackle civil rights issues.
What is the EPA?
- Environmental Protection Agency.
- Government agency created by President Nixon to address the destructive power of industry on the environment- such as pollution.
What is Earth Day?
- Ceremonial holiday that was recongized by President Nixon to further encourage environmental reforms and education about environmental issues.
What is Title IX?
- Government policy sigend by President Nixon that prohibits gender discrimination in school-related opportunities; both academic and extracurricular.
- Resulted in increased access to college education for women (especially in STEM fields) and increased participation in athletics.
Explain how President Richard Nixon’s foreign policy impacted the US’ Cold War relations with the Soviet Union and China.
- Nixon greatly improved American relations with the Soviet Union and China; becoming the first president to visit either country in three decades.
- Nixon promoted a policy of “detente”
What is detente?
The easing of relations with the communist world; as promoted by President Nixon’s foreign policy.
What was the SALT I Treaty?
- Strategic Arms Limitation Talks
- Agreement between the US and Soviet Union that aimed to reduce the threat of nuclear war; example of detente.
Explain how American involvement in the Vietnam War changed during the Nixon presidency.
- Nixon aimed to decrease American involvement in Vietnam through his proposed “Vietnamization” plan.
- However, Nixon faced criticism from many young people when he escalated ground troops into neighboring Cambodia.
- In 1973, Nixon approved the final American troops to be pulled from Vietnam.
What was the Paris Peace Accords?
- The 1973 peace agreement between the United States and North Vietnam that marked the end of US involvement in the Vietnam War.
- Finalized the first American military defeat in US history.
Describe the attitude of the American public towards the government and foreign conflict after the Vietnam War.
- Toward government: Many Americans did not trust the government- believing they were misled during the Vietnam War.
- Toward foreign conflict: Most Americans grew increasingly opposed to involvement in foreign conflicts after the Vietnam War.
What was the Vietnam Syndrome?
- Attitude of distrust and discontent toward involvement in foreign affairs that followed the Vietnam War.
Describe the controversy surrounding the Watergate Scandal that began in 1972.
- Supporters of Nixon reelection campaign in 1972, broke into Democratic Party offices at the Watergate Complex in Washington D.C., where they werre caught and arrested.
- Nixon and his aides worked to cover up any connection to his campaign using bribe money and efforts to block the FBI investigation.
- After initally refusing to turn over evidence– in the form of tape recordings- Nixon was forced to do so, only for investigators to discover he has tampered with the recordings.
What was the Committee to Reelect the President?
- Also known as CREEP; this group was involved in planning the Watergate Break-In, and funding the cover-up of the crime’s connection to the Nixon White House.
- They wanted to help Nixon get reelected in 1972.
Explain how the Watergate Scandal brought about the end of Nixon’s presidency.
- After Nixon was forced to turn over the tapes; which had been tampered with (a crime).
- These tapes revealed that Nixon was connected to the cover-up.
- Facing certain impeachment and removal from office for his crimes- Nixon resigned the presidency.
What was the significance of the Supreme Court case the US v. Richard Nixon?
- Supreme Court case that determined President Nixon needed to turn over tape recording evidence to federal investigators into the Watergate Scandal.
- Asserted that no person, even the President, was above the laws of the United States.
Explain why President Ford decided to issue a pardon for Richard Nixon.
- President Ford worried that the public and government would continue to be overwhelmed by the Watergate Scandal– and unable to address other important issues facing the country.
- He wanted the country to move on from Watergate.
Identify the foreign policy achievements of the Carter Administration.
- Helped oversee negotiations in the Camp David Accords.
- Returned control of the Panama Canal to Panama
What were the Camp David Accords?
- Groundbreaking peace agreement between Israel and Egypt negotiated by President Carter.
Describe the foreign policy challenges that weighed down the Carter Administration
- American hostages were taken by Anti-US protestors in Iran, during the Iranian Hostage Crisis, which lasted over 400 days.
- The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in an effort to spread communism; starting the Soviet Afghan War.
Who was Ayatollah Khomeini?
Anti-US leader of Iran that came to power during the Iranian Revolution; creating many challenges for President Carter.
Who was the Mujahideen?
- International group of Islamic freedom fighters that the US provided financial and military aid to during the Soviet Afghan War.
- The US wanted to help them prevent the spread of communism into Afghanistan.
Identify the economic challenges facing the United States during the 1970s.
- High inflation and unemployment.
- Shrinking middle class.
- Decrease in manufacturing jobs.
- High gas prices and limited supply of oil.
What is stagflation?
Economic term used to describe the pattern of high inflation and unemployment amid the stagnant economy of the 1970s.
