1. National Politics Since 1968
SSUSH 25

2. Describe President Richard M. Nixon’s opening of China,
ssush 25 A
Describe President Richard M. Nixon’s opening of China,
his resignation due to the Watergate scandal,
changing attitudes toward government, and
the Presidency of Gerald Ford

3. Opening of China
Nixon’s foreign policy goal was to establish cordial relations with the world’s major nations:
End fighting in Vietnam
“Normalize” relations with China
Nixon & his National Security advisor, Henry Kissinger, visit China in 1972

4. Results of China Visit 1. Recognizing one China (not Taiwan)
2. Future trade b/w US & China
3. Soviet Union abandons support for North Vietnam (1973)
4. Nuclear disarmament treaty b/w US & USSR

5. Watergate Scandal
1972 Nixon re-elected as President; however, scandals caused his resignation on August 9, 1974.
-illegal campaign contributions
Burglary of DNC Headquarters at Watergate

6. Impact of Watergate Negative Positive
Increased cynicism & distrust of govt.
Damaged reputation of Republican Party
Protection for media to disseminate information
Efforts began to limit corporate campaign contributions

7. Ford as President Nixon’s VP, Spiro Agnew had been forced
to resign over tax- evasion charges, and he
was replaced by Gerald Ford.
Issues during his presidency:
Pardon given to Nixon
Recession in national economy & fights with Congress
Failed to develop a national energy policy
Continued to improve foreign relations

8. SSUSH 25 B
- Pt. out Thrugood Marshall on back row. Appointed to Supreme Ct. by LBJ in 1967
- Also, New Chief Justice Warren Burger
Explain the impact of Supreme Court Decisions on ideas about civil liberties & civil rights; include such decisions as Roe v. Wade (1973) & the Bakke decision on affirmative action

9. Roe v. Wade 1973 Topic: Abortion
Court expanded the constitutional right of privacy to include abortion = expanded protection of civil liberties

10. Regents of Univ. of California v. Bakke 1978
Ruled that race can be used when considering applicants to colleges but racial quotas cannot be used
Significant because it gave constitutional protection to affirmative action programs that gave equal access to minorities.

11. Part c
Explain the Carter administration’s efforts in the Middle East; include:
Camp David Accords,
His response to the 1979 Iranian Revolution, and
the Iranian hostage Crisis

12. James (Jimmy) Carter, D Elected in 1976
Presidency viewed as a domestic failure (economic problems, energy crisis) but great foreign policy success (human rights)

13. Foreign Policy Returned the Panama Canal zone to Panama
Camp David Accords (1978)- brokered an end to the Israeli-Egyptian conflict
Carter Doctrine- Pledge to protect Persian Gulf from Soviet aggression after Soviets invaded Afghanistan.

14. Iranian Revolution/ Hostage Crisis-
US support for Shah of Iran vs. Islamic Fundamentalists Fundamentalists win
US interests targeted by Iranian backed terrorist groups (angry over US support of Shah & support for Israel)
Revolutionaries take over the US embassy and hold staff hostage (11/79- 1/81)
Carter tried to negotiate but failed, tried to rescue but failed major reason for his failed re-election in 1980

15. Part d
Describe domestic and international events of Ronald Reagan’s presidency. Include:
Reaganomics
Iran-contra scandal and
The collapse of the Soviet Union

16. Ronald Reagan 1980 Elected President
Promised to restore the U.S. Economy and prestige at home & abroad
Nicknamed “The Great Communicator”

17. Domestic Policies Supply-side economics Reaganomics.
If Americans had more money to spend the economy would improve
Key Pts of Reaganomics:
Reduce govt. spending increases
Reduce income tax & capital gains tax
Reduce govt. regulation
Control money supply to reduce inflation
General period of economic growth; however, dramatic increases in federal deficits

18. Foreign Policies
Reagan began the largest peace-time build-up of the U.S. military in our history
Reagan Doctrine we would support any anti-Soviet guerilla movement (also Islamic terrorism).
Support in Afghanistan resulted in Soviet defeat
Air strikes against Libya (after terrorist attack on US servicemen in Germany)
Put down Communist backed movements in Central America

19. Iran-Contra Scandal Congress refused to support the
Contra in Nicaragua
Reagan had the National Security Council sell guns to Iran to
Encourage the release of American hostages held by pro-Iranian forces in Lebanon
Gain profits to send to the Contra in Nicaragua
Influence Iran in a “pro-western” direction
Contra A member of a guerrilla force in Nicaragua that opposed the left-wing Sandinista government 1979–90, and was supported by the US

20. End of the Cold War
Reagan begins rebuilding the military and talks about the anti-ballistic missile shield (“Star Wars”)
Soviet’s can’t afford to respond THEN
Reagan convinces Saudi Arabians to lower the price of crude oil (cuts into Soviet revenue)
USSR President Mikhail Gorbachev introduces economic & political reform programs
Soviet Union’s chief source of revenue was oil exports

21. Result of those programs in the USSR:
a dialog b/w the two countries
a nuclear arms agreement
Rebellion for independence of many satellite nations
1989 Berlin Wall is torn down
1991 marked the end of the Cold War with the collapse of the Soviet Union

22. Next president: George H.W. Bush, R

23. Ssush 25 e
Explain the relationship between Congress and President Bill Clinton. Include:
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and
Impeachment and acquittal

24. President William Jefferson Clinton, D
Elected in 1992
Economically oversaw tax cuts, reduced spending, a balanced budget with a surplus!
Rocky relationship with Congress:
Executive Order DADT
Attorney General nominee had used illegal immigrants as domestic help
By 1994 Republican dominated congress

25. NAFTA
Brought Mexico into a free-trade (tariff-free) zone that already existed between the US & Canada.
Arguments:
Against send US jobs to Mexico and harm environment
For—> open up a growing Mexican market to US companies

26. Impeachment 2nd president to suffer impeachment
House of Reps. Charged him with perjury & obstruction of justice
b/c of improper use of $ from a real estate deal and denial of an affair
Senate acquitted him

27. Ssush 25 f
Analyze the 2000 Presidential election & its outcome emphasizing the role of the electoral college.

28. Election of 2000 Al Gore, D vs. George W. Bush, R
Electoral Vote
271
266
States Carried 30
20 and DC
Popular Vote
50,456, 002
50,999,897
Percentage
47.9%
48.4%
Election of 2000
Al Gore, D vs. George W. Bush, R
Bush won electoral college, Gore won popular vote
Controversy: Florida (where Jeb Bush was Governor)
Vote was so close there was a mandatory re-count which resulted in a law suit & counter suit.
Supreme Court rusled recount would be unconstitutional.

29. Ssush 25 g
Analyze the response of President George W. bush to the attacks of September 11, 2001:
on the US,
the war against terrorism, and the
Subsequent American interventions in Afghanistan & Iraq

30. 9/11
Islamic terrorist launched a series of attacks on the US using airliners (Twin Towers, the Pentagon, Pennsylvania)

31. Bush’s Response
Bush signed the Patriot Act (supported by Congress & the Am. Public)
US could hold foreign citizens suspected of being terrorists for up to 7 days
Increased ability of law-enforcement agencies to search private communications & personal records
Creation of Department of Homeland Security
Responsible for protecting the US from terrorist attacks & natural disasters.

32. Response Cont…. Larger war on Terrorism
Authorization of Operation Enduring Freedom invasion of Afghanistan by the US and allied forces.
Why? The Taliban govt. there was harboring al- Qaeda leadership (Osama Bin Laden escaped)
March 2003, Operation Iraqi Freedom invasion of Iraq by the US & GB
Saddam Hussein went into hiding while forces searched for weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
No WMDs were ever found, Hussein was convicted and executed in 2006 for crimes against humanity