THE 1970S

1 – NIXON & WATERGATE

ECONOMY NIXON

STAGNANT ECONOMY By 1973 Inflation rate doubled Unemployment rate was up 50% Due to: Vietnam war Growing foreign competition Difficulty of finding jobs for new workers Nixon faced economic dilemma of Stagflation = Combination of high inflation with high unemployment Nixon decided to focus on controlling inflation Had little success

OIL AND GASOLINE - OPEC US depended on Middle East for petroleum oil Many of Middle Eastern countries belonged to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

OPEC PLACES EMBARGO OPEC as an oil cartel used oil as economic and political weapon 1973 – Yom Kippur War (Israel against Egypt and Syria) US sent aid to Israel (was ally to US) Arab OPEC nations responded with an Embargo = cut off all oil sales to US 1974 – OPEC resumes selling oil to US but price quadrupled Worsened problem of inflation in US

FOREIGN POLICY NIXON

DÉTENTE Nixon’s and Kissinger’s (adviser for national security affairs) create Détente policy = Policy aimed at easing Cold War tensions between Soviet Union, China, and US Was all in interest of World Peace Bipolar World vs Multipolar World Bipolar = two super powers (US and Soviet Union) Multipolar = growing role of other countries (China, Japan, and Western Europe) Nixon and Kissinger wanted to move away from pressures between two superpowers and create world peace in a “multipolar” world

NIXON VISITS CHINA Start détente with China US lifted trade and travel restrictions US withdrew fleets defending Taiwan FEB 1972 = Nixon met with Mao Zedong “Let us start a long march together, not in lockstep, but on different roads leading to the same goal of building a world structure of peace and justice” - NIXON Nixon hoped strengthening ties with China = would encourage Soviets to pursue diplomacy WORKED!

NIXON VISITS SOVIET UNION Three months later, Nixon visits Soviet Union Soviet Summit = Nixon met with Soviet premier Leonid Brezhnev Together signed Strategic Arms Limitations Treaty (SALT) = plan to limit nuclear arms the two nations had been working on for years

DOMESTIC NIXON

ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT Earth Day - April 22, 1970 Became grassroots for environmental effort Thousands of college and secondary schools and hundreds of communities, millions of Americans participated in activities such as picking up litter or demonstrating against air pollution Nonprofits such as the Sierra Club, Audubon Society, and the Wilderness Society formed and gained prominence Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Enforced pollution standards Prompted environmental research Coordinated anti-pollution activities with state and local gov’ts Endangered Species Act (1973) Est. measure for saving threatened animal species Vetoed by Nixon but still passed by Congress Clean Air Act (1970) = emission standards for factories & automobiles (must comply within 5 years) Clean Water Act (1972) = restricted pollutants into lakes and rivers

WATERGATE NIXON - DOMESTIC

WATERGATE SCANDAL Watergate scandal = an illegal break-in and attempts to block the investigation of it Showed that no one, not even the president, is above the law

WHAT HAPPENED Nixon campaign aides were determined to win his re-election by any means necessary Hired 5 men to raid & wiretap the Democratic party offices in a Washington, D.C., complex called Watergate

WIRETAPS Hoping to photograph files and place taps on phones, the men were caught by security guard Rather than forcing those involved to resign, the administration tried to hide the link to the White House

COVER-UP UNRAVELS After Nixon’s re-election  the cover-up began to unravel One of the burglars said that the White House was involved Soon 3 of Nixon’s top aides, who had been involved, resigned In Senate hearings, televised live, one of them said that Nixon had known of the cover-up

WHITE HOUSE TAPES Aide testified that there was taping system to record all conversations of Nixon in White House Nixon installed to help write memoirs When it was revealed that White House meetings had been tape recorded, the Senate committee demanded the tapes Nixon refused to turn them over Court battles over the tapes lasted a year

WHILE ALL THIS WAS HAPPENING… - SPIRO AGNEW Spiro Agnew = Nixon’s Vice President Forced to resign Took bribes from state contractors while governor of MD Continued to take bribes while at D.C.

TAPES CONT. In March 1974, a grand jury charged 7 Nixon aides with obstruction of justice perjury/lying under oath Nixon released more than 1,250 pages of taped conversations but withheld conversations on some key dates.

IMPEACHMENT In July 1974, the Supreme Court ordered the White House to release the tapes Three days later a House committee voted to impeach President Nixon If the full House of Representatives approved, Nixon would go to trial in the Senate If judged guilty = he would be removed from office

NIXON RESIGNS When tapes finally released = clear that Nixon knew of cover-up August 8, 1974 – Nixon resigned before being impeached He refused to admit guilt

2-FORD AND CARTER

PROBLEMS FOR PRESIDENT FORD Vietnam continued to divide the nation September 8, 1974, Ford pardoned Nixon for the Watergate = “full, free, and absolute pardon” Approval rating plunged from 71 percent to 50 percent Continued stagflation

WIN Economy at the worst since the Great Depression; unemployment at 9%=Ford rejected mandatory wage and price controls to reduce inflation WIN-Whip Inflation Now! Urged Americans to cut back on their oil and gas consumption Stirred up little enthusiasm and eventually failed=turned to cut spending and advocate for higher interest ratesto curb inflation This also failed

FORD’S FOREIGN POLICY Keep Kissinger as SOS and cont. détente with the Soviets and Chinese August 1975, signed the Helsinki Accords with the leaders of NATO and WARSAW Parties recognized the borders of Eastern Europe est. after WII Soviets then promised to uphold certain basic human rights, including the right to move across borders=failed to uphold these basic rights Turned many Americans against détente

1977, COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT ACT Implemented to reduce discriminatory practices of banks

Pres. Ford pardoned Nixon Approval rating dropped Carter promised to Restore morality & honesty to govt. Welfare reform National Medicare ELECTION OF 1976

“ I WILL NEVER LIE TO YOU. ” -- PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER An ineffective president. Micromanaged affairs Played the outsider and alienated potential insider allies Economic problems too big

A “WAR” AGAINST CONSUMPTION Felt that America’s most serious problem was its dependence on foreign oil Department of Energy created; national program to conserve oil and to promote the use of coal and renewable energy sources such as solar power=also asked Americans to make personal sacrifices to reduce their energy consumption Congress sought for deregulation of the oil industry=Carter enacted the “windfall profits tax” to prevent companies from over charging consumers conflicted with deregulation which was designed to free up corporate capital for use in searching for new sources of oil

CRISIS OF CONFIDENCE SPEECH Summer of 1979, 2 nd major fuel shortages Carter complained in a television address about a, “crisis of confidence” that had struck “at the very heart and soul of our national will.” The address became a malaise (discomfort or angst) speech=viewed as blaming the people for his own failures

CARTER'S FOREIGN POLICY 1978, Returned the Panama Canal to Panama=removed a major symbol of intervention in Latin America Camp David Accords Peace treaty between warring Egypt & Israel. U.S. diplomatic relations w/ China SALT II with USSR “Our commitment to human rights must be absolute…The powerful must not persecute the weak, and human dignity must be enhanced.”

LOSS OF INTERNATIONAL INFLUENCE Fall of Saigon, 1975 Communist N. Vietnam overthrows Democratic S. Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City) Crumbling relations between U.S. and Soviet Union Soviet Union supports revolutions in Africa and invades Afghanistan in 1979

Argo Intro IRANIAN REVOLUTION

Overthrow of Iran's monarchy and the establishment of an Islamic Republic. Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi was replaced by the cleric Ayatollah Khomeini IRANIAN REVOLUTION 1979

IRANIAN HOSTAGE CRISIS- 53 Americans are taken hostage from the U.S. embassy in Iran in Failed U.S. helicopter rescue mission reinforces sense of helplessness Inability to free the hostages cost Carter support in the 1980 election Released January 20, 1981 after 444 days

3-THE “ME” DECADE

BICENTENNIAL In 1976, the US celebrated the 200 th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence ( ).

TOM WOLFE “ ME DECADE ” Wolfe wrote about changes from the 1960s Idealistic Americans had worked hard to end racism, poverty, and create a more just society 1970s=self-improvement and fulfillment

THE NEW AGE MOVEMENT Embraced the idea that people where responsible for and capable of everything from self-healing to creating the world Believed spiritual enlightenment could be found in common practices, not just in traditional churchgoing Tired activities such as martial arts, and chanting to achieve fuller spiritual awareness=claiming “Zen”

RELIGIOUS CHANGE The 1970s saw an increase in Eastern religious following – Buddhism, Hinduism and Hare Krishna.

TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION Originated in Asia and centered on the teachings of gurus, or mystical leaders such as Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Originally from India, Yogi led a spiritual movement called transcendental meditation Was brought to light when the wildly popular rock band, the Beatles, began to explore his teachings Suggest daily meditation and the silent repetition of spiritual mantras as a way of achieving peak intelligence, harmony, and health

Television Took more risks Challenged the status quo Social issues Criticized government Mary Tyler Moore Single professional working woman All in the Family Racism Ignorant bigotry TELEVISION Watch the clip below…. Listen to what Archie Bunker says about the energy crisis vs. technology Archie vs Democrats How did the Mary Tyler Moore show break the stereotype of Women? Mary Tyler Moore

MOVIES Star Wars Saturday Night Fever The Godfather

MUSIC

“ FUNKY FASHIONS ” Disco Disc Jockeys (“DJs”) Platform shoes, polyester leisure suits, mood rings…

MOOD OF THE DECADE Watergate Scandal Vietnam war ends Dawn of the Disco, Studio 54, Saturday Night Fever John Travolta’s white suit with an open-necked shirt. Platform shoes Bell-bottom hip-hugger pants Hot pants with white go-go boots

MOOD OF THE DECADE Punk Rock, short-lived anti-social and anti- fashion movement Torn, frayed clothing Body piercing Spiked hair colored pink or green T-shirts being worn as billboards Political statement designs

MOOD OF THE DECADE Rap and hip-hop emerge Athletic clothes Track suits Excessive amounts of gold jewelry

MOOD OF THE DECADE Ethnic influence Macramé bags Crochet waistcoats and shawls Ponchos Gypsy tops with gathered necklines trimmed with bells and puffed sleeves Nehru jackets

MOOD OF THE DECADE “Me” decade, self indulgence String bikini Tight clothes Men’s leisure suits Designer jeans Hand-braided friendship bracelets

MOOD OF THE DECADE Feminism, sexual equality, women’s lib, equal rights Bra burning Women no longer wear girdles Women buy pantyhose Women wear pants and pantsuits Double-knit polyester man- made fabrics Micro, mini, midi, and maxi skirts

MOOD OF THE DECADE Shoes Platforms Clogs Movies and their stars Annie Hall—women wearing oversize men’s shirts, very long skirts, khaki pants, and men’s hats Grease—leather motorcycle jackets

MOOD OF THE DECADE Television Charlie’s Angels— Farrah Fawcett Major’s hair style and flared trousers Happy Days— Fonzie’s leather jacket, jeans, white shirt Dukes of Hazzard— Daisy Duke’s cutoff jean shorts

PEOPLE WHO INFLUENCED FASHION Yves Saint Laurent— womenswear based on menswear Halston—use of cashmere Calvin Klein—denim jeans Mary McFadden—fine pleating Bill Blass—sporty, sophisticated classics