American Life During The Nixon Years A short presentation of key background

Movements for change change direction Following Kent State shootings, campus activism diminishes greatly in fall of 1970 African American civil rights movement inspired new movements in the late 60s/early 70s, including:  Women’s rights movement  Gay rights movement  Environmental movement  Native Americans, Latinos, and other groups

The environmental movement 1st Earth Day: April 22, 1970  20 million Americans gathered in parks Influence on Congress, Nixon leads to action New ideas: recycling, vegetarianism, organic farming, solar energy, etc. take shape in the early 70s

The political climate Nixon: Republican Democratically- controlled House and Senate

The Nixon Economy Unemployment goes from 3.3 to 6.2% by 1971 Budget deficit of $25 billion; inflation rate of 5% in 1969 Inflation exploded to 9% in 1973, 12% in 1974 Arab oil embargo against the U.S. in 1973 for their support for Israel led to quadrupling of prices, long gas lines, etc. Economic recession: “stagflation”

Nixon’s war on militant protesters and his “enemies” Nixon wanted to destroy enemies so he would be unbeatable in 1972 Created a secret task force to spy on journalists Used the IRS to audit his opponents FBI illegally wiretapped his opponents Justice Dept and local police worked to destroy the Black Panthers CIA illegally investigated thousands of Americans

Nixon’s Enemies List “Anyone who opposes us, we’ll destroy. In fact, anyone who doesn’t support us, we’ll destroy.” -top Nixon aide Enemies’ list: Bill Cosby, Paul Newman, Ralph Nader, John Lennon, Barbra Streisand, Ted Kennedy, Joe Namath! Check this crazy document out:  mStudies/lewis/film/enemi es.htm mStudies/lewis/film/enemi es.htm

Huston Plan Nixon approved the Huston Plan:  CIA/FBI plan to infiltrate anti-war and civil rights groups  Break in, burglarize, plant evidence, wiretap, etc.  Denied by J. Edgar Hoover… …So Nixon created his own secret unit called “The Plumbers.”

Last but not least…Vice President Agnew resigns October 10, 1973 Pleads no contest to income tax evasion and accepting $30,000 in bribes; resigns as VP, fined $10,000, given three years probation.