1. Essential Question:
Why did the economic & foreign policies of Ford & Carter fail to meet the needs of America in the late 1970s?
***GHSGT Testing Week***
Lesson Plan for Monday, March 31, 2008: RQ 30A, Ford/Carter video & notes (Ford video 41:00-45:00; Carter video 0:00-12:00)

2. The 1970s: A Crisis in Confidence
The “Overextended Society” of the 1970s was defined by:
Low economic growth, high prices, & rising unemployment
In the 1920s, the economy was so good that the decade was referred to as the “Roaring 20s,”in the 1950s the “Affluent Society.”
The economy & mood in America were so bad in the 1970s that the decade was called the “Overextended Society”
Distrust of the government due to the Watergate scandal
“Passionless presidents” who failed to project clear leadership
An end of Nixon-era détente & resumption of Cold War rivalries

3. The U.S. Economy in the 1970s

4. Energy and the Economy
In the 1970s, 2 great oil shocks hurt the U.S. economy:
In 1973, the Arab members of OPEC initiated a 5% cut on production & an embargo against the U.S.
To punish Israel’s allies when Egypt & Syria attacked against Israel
The Iranian Revolution in 1979 cut off oil & led to another gas- shortage & soaring interest rates
The fuel shortage led to a 200% increase in the price of gas & home heating resulting in the worst recession since Depression
Embargo ended in March 1974 but Americans realized their dependency on other nations for supply of limited resources

5. The Oil Shocks: Price Increases of Crude Oil & Gasoline
Iranian Revolution

7. In 2008; Remember when gas prices hit $4.00?

8. The Search for an Energy Policy
These oil shocks forced the U.S. to realize its dependency on other nations for oil & led to action:
Nixon formed the EPA to oversee industry’s environmental impact
The new Dept of Energy (1977) emphasized conservation & domestic energy production
Mandated gas mileage requirements, speed limits, & price controls on domestic oil
Still…U.S. oil imports rose 50% from 1973 to 1979

9. A Troubled American Economy
STAGFLATION
The 1970s economy grew stagnant:
Unemployment grew to 9%
Heavy industry jobs fell due to outsourcing & foreign competition
Workers’ wages did not keep up with rising prices
1970s experienced huge inflation:
Due to Vietnam deficit spending, global food shortage, oil shocks
Bread, Milk, Car prices rose 72%
Massive price increases led to a 5.5% decrease in “real income” for average Americans

10. The “Lean Years” The Presidencies of Ford & Carter Ford & Carter Videos
(Ford video 41:00-45:00; Carter video 0:00-12:00)

11. The Ford Administration
Gerald Ford failed to restore public confidence after Watergate:
Ford pardoned Nixon for any crimes he may have committed
He revealed a number of past CIA assassination attempts & appointed George Bush to reorganize the CIA
Vetoed 39 Great Society-style bills initiated by Congress

12. The 1976 Campaign
In 1976, dark-horse Jimmy Carter won the Democratic nomination & campaigned as an outsider, an honest man, with fresh leadership
Carter won a narrow victory due to social class & racial factors:
Affluent, well-educated, suburban voters chose Ford
Socially & economically disadvantaged voted for Carter

14. Ford’s foreign policy blunder during the TV debates in 1976: “There is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe”

16. Disenchantment with Carter
Carter entered office with no clear political philosophy or vision:
Deregulated the airline industry which lowered prices
But…his attempts to reform welfare & Social Security failed
He had no remedy for soaring inflation, interest rates, & bank failures that hurt the economy
In 1979, Carter gave the “national malaise” speech in which he discussed the importance of conserving energy but seemed to blame Americans for creating a “crisis in confidence”

17. Essential Question:
Why did the economic & foreign policies of Ford & Carter fail to meet the needs of America in the late 1970s?
***GHSGT Testing Week***
Lesson Plan for Monday, March 31, 2008: RQ 30A, Ford/Carter video & notes (Ford video 41:00-45:00; Carter video 0:00-12:00)

18. Carter’s Human Rights Foreign Policy

19. A Declining Superpower
America’s international dominance declined sharply in 1970s due to:
Americans’ increasing desires to avoid “another Vietnam”
The War Powers Act forced the president to consult with Congress before sending troops
The escalating military costs & deficit spending made sustaining the Cold War impossible

20. Foreign Policy & Human Rights
Carter focused his foreign policy on a commitment to human rights:
Spoke out against repressive regimes in Latin America & apartheid in South Africa
Reformed the CIA to operate “within the law” (but only briefly)
Negotiated the return of the Panama Canal to Panamanians

21. Foreign Policy & Human Rights
In Nov 1977, Egyptian leader Sadat made an appeal with Israel to settle the October War of 1973
Carter invited Egyptian leader Sadat & Israeli leader Begin to the U.S. to negotiate terms
The Camp David accords in 1979 led to a peace treaty between Egypt & Israel, but alienated other Arab nations

22. Celebrating the Camp David Accords:
Menachem Begin, Jimmy Carter, & Anwar Sadat

24. The Cold War Resumes
During the Carter years, the Cold War rivalry between the U.S. & USSR grew due to:
A new arms race as the U.S. adopted new MX missiles & Trident submarines
SALT II failed to make lasting arms reduction
Increased U.S.-Sino relations put the USSR on the defensive

26. Ohio-class submarine with Trident nuclear missile capability

27. The Cold War Resumes
Détente ended when the USSR invaded Afghanistan in 1979
The U.S. interpreted the attack as a move to take the Middle East & responded with:
Economic embargo of the USSR
Boycott of the Moscow Olympics
Aid to the Afghani resistance

28. Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan, 1979

29. Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan, 1979

30. The Iranian Hostage Crisis
The Camp David victory was offset by the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis:
Exiled Islamic fundamentalist Ayatollah Khomeini led a coup against the U.S.-backed shah
When Carter allowed the shah to enter the U.S. for medical aid, irate mobs in Tehran took 52 hostages from the U.S. embassy

31. Quest for Peace in the Middle East
Carter’s attempts at diplomatic, military, & economic threats failed to bring a return of the hostages
In 1980, Carter approved a rescue mission that was aborted after 2 helicopters crashed
The perceived blunders & inability of Carter to end the hostage crisis hurt Carter in his re-election bid in 1980

32. Conclusions: A Failed Presidency

33. Carter’s 1980 approval rating was 23%
A Failed Presidency
Carter’s failures with inflation, Iran, & Afghanistan overshadowed his foreign policy victories with the Panama Canal & the Middle East
The failures of Johnson, Nixon, Ford, & Carter led to a desire among Americans for a strong leader who could face both domestic & foreign challenges
Carter’s 1980 approval rating was 23%