1. 60s, 70s, and 80s
USH-8.2, 8.4

2. I. Political Spectrum Liberals (1960 – 1980)
Government should be active in protecting rights and welfare
Care for those that can’t
Supported Johnson’s Great Society
Supported Brown v Board
Supported government regulation of banks and business
Counterculture started from anti-Vietnam protests
Woodstock
Sexual revolution
Drugs

3. I. Political Spectrum Conservatives (1960-1980)
Thought government should stay out of people’s lives
Tended to be baby boomers
Welfare is too expensive
Big gov’t threatens freedom
Didn’t agree with Great Society
“New Right” was Christian conservative group that grew in influence
TV and radio shows

4. II. Women’s Rights National Organization for Women (NOW)
To promote rights for and help women
Equal Rights Amendment
Passed Congress, but not the states
Sandra Day O’Connor
1st female Supreme Court justice
Nominated by Ronald Reagan
Conservative except for abortion

5. III. President Johnson Civil Rights Act of 1964
Guaranteed rights for everyone
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Enforcement of the 15th Amendment
Great Society
A continuation of the New Deal to improve Americans lives
Especially AAs
War on Poverty, Medicare, Medicaid

6. IV. President Nixon
Limited civil rights and Great Society to gain white southern support
Felt Americans were tired of big government
Turned Democratic “solid South” into a strong Republican/conservative area
Environmental laws
Clean Air Act
Clean Water Act
Environmental Protection Agency
Earth Day

7. IV. President Nixon Watergate Scandal
The Democratic National Committee’s office was broken into
Paid burglars w/money to re-elect Nixon
Administration covered up the break-in
Nixon felt that executive privilege protected him
Taped conversations and deleted 18 minutes

8. IV. President Nixon Congress impeaches Nixon
He resigned before he could be removed from office
Many Americans begin to distrust government officials

9. V. President Ford Becomes president after Nixon’s resignation
Pardons Nixon and leads to more distrust of officials
OPEC begins oil embargo
US energy crisis begins

10. VI. President Carter Wins Election of 1976
Energy crisis made people worry
Pardon of Nixon made people mad
Inflation increases and hurts middle class
Iran takes American hostages from the embassy in Tehran
Unable to negotiate their return

11. VII. President Reagan Reagan is elected in 1980 Creates “Reaganomics”
Hostages freed on the day of his inauguration
Creates “Reaganomics”
Cutting taxes to the wealthy
Cutting gov’t spending on social programs
Thought money would “trickle down” from wealthy
Use the money to open businesses that needed workers
Opponents thought the opposite

12. VII. President Reagan
US became more actively involved in fighting communism
Created another arms race with Soviet Union
Too expensive for communist economy to keep up
USSR starts glasnost and perestroika to improve
People in USSR begin to see how bad they have it
Helps to end the Cold War