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Decades of Change

Very Useful Websites for The Decades of Change (you are expected to look at them):

1) (events from 1940-1980)

2)

3)

4)

5)

6)

7)

- also check out the vocabulary for Chapters 41 through 43 at the same general site

8)

- navigate from this page; find the “Review Center” link to the right and use it to study key concepts and to take practice quizzes

Enduring Understandings:

Students will understand that …

1. People’s values and actions are influenced by the culture that surrounds them.

2. Democracy is an ongoing process that involves struggle and requires cooperation.

3. Individuals and groups can actively participate to influence the government and reform society, but are often met with

opposition by those who want to protect the status quo.

4. Breaches of trust by leaders damage the public’s confidence in government.

Essential Questions:

1. How does suburban life shape the individual?

2. How can people change society?

3. How far should the government go to promote equality and opportunity?

4. What happens when the government loses the support of the public?

5. Did America move closer or further away from its founding ideals in the three decades after World War II?

Knowledge:

All Students will know …

1. How does suburban life shape the individual?

a. Effects of the GI Bill and the expansion of suburbanization, including Levittowns.

b. Influence of popular culture and the role of the mass media in promoting consumerism and homogenizing (making

the same throughout) American culture.

c. Rock and Roll music influenced teen culture.

d. Criticisms of conformity and the role of women in American society in the 1950’s.

2. How can people change society?

a. The economic, political and social status of African-Americans living in the North and South after WWII.

b. Leadership and ideology of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X in the civil rights movement and their legacies.

c. Use of organizations, marches and civil disobedience to change public opinion and pressure government action.

d. Resistance to civil rights in the South between 1954 and 1965.

e. Causes and effects of the modern feminism movement.

3. How far should the government go to promote equality and opportunity?

a. Role of the legislative, executive and judicial branches in advancing the civil rights movement.

b. Goals and effectiveness of the “Great Society” programs.

c. New immigration policies after 1965 and the push-pull factors that prompted a new wave of immigrants from Asia

and Latin America.

d. Effectiveness of government in addressing social and environmental issues.

4. What happens when the government loses the support of the public?

a. The Vietnam policy of the U.S. government, including the draft, and the shifts in public opinion about the war.

b. John F. Kennedy’s assassination contributed to the loss of idealism.

c. Nixon administration’s involvement in Watergate and the role of the media in exposing the scandal.

d. Constitutional issues raised by Watergate and the effects of Watergate on public opinion.

5. Did America move closer or further away from its founding ideals in the three decades after World War II?

a. How the ideals of liberty, equality, opportunity, rights and democracy were exemplified or contradicted during this

period.

Advanced students will know …

1. Impact of significant Warren Court decisions on personal rights.

2. Impact of Rachel Carson and Silent Spring.

District “Core” Checklist

____ effects of G.I. Bill of Rights on Americans after WWII (esp. on education & standard of living)

____ the “Baby Boom” (from 1946-1964), including its causes, effects, and symbolism of 1950’s

____ changes in the American economy after WWII (and lifestyle changes brought about by those

changes)

____ Brown v. Board of Education decision (overall issue of, historical cause(s) & importance/effects)

____ growth of middle class (causes, effects, growth of suburbs and their symbolism of conformity)

____ conformity v. non-conformity

____ civil disobedience (examples: Rosa Parks, Freedom Riders, lunch counter sit-ins, etc.)

____ philosophies of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. (Similarities? Differences?)

____ society’s expectations of women (especially suburban) in the 1950’s (causes, effects,

limitations, and opportunities associated with, etc.)

____ changes in the roles of women (from the 1950’s to the 1960’s)

____ President LBJ’s “Great Society” (main ideas/philosophy, programs, role of government,

effects, etc.)

____ Vietnam War (its causes, main goal of the U.S., domino theory, outcome/effects)

____ effect of the military draft on the public’s support for the Vietnam War

____ beliefs of the “Hawks” and “Doves” during the Vietnam War (reasons/needs for -or against –

involvement)

____ effects of Vietnam and Watergate, especially regarding the public’s trust of the government

____ effects of the Three Mile Island nuclear accident (including debate over use of nuclear energy)

(Note: The chapter numbers correspond to the chapters of the old textbook, The Americans)

Chapter 19: The Postwar Boom

Source: The Americans Power Point Cd-Rom

Overview:

Many Americans enjoy new material comforts (products, luxuries, etc.) and new forms of entertainment during the post-war economic boom. Yet racial gaps remain, and millions continue to live in poverty.

I. Section 1: Postwar America

The Truman and Eisenhower administrations lead the nation to make social, economic, and political adjustments following World War II.

A. Readjustment and Recovery

1. *The Impact of the GI Bill

a. 1944 GI Bill of Rights eases veterans’ return to civilian life

b. Pays partial tuition for college (which allows millions of people to go to college and for

them and their families to have a better standard of living), gives unemployment

benefits and provides loans for housing and creating businesses

1. impact/effects:

“More than any other law passed by Congress, it shaped American society in the

postwar period. Millions of people whose parents or grandparents had never

dreamed of going to college saw they could go. It allowed millions of Americans

to achieve a better standard of living (quality of life) that was generally better

than that enjoyed by their parents.”

2. *Housing Crisis

a. 10 million returning veterans face housing shortage

b. Builders (like William Levitt’s “Levittown”) use assembly-line methods to mass-produce houses

c. Build suburbs—small residential communities around cities

1. growth of the suburbs comes to symbolize the growth of the middle class

2. the “cookie-cutter” similarity of the houses in the suburbs becomes a

symbol of conformity associated with the 1950’s middle-class suburbs

|Geographic Distribution of the U.S. Population |

|[pic] |1950 |1960 |1970 |

|Central Cities |32.3 |32.6 |31.4 |

|Suburbs |23.8 |30.7 |37.6 |

|Rural Areas |43.9 |36.7 |31.0 |

Source:

Questions to Think About

1. How did the geographic distribution of the U.S. population change after 1950?

2. What factors encouraged this shift?

The cartoon to the left :

- pokes fun at the housing developments of the 1950s that gave Americans the “cookie-cutter“ homes and

neighborhoods they craved.

Question: According to the cartoon, what was one negative aspect of postwar suburban developments?

The image to the right:

- shows a new suburban development of houses.

Question: What is conformity? Can you see why suburbs such as this one are referred to as “cookie-cutter” homes and how they

became symbolic of the conformity of the 1950’s?

[pic]

Quote at the bottom (of the cartoon: “I’m Mrs. Edward M. Barnes. Where do I live?”

Source: The Americans EasyPlanner CD-ROM

3. Redefining the Family

a. Tensions from changed gender roles during war increase divorce rate

1. many women unhappy about being forced back into the “woman stays-at-home” role

4. Economic Readjustment

a. Over 1 million defense (military) industry workers laid off; wages drop for many workers

b. Price controls end; 25% increase in cost of scarce consumer goods (inflation)

c. Congress reestablishes price, wage, rent controls

5. Remarkable Recovery

a. People have savings, pay from being in the service, & war bonds; begin to buy large amounts

of goods and products that they were not able to have during the Great Depression and WWII

b. Cold War keeps defense spending up; foreign aid creates markets for American industries

c. *overall, the 1950’s has a stronger economy and greater prosperity in comparison

to the situation before World War II

B. Meeting Economic Challenges

1. Truman Faces Strikes

a. 1946, higher prices, lower wages lead 4.5 million to strike

b. Truman has govt. take control over mines, threatens to take over railroads

c. Threatens to draft workers into the military; unions give in

C. Social Unrest Persists

1. Truman Supports Civil Rights

a. African Americans, especially veterans, demand more civil rights as citizens

b. Congress rejects civil rights laws; Truman issues executive orders:

1. integrates armed forces (no more segregation in them); ends discrimination in

government hiring

2. The 1948 Election

a. Southern Democrats—Dixiecrats—protest civil rights, form own party

b. Truman calls special session; asks Congress for social legislation

c. Congress refuses; Truman fights back

1. shows how split the nation is becoming regarding the issue of civil rights (even

members of the same political party cannot agree)

3. Stunning Upset

a. Truman defeats Thomas E. Dewey in close political upset

1. the photo below shows Truman holding a newspaper that had been printed and

distributed too early; it said that he had lost!

b. Democrats regain control of Congress, lose some Southern states

[pic]

Source:

4. The Fair Deal

a. Truman’s Fair Deal is ambitious economic program, includes:

1. higher minimum wage, flood control projects, low-income housing

b. Congress passes parts of Fair Deal

D. Republicans Take the Middle Road

1. I Like Ike!

a. Truman’s approval rating drops over Korean War, McCarthyism

1. decides not to run for reelection

b. former WWII general Dwight D. Eisenhower wins; Republicans narrowly take over Congress

2. Walking the “Middle of the Road” (being “moderate” on the political spectrum)

a. Eisenhower conservative about money but liberal on social issues

b. Ike tries to avoid civil rights movement, which is gaining strength

c. On economy, he works for balanced budget (govt. spending = revenues) & tax cut

d. Pushes social legislation, new Dept. of Health, Education, Welfare

e. his popularity soars; is reelected in 1956

II. Section 2: The American Dream in the Fifties

During the 1950s, the economy booms, and many Americans enjoy material comfort.

A. The Organization and the Organization Man

1. Employment in the U.S.

a. By 1956, majority of Americans not in “blue-collar” (industrial) jobs

b. More in higher-paying, “white-collar” (office, professional) positions

c. Many in services, like sales, advertising, insurance, communications

2. Social Conformity

a. Many employees with well-paid, secure jobs lose individuality (feel like a “number”, not a

valued, individual worker/person)

b. Personality tests see if job candidates fit in company culture (conformity)

c. Companies reward teamwork, loyalty, encourage conformity

B. The Suburban Lifestyle

1. The Baby Boom

a. in 1950s, 85% of new homes built in suburbs

b. from 1945–1965 * “baby boom”—soaring birth rate after soldiers return

1. *was a massive increase in the number of children born

2. becomes symbolic of the 1950’s

[pic]

Source: The Americans EasyPlanner CD-ROM

1. Just think of the impact that this generation will have on the nation’s economy, resources, etc.

2. This group is beginning to retire and that is putting a huge strain on Social Security (bankruptcy?).

2. *Women’s Roles

a. Magazines, TV, movies glorify role of homemaker, mother

b. Over 1/5 of suburban wives dissatisfied with their lives

c. 1960, 40% mothers work; society’s expectations limited opportunities for women

1. less pay than men

Visual: Stereotypical gender roles of the 1950’s.

[pic]

Source:



4. Leisure in the Fifties

a. Shorter work week, paid vacation, labor-saving devices free up time

b. People have time for recreational activities, spectator sports

c. Book, magazine, comic book sales climb rapidly

C. The Automobile Culture

1. Automania

a. Cheap, plentiful gas, easy credit, advertising increase car sales

b. No public transit in suburbs; cars are necessary

2. The Interstate Highway System

a. Local, state roads link cities, suburbs to schools, shops, work

b. Interstate Highway Act—nationwide highway network unites country

c. Highways enable long-haul trucking, new towns, family vacations

d. Towns near highways prosper; those near older, smaller roads decline

e. This network of roads helped our nation’s economy to grow even faster

1. linked workers, employers, natural resources, factories, consumers, producers, sellers,

etc. and allowed for faster movement of people and goods

Visual: The following map shows the interstate highway system design as of 1955.

[pic]

3. Mobility Takes Its Toll

a. Auto boom stimulates new businesses—e.g. drive-in movies

b. Cars create social, environmental problems—e.g. accidents, pollution

c. Upper-, middle-class whites leave cities; jobs, businesses follow

d. Economic gulf (differences) widens between suburban and urban

1. also widens gap between middle class and the poor

D. Consumerism Unbound

1. New Products

a. 60% of Americans in middle class; twice as many as before WW II

b. Consumerism (buying material goods) equated with success (definitely exists today!)

c. Numerous new products appear on market in response to demand

2. Planned Obsolescence

a. Planned obsolescence—making products that get outdated, wear out

1. makes consumers buy or want to buy new ones (still exists today!)

a. How many versions of the I-Pad, I-Phone, and I-Pod have there already been?

b. just look at these cell phones

[pic]

3. Buy Now, Pay Later

a. Credit purchases, credit cards, installments extend payment period

b. Private debt grows (still exists today); consumers confident of future prosperity

4. The Advertising Age

a. Most people have satisfied basic needs; ads encourage extra spending

b. Psychological appeals in ads lure consumers to particular products

1. ads geared to make you feel that you need something or will be inadequate without it

c. Ads appear in all media; television emerges as powerful new tool

d. all of this still applies to today

[pic]

Source:



III. Section 3: Popular Culture



Mainstream Americans, as well as the nation’s subcultures, embrace new forms of

entertainment during the 1950s.

A. New Era of the Mass Media

1. The Rise of Television

a. Mass media—means of communication that reach large audiences

b. TV first widely available 1948; in almost 90% of homes in 1960

c. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates communications

d. By 1956, FCC allows 500 stations to broadcast

e. Programs: comedies, news, dramas, variety shows, children’s shows

f. Lifestyle changes: TV Guide is popular magazine; TV dinners

2. Stereotypes and TV

a. Women, minorities on TV are stereotypes; few blacks, Latinos

b. Raise concerns about effect of violence on children

B. A Subculture Emerges

1. The Beat Movement

a. “Beat” movement—writers, artists express nonconformity (going against what most other

people are doing)

b. Poets, writers use free, open form; read works aloud in coffeehouses

c. Beatnik attitudes, way of life attract media attention, students

C. African Americans and Rock ‘n’ Roll

1. Rock ‘n’ Roll

a. Black musicians add electric instruments to blues—rhythm and blues

b. Rock ‘n’ roll—mix of rhythm and blues, country, pop

c. Has heavy rhythm, simple melodies, lyrics about teenage concerns

d. Music appeals to newly affluent teens who can buy records

e. Many adults concerned music will lead to delinquency, immorality

Chapter 20: The New Frontier and the Great Society

Note: Section 20:1 was included in the previous unit of study.

Source: The Americans Power Point Cd-Rom

II. Section 2: The New Frontier

While Kennedy has trouble getting his ideas for a New Frontier passed, several goals are

achieved.

A. The Promise of Progress

1. Kennedy’s Vision of Progress

a. New Frontier— the name of Kennedy’s program for his presidency

2. Stimulating the Economy

a. By 1960, U.S. in recession; 6% unemployment (now = 8.3% as of Feb. 2012)

b. JFK administration pushes for deficit spending to stimulate growth

c. Gets 20% increase for defense; money for unemployment problems

3. Addressing Poverty Abroad

a. Peace Corps—volunteers assist developing, poorer nations; great success

4. Race to the Moon

a. April 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri A. Gagarin is first man in space

b. Soon after, U.S. puts man in space, uses satellite communications

c. July 1969 U.S astronaut Neil Armstrong is first man to walk on moon

d. University science programs grow; new industries, technologies arise

[pic] [pic]

5. Addressing Domestic Problems

a. 1963, JFK begins to work on poverty, racial injustice, civil rights

B. Tragedy in Dallas

1. Four Days in November

a. November 22, 1963, JFK shot, killed riding in motorcade in Dallas

b. Jack Ruby shoots alleged assassin Lee Harvey Oswald

c. Vice president Lyndon Johnson succeeds JFK

[pic]

Source:

2. Unanswered Questions

a. Warren Commission investigates, concludes Oswald acted alone

b. another (different – NOT THE WARREN COMMISSION) investigation in 1979 concludes Oswald part of conspiracy (meaning more than one assassin)

III. Section 3: The Great Society

The demand for reform helps create a new awareness of social problems, especially on

matters of civil rights and the effects of poverty.

A. Johnson’s Domestic Agenda

1. The War on Poverty

a. 1964 tax cut spurs economic growth; lowers federal deficit

b. *1964 Civil Rights Act makes discrimination illegal, allows for better enforcement of laws

c. LBJ declares “war on poverty”

2. The 1964 Election

a. Republicans nominate Senator Barry Goldwater

b. Goldwater: government should not deal with social, economic problems

c. Threatens to bomb North Vietnam, advocates intervention

d. LBJ says will not send troops to Vietnam; wins by landslide

e. Democrats big majority; Southern Democrats not needed to pass bills

B. *Building the Great Society

1. *The Great Society

a. Great Society—LBJ’s legislation to end poverty, discrimination

1. based on idea that the federal government had an obligation to play an

active role in improving the welfare of society

b. Johnson gets Congress to pass 206 of his bills

2. Education

a. Elementary and Secondary Education Act funds school materials

3. Healthcare

a. Medicare—low-cost medical, hospital insurance for senior citizens

b. Medicaid—health insurance for welfare recipients

4. Housing

a. Money set aside for public housing; low-, moderate-income homes

b. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development created

5. Immigration

a. Immigration Act of 1965 ends quotas based on nationality (from where they come)

6. The Environment

a. Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring exposes dangers of pesticides

b. Water Quality Act of 1965 requires states to clean up rivers

c. LBJ orders government to search out worst chemical polluters

7. Consumer Protection

a. Laws set standards for consumer labels, auto safety, food safety

|Great Society Legislation |

|Year |Legislation |What it provided |

|[pic] |

|1964 |24th Amendment |Banned poll tax in federal elections |

| |Civil Rights Act |Banned discrimination in public |

| | |accommodations and employment |

| |Urban Mass Transportation Act |Provided financial aid for urban mass |

| | |transit systems |

| |Economic Opportunity Act |Authorized the Job Corps and VISTA |

| |Wilderness Preservation Act |Barred commercial use in 9.1 million acres |

| | |of national forest |

|[pic] |

|1965 |Elementary and Secondary School |Provided $1.3 billion in aid to schools |

| |Act | |

| |Medicare |Provided medical aid for the elderly |

| |Voting Rights Act |Forbade literacy tests and other voting |

| | |restrictions |

| |Omnibus Housing Act |Provided rent supplements to low income |

| |Department of Housing and Urban |families |

| |Development | |

| |National Endowment for the Arts |Provided federal assistance to the arts |

| |Water Quality Act |Required states to establish and enforce |

| | |water quality standards |

| |Immigration reform laws |[pic] |

| |Air Quality Act |[pic] |

| |Higher Education Act |Provided federal scholarships |

|[pic] |

|1966 |National Traffic and Motor Vehicle|Sets federal safety standards |

| |Safety Act | |

| |Highway Safety Act | |

| |Department of Transportation | |

| |Model Cities |Rehabilitated slums |

| | | |

Source:

D. Reforms of the Warren Court

1. The Warren Court

a. Warren Court—Supreme Court under Chief Justice Earl Warren

b. Rejects loyalty oaths (associated with communist scare), upholds right of free speech, church-

state separation

2. Rights of the Accused

a. Warren Court rulings gave more rights and legal protections to people

accused of crimes:

- illegally seized evidence cannot be used in court

- courts must provide legal counsel (a lawyer) to the poor

- suspect must be read rights before questioning (Miranda Rights)

b. Some praise protection of right to a fair trial

c. Others think rulings handicap (hurts) police investigations

E. Impact of the Great Society

1. Social and Economic Effects

a. Post-WW II, LBJ extends federal power more than all other presidents

b. Poverty drops from 21% of population in 1962 to 11% in 1973

c. Massive tax cut spurs economy; Great Society contributes to deficit

d. Debate over finances, effectiveness of programs, government role

Chapter 21: Civil Rights

Source: The Americans Power Point Cd-Rom

Overview:

Activism, new legislation, and the Supreme Court advance equal rights for African Americans. But disagreements among civil rights groups lead to a violent period for the civil rights movement.

I. Section 1: Taking on Segregation

Activism and a series of Supreme Court decisions advance equal rights for African Americans in the 1950s and 1960s.

A. The Segregation System

1. Plessy v. Ferguson

a. 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson ruling: “separate but equal” constitutional

b. Many states pass Jim Crow laws separating the races

c. Facilities for blacks always inferior to those for whites

2. Segregation Continues into the 20th Century

a. After Civil War, African Americans go north to

escape racism

b. North: housing in all-black areas, whites resent

job competition

3. A Developing Civil Rights Movement

a. WW II creates job opportunities for African Americans

b. Need for fighting men makes armed forces end

discriminatory policies

c. FDR ends government, war industries discrimination

d. Returning black veterans fight for civil rights at home

Primary Source Reading: Civil Rights

The separate but equal doctrine has failed in three important respects. First it is inconsistent with the fundamental equalitarianism of the American way of life in that it marks groups with the brand of inferior status. Secondly, where it has been followed, the results have been separate and unequal facilities for minority peoples. Finally, it has kept people apart despite incontrovertible evidence that an environment favorable to civil rights is fostered whenever groups are permitted to live and work together.

President's Committee on Civil Rights, 1947

B. Challenging Segregation in Court

1. *Brown v. Board of Education

a. Marshall’s greatest victory is Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka

b. In 1954 case, Court unanimously strikes down school segregation (is now unconstitutional)

1. historically significant because it ruled that segregated schools violated the

Constitution; helps lead to desegregation in other aspects of society (other public

facilities)

C. Reaction to the Brown Decision

1. Resistance to School Desegregation

a. Within 1 year, over 500 school districts desegregate

b. Some districts, state officials, pro-white groups actively resist desegregation

c. Court orders desegregation at “all deliberate speed”

d. Eisenhower refuses to enforce it; considers enforcing it impossible

2. Crisis in Little Rock

a. Elizabeth Eckford faces abusive crowd when she tries to enter school

b. Eisenhower has Nat. Guard, paratroopers supervise school attendance

c. African-American students harassed by whites at school all year

d. 1957 Civil Rights Act—federal government power over schools, voting

Visuals: The photo on the left shows African-American students being escorted out of a public school at the end

of the day. They had to be protected by armed National Guard soldiers so they would not attacked by the white

crowd. The photo to the right shows an African-American student being harassed by whites.

[pic] [pic]

Photo on left - Source: 't%20cry%20webquest.htm

Photo on right - Source:

Visual: School Desegregation in the South, 1964

[pic]

Source: The Americans EasyPlanner CD-ROM

D. The Montgomery Bus Boycott

1. Boycotting Segregation

a. 1955 NAACP officer Rosa Parks arrested for not giving up seat on bus (to a white person)

b. Martin Luther King, Jr. and others organize a bus boycott

Visuals: (Right) Parks’ mug shot after being arrested. (Left) Parks riding in the front of the bus.

[pic] [pic]

Photo (left) – Source –

Photo (right) – Source -

2. Walking for Justice

a. African Americans file lawsuit, boycott buses, use carpools, walk

b. Get support from black community, outside groups, sympathetic whites

c. 1956, Supreme Court outlaws bus segregation

E. Martin Luther King

1. *Changing the World with Soul Force

a. King calls his brand of nonviolent resistance “soul force”

1. civil disobedience (disobeying laws in a peaceful manner and willingly suffering the

consequences), massive demonstrations

2. important quote by MLK, Jr.

“ In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds (actions). Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plain of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.”

[pic]

Source:

b. King remains nonviolent in face of violence after Brown decision

F. The Movement Spreads

1. Demonstrating for Freedom

a. some black leaders think pace of change too slow

1. adopt nonviolence, but call for more confrontational strategy

b. use sit-ins:

1. refuse to leave segregated lunch counter until served

c. First sit-in at Greensboro, NC Woolworth’s shown nationwide on TV

d. In spite of abuse, arrests, movement grows, spreads to North

e. Late 1960, lunch counters desegregated in 48 cities in 11 states

II. Section 2: The Triumphs of a Crusade

Civil rights activists break through racial barriers. Their activism prompts landmark

legislation.

A. Riding for Freedom

1. Freedom Rides

a. 1961, Freedom riders—blacks, whites sit, use station facilities together

1. test Supreme Court decision banning interstate bus segregation

b. Riders brutally beaten by Alabama mobs; one bus firebombed

2. Arrival of Federal Marshals

a. mob attacks riders

b. Newspapers throughout nation denounce (criticize) beatings

c. JFK sends 400 U.S. marshals to protect riders

d. segregation banned in all interstate travel facilities

B. Standing Firm

1. Heading into Birmingham

a. April 1963, black leaders demonstrate to desegregate Birmingham

b. MLK. Jr. arrested, writes “Letter from Birmingham Jail”

c. TV news show police attacking child marchers—fire hoses, dogs, clubs

d. Continued protests, economic boycott, bad press end segregation

2. Kennedy Takes a Stand

a. June, JFK sends troops to force Gov. Wallace to desegregate University of Alabama

C. *Marching to Washington

1. The Dream of Equality

a. August 1963, over 250,000 people converge on Washington

Visual 1: MLK, Jr. and supporters exercising Visual 2: MLK, Jr. speaking to the crowd during the

their constitutional right of historic march on Washington, D.C.

freedom of assembly (1st Amendment).

[pic] [pic]

Source:

b. Speakers demand immediate passage of civil rights bill

c. King gives “I Have a Dream” speech

1. excerpt of speech shown below (source:

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."2

D. Fighting for Voting Rights

1. Freedom Summer

a. Freedom Summer—CORE, SNCC project to register blacks to vote in MS

b. Volunteers beaten, killed; businesses, homes, churches burned

2. The Selma Campaign

a. 1965, voting rights demonstrator killed in Selma, AL

b. King leads 600 protest marchers; TV shows police violently stop them

c. Second march, with federal protection, swells to 25,000 people

3. Voting Rights Act of 1965

a. after many demonstrations and violent reactions to them (by whites), Congress finally passes

Voting Rights Act of 1965

b. results in more blacks getting registered to vote; literacy test (being able to read and write)

requirements for voting banned

[pic]

Source: The Americans EasyPlanner CD-ROM

III. Section 3: Challenges and Changes in the Movement

Disagreements among civil rights groups and the rise of black nationalism create a violent

period in the fight for civil rights.

A. African Americans Seek Greater Equality

1. Northern Segregation

a. De facto segregation - whites & blacks live in separate neighborhoods, not because it is law

b. WWII black migration to northern cities causes “white flight” (whites moving away from them)

c. 1960s, most urban blacks live in slums; landlords ignore laws about living conditions

d. Black unemployment twice as high as white

e. Many blacks angry at treatment received from white police officers

2. Urban Violence Erupts

a. Mid-1960s, numerous clashes between white authority, black civilians

1. many result in riots

b. Many whites baffled (confused and surprised) by African-American rage

c. Blacks want, need equal opportunity in jobs, housing, education

d. Money intended for the War on Poverty (would benefit many blacks) and the “Great Society”

are instead redirected to the Vietnam War

B. * New Leaders Voice Discontent

1. African-American Solidarity (sticking together)

a. Nation of Islam, Black Muslims, encourage blacks to be separate from whites

1. believe whites the source of black problems

b. Malcolm X—controversial Muslim leader, speaker; gets much publicity; militant; wants to

fight back against violence committed against blacks by whites

[pic]

1. quote by Malcolm X:

“It is criminal to teach a man not to defend himself when he is the constant

victim of brutal attacks. It is legal and lawful to own a shotgun or a rifle. We

believe in obeying the law … the time has come for the American Negro to fight

back in self defense whenever and wherever he is being unjustly and unlawfully

attacked.”

c. Frightens whites, moderate blacks; resented by other Black Muslims

d. later assassinated

C. 1968—A Turning Point in Civil Rights

1. King’s Death

a. King objects to Black Power movement and the preaching of violence to achieve goals

b. Seems to sense own death in Memphis speech to striking workers

c. Is shot, dies the following day, April 4, 1968

2. Reactions to King’s Death

a. King’s death leads to worst urban rioting in U.S. history

1. over 100 cities affected

b. Robert Kennedy assassinated two months later

D. Legacy of the Civil Rights Movement

1. Causes of Violence

a. a government commission states that racism is main cause of urban violence

2. Civil Rights Gains

a. Civil Rights Act of 1968 prohibits discrimination in housing

b. More black students finish high school, college; get better jobs

c. Greater pride in racial identity leads to Black Studies programs

d. More African-American participation in movies, television

e. Increased voter registration results in more black elected officials

3. Unfinished Work

a. Forced busing, higher taxes, militancy, riots reduce white support

b. White flight reverses much progress toward school integration

c. Affirmative action—extra effort to hire, enroll discriminated groups (see visual on next page)

d. Late 1970s, some criticize policy as reverse discrimination

e. 1960s, colleges, companies doing government business adopt policy

f. Unemployment, poverty higher than for whites (see visual on next page)

[pic] [pic]

GO TO THE NEXT PAGE FOR CHAPTER 22

Chapter 22: The Vietnam War Years

Source: The Americans Power Point Cd-Rom

Overview:

The United States becomes locked in a military stalemate in Southeast Asia. U.S. forces withdraw after a decade of heavy war casualties abroad and assassinations and antiwar demonstrations at home.

I. Section 1: Moving Toward Conflict

To stop (contain) the spread of communism in Southeast Asia, the United States uses its

military to support South Vietnam.

[pic]

A. America Supports France in Vietnam

1. French Rule in Vietnam

a. Late 1800s–WW II, France rules most of Indochina (includes

present-day Vietnam)

b. Ho Chi Minh—leader of Vietnamese independence movement (right)

1. helps create Indochinese Communist Party

c. 1940, Japanese take control of Vietnam

d. Vietminh—organization that aims to rid Vietnam of foreign rule

e. Sept. 1945, Ho Chi Minh declares Vietnam an independent nation

2. France Battles the Vietminh

a. French troops move into Vietnam; French fight, regain cities, South

b. 1950, U.S. begins economic aid to France to stop communism (“containment” policy)

3. The Vietminh Drive Out the French

a. Domino theory—countries can fall to communism like row of dominoes

b. 1954, Vietminh overrun French at Dien Bien Phu; France surrenders

c. Geneva Accords divide Vietnam at 17th parallel; Communists get north

d. Election to unify country called for in 1956

B. The United States Steps In

1. Diem Cancels Elections

a. Ho has brutal, repressive regime but is popular for land distribution (giving land to people)

b. S. Vietnam’s anti-Communist president Ngo Dinh Diem refuses election (about reunification)

c. U.S. promises military aid for stable, reform government in South

d. Diem is corrupt, attacks those who oppose him, restricts Buddhism

e. Vietcong (Communist opposition group in South) kills government officials

f. Ho sends weapons to Vietcong along Ho Chi Minh Trail

2. Kennedy and Vietnam

a. Like Eisenhower, JFK backs Diem financially; sends

military advisers (at first)

b. Diem’s popularity plummets from corruption, lack of

land reform

c. Diem starts strategic hamlet program to fight Vietcong

1. villagers resent being moved from ancestral

homes

d. Diem loses support of people as well as U.S.

e. U.S.-supported military coup overthrows government;

Diem assassinated

C. President Johnson Expands the Conflict

1. The South Grows More Unstable

a. Succession of military leaders rule S. Vietnam; country

unstable

b. LBJ thinks U.S.’ international reputation will be hurt if

communists win

2. The Tonkin Gulf Resolution

a. Alleged attack in Gulf of Tonkin; LBJ asks for power to

fight enemy

b. 1964 Tonkin Gulf Resolution gives him broad

military powers

c. 1965 8 Americans killed, LBJ orders sustained bombing

of North

d. U.S. combat troops sent to S. Vietnam to battle Vietcong

Source of Map:

II. Section 2: U.S. Involvement and Escalation

The United States sends troops to fight in Vietnam, but the war quickly turns into a

stalemate.

A. Johnson Increases U.S. Involvement

1. Strong Support for Containment

a. LBJ hesitates breaking promise to keep troops out; works with:

1. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, Secretary of State Dean Rusk

b. Congress, majority of public support sending troops (at first; this will eventually be lost)

Primary Source Reading:

Why are we in South Vietnam? We are there because we have a promise to keep. Since 1954 every American President has offered support to the people of South Vietnam....We have made a national pledge to help South Vietnam defend its independence. And I intend to keep our promise....

We are also there to strengthen world order. Around the globe, from Berlin to Thailand, are people whose well-being rests, in part, on the belief that they can count on us if they are attacked. To leave Vietnam to its fate would shake the confidence of all these people in the value of American commitment, the value of America's word. The result would be increased unrest and instability, and even wider war.

We are also there because there are great stakes in the balance. Let no one think for a moment that retreat from Vietnam would being an end to conflict. The battle would be renewed in one country and then another. The central lesson of our time is that the appetite of aggression is never satisfied.

President Johnson defends the American role in Vietnam, 1965

2. The Troop Buildup Accelerates (Escalation)

a. General William Westmoreland—U.S. commander in South Vietnam

b. Requests increasing numbers; by 1967 500,000 U.S. troops

1. this action was known as “escalation” of the war (making it much bigger)

[pic]

B. Fighting in the Jungle

1. An Elusive (Hard-To-Find) Enemy

a. Vietcong use hit-and-run, ambush tactics, move among civilians

b. Tunnels help withstand airstrikes, launch attacks, connect villages

c. Terrain full of booby traps, land mines laid by U.S., Vietcong

2. A Frustrating War of Attrition (Slowly Wearing-Down The Enemy)

a. Westmoreland tries to destroy Vietcong morale through attrition

b. Vietcong receive supplies from China, U.S.S.R.; remain defiant

c. U.S. sees war as military struggle; Vietcong as battle for survival

3. The Battle for “Hearts and Minds”

a. U.S. wants to stop Vietcong from winning support of rural population

b. Weapons for exposing tunnels often wound civilians, destroy villages

1. napalm: gasoline-based bomb that sets fire to jungle

2. Agent Orange: leaf-killing, toxic chemical; possibly linked to cancer in veterans

c. Search-and-destroy missions move civilian suspects, destroy property

d. Villagers go to cities, refugee camps; 1967, over 3 million refugees

4. Sinking Morale

a. Guerrilla warfare, jungle conditions, lack of progress lower morale

b. Many soldiers turn to alcohol, drugs; some kill superior officers

c. Government corruption, instability lead S. Vietnam to demonstrate

5. Fulfilling a Duty

a. Most U.S. soldiers at first believe in the necessity to fight the spread of communism (this will

change)

b. Fight courageously, take patriotic pride in fulfilling their duty

C. The Early War at Home

1. The Great Society Suffers

a. War grows more costly with more troops; inflation rate rising

b. LBJ gets tax increase to pay for war, check inflation

1. has to accept $6 billion funding cut for his “Great Society” programs

2. The Living-Room War

a. Combat footage on nightly TV news shows stark picture of war

b. Critics say credibility gap between administration reports and events

c. Senator J. William Fulbright’s hearings add to doubts about war

III. Section 3: A Nation Divided

An antiwar movement in the U.S. pits supporters of the government’s war policy against

those who oppose it.

A. The Working Class Goes to War

1. * A “Manipulatable” Draft

a. Selective Service System, draft, calls men 18–26 to military service

b. Thousands look for ways to avoid the draft

c. Many—mostly white, affluent—get college deferment (don’t get drafted because they are in

college, or will be going to college)

d. 80% of U.S. soldiers come from lower economic levels (seen as being unfair)

e. Overall effect of draft: overall, it decreased public support for the war

2. African Americans in Vietnam

a. African Americans serve in disproportionately high numbers in ground combat (seen as unfair)

b. Defense Dept. corrects problem by instituting draft lottery in 1969

c. Racial tensions high in many platoons; add to low troop morale

3. Women Join the Ranks

a. 10,000 women serve, mostly as military nurses

b. Thousands volunteer: American Red Cross, United Services Organization

B. The Protest Movement Emerges

1. The Movement Grows

a. In 1965, protest marches, rallies draw tens of thousands

b. 1966, student deferments require good academic standing

1. SDS calls for civil disobedience; counsels students to go abroad

c. Small numbers of returning veterans protest; protest songs popular

2. From Protest to Resistance

a. Anti-war demonstrations, protests increase, some become violent

b. Some men burn draft cards; some refuse to serve; some flee to Canada

3. * War Divides the Nation

a. “Doves” strongly against the war, believe U.S. should withdraw

b. “Hawks” strongly in favor of sending greater forces to win the war

1. “Hawks” believed U.S. had an obligation to help protect emerging (new)

democracies from communism

c. 1967 majority of Americans still support war, consider protesters disloyal

4. Johnson Remains Determined

a. LBJ continues slow escalation, is criticized by both hawks and doves

b. Combat stalemate (nobody clearly winning) leads Defense Secretary McNamara to resign

IV. Section 4: 1968: A Tumultuous Year

An enemy attack in Vietnam, two assassinations, and a chaotic political convention make

1968 an explosive year.

A. The Tet Offensive Turns the War

1. A Surprise Attack

a. 1968 villagers go to cities to celebrate Tet (Vietnamese new year)

b. Vietcong among crowd attack over 100 towns, 12 U.S. air bases

c. Tet offensive lasts 1 month before U.S., S. Vietnam regain control

d. Westmoreland declares attacks are military defeat for Vietcong

[pic]

2. Tet Offensive Changes Public Opinion

a. Before Tet, most Americans were “hawks”; after Tet, “hawks” and “doves” both at 40%

b. Mainstream media openly criticizes war

c. LBJ appoints a new Secretary of Defense

d. After studying situation, new Secretary of Defense concludes war is unwinnable

e. LBJ’s popularity drops; 60% disapprove his handling of the war

B. Days of Loss and Rage

1. Johnson Withdraws

a. LBJ announces will seek peace talks, will not run for reelection

2. Violence and Protest Grip the Nation

a. Riots rock over 100 cities after Martin Luther King, Jr. is killed

b. Robert F. Kennedy (“RFK”) wins CA primary; is fatally shot for supporting Israel

C. A Turbulent Race for President (1968)

1. Nixon Wins Presidency

a. Campaign promises: restore law and order, end war in Vietnam; wins presidency

V. Section 5: The End of the War and Its Legacy

President Nixon institutes his Vietnamization policy, and America’s longest war finally

comes to an end.

A. President Nixon and Vietnamization

1. The Pullout Begins

a. New president Richard Nixon finds peace negotiations with North Vietnam not moving ahead

b. National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger works on new plan

c. Vietnamization—U.S. troops withdraw, S. Vietnam troops take over

2. “Peace with Honor”

a. Nixon calls for “peace with honor” to maintain U.S. dignity

B. Trouble Continues on the Home Front

1. Mainstream America

a. Silent majority—moderate, mainstream people who support war

2. The My Lai Massacre

a. News breaks that U.S. platoon massacred civilians in My Lai village

b. Lt. William Calley, Jr., in command, is convicted, imprisoned

3. The Invasion of Cambodia

a. 1970, U.S. troops invade Cambodia to clear out enemy supply centers

b. 1.5 million protesting college students close down 1,200 campuses

4. Violence on Campus

a. National Guard kills 4 in confrontation at Kent State University

b. Guardsmen kill 2 during confrontation at Jackson State in MS

c. 100,000 construction workers rally in NYC to support government

5. The Pentagon Papers

a. Pentagon Papers show plans to enter war under LBJ

b. Confirm belief of many that government was not honest with the American public about what

it had intended to do in Vietnam from the very beginning

C. America’s Longest War Ends

1. “Peace is at Hand”

a. 1971, 60% think U.S. should withdraw from Vietnam by end of year

b. Kissinger agrees to complete withdrawal of U.S.: “Peace is at hand”

2. The Final Push

a. S. Vietnam rejects Kissinger plan; talks break off; bombing resumes

b. Congress calls for end to war; peace signed January 1973

3. The Fall of Saigon

a. Cease-fire breaks down; South surrenders after North invades 1975

D. The War Leaves a Painful Legacy

1. American Veterans Cope Back Home

a. 58,000 Americans, over 2 million North, South Vietnamese die in war

b. Returning veterans face indifference, hostility at home

c. About 15% develop post-traumatic stress disorder (a mental-health problem)

2. The Legacy of Vietnam

a. Government abolishes military draft

b. 1973 Congress passes War Powers Act:

1. president must inform Congress within 48 hours of deploying troops

2. 90 day maximum deployment without Congressional approval

c. War contributes to cynicism and distrust about government, political leaders

Chapter 23: An Era of Social Change

Source: The Americans Cd-Rom

Overview:

Women seek equality in American society. The ideals and lifestyles of the counterculture challenge the values and priorities of mainstream society.

NOTE: We are not learning Chapter 23, Section 1.

II. Section 2: Women Fight for Equality

* The women’s liberation movement caused many women to

reevaluate (think a lot about) their roles in society and to

expect equality with men. Through protests and marches,

women confront social and economic barriers in American

society.

A. * A New Women’s Movement Arises: Women’s Liberation Movement

1. Women in Education

a. 1960’s: This period saw an increase in the number of women

who were going to college and getting various types

of degrees (including advanced) (see chart)

b. made women more competitive with men in area of

employment

1. helped lead to women having more economic

and personal independence (from men)

2. Women in the Workplace

a. Women have historically been shut

out of jobs considered “men’s work”

b. Jobs available to women pay poorly

c. JFK’s Presidential Commission on

the Status of Women finds:

- women paid far less than

men for doing same job

- women seldom promoted to

management positions

Visual: The visual (right) shows the

gap between the amount of

money that men and women

earn per year doing the

same work. The bottom

numbers are years. It shows

that in 1960 women’s median

hourly wage was only 60% of

what a man made doing the same

work. By 2004 it the gap had been

reduced to 80%.

Source:

3. Women and Activism

a. In civil rights, antiwar movements men discriminate against women

4. The Women’s Movement Emerges

a. Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique shows women’s dissatisfaction

- bestseller, helps whip-up support amongst women across country

b. Feminism—economic, political, social equality for men, women

B. The Movement Experiences Gains and Losses

1. The Creation of NOW

a. Civil rights laws, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) help women

b. 1966 National Organization for Women (NOW) founded

Primary Source Reading: Women's Liberation

We reject the current assumption that a man must carry the sole burden of supporting himself, his wife, and family, and that a woman is automatically entitled to lifelong support by a man upon her marriage, or that marriage, home and family are primarily woman's world and responsibility--hers, to dominate--his to support. We believe that a true partnership between the sexes demands a different concept of marriage, an equitable sharing of the responsibilities of home and children and of the economic burdens of their support....

In the interests of the human dignity of women, we will protest and endeavor to change the false image of women now prevalent in the mass media, and in the texts, ceremonies, laws, and practices of the major social institutions. Such images perpetuate contempt for women by society and by women for themselves.

National Organization for Women's Statement of Purpose, 1966

c. Presses for day-care centers, more vigorous enforcement by EEOC

2. A Diverse Movement

a. Gloria Steinem - influential women’s rights leader (standing at microphone)

[pic]

Source: American History Picture Packs (Collection J: Contemporary America)

*3. Roe v. Wade

a. Feminist support of woman’s right to an abortion is controversial

b. Roe v. Wade - women have right to an abortion in first trimester (during the 1st 3 months of

pregnancy); still controversial today

4. The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)

a. 1972 Congress passes Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)

b. main idea:

- “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the

United States or by any state on the account of sex.”

c. never gets enough support to be ratified and turned into an actual Amendment

C. The Movement’s Legacy

1. The Movement Changes Society

a. ERA defeated (does not become an actual Constitutional Amendment); only gets 35

of 38 states for ratification by 1982

b. Women’s movement changes roles, attitudes toward career, family

c. Education, career opportunities expand

- many women run into “glass ceiling” (an invisible barrier preventing women from

moving into higher positions within companies)

d. 1983, women hold 13.5% elected state offices, 24 seats in Congress

III. Section 3: Culture and Counterculture

The ideals and lifestyle of the counterculture challenge the traditional views of Americans.

A. * The Counterculture

1. “Tune In, Turn On, Drop Out”

a. Counterculture—white, middle-class youths reject traditional America

b. Members of counterculture called “hippies”

c. they rejected society’s materialism (a desire for objects/products/wealth) & technology;

believed war is meaningless

d. Idealistic youth leave school, work, home

- want to create idyllic (“perfect”) communities of peace, love, harmony

2. Hippie Culture

a. Era of rock ‘n’ roll, crazy clothing, sexual license (sexual freedom), illegal drugs

b. Some hippies turn to Eastern religion, meditation

c. Haight-Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco becomes hippie capital

3. Decline of the Movement

a. Urban communes turn seedy, dangerous

b. Some people fall victim to drug addiction, mental breakdowns

B. A Changing Culture

1. Art

a. Pop art uses commercial, impersonal images from everyday life

- imply that personal freedom lost to conformist lifestyle

- movement led by Andy Warhol

2. Rock Music

a. The Beatles most influential rock band, help make rock mainstream

b. Woodstock festival gathers many of most popular bands

- over 400,000 attend

3. Changing Attitudes

a. Attitudes toward sexual behavior become more casual, permissive

b. Mass culture focuses on once-forbidden topics, like sex, explicit violence

c. Some think permissiveness is liberating; others sign of moral decay

d. Long term liberal attitudes about dress, lifestyle, & behavior adopted

C. The Conservative Response

1. Conservatives Attack the Counterculture

a. Conservatives alarmed at violence on campuses, cities

b. Consider counterculture values decadent (a sign of moral decay)

c. Some think counterculture irrational, favor senses, lack inhibitions

Chapter 24: An Age of Limits

Source: The Americans Cd-Rom

Overview:

President Nixon reaches out to Communist nations, but leaves office disgraced by the Watergate scandal. His successors (presidents who follow him) face a sluggish economy, environmental concerns, and a revolution in Iran.

I. Section 1: The Nixon Administration

President Richard M. Nixon tries to steer the country in a conservative direction and away from federal control.

A. Nixon’s New Conservatism

1. New Federalism

a. Richard M. Nixon: decrease size and influence of federal government

[pic]

Source:

b. New Federalism—give part of federal power to state, local government

2. Law and Order Politics

a. Nixon moves aggressively to end war, heal divisions within country

b. Begins law and order policies to end riots, demonstrations

- sometimes uses illegal tactics/actions

B. Confronting a Stagnant Economy

1. The Causes of Stagflation

a. Stagflation— a combination of high inflation, high unemployment (a very tough

problem to solve)

b. Inflation result of LBJ’s deficit spending on war &

social programs

c. Unemployment from more international trade, new

workers

d. Rising oil prices, U.S. dependence on foreign oil add

to inflation

e. Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries

(OPEC) controls prices of oil; makes it go higher

1. Visual: The graphs below show U.S. dependence on oil, especially from

foreign countries.

[pic]

Source: The Americans EasyPlanner CD-ROM

2. Nixon Battles Stagflation

a. Nixon tries different strategies to fix the economy; none have much success

C. Nixon’s Foreign Policy Triumphs

1. Kissinger and Realpolitik

a. Henry Kissinger—national security adviser, later secretary of state

b. Realpolitik—foreign policy based on power issues, not ideals, morals

c. Realpolitik calls for U.S. to confront powerful nations, ignore weak

d. Nixon, Kissinger follow policy of détente—easing Cold War tensions with U.S.S.R. & China

Visual: President Nixon meeting with the Soviet Premier Lenoid Brezhnev in the attempt

to improve relations between our countries (détente)

Source: American History Picture Packs (Collection J: Contemporary America)

[pic]

2. Nixon Visits China

a. 1971, Nixon’s visit to China a huge success; U. S., China agree to:

- cooperate over disputes, have scientific, cultural exchange

b. Takes advantage of rift (tensions) between China, Soviet Union

3. Nixon Travels to Moscow

a. 1972, Nixon visits Moscow; he, Brezhnev sign SALT I Treaty:

- Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) to limit missiles to 1972 levels for next 5 years

b. Foreign policy successes & the expected Vietnam peace help Nixon to win reelection

II. Section 2: Watergate: Nixon's Downfall

President Richard Nixon’s involvement in the Watergate scandal forces him to

resign from office.

A. President Nixon and His White House

1. An Imperial (overly powerful) Presidency

a. Depression, WWII, Cold War make executive (the Presidency) most powerful branch of govt.

b. Nixon expands presidential powers, ignores Congress

2. The President’s Men

a. Nixon has small, loyal group of advisers; like him, they desire secrecy

B. The Drive Toward Reelection

1. A Bungled Burglary

a. Committee to Reelect the President (CREEP) breaks into his Democratic opponent’s

(George McGovern’s) campaign headquarters in the Watergate Office and Apartment Complex

b. Watergate scandal is the administration’s (Nixon’s and his peoples’) attempts to cover up the

break-in

- they destroy documents, try to stop investigation, buy burglars’ silence

c. Washington Post reporters link administration to break-in

d. White House denies allegations; little public interest in charges

e. Nixon reelected by landslide over liberal Democrat George McGovern

C. The Cover-Up Unravels

1. The Senate Investigates Watergate

a. Judge who is in charge of burglars’ trial thinks they did not act alone

b. Burglarly leader James McCord says he lied under oath and that Nixon’s advisers involved

c. Nixon dismisses chief White House lawyer (John Dean); others resign

d. investigative committee created to investigate the possibility of a Nixon cover-up

2. Startling Testimony

a. Dean declares Nixon involved in cover-up

b. advisor states that Nixon taped presidential conversations (which might include

conversations about covering-up the Watergate crime)

3. The Saturday Night Massacre

a. Special prosecutor demands tapes; Nixon refuses

b. Nixon orders prosecutor fired, attorney general refuses to do it

c. Nixon has several people fired, but replacements still demand Nixon tapes

e. Vice President Spiro Agnew resigns, revealed he accepted bribes

f. Nixon nominates, Congress confirms Gerald R. Ford as vice-president

C. The Fall of a President

1. Nixon Releases the Tapes

a. March 1974, grand jury indicts (charges) 7 presidential advisors

- charges: conspiracy, obstruction of justice, perjury

b. Nixon tells TV audience he is releasing edited transcripts

c. July, Supreme Court rules unanimously Nixon must surrender tapes

Visual: A political cartoon showing Nixon hanging between the reels of an audio tape,

which makes reference to the secret tape recordings he made in the Oval Office of the White House. Those tapes provide evidence that he was involved in a cover-up of the Watergate break-in. This eventually forced him to resign the presidency. “I AM NOT A CROOK” refers to a statement that he made during the Election of 1960 when he was accused of accepting inappropriate gifts from supporters. In this case, it was a dog. Notice the word “NOT” is in his mouth (“eating his words”), with the statement now reading “I AM A CROOK”.

[pic]

Source: .../watergate/cartoon.htm

2. The President Resigns

a. House Judiciary Committee moves toward impeaching Nixon (but never gets to actually

do it)

- formal accusation of wrongdoing while in office

- charges: obstruction of justice, abuse of power, contempt of Congress

b. Nixon releases tapes; show that he knows of administration’s role in the cover-up

c. Before full House votes on impeachment, Nixon resigns

[pic]

Source:

*3. The Effects of Watergate

a. 25 members of administration convicted, serve prison terms

b. Like the Vietnam War, the Watergate Scandal causes many Americans to lose trust and

confidence in their government.

III. Section 3: The Ford and Carter Years

The Ford and Carter administrations attempt to remedy the nation’s worst economic crisis

in decades.

A. Ford Travels a Rough Road

1. “A Ford, Not a Lincoln”

a. September 1974, new president Gerald R. Ford pardons Nixon

b. Tries to move country past Watergate; loses much public support because of the pardon

2. Ford Tries to “Whip” Inflation

a. Unsuccessfully asks public to cut back use of oil, gas, save energy

b. Cuts government spending; urges higher interest to restrict credit

c. “Tight money” policy triggers recession

d. Continually battles Democratic Congress with own economic agenda

B. Ford’s Foreign Policy

1. Carrying Out Nixon’s Foreign Policies

a. Ford continues negotiations with China, Soviet Union

C. Carter Enters the White House

1. Mr. Carter Goes to Washington

a. Jimmy Carter promises to restore integrity to presidency

- defeats Ford by narrow margin

b. Has down-to-earth style; holds “fireside chats” on radio, TV

c. Does not make deals with Congress; relies on Georgia advisers

1. seen as an outsider to Washington; “insiders” did not like this and

worked against him

2. Both parties in Congress join to sink Carter’s budgets, major reforms

D. Carter’s Domestic Agenda

1. Confronting the Energy Crisis

a. Carter offers energy proposals; oil-, gas-states, auto makers resist

b. National Energy Act—encourages conservation, U.S. energy sources

c. National Energy Act, conservation cut foreign oil dependence

2. The Economic Crisis Worsens

a. Violence in Middle East creates fuel shortage; OPEC raises prices

b. Carter tries various methods to cure the economy (stagflation), none work

c. 1980 inflation 14%, standard of living drops; people lose confidence

3. A Changing Economy

a. From 1950s automation, foreign competition reduce manufacturing jobs

b. Service sector expands, higher paying jobs require education, skills

4. Carter and Civil Rights

a. Carter hires more African Americans, women than previous presidents

b. Many civil rights groups disappointed because few laws passed

c. 1978 Bakke case, Supreme Court strikes down affirmative action quotas (minimums)

- allows race as one factor in university admissions

E. A Human Rights Foreign Policy

1. Advancing Human Rights

a. Carter’s foreign policy promotes human rights—basic freedoms

b. Cuts off aid to some, not all, allies that mistreat own citizens

2. Yielding (Giving Up) the Panama Canal

a. 1977 treaty gives control of canal to Panama on Dec. 31, 1999

b. Agreements improve relations between U.S., Latin America

3. The Collapse of Détente

a. Carter’s insistence on human rights strains relations with U.S.S.R.

b. December, Soviets invade Afghanistan; Carter lets SALT II (a new nuclear treaty) die

F. Triumph and Crisis in the Middle East

1. The Camp David Accords

a. 1978 Carter hosts talks between Israel and Egypt (historic enemies)

b. Camp David Accords forge peace between Israel, Egypt:

- Israel withdraws from Sinai Peninsula

- Egypt recognizes Israel’s right to exist

- helps lead to assassination of the Egyptian leader who signed the accord

Visual: The picture shows Jimmy Carter in the center with the leader of Egypt shown to the left

and the leader of Israel shown to our right. The leader of Egypt was assassinated

because he signed that document.

[pic]

Source: American History Picture Packs (Collection J: Contemporary America)

2. The Iran Hostage Crisis

a. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini leads overthrow of leader of Iran

- establishes Islamic (Muslim-controlled) state

b. Carter supports the overthrown Iranian leader; allows him entry to U.S. for cancer treatment

c. Iranian students storm U.S. embassy, take 52 hostages; demand the overthrown Iranian

leader be brought back

Visual: A political cartoon about the Iran Hostage Crisis of 1979. The leader of Iran,

Ayatollah Khomeini, is shown prominently.

[pic]

Source:

d. Carter refuses; standoff ensues; intense secret negotiations follow

e. Carter’s inability to end the crisis and to get the hostages back helps lead to him losing the

Election of 1980 to Ronald Reagan.

f. Captives released Jan. 1981, hours after Ronald Reagan sworn in

g. impact/effects: This event has soured relations between Iran and the U.S. ever since. We

don’t trust them and they do not trust us.

IV. Section 4: Environmental Activism

During the 1970s, Americans strengthen their efforts to address the nation’s environmental problems.

A. The Roots of Environmentalism

1. Rachel Carson and Silent Spring

a. Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring warns against use of pesticides (insect killers to protect food)

- argues poisons kill food, harmless animals as well as pests

b. Becomes best seller; leads JFK to establish advisory committee

- chemical companies claim book inaccurate, threaten lawsuits

c. Carson starts national focus on environmental issues

B. Environmental Concerns in the 1970s

1. The First Earth Day

a. Earth Day—celebration highlighting environmental awareness

b. First observed 1970 by communities, thousands of schools, colleges

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2. The Government Takes Action

a. Nixon not an environmentalist—active protector of environment

b. Signs Clean Air Act, creates Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

- main government arm on environmental issues

c. 1970s, Congress passes 35 laws on conservation, clean up

3. Balancing Progress and Conservation in Alaska

a. Pipeline creates jobs, revenue, worries over wildlife, native people

b. Nixon gives millions of acres to native tribes for conservation, use

c. Carter sets aside 56 million acres as national monuments

d. 1980, Congress adds 104 million acres as protected areas

4. The Debate over Nuclear Energy

a. Many think nuclear power good alternative to foreign oil

b. Opponents say nuclear plants and their radioactive waste potentially harmful

5. *Three Mile Island

a. March 1979, reactor at Three Mile Island nuclear plant malfunctions

b. Low-level radiation escapes; 100,000 people evacuated from area

c. led to a renewed debate over whether or not the U.S.

should have – or expand the use of – nuclear power

d. Nuclear Regulatory Commission strengthens safety standards

- also improves inspection procedures

Source: .../2004/nuc2004c.html

C. A Continuing Movement

1. Environment or Employment?

a. 1970s, environment movement gains popular support

b. Opponents protest loss of jobs, revenues

c. 1980s, 1990s, attempt to balance environment with jobs, progress

UNIT WRAP-UP

Essential Questions:

1. How does suburban life shape the individual?

2. How can people change society?

3. How far should the government go to promote equality and opportunity?

4. What happens when the government loses the support of the public?

5. Did America move closer or further away from its founding ideals in the three decades after

World War II?

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