The document provides an overview of key events and developments in the United States during the 1970s. It summarizes the Watergate scandal that led to Nixon's resignation, and the presidencies of Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter during this turbulent time period. It also analyzes how American society changed in the 1970s through events like the energy crisis, rise of religious fundamentalism, and push for affirmative action programs.

1. Unit 8 Lesson 1

2. Objectives
• Explain the Watergate incident and its
consequences.
• Evaluate the presidencies of Gerald Ford and
Jimmy Carter.
• Analyze how American society changed in the
1970s.

3. A) To accomplish the B) Congress, as direct C) The judiciary has
governments goals representatives of the too much power over
quickly and people, should be the the other two
efficiently, the most powerful branch branches of
executive branch of the federal government.
should be the most government.
powerful branch of the
federal government.
D) The current system
of government works
well; no branch of the
federal government
should be more
powerful than others.

4. Terms and People
• affirmative action − a policy that gives special consideration to
women and minorities, in order to make up for past
discrimination
• Watergate − the scandal that began with a burglary of
Democratic Party headquarters and led to Nixon’s resignation
• executive privilege − the principle that the President has the
right to keep certain information confidential
• pardon − official forgiveness
• amnesty − political pardon to a particular group
• televangelist − minister who preached on television

5. What accounted for the changes in American
attitudes during the 1970s?
Due to the Watergate scandal, however, Nixon left office in
disgrace two years later. The event changed Americans’
attitudes toward government in a way that is still felt today.
Compared to the turbulent 1960s, the 1970s appeared
uneventful.
However, the 1970s brought many social, economic, and
cultural changes. Many felt those changes put America on
the wrong track.

6. Not long after President “H.R. Haldeman [assistant to the President]:
Nixon’s 1972 Now, on the investigation, you know, the
reelection, the huge Democratic break-in thing, we’re back to the
Watergate scandal began – in the problem area because the FBI is not
to unfold. The root of the under control, because FBI Director L.
scandal was a break-in at Patrick Gray doesn’t exactly know how to
the Democratic Party’s
control his agents… The way to handle this
now is for us to have [CIA Director] Walters
headquarters in call Pat Gray and just say, “Stay… out of
Washington D.C. Tapes of this…”
White House
President Nixon: “You call them in… Play it
conversations later
tough. That’s the way they play it and
revealed that Richard that’s the way we are going to play it.”
Nixon and his top aides
had tried to cover up the
break in: Taped conversation,
Oval Office, White House
June 23, 1972

7. Nixon made a dramatic political comeback in
1968 when he won the presidency.
He did it by working
to appeal to the
silent majority of
those he called
Middle Americans.

8. Nixon tried to give power back to the state
governments but...
Nixon actually expanded the federal government
when he was in office.

9. The economy was unstable during Nixon’s
presidency.
Stagflation was the
combination of a recession
and inflation.
Oil prices went up due
to an embargo issued
by OPEC.

10. Nixon criticized the
court-ordered busing
of children to schools
outside their
neighborhoods.
Nevertheless, Nixon’
s civil rights
initiatives included
affirmative action.

11. In the election of
1972, Nixon used a new
southern strategy.
Nixon’s strategy
succeeded and
he was reelected
in a landslide.

12. Despite Nixon’s strong victory, the seeds of
his downfall were planted during a break-in of
the Democratic Party headquarters in 1972.
The Watergate scandal, as it came to be
called, changed everything.

13. Nixon denied any wrongdoing.
Two Washington Post
reporters investigated.
It was revealed that
Nixon had been secretly
taping conversations
in the Oval Office.

14. Nixon refused
to turn over The Supreme
the Court ordered
tapes, citing him to turn
executive them over.
privilege.

15. The tapes proved Nixon’s
involvement so the
House voted to impeach him.
As a result, Nixon decided
to resign in August of
1974, the first and only
President to ever do so.

16. Watergate had a lasting impact on the country.
• It shook the
public’s
confidence in its
government.
• It showed that
the system of
checks and
balances
worked.

17. Post-Watergate Government Reforms:
• Federal Election Campaign
Act Amendments (1974)
• Freedom of Information Act
Amendments (1974)
• Government in the
Sunshine Act (1976)
• Ethics in
Government Act
of 1978

18. On July 4, 1976, the United “The symptoms of this crisis of the
States celebrated its American spirit are all around us. For the
bicentennial, or two first time in the history of our country a
hundredth anniversary. By majority of our people believe that the
the end of the next five years will be worse then the
decade, however, the past five years. Two thirds of the people
celebratory mood had do not even vote. The productivity of
evaporated in the face of a workers is actually dropping… There is a
series of crises that tested growing disrespect for government and
the nation’s spirit. for churches and schools… this is not a
President Jimmy Carter message of happiness or
took note of what he reassurance, but it is the truth and it is a
called the nation’s crisis of warning.”
confidence.
President Jimmy Carter
Crisis in Confidence Speech, 1979

19. History Channel

20. Vice President Gerald Ford became
President after Nixon’s resignation. He faced
the worst economic problems that America
had experienced since the Great Depression.
Button promoting Gerald
Ford’s voluntary controls
Although Ford worked hard to solve the country’s
problems, his Whip Inflation Now (WIN) program did not
succeed. As unemployment grew, his popularity declined
rapidly.

21. The struggling economy and frustrations over Gerald Ford’s
pardon of Nixon led to Jimmy Carter’s win of the presidential
election in 1976.
Carter cast himself as an outsider and had the support of
Christian fundamentalists.
He presented himself as a “citizens’ President” with no ties to
professional politicians, which appealed to many voters after
the Watergate scandal.

22. Crises and Carter’s inexperience reduced the effectiveness of
his presidency.
• Having no close allies in Washington, his legislative bills in
Congress rarely passed without changes.
• Carter grappled with the energy crisis and inflation.
• He granted amnesty to Americans who had evaded the
draft during the Vietnam War. This was highly unpopular
with many Americans.

23. The Sunbelt gained more political influence.
The nation’s demographics changed due
to immigration and Americans moving
south and west.

24. Life in America changed in other ways:
There was more premarital
sex, drug use, and a higher divorce
rate.
The 1970s gained the nickname
the me decade as people focused
on themselves.

25. One of the most popular
television shows of the
1970s was All in the
Family.
The characters debated
hot-button social issues.
The show signaled a
move away from
nostalgia and escapism.

26. M*A*S*H* was a comedy about
a mobile hospital unit during the
Korean War, resonated with
viewers who were used to
watching news reports on the
Vietnam War. Sanford and Son and Chico and
the Man proved that viewers
would tune in to shows featuring
minority characters.
60 Minutes was the first
television newsmagazine.
Roots was a graphic historical
miniseries that followed the life
of a slave and his
descendents, fascinated more
than 100 million viewers.

27. A resurgence of fundamental Christianity occurred as a
response to the shift in values.
Televangelists reached
millions.
Religious conservatives
formed alliances with
political conservatives.

28. In the 1970s, the government urged employers and
schools to adopt affirmative action programs.
The programs aimed at increasing the number of
women and minority group members in college,
postgraduate schools, and higher-paying jobs.
The goal was to try and make up for past
discrimination against these groups…