President Richard Nixon took office in 1969 with the goal of ending the Vietnam War. However, the Watergate Scandal erupted in 1972 and involved a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters and Nixon's subsequent cover-up. This led to Nixon's resignation in 1974, making him the first U.S. president to resign from office. His successor, Gerald Ford, granted Nixon a full pardon but saw his approval ratings drop as a result. Jimmy Carter was elected in 1976 but struggled with economic issues and crises like the Iran hostage crisis, where 52 Americans were held for over a year, weakening his presidency.

1. The Presidencies of Nixon,
Ford, & Carter

2. President Richard Nixon
● Republican
● Won the Election of 1968
● Went into office with the goal of ending the
Vietnam War.
○ Announced plan to gradually began withdrawing
American troops from Vietnam in the
Spring/Summer of 1969.
○ Despite this, conflict continued in the country for
a few more years.
■ Christmas Bombing: December 1972.
■ Paris Peace Accords signed by all parties at
war in Vietnam, officially ending the
conflict on January 27, 1973.
● Had taping systems installed in many
government buildings/offices, including Camp
David and the Oval Office.
● Watergate Scandal

3. Watergate Scandal
● Video Explaining the Watergate Scandal
● Five men were arrested for breaking into the office of the
Democratic National Committee on June 17, 1972. Initially it was
unclear if there was any connection between the burglary and the
Nixon administration but gradually it was revealed that the White
House was involved.
● Then on July 16, 1973, former White House aide Alexander P.
Butterfield testified that since 1971 the White House routinely
recorded conversations.
● When the existence of the tapes was revealed, the Senate Watergate
Committee requested access to them. Nixon denied any involvement
in the break-in but refused to give them the tapes.
● The committee issued a subpoena for the tapes as part of the
investigation.
○ President Nixon responded by refusing to release the tapes,
claiming that his conversations were private and hence
protected from forced disclosure by the doctrine of
executive privilege.

4. United States v. Nixon
● This led to United States v. Nixon, in which the Court ruled
unanimously that President Nixon must turn over the tapes.
○ The tapes revealed that the President had participated
in a cover-up of the burglary as early as June 23, 1972.
● Beginning July 27, the House of Representatives adopted three
Articles of Impeachment against the President.
● In a televised speech, President Richard Nixon announced his
intention to resign at noon the next day.
○ Vice President Gerald Ford was sworn in as President
the next day.
● Nixon's resignation marked the first such act by a President
in U.S. history and had a real impact on the American people’s
trust in their government.

5. President Gerald Ford
● Crash Course on Ford, Carter, & Economic Issues
● Became President on August 9, 1974 after Nixon resigned over
the Watergate Scandal.
● On September 8, 1974, President Ford granted Nixon a “full,
free, and absolute pardon.”
○ Ford had hoped that the pardon would bring an end to
the controversy surrounding the Watergate scandal
and allow the country to move on.
○ Instead, His approval rating dropped from 71% to 49%
because of this.
● Throughout his presidency, Ford had to battle significant
economic issues such as inflation and unemployment.
● Assassination attempt in San Francisco on September 5, 1975.
● Signed treaty with Soviet Union to imit underground nuclear
testing

6. President Gerald Ford
● Americans evacuated from Lebanon after the murders of the
American ambassador and his aid there.
● NASA’s Viking I lands on Mar, becoming the first spacecraft to
successfully do so.
● Ford wins the Republican nomination for the Election of 1976
after being challenged by Ronald Reagan.
● Carter, the Democratic nominee, and Ford engage in
presidential debates prior to the election.
○ Carter wins the Election of 1976

7. President Jimmy Carter
● Won the Election of 1976
○ Served as a Senator & Governor of Georgia prior to
becoming President
● Wants foreign policy to focus on supporting fundamental human
rights instead of just being “anti-communist”
● Creates a Department of Energy cabinet position after passing the
Emergency Natural Gas Act.
● September 17, 1978: Mediates talks between Prime Minister of Israel
& President of Egypt at Camp David, which resulted in a peace
treaty between the two nations: Signing of the Camp David Accords
● Signs SALT II: Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty with the USSR
(Soviet Union), which would limit the manufacturing of strategic
nuclear weapons.

8. President Jimmy Carter
● “Crisis of Confidence” speech given on July 15, 1979
○ He felt that Americans were suffering from a deep moral
and spiritual crisis
■ Blamed the country’s inability to rise out of
economic troubles on this “crisis of confidence”
■ Also blamed himself for not being a strong leader
■ Speech left Americans feeling that Carter was to
blame: approval ratings for Carter drop following the
speech
● November 4, 1979: Americans taken hostage in Tehran
■ Iran Hostage Crisis
■ 52 American diplomats & citizens held hostage for
444 days at the American embassy in Tehran. The
students were supporters of the Iranian Revolution
and were angry that the US was harboring
(protecting) the Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi.
■ A failed rescue mission left Carter’s administration
embarrassed
● Reagan uses the dissatisfaction of the country to win the Election of
1980.

9. Questions
● Nixon:
○ Explain the Watergate Scandal.
○ What impact did the scandal have on the American
people?
● Ford:
○ Do you think Ford should have pardoned Nixon?
Why or why not?
● Carter:
○ Explain the impact the “Crisis of Confidence”
speech had on the American people and
Carter’s presidency.
○ Describe the Iran Hostage Crisis.