Modern Presidencies-Ford, Carter, Reagan, and Bush I

Or, stuff you almost lived through

President FordPresident Ford

Spiro Agnew resigned in 1973 as Vice President Richard Nixon resigned in 1975; Ford chose

Nelson Rockefeller as his Vice President; neither were elected

Ford pardoned Nixon; country was against the pardon

Economy in recession with high inflation and unemployment; stagflation

War Powers Act: (1) notify Congress within 48 hours if send troops (2) troops stay overseas 60 days without Congressional approval (3) Congress can bring troops home by passing a concurrent resolution

Ford Presidency (1974-1977) Never elected to the executive branch Pardons Nixon 1 month after Nixon resigns Brings 140,000 Vietnamese refugees to

America Whip Inflation Now (WIN) and vetoes of

social program spending bills to lower inflation (Inflation drops from 12% to 5%)

Helsinki Accords (human rights)

Ford Being Rushed to Safety after Assassination Attempt

Manson Family Member, Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme, and Sara Jane Moore both tried to shoot Ford (he was unharmed both times)

Foreign PolicyForeign Policy

North Vietnam took over South Vietnam

American airlift rescued thousands of Americans and Vietnamese

Helsinki Accords, U.S., Canada, Soviet Union, and 30 European nations pledge to cooperate

Election of 1976

Republican Democrat

Candidates Gerald R. Ford(240)

Jimmy Carter(297)

Issues Inflation ControlExperience

HonestyWashington

Outsider

Carter’s Domestic Issues

Inflation was 10 percent Created the Department of Energy to help save

fuel Three Mile Island – partial meltdown of the core

occurred, releasing some radiation Nuclear industry suffered Amnesty granted to those who had evaded the

draft during the Vietnam War Civil Rights Affirmative action

Carter’s Foreign Policies

Soviet invasion of Afghanistan Friction with the Soviet Union – SALTII treaty withdrawn

from Senate Sanctions – boycott of 1980 Summer Olympic games held

in Moscow Mariel boatlift – Cubans allowed to come to U.S., some

were criminals Returned the Panama Canal to Panama in 199 Iran seizes American Hostages – Ayatollah Khomeini

Carter Presidency

SALT II Treaty (not ratified by Senate) Iran Hostage Crisis Camp David Accords (Egypt & Israel) Inflation back up (12%) Department of Energy Panama Canal Zone Treaty (return

control to Panama in 2000)

Images of the Carter Years

Election of 1980

Republican Democrat

Candidates Ronald Reagan(489)

Jimmy Carter(49)

Issues Cut the size of the fed. Government

Iran Hostages“Common Man”

Camp David AccordsReagan is trigger

happyMinority Rights

Reagan Presidency

Marine base bombing in Lebanon Troops to Grenada (to free medical students and

overthrow oppressive gov) “Star Wars” (Strategic Defense Initiative) Iran-Contra Scandal Tax reform and “supply-side” economics Huge budget deficits Sandra Day O’Conner appointed to Supreme Court (but

no real support for feminism) Assassination attempt (John Hinckley) Ending the Cold War (glasnost and perestroika with

Gorbachev) “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”

Election of 1984

Democrat Republican

Candidates Walter Mondale (and Geraldine

Ferraro)(13)

Ronald Reagan (and George H.W.

Bush)(525)

Issues Social ProgramsWomen’s Rights

ReaganomicsImproved economyTough on commies

Federal Defense Spending, 1978-1990CHART

Images of the Reagan Years

Election of 1988

Republican Democrat

Candidates George H.W. Bush(426)

Michael Dukakis

(112)

Issues Strong MilitaryPro-life

“No new taxes”

Military cut-backsSocial programs

George Bush

Bush I Presidency Panama Invasion and arrest of Gen Manuel Noriega Noriega was tried on eight counts of drug trafficking

racketeering, and money laundering in April 1992. Noriega's US prison sentence ended in September 2007; pending the outcome of extradition requests by both Panama and France, he remaining prison as of May 200

End of Communism (Berlin Wall, USSR Break-up) Persian Gulf War 8/2/1990 Desert Storm & Kuwait Recession and Tax Increase China Revolt (Tiananmen Square) L.A. Riots Quayle Fact- “potatoe” & other missteps AMERICA NO BAMA

Images of Bush I

Standards Element: SSUSH25.e Explain the relationship between Congress and President Bill

Clinton including the North American Free Trade Agreement and his impeachment and acquittal.

Element: SSUSH25.f Analyze the 2000 presidential election and its outcome

emphasizing the role of the electoral college. Element: SSUSH25.g Analyze the response of President George W. Bush to the

attacks of September 11, 2001 on the United States, the war against terrorism, and the subsequent American interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq.

 

Bill Clinton Bill Clinton

Governor of Arkansas Ran for President in

1992 against George Bush

Accused of having a mistress and being a draft dodger

“Did not inhale”H. Ross Perot, third

party candidate

Clinton’s First TermClinton’s First Term

Economy – spending cuts and tax increases

Health care – Hillary appointed to analyze problem; suggested government-supervised insurance program; defeated in Congress

Republicans’ Contract with AmericaRepublicans’ Contract with America

Newt Gingrich, Georgia representative; scale back federal government

1994, voters elected Republicans to Congress; balanced budget, welfare reform; government shut down; Republicans blamed

Mrs Tummins was my best student ever

Clinton’s Second TermClinton’s Second Term

1996 Campaign – Clinton vs. Bob Dole (Ross Perot will get 8%)

Clinton wins due to strong economy

Congress raises minimum wagePasses NAFTA-(North American

Free Trade Agreement) mostly with Mexico

ScandalsScandals

Whitewater Affair – fraudulent loans and land deals in Arkansas

Illegal campaign donations from foreign nations

Monica Lewinsky 1998, House impeached Clinton;

acquited by the Senate

George W. BushGeorge W. Bush

Elected 2000Democrat Al Gore

challenged the election

9/11Iraq WarElection of 2004 –

defeated John KerryHurricane KatrinaElection of 2008

The George W. Bush PresidencyThe George W. Bush Presidency

What was the impact of Bush’s domestic agenda and his response to the terrorist attack against the U.S.?

Vocabulary: -George W. Bush Taliban -Bush v. Gore Patriot

Act -Afghanistan WMD -No Child Left Behind Act -Department of Homeland Security

The George W. Bush Presidency An Election Controversy

Main Idea: The 2000 presidential election between Al Gore and George W. Bush resulted in such a close vote that a recount was needed and the Supreme Court had to intervene.

Bush Launches an Ambitious Agenda

Main Idea: Bush’s priorities were tax cuts to stimulate the economy, as well as addressing education and the needs of senior citizens.

The United States Is Attacked

Main Idea: On September 11, 2001, a foreign enemy attacked the United States for the first time since Pearl Harbor when terrorists crashed planes into the World Trade Center

and the Pentagon.

America’s War on Terrorism

Main Idea: American officials determined that Osama Bin Laden was responsible for the attacks and quickly sent American forces to the region, made attempts to improve

domestic security, and expanded the “war on terror” to Iraq.

Continued...

Landslide Election results

Electoral votesFor Obama

365

Electoral votes for McCain

173

44th president

Barack Obama

Election of 2008 First African American President Economic Recession Government intervention in business Setting the end of Iraq military

deployment