Gerald Ford becomes the 38th President

Gerald Ford becomes the only President never elected to either the VP or President

Ford's VP - Nelson Rockefeller

Domestic Problems

· Pardoned Richard Nixon

September 8, 1974 - Public Opinion was opposed

· "WIN" - Whip Inflation Now - p. 960

Inflation had risen from 6 to 11 percent

· WIN failed

Ford's Foreign Policy

· Helsinki Accords - a list of agreements between Eastern and Western Europe - p. 961

· Mayaguez Incident  -- 1975 - saved 39 Americans, but cost 41 military lives - Public opinion favored Ford p.961

Jimmy Carter Elected President - Jimmy Who?

Carter defeats Ford  50% to 48% popular vote

· Major problems with our economy  Inflation

· OPEC is formed in 1973 after the Arab Oil Embargo

· From 1970 to 1980 - Gas -- $ .36 to  $1.19

· National Energy Act / Tax on Gas-guzzling cars

· Tax Credits for alternative energy

Biggest problem - moving from a Industrial society to Service society

Foreign Policy - based on human rights

· Panama Canal

· Failure of SALT II - p. 965

· Camp David Accords

· Anwar Sadat  from Egypt

· Menachem Begin from Israel

· Iran Hostage Crisis

· The Shah is ousted from Iran - comes to US

· Ayatollah Khomeini takes over

· "Students" take over the US Embassy in Tehran November, 1979

· December, 1979 the Soviet Union invades Afghanistan

  President Carter's reaction -

1. Grain Embargo

2. Olympic Boycott

· Failed rescue attempt for the hostages

· Hostages were released after 444 Days

Ronald Reagan defeats Carter in Nov. 1980

                  Electoral Votes  489 - 49      

The Conservative Movement Builds p. 978

Reagan/Bush win the White House & the Congress

Domestic Policy - "Reaganomics" Takes Over - p. 982

· Domestic spending slashed by $40 billion

· "Supply-side" economics p. 983

· Increased defense spending - SDI

Results -

1. Inflation dropped from 14% in 1980 to 4% in 1988

2. GNP increased by 10%

3. Unemployment declined

(national debt did increase - just like FDR)

Reagan and the Supreme Court

· RR appoints the first woman to the Supreme Court Sandra Day O'Connor

  (Scalia & Kennedy also)

· RR makes the most conservative member of the supreme court the

  Chief Justice - Wm. Rehnquist

1984 Election - Reagan / Bush defeat Mondale / Ferraro

AIDS  Virus began to emerge & spread - p. 987

March, 1981 Reagan was shot by John Hinckley, Jr.

Election of 1988 - Bush defeats Michael Dukakis

Bush wanted a "kinder, gentler" nation.

read my lips - "NO NEW TAXES"

Minorities continue their "fight" for rights - p. 990 - 993

· Women

· African Americans

· Latinos

· Native Americans

· Asian Americans

· Gays / Lesbians

The Soviet Union / and Disunion - p. 996

· 1985 - Mikhail Gorbachev becomes the USSR leader & he introduces

  the ideas of glasnost & perestroika

· 1991 the Soviet Union dissolves

· The Commonwealth of Independent States is created

· The COLD WAR is over between the US & the USSR

Communism continues in China - p. 998

The Persian Gulf War 1990-91 -  p. 1000

· August, 1990 Iraq invades Kuwait

· Operation Desert Storm was launched by the United Nations (USA)

  to liberate Kuwait

· Led by Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf

             Presidential Election of 1992

Bill Clinton     defeats     George Bush   &   Ross Perot

Al Gore                          (Republican)      (Independent)

Clinton ran on the issue of national health insurance. Clinton receives 43% of the popular vote to 37% for Bush

Clinton wins re-election in 1996 defeating Bob Dole & Ross Perot

NAFTA - p. 1009

White House Scandals

· White Water

· Monica Lewinski