U.S. Presidents 1969-2008

1. U.S. Presidents 1969-2008

2. Richard Nixon (1969-1974)

3. Richard Nixon (1969-1974) • Foreign Affairs • 1. Vietnam • Starts removing U.S. troops from Vietnam (Vietnamization) • Begins bombings in North Vietnam & Vietcong supply lines through Cambodia • New York Times v. U.S. – Supreme Court rules that the New York Times newspaper is allowed to print the Pentagon Papers, revealing secret military operations in Vietnam in 1973 • Nixon withdraws all troops from Vietnam

4. War Powers Act 1973- in reaction to Nixon bombing Cambodia, Congress passed the War Powers Act to repeal the Tonkin Gulf Resolution; president only allowed to send troops into an area for 60-90 days with-out Congress approval. • Détente – a relaxation of tensions with communist nations (China, USSR)

5. Soviet Union • U.S. signs SALT – Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty • Realpolitik – treating a country based on it’s power not it’s ideology(attempt to end Red Scare) • China • Nixon visits mainland China – first US President to do so • Recognizes communistChina and China is admitted to United Nations in 1979

6. Domestic Affairs • 26th amendment passed – lowers votingage to 18 • New Federalism – Nixon’s social policy • OSHA – Occupational Safety and Health Administration • DEA – Drug Enforcement Agency • EPA- Environmental Protection Agency created in 1970 • Clean Air Act(1970) –law that regulated industry and toxins disposed of illegally.

7. Watergate • President Nixon orders a break-in into Democratic Party headquarters at the Watergate Hotel • His people get caught and attempted cover-up fails • Nixon forced to resign or face impeachment • United States v. Nixon – President Nixon refuses to give up Oval Office tapes as evidence of his knowledge of the Watergate break-in – claims executive privilege • Supreme Court orders Nixon to give up tapes • Significance– president is NOT above the law • Nixon forced to resign in August 1974 or face impeachment

8. Gerald Ford (1974-1976) Pardoned Nixon for his crimes – cost him election)

9. Jimmy Carter (1977-1981)

10. Jimmy Carter (1977-1981) Foreign Affairs • Signs SALT II with Soviet Union – limits short range missile production • Camp David Accords – peace treaty between Israel & Egypt; ended 30 years of war between the two nations • 1979 – Iranian Revolutionaries storm the U.S. embassy, led by Ayatollah Khomeini; taking 53 hostages (released after 444 days) • Détente ends when Soviets invade Afghanistan • Carter puts embargo act on grain sales to the Soviets • U.S. boycotts 1980 Moscow Olympic • 5. Panama canal treaty- U. S. Promises to return the canal to Panama in 1999 after having leased it for almost a hundred years.

11. Jimmy Carter (1977-1981) Domestic Affairs • Energy crisis – organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries(OPEC) increases oil prices. • Three Mile Island- Nuclear power plant overheats and radiation is released • 100,000 residents evacuated(Pennsylvania and surrounding communities)

12. Jimmy Carter (1977-1981) • 3. Love Canal-late 1970’s- Niagara Falls residents become sick due to buried to toxic wastes discovered from Hooker chemical plant and other surrounding industries. Still an issue today! Houses are NOT selling. • 4. Pardoned ALL draft evaders.

13. Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)

14. Ronald Reagan (1981-1989) Foreign Affairs • Considers the Soviet Union to be the “Evil empire” • Increased terrorism – airplanes hijacked (Pan-Am Flight 101) • Gave aid to Latin American nations fighting communism in Nicaragua • Contras – received money from Reagan to fight communism (Reagan bypassed Congress’s approval) • Sandinistas – communist regime in Nicaragua • Reagan changes hard-line attitude towards Soviets when Mikail Gorbachev takes power – Soviet Union collapses in 1991.

15. Ronald Reagan (1981-1989) Foreign Affairs • Considers the Soviet Union to be the “ Evil Empire” • Increased terrorism – airplanes hijacked(Pan-Am Flight 101) • Gave aid to Latin American nations fighting communism in Nicaragua • Contras – received money from Reagan to fight communism (Reagan bypassed Congress’s approval) • Sandinistas – communist regime in Nicaragua • Reagan changes hard-line attitude towards Soviets when Mikail Gorbachev takes power – Soviet Union collapses in 1991

16. Ronald Reagan (1981-1989) Domestic Affairs • Supply-Side Economics a.k.a. “Reaganomics” • Giving money and tax breaks to businesses in hopes that business would pass along that money to workers • Known as “ Trickle – Down Economy” • Cutting back of Federal Regulation of Industry • Lowers federal spending on social programs but increases defense spending(called Strategic Defense Initiative-SDI-media nicknamed it “Star Wars”)

17. HIV/AIDS • A. HIV/AIDS emerges among gay men and IV drug users in 1982 • B. Lack of knowledge of how AIDS is spread caused fear, panic and social stigma across America • C. Reagan largely ignores the crisis at first; little federal funding for research from federal government until mid to late 1980’s

18. George H. Bush (1989-1993)

19. George H. Bush (1989-1993) Foreign Affairs • End of Soviet Communism • Fall of Eastern Europe Soviet satellites • Fall of the Soviet Union (now called Russia) • Berlin Wall comes down • End of the Cold War • Persian Gulf War • Iraq, led by Saddam Hussein, invades Kuwait • With approval from Congress, Bush leads military operation to free Kuwait • 1. Operation Desert Shield • 2. Operation Desert Storm • Iraq withdraws from Kuwait, but Saddam Hussein remains in power

20. George H. Bush (1989-1993) • Domestic Affairs • Increasedtaxes to pay for the Persian Gulf War • His campaign promise was “Read my lips. No new taxes.” • Economy goes into a short recession(causes Bush to lose re-election in 1992)

21. William Jefferson Clinton (1993-2000)

22. William Jefferson Clinton (1993-2000) Foreign Affairs • 1. sends peace keeping forces into Bosnia-Milosevic genocide, ignores Rewanda • 2. NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) • No tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico • Some U. S. businesses move to Mexico because operating costs are lower. 3. Palestianian/Israeli ; Conflict continues

23. William Jefferson Clinton (1993-2000) • Domestic Affairs • Failure to pass National Health Care Reform bill (headed by Hillary Clinton) • Family Leave Act – person can takes leave from job for family reasons without risk of losing job • Monica & Impeachment • Brought up on impeachment charges for committing perjury (lying under oath) • U.S. economy stable during his presidency • Instituted the “Don’t Ask, Don’t tell” policy in the military--prevents gay men and lesbians from serving openly in the armed services.

24. George W. Bush (2000-2008) Foreign Affairs • 9/11 – surprise attack on World Trade Center and Pentagon • War in Afghanistan – against Taliban • War in Iraq – Why did U.S. go in? • Looking for weapons of mass destruction (WMD) – not found allegedly transferred to Syria and other networks involved in terrorism • Claimed Iraq supplied funding to Al Qaeda • Domestic Issues • Economy not good (turbulent, unstable) Why? • Loss of manufacturing jobs • Outsourcing - sending jobs to other countries

25. Map of Middle East