Carter
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Transcript of Carter
CARTER
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS DO YOU FEEL IS MOST TRUE:A. President’s create their own legacy
through their actions.B. Events dictate the legacy of the
president?
THE ELECTION OF 1976 Republican
NominationWent to Gerald
Ford Democratic
NominationWent to a peanut
farmer and former Georgia governor, James Earl Carter, Jr. (Jimmy Carter)
RESULTS OF THE ELECTION OF 1976 Carter won:
Won 51% of the popular vote
297-240 African Americans
cast 97% of their ballots for Carter
Large Democratic majorities in both houses of Congress
FIRST HUNDRED DAYS Created the Department of Energy in
the cabinet Cut taxes Pardoned ten thousand draft evaders Generating Discord Was a “Washington outsider” and had
no friends in Congress Carter failed to consult adequately with
Congressional leaders
SALT II SALT II agreement
limited the levels of lethal strategic weapons in the Soviet and American arsenals
CARTER’S HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY Called for the end of black oppression in
Zimbabwe and South Africa
CARTER’S HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY Called for the end of black oppression in
Zimbabwe and South Africa Camp David Accords
In 1978, Carter invited the leaders of Israel and Egypt to Camp David to settle their differences.
While they were there, Israel and Egypt signed the Camp David Accords, in which Israel would withdraw from the Sinai Peninsula and Egypt would be the first Arab nation to recognize Israel’s existence as a nation
CARTER’S HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY Called for the end of black oppression in
Zimbabwe and South Africa Camp David Accords Panama Canal
Theodore Roosevelt had obtained the Panama Canal in the early 1900s
Many Latin Americans resented the continuing U.S. presence at the Panama Canal
In 1978, Carter created a treaty that would return the canal to Panama in 2000. It was passed in the Senate by 1 vote
A second treaty was also signed that allowed the U.S. to take military action to keep it open
CARTER’S HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY Called for the end of black oppression in Zimbabwe
and South Africa Camp David Accords Panama Canal Soviet Union
Détente was at a high point when Carter took office. However, Carter’s stand on human rights alienated the Soviet Union
In December 1979, relations were further strained when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, a country on its southern border. It sent troops to end agitation against the Soviet-supported government there. The Soviets became bogged down and it became “Russia’s Vietnam”
The U.S. and 60 other nations boycotted the 1980 Olympics that were being held in Moscow
INCREASING INFLATION In 1979, the inflation rate was 13% The bill for imported oil was $40 billion Foreign trade accounted for 27% of the
GNP by the 1970s Loans weren’t given, the interest rate
rose to 20%, and people living on fixed incomes were hurt
PROBLEMS IN IRAN Mohammed Reza Pahlevi
installed as shah of Iran with help from America’s CIA in 1953,
Ruled with brutal force. Reliably traded oil with the
U.S. for years His repressive regime was
overthrown in January 1979. The Islamic leader, the
Ayatollah (title given to a Muslim religious leader) was now Ruholla Khomeini. He and his advisors denounced the U.S. as the “Great Satan” and burned oil fields
THIS RESULTED IN:Oil shortagesHigh pricesWaiting in long linesWaiting for gas on specified days
NUCLEAR ENERGY AND THREE MILE ISLAND Nuclear power was an
alternative to oil A nuclear accident occurred
at Three Mile Island, near Harrisburg, PA
A partial meltdown occurred, releasing some radiation. 140,000 people were evacuated
Afterwards, the nuclear industry fell on hard times. People weren’t willing to pay the high costs for new plants. Protesters blocked building sites for fear of public safety
IRAN HOSTAGE CRISIS In October, Carter let
the exiled shah enter the U.S. for medical treatment.
In November 1979, angry followers of Khomeini seized the American embassy in Tehran.
66 Americans hostages, of which, about 50 were held for over 1 year
IRAN HOSTAGE CRISIS Carter broke diplomatic relations with Iran
and froze all Iranian assets in the U.S. Khomeini insisted that the shah be sent back
for trial In April 1980, Carter authorized a risky
commando rescue mission. It ended in disaster when several helicopters broke down in the desert sands and eight Americans were killed. The government was humiliated and Carter’s popularity dropped dramatically
Finally, in early 1981, the hostages were released