The 1970s: The 1970s: Toward a Toward a

ConservativConservative Americae America

Richard NixonRichard Nixon

Winner of the Winner of the 1968 and 1972 1968 and 1972 electionselections

Conservative Conservative Republican base Republican base for his supportfor his support

Swann v. Charlotte-Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg (1971)Mecklenburg (1971)

School busing School busing upheldupheld

Voluntary Voluntary integration in integration in southern southern schools not schools not workingworking

Affirmative Affirmative ActionAction

Requirements for Requirements for hiring minorities hiring minorities or recruiting or recruiting them for collegesthem for colleges

Regents of UC v. BakkeRegents of UC v. Bakke

Using racial Using racial quotas is a quotas is a violation of the violation of the 1414thth amendment amendment

Equal protection Equal protection clauseclause

Roe v. WadeRoe v. Wade

19731973

Legalized Legalized abortionabortion

Foreign PoliticsForeign Politics

National National security security adviser Henry adviser Henry KissingerKissinger

Changing Changing international international scene, secret scene, secret dealsdeals

ChinaChina

1971 – Nixon sent 1971 – Nixon sent Kissinger secretly Kissinger secretly to Beijing to to Beijing to discuss their discuss their relationshiprelationship

1972 – Nixon 1972 – Nixon traveled to traveled to communist Chinacommunist China

ChinaChina

Became a Became a member of the member of the United Nations United Nations with a with a permanent permanent seat on the seat on the Security Security CouncilCouncil

Soviet UnionSoviet Union

Nixon had a Nixon had a secret secret understanding understanding with Leonid with Leonid BrezhnevBrezhnev

SALT ISALT I

Strategic Arms Strategic Arms Limitation TreatyLimitation Treaty

Nixon traveled to Nixon traveled to Moscow for the Moscow for the signingsigning

Limited the Limited the production and production and deployment of ICBMsdeployment of ICBMs

Period of DetentePeriod of Detente

Tensions Tensions relaxed relaxed between major between major world powersworld powers

USSR, U.S. and USSR, U.S. and China became China became world powersworld powers

1972 Election1972 Election

Democrat – Democrat – George George McGovernMcGovern

Republican – Republican – Richard NixonRichard Nixon

Landslide for Landslide for NixonNixon

WatergateWatergate

June 17, 1972June 17, 1972

Men carrying Men carrying wiretapping wiretapping equipment were equipment were arrested breaking arrested breaking into the Democratic into the Democratic National National Committee’s Committee’s headquartersheadquarters

WatergateWatergate

Former CIA Former CIA agents working agents working for Nixon’s for Nixon’s Committee to Committee to Reelect the Reelect the PresidentPresident

Arranged illegal Arranged illegal wiretaps, spieswiretaps, spies

WatergateWatergate

Web of illegal Web of illegal activities activities sanctioned by the sanctioned by the White HouseWhite House

Nixon instructed Nixon instructed the CIA to stop an the CIA to stop an FBI investigation = FBI investigation = obstruction of obstruction of justicejustice

The TapesThe Tapes Nixon ordered to Nixon ordered to release Oval release Oval Office tapesOffice tapes

1974 – Nixon 1974 – Nixon finally agreedfinally agreed

House Judiciary House Judiciary Committee Committee considered considered articles of articles of impeachmentimpeachment

Nixon’s Nixon’s ResignationResignation

August 9, 1974August 9, 1974

Vice President Vice President Gerald Ford took Gerald Ford took officeoffice

Sept. 1974 – Sept. 1974 – Ford gave Nixon Ford gave Nixon a full pardona full pardon

Gerald FordGerald Ford

Became vice Became vice president by president by appointment of appointment of Congress after Congress after resignation of resignation of Spiro AgnewSpiro Agnew

Became president Became president in 1974in 1974