Nixon Ford Carter Administrations

Nixon Personality

Intense ambition, paranoia, loyalty to friends; seen as reserved and introverted.

1968 Election, Democrat

Hubert H. Humphrey, a liberal candidate.

1968 Election, Republican

Richard Nixon, representing a more conservative platform.

1972 Election

Nixon sabotaged George McGovern and won reelection in a landslide.

Richard Nixon's background

Lawyer, WWII naval officer, anti-communist, Republican congressman, and vice president under Eisenhower.

Nixon Foreign Policy

Focused on realpolitik, emphasizing national interests, including détente with the Soviet Union and China.

SALT I

First Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty; a 5-year agreement that froze the number of missiles produced by the Soviet Union and the U.S.

G. Gordon Liddy

Former FBI agent involved in the Watergate Scandal as part of the 'Plumbers'.

Enemies List

List of individuals seen as unsympathetic to the Nixon Administration.

Spiro Agnew

Only vice president to resign while under investigation during Watergate.

Henry Kissinger

National Security Advisor and Secretary of State under Nixon, known for his admiration of realpolitik.

Impeachment

To charge a public official with wrongdoing; Nixon resigned before it happened to him.

Imperial Presidency

The belief that the President should lead with more power than Congress or the Supreme Court.

CREEP

Committee to re-elect the president using legal and illegal methods; involved in Watergate.

Deep Throat

Undercover source confirming information on Watergate, later identified as Mark Felt.

Détente

Relaxation of tensions, particularly in U.S relations with China and the Soviet Union.

Embargo

A ban on oil shipments from Arab countries to the U.S., impacting the economy.

H.R. Haldeman

Nixon’s Chief of Staff and close advisor.

Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward

Reporters who investigated the Watergate scandal, linking it back to the White House.

Neil Armstrong

First man to walk on the moon, representing a significant achievement in the space race.

War Powers Act of 1973

Legislation outlining how U.S. troops could be deployed abroad.

Warren Burger

Chief Justice of the Supreme Court appointed by Nixon.

Watergate

A break-in at the Democratic headquarters leading to political espionage and charges of public trust violations.

Missing Tapes

Audio recordings that were crucial to the Watergate investigations but were found missing or erased.

Alexander Butterfield

Deputy assistant to Nixon, key figure in the Watergate scandal.

August 8, 1974

Day Nixon announced his resignation, effective the next day.

John Ehrlichman

Chief Domestic Advisor and Nixon’s personal lawyer.

John Mitchell

Managed Nixon’s campaigns and served as Attorney General.

Inner Circle

Nixon’s informal cabinet including key advisors like Kissinger and Haldeman.

New Federalism

Nixon's call for a partnership between federal and state governments.

Nixon’s Supreme Court

Nixon appointed more conservative justices to the Supreme Court.

Nixon’s visit to China

First president to visit Communist China and recognize it as 'The People’s Republic of China'.

Nixon’s visit to the USSR

Meeting with Brezhnev regarding cooperation in space exploration and nuclear arms.

OPEC Oil Embargo

Resulted in oil prices quadrupling in the U.S.

Plumbers

Group tasked by Nixon to stop government leaks.

Realpolitik

Decision-making based on national interests rather than moral principles.

William H. Rehnquist

Served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from 1986 until 2005.

Gerald Ford's background

Former House Representative, Vice President, and then President.

Ford Pardoning of Nixon

Aimed at healing the nation post-Watergate, affecting Ford's popularity.

Ford’s response to inflation

Focused on restoring public confidence in the economy.

1976 Election

Ford ran against Carter and lost by a small margin.

Fall of Saigon

Ceasefire leading to the inability of Saigon to fend off North Vietnamese attacks.

Helsinki Accords

Agreements signed by Ford for European security cooperation.

Inflation

Increase in goods and services prices; challenged Carter's economic policies.

Stagflation

Economic condition of high inflation, slow growth, and high unemployment.

Jimmy Carter's background

Southerner with no significant national political experience prior to presidency.

Carter’s foreign policy

Focus on human rights and diplomatic relations, especially in the Middle East.

3-Mile Island

Site of a significant nuclear accident in Pennsylvania in 1979.

Camp David Accords

Framework for peace negotiated by Carter between Israel and Arab nations.

Iran hostage crisis

A revolution leading to the imprisonment of 52 American hostages for 444 days.

Leonid Brezhnev

Soviet leader who engaged in discussions on arms reduction and space exploration.

Love Canal

Location related to significant environmental controversy due to toxic waste.

Malaise Days

Carter's acknowledgment of a crisis of confidence amongst Americans.

National Energy Act

Legislation introduced by Carter aimed at energy conservation and alternative sources.

Panama Canal

Canal completed in 1914, with Carter agreeing to transfer control to Panama.

SALT II

Negotiations aimed to limit nuclear weapons; never ratified.

Affirmative Action

Policy considering race, ethnicity, and gender to promote equality.

Regents of the University of California v. Bakke

Court case involving affirmative action and ruled in favor of Bakke.

Shah of Iran

Iran's leader until the 1979 revolution.

Ayatollah Khomeini

Leader of the Iranian Revolution, later became Supreme Leader.

Husston Plan

Legal and illegal methods used to secure Nixon's reelection.