Watergate scandal and the 1970's

salt 1 - strategic arms limitation talks

agreement to limit and slow down the building of nuclear missile systems

Watergate office building

location of the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington, DC

“The presidents men”

* closets advisors p helped Nixon get elected
* developed attitude of “the president is above the law”
* Secrecy
* “imperial” presidency

Committee to re-elect the president (creep)

* formed to organize campaign and fundraising for the 1972 election
* John Mitchell resigns as Attorney General to head committee

The Break-In

* 5 “burglars” break into the DNC office in Watergate building
* caught with cameras and wiretapping equipment - and money'
* leader - James Mccord (former FBI and CIA agent); security coordinator for creep

Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein - The Washington Post

* began following the money trail from the burglars up
* info from secret source - “deep throat”

Archibald Cox takes Nixon to court to get tapes

Nixon claims executive privilege.

7 presidential aides indicted for conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and perjury

* Nixon releases transcripts of conversations
* prosecutors want the unedited tapes

August, 8th 1974

Nixon announces his resignation, admits no guilt, but only poor judgement

who becomes president after NIxon?

Gerald Ford

Energy Crisis

Opec - organization of Petroleum exporting countries

* placed an embargo on selling oil to the US

Salt 2

* more limits on nuclear missiles and launch sites
* treaty was never approved by US senate - Soviet invasion of Afghanistan / republican congress

soviet union invades Afghanistan

* cold war tensions rise again
* carter orders embargo of some products sold to USSR
* US will boycott 1980 summer Olympics in Moscow

Ronald Reagan - election of 1980

* the great communicator
* elected on conservative policies - “The new right”

Economic policies - “Reaganomics”

* tax cuts and tax reductions
* supply - side economics
* “trickle down” theory

The Brady bill

Gun control law requiring background check and limiting some of the hand gun trade

Sandra Day O’Connor

1st woman appointed to the supreme court

INF treaty

1st reduction of a class of nuclear weapons

Three Mile Island

* nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania
* faulty valve caused a partial meltdown and released radioactive gasses

Camp David Accords

* agreements between Egypt and Israel
* led to a peace treaty and normalization of relations between the two countries
* ended some 30 years of war

Iran hostage crisis

* diplomatic standoff between the US and Iran
* Revolution in Iran to more conservative leadership and views
* US supported “Shah of Iran” who is exiled
* Ayatollah Khomeini (wanted to start the revolution)
* American embassy is attacked - 52 hostages, held 444 days

Roe v. Wade

* lawsuit
* supreme court decision establishing a constitutional right to abortion in US

ERA (equal rights amendment)

* designed to guarantee equal legal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex

Jimmy Carter - 39th president of US

* inflation
* energy crisis
* war in Afghanistan
* Hostages in Iran