Modern America 1960 2000 1960 The election of

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Modern America 1960 -2000

Modern America 1960 -2000

1960 • The election of 1960 was between Eisenhower’s Vice President, the communist hunter,

1960 • The election of 1960 was between Eisenhower’s Vice President, the communist hunter, Richard M. Nixon and Senator John F. Kennedy from Massachusetts • In the first ever televised presidential debate the young and fresh-looking Kennedy appealed to the new television generation • Kennedy was only the second Roman Catholic to be nominated for president and he had an Irish. American background • But at 43 Kennedy became the youngest president

Camelot • Kennedy’s tenure was nicknamed the Camelot years • The First Lady was

Camelot • Kennedy’s tenure was nicknamed the Camelot years • The First Lady was the fashionable socialite Jackie Kennedy who did as much to promote the country as her husband • With television the public could see the president playing with his children and on vacation and they relate to him as a family man • Kennedy called his agenda “the New Frontier” and he wanted to extend the New Deal • However even the Democratic Congress refused to cooperate

 • One of the president’s goals was to put the first man on

• One of the president’s goals was to put the first man on the moon • In 1961 Alan Shepard, Jr. , became the first American in space • In 1962 astronaut John Glenn, Jr. , became the first American to orbit the Earth • Congress rejected Medicare – a social security program for the elderly • Equally, Kennedy’s strong support for the Civil Right movement cost him the support of many whites • November 22, 1963, Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas • While Oswald was being moved from Dallas jail to another he was assassinated by Jack Ruby

 • The Warren Commission determined the assassin Lee Harvey Oswald had acted alone

• The Warren Commission determined the assassin Lee Harvey Oswald had acted alone and there was no conspiracy • Kennedy was succeeded by his Vice President Lyndon Baines Johnson from Texas • Johnson was a skilled politician and he was able to push much of Kennedy’s legislation through Congress • Johnson’s plan was to create the “Great Society” • With Kennedy seeming to be a martyr, Congress was more receptive to passing Johnson’s agenda • Medicare passed in 1965, as did Medicaid (paid for medical needs of the poor) • Johnson urged the nation to wage “unconditional war on poverty in America”

War on Poverty • In response to Johnson’s request Congress created the Office of

War on Poverty • In response to Johnson’s request Congress created the Office of Economic Opportunity, the Job Corps, and VISTA • In the 1964 election Johnson faced the Republican Barry Goldwater of Arizona who was ultra conservative and against big government and civil rights • Johnson won because the Democrats portrayed Goldwater as an extremist • In the early 1960 s the economy was strong and could support the Vietnam War and social programs but gradually the cost of the war forced a reduction in social spending

1968 • The Republicans nominated Richard Nixon again • Nixon called for a return

1968 • The Republicans nominated Richard Nixon again • Nixon called for a return of law and order and appealed to “Middle America” which was a good move after the liberalism of Kennedy and Johnson • Nixon won and with his Vice President Spiro Agnew he set out to promote New Federalism • His main goal was revenue sharing – allowing the states some flexibility in spending federal money • His money made more money available but also created inflation

Stagflation • Years of spending on the war and social programs started to drain

Stagflation • Years of spending on the war and social programs started to drain the economy and led to stagflation • Stagflation is a stagnant economy with inflation • To avoid a disaster Nixon used Keynesian economics and abandoned any idea of balancing the budget • The economy improved, the debt increased

 • In 1970 the Twenty-Sixth Amendment was passed and lowered the voting age

• In 1970 the Twenty-Sixth Amendment was passed and lowered the voting age from 21 to 18 • In the Korean War and Vietnam there had been no declaration of war and the president had sent troops – Congress demanded more power • In 1973 Congress passed the War Powers Resolution (over Nixon’s veto). The Resolution limited the president’s use of troops to 90 days without congressional approval

Watergate • In June 1972 5 burglars at the Watergate Hotel in Washington D.

Watergate • In June 1972 5 burglars at the Watergate Hotel in Washington D. C. had been arrested • When they talked it became clear they were part of a scheme to bug the Democratic national headquarters • Nixon insisted he was not involved, but as the investigation progressed it became clear to all who was involved • Nixon agreed to appoint an independent prosecutor, Archibald Cox, in an effort to clear his name

 • Cox ordered Nixon to cooperate in response Nixon ordered Cox be fired

• Cox ordered Nixon to cooperate in response Nixon ordered Cox be fired • In what became known as the “Saturday Night Massacre” Two government officials resigned rather than fire Cox. A third official obliged • In May, 1974 the House set up a special committee to consider impeachment • While all this was going on Agnew was forced to resign because of bribery charges. Nixon appointed Gerald Ford the new Vice President • The Supreme Court ruled Nixon could not hide behind executive privilege • When it was clear Nixon was involved he resigned

Gerald Ford • Nixon resigned and was replaced by Ford • Soon after taking

Gerald Ford • Nixon resigned and was replaced by Ford • Soon after taking office Ford pardoned Nixon • In the wake of Watergate the activities of the FBI and CIA were investigated – Kennedy had hired a mobster to assassinate Castro and Nixon had the president of Chile overthrown • Because a weak economy and distrust after Watergate the Democrats won the White House in 1976

Jimmy Carter • Carter was a liberal from Georgia who succeeded by claiming to

Jimmy Carter • Carter was a liberal from Georgia who succeeded by claiming to be a Washington outsider • Carter faced the same economic problems that had confronted Nixon and Ford • He got into trouble with his own party when he tried to cut pork-barrel spending • Carter made human rights his main agenda • He was able to bring Israel and Egypt together for talks at Camp David in 1978 leading to a treaty the following year

Central America • Carter was interested in promoting social and political change in Latin

Central America • Carter was interested in promoting social and political change in Latin America to stop communism • In 1977 two treaties about the Panama Canal reached Congress: a) Panama would run the waterway before taking over control in 1999 b) Guaranteed the neutrality of the waterway, but allowed for the US to use force to defend the canal • The Senate ratified the treaties by one vote

 • Hard-line Republicans such as Ronald Reagan wanted to keep control of the

• Hard-line Republicans such as Ronald Reagan wanted to keep control of the canal • In 1989 when the US was tired of the antics of Panamanian strongman Manuel Noriega the launched a military raid to kidnap the dictator • Noriega was put on trial in Miami and convicted of drug trafficking

Nicaragua • In 1979 Leftist forces ousted the US-backed dictator of Nicaragua • The

Nicaragua • In 1979 Leftist forces ousted the US-backed dictator of Nicaragua • The rebels called themselves Sandinistas • The Sandinistas tried to organize a rebellion in neighboring El Salvador before the US stepped in • The United States helped secretly organize counterrevolutionaries – Contras • President Reagan wanted to keep everything secret in case the people thought this was another Vietnam • When the policies became public Congress withdrew aid for the Contras

 • Reagan persuaded friendly governments to help finance the rebellion • Administration officials

• Reagan persuaded friendly governments to help finance the rebellion • Administration officials even used a secret fund of money that had been collected by selling arms to the Iranians • Investigations into the Iran-Contras affair lasted months, but no evidence was found to attach blame to Reagan

The End of the Cold War • President Reagan was a hard-line anticommunist who

The End of the Cold War • President Reagan was a hard-line anticommunist who increased military spending • In 1983 he launched his costly and controversial Star Wars Initiative (SDI) to defend the United States from attack by using satellites • The program was abandoned in the 1990 s as ineffective and too costly • In the 1980 s the control of the Soviet Union was being challenged by a union group in Poland, known as Solidarity

 • In 1985 Mikhail Gorbachev became the head of the Communist party and

• In 1985 Mikhail Gorbachev became the head of the Communist party and started to reform the Soviet Union • He cut military spending and restarted détente with the United States and western Europe • In 1987 at the Washington summit the two leaders signed the INF Treaty to limit nuclear missiles • In 1988 George Bush, who had been Reagan’s Vice President became president • In 1989 the Berlin Wall came down ending the Cold War • In 1991 the Soviet Union was dissolved and the Commonwealth of Independent States appeared

The First Gulf War • In 1990 Iraq, led by Saddam Hussein, invaded neighboring

The First Gulf War • In 1990 Iraq, led by Saddam Hussein, invaded neighboring Kuwait • The UN approved military action to liberate Kuwait • In January 1991 the US-led Operation Desert Storm started and lasted until February 28 1991 when Kuwait was liberated

The 1992 Election • Despite the success of Operation Desert Storm the economy was

The 1992 Election • Despite the success of Operation Desert Storm the economy was faltering badly • Bush did little to help and in the months following the war he watched his approval rating plummet • By the time of the election people were looking for a change • The Democrats nominated the youthful governor of Arkansas, Bill Clinton • The Republicans re-nominated George Bush

 • The election changed when billionaire businessman Ross Perot ran as an independent

• The election changed when billionaire businessman Ross Perot ran as an independent • Perot appealed to conservatives who wanted fiscal responsibility • In July Perot announced he was not going to finish the race, but then in October he re-entered the contest • In the election Perot took 19% of the popular vote – mostly dissatisfied Republicans • Clinton won the election and promoted himself as a “new Democrat” • But in the 1994 off-year elections the Republicans captured both Houses of Congress

 • With control of Congress the Republicans attempted to stop the president •

• With control of Congress the Republicans attempted to stop the president • By the time of the 1996 election the economy was riding the dot com boom and Clinton easily defeated Bob Dole • However the Clintons were already being investigated for illegal investments in Arkansas, known as the “Whitewater” case • The president was also charged with having an affair with a 22 -year old intern, Monica Lewinsky, and lying under oath • In December 1999 the House voted to impeach the president

 • The verdict was not guilty of perjury and obstruction of justice, so

• The verdict was not guilty of perjury and obstruction of justice, so the president was allowed to remain in office • Nevertheless his integrity was badly damaged and in the election of 2000 the president was of little help to his Vice President Al Gore • In one of the most controversial elections in history George W. Bush, the governor of Texas and son of the former president defeated Al Gore by 5 electoral votes • The main issue was the counting of votes in Florida (25 electoral votes). The Supreme Court stopped the recounting which gave the votes to Bush