OSHA- govt. agency that was to make sure that all work places were considered safe

DEA- created to combat the rise of drug abuse during the late 1960s

EPA- goal was to protect and clean up the environment

26th Amendment- gave 18 year olds the right to vote in federal elections

Realpolitik- goal was to focus on realistic political goals

Nixon Doctrine- said that Asian nations needed to protect themselves and can not rely on the U.S. military

Goal was to prevent another Vietnam

US-China Relations- Nixon improved relations with a 1972 visit to Beijing which led to more trade

Nixon also visited Moscow and improved relations

Détente- relaxation of tensions between US and Russia

Nixon’s greatest accomplishments was his foreign policy efforts

His visits to Russia and China were major events of the 1970s

SALT Talks- US and Russia agreed to reduce the size of their nuclear arsenal

Spiro Agnew- VP resigned under suspicion that he took bribes as the governor of Maryland

Watergate Complex was the home of the Democratic Headquarters

5 men were arrested for breaking in

1972- Nixon wins the presidency by a huge margin

Writers for the Washington Post accused the White House of the break-in

Senate began to hold hearings investigating the break in

Nixon said he knew nothing about the break in

Senate Committee learned that Nixon taped all of his conversations in the White House

Nixon claimed executive privileges and said he didn’t have to turn over the tapes

Nixon v. U.S.- said Nixon had to turn over the tapes

18 minutes of the tape were blank (very controversial)

Senate Committee found that Nixon knew nothing of the break in but tried to cover it up

1974- House of Representatives recommended that Nixon be impeached

Aug. 8th 1974 Nixon Resigns

Presidents power was greatly weakened

People began to distrust govt. officials

Shows that checks & balances actually works

Gerald Ford became VP after Agnew resigned and President after Nixon quit

Ford selected Nelson Rockefeller of NY as his VP

1st time in American history when the Pres. & VP were not elected by the people

Ford pardoned Nixon of any crimes dealing with Watergate

Very controversial decision

U.S depends heavily on oil from the Middle East

OPEC placed an embargo on oil to the U.S. in 1973

Gas prices skyrocketed to all time highs

People had to buy gas on odd/even days

U.S. automobile industry was badly damaged

Commonly called the “Energy Crisis”

Led to a large demand for foreign cars (Rice Burners)

Alaskan Pipeline was built 1974 embargo ended U.S. still relies on M.E. oil

Election of 1976- Jimmy Carter (D) vs. Gerald Ford (R)

Carter became the 1st southern president since 1848 in a very close election

Great intentions but did little His party ended up hating

him Seldom followed through with

his plans Changed his mind a lot

Cared about human rights Amnesty for Draft Evaders-

pardoned all those that dodge the draft during Vietnam

Three Mile Island- 1979 partial meltdown of a nuclear plant in Pennsylvania

U.S. began to move away from the use of nuclear power

U.S. supports democratic Israel

U.S. supports Arab states for a steady supply of oil

Prevent USSR influences Goal was to keep peace

Camp David Accords (1979) Historic peace agreement

between Egypt and Israel Carter mediated it and it was

considered his only good thing

1979 USSR invades Afghanistan

U.S. condemns them and boycotts 1980 Olympics in Moscow

Afghanistan is called the USSR’s Vietnam

1979 Carter allows the former Shah of Iran to come to the U.S. for medical help

Iranians were angry and took over the U.S. embassy

Iran wanted the Shah for trial and Carter refused to turn him over

1980 Carter initiated a military rescue but it failed

Hostage crisis greatly hurt his reelection effort

1980 Election- Reagan destroys Carter and the day he takes office the hostages are released

Carter Legacy- he had great intentions but failed on almost everything he did