CHAPTER 24: AN AGE OF LIMITS

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Section 1: The Nixon Administration

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New Federalism

Nixon’s plan to give more financial freedom to state and local govts.

Decrease the size of the federal govt. Revenue sharing = state and local govts.

could decide how to spend federal money

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Welfare Reform

Family Assistance Plan (FAP) – every family of four receives $1,600 a year and have to accept any reasonable work

Senate does not approve it

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Social Programs

Social Security Medicare Food stamps

Impounded (withheld) $15 billion for housing, health, education

Ended the Office of Economic Opportunity

Nixon Increases Fed. $ Nixon Decreases Fed. $

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Law and Order Politics

Peace negotiations with N. Vietnam

FBI, CIA, Internal Revenue Service target antiwar and civil rights activists

Vietnam End Urban Riots and Protests

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Nixon’s Southern Strategy

Since Reconstruction the South had been mainly Democratic

White Southern Democrats are losing faith in their “liberal” party (anti-Great Society and Civil Rights)

Nixon tries to reverse civil rights policies by delaying desegregation plans for schools

Supreme Court orders Nixon to change policies Opposes the extension of the Voting Rights Act Opposes integration of schools through busing Appoints 3 conservative judges to the Supreme

Court

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Questions

1. What was the goal of Nixon’s New Federalism?

2. In what ways did Nixon both strengthen and weaken federal programs?

3. Why had many Democratic voters in the South become potential Republican supporters by 1968?

4. Why did Pres. Nixon oppose the extension of the Voting Rights Act?

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Section 4: Environmental Activism 1962 – Rachel Carson – publishes Silent

Spring Pesticides – chemicals used to kill insects

and rodents – were dangerous Americans realize human behavior and our

nation’s industrial growth have a damaging effect

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Environmental Concerns – 1970s April 22,1970 – first Earth

Day – almost every community in the country hosts an environmental – awareness activity

1970 – Nixon brings 15 existing fed. pollution programs into the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and signs the Clean Air Act

1971 – Nixon signs Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act and Carter furthers it in 1978

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Environmental Concerns – 1970s Nuclear power plants

seem like a good alternative to foreign oil but scientists warn about health risks

1979 – nuclear reactor at a plant on Three Mile Island (Penn) malfunctions and low level radiation escapes 100,000 residents are

evacuated but no one dies

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A Continuing Movement

“Why worry about the long run, when you’re out of work right now?”

-unemployed steelworker

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