Jimmy CarterJimmy Carter

January 20, 1977 - January 20, 1981January 20, 1977 - January 20, 1981

Created & edited by Steve ArmstrongCreated & edited by Steve ArmstrongSHS, 1994-2006SHS, 1994-2006

Inaugural ceremonyInaugural ceremony

Carter walked Pennsylvania Carter walked Pennsylvania AvenueAvenue

Carter portrayed the White Carter portrayed the White House as more relaxedHouse as more relaxed

Carter took walksCarter took walks

Carter joggedCarter jogged

Carter helped daughter Amy Carter helped daughter Amy with her homeworkwith her homework

Carter appointed Andrew Carter appointed Andrew Young as U.N. AmbassadorYoung as U.N. Ambassador

Carter’s Mom, Miss Lillian, Carter’s Mom, Miss Lillian, had been in the Peace Corpshad been in the Peace Corps

Ambassador to JapanAmbassador to Japan

President Carter President Carter appointed former appointed former Senate Majority Senate Majority Leader Mike Leader Mike Mansfield as Mansfield as Ambassador to JapanAmbassador to Japan

Mansfield would be Mansfield would be reappointed by reappointed by President ReaganPresident Reagan

Mansfield served 16-Mansfield served 16-years in this positionyears in this position

Carter met Gov. ClintonCarter met Gov. Clinton

Carter tried to hold regular Carter tried to hold regular press conferencespress conferences

Democratic Congress worked Democratic Congress worked against Carteragainst Carter

Speaker “Tip” O’Neill Speaker “Tip” O’Neill was often at odds was often at odds with President Carterwith President Carter

O’Neill, from O’Neill, from Massachusetts, was Massachusetts, was apparently not apparently not pleased with a pleased with a southerner as southerner as PresidentPresident

Carter distasted Carter distasted wheeling and dealingwheeling and dealing

Amnesty for draft evadersAmnesty for draft evaders

President Carter gave President Carter gave amnesty to all amnesty to all Vietnam War era draft Vietnam War era draft evadersevaders

Domestic initiativesDomestic initiatives

Promoted development of coal to reduce Promoted development of coal to reduce dependence on foreign oildependence on foreign oil

Created two new cabinet level Created two new cabinet level departments: Energy and Educationdepartments: Energy and Education

Carter’s “malaise”Carter’s “malaise”

By 1978, President Carter’s approval By 1978, President Carter’s approval rating was down to 29% (lower than rating was down to 29% (lower than Nixon)Nixon)

President Carter and his staff seemed to President Carter and his staff seemed to demonstrate their inexperience in demonstrate their inexperience in governinggoverning

Carter did not seem able to effectively deal Carter did not seem able to effectively deal with the faltering economy and energy with the faltering economy and energy crisis crisis

Carter’s foreign policyCarter’s foreign policy

President Carter President Carter showed support for showed support for Liberian President Liberian President Tolbert in 1978Tolbert in 1978

Tolbert was killed in a Tolbert was killed in a bloody coup two bloody coup two years lateryears later

Carter summit with Chinese Carter summit with Chinese leader Pingleader Ping

Panama Canal Treaty, 1977Panama Canal Treaty, 1977

Every president since Every president since LBJ wanted to rid the LBJ wanted to rid the USA of the Panama USA of the Panama obligationobligation

Carter agreed that the Carter agreed that the USA would give up USA would give up control of the Canal control of the Canal Zone in January 2000Zone in January 2000

Criticized by Criticized by RepublicansRepublicans

Camp David Accords, 1978Camp David Accords, 1978

Carter brought Anwar Carter brought Anwar Sadat and Menachem Sadat and Menachem Begin to negotiate a Begin to negotiate a peace accordpeace accord

Carter met with Begin,Carter met with Begin,

Then met with SadatThen met with Sadat

Camp David Accords officially Camp David Accords officially signed in 1979signed in 1979

Three Mile Island disasterThree Mile Island disaster

Three Mile Island Three Mile Island nuclear facility nuclear facility released radiation released radiation steam into the steam into the atmosphere (1979)atmosphere (1979)

Environmentalists Environmentalists expressed fears expressed fears against nuclear against nuclear energyenergy

Failure of SALT IIFailure of SALT II

Carter signed SALT II and submitted the Carter signed SALT II and submitted the treaty to the Senate for ratificationtreaty to the Senate for ratification

Soviets then invaded AfghanistanSoviets then invaded Afghanistan Carter response to the Soviets:Carter response to the Soviets:

Stopped grain shipments to Russia (which Stopped grain shipments to Russia (which angered American farmers)angered American farmers)

Tried to organize a boycott against RussiaTried to organize a boycott against Russia Tried to boycott the 1980 Olympics in MoscowTried to boycott the 1980 Olympics in Moscow

Grain embargo not popular Grain embargo not popular with American farmerswith American farmers

Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-80Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-80

Iranians seized the Iranians seized the American embassy in American embassy in TeheranTeheran

American embassy American embassy personnel were held personnel were held hostage for over 444 hostage for over 444 daysdays

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April 1980 rescue April 1980 rescue attempt failedattempt failed

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Carter’s approval rating Carter’s approval rating plummetedplummeted

Carter froze Iranian assets held in Carter froze Iranian assets held in American banksAmerican banks

Carter called on the world to engage in a Carter called on the world to engage in a trade embargotrade embargo

Role of Walter CronkiteRole of Walter Cronkite

Cronkite ended each Cronkite ended each evening’s broadcast evening’s broadcast with the sentence: with the sentence: “And that’s the way it “And that’s the way it is, the 233rd day of is, the 233rd day of Americans held Americans held hostage in Iran.”hostage in Iran.”

This added to This added to American frustration American frustration against Carteragainst Carter

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