Presidents
Nixon to Bush II
Richard Nixon 1969-1974 Republican Domestic Policy: Oil prices raised by
OPEC. Energy crisis ensues. Starts Alaskan oil pipeline. Cuts speed limit to 55.
Watergate: Democratic Party Headquarters are broken into by employees of the Republican party. It is eventually tied back to Nixon. Nixon is forced to resign as opposed to being impeached.
Nixon Foreign
Cambodia Laos End Vietnam War SALT talks w/China Visit China Détente w/ USSR
Gerald Ford 1974- 1977
Finishes Nixon’s term in office 1st president that was not elected
either Vice President or President. Republican Foreign
Pulled ALL Americans from Vietnam 1975
Increased communication with the USSR
Domestic Pardoned Nixon Financial woes
Jimmy Carter 1977-1981 Democratic Domestic Issues: Energy crisis. OPEC places an embargo on
selling oil to the United States. Gas prices soar and people begin to run out of gas. Alternative energy sources like solar, hydroelectric, nuclear, and wind are all developed.
Foreign Policy: Responsible for “Camp David Accords”. Egypt and Israel sign a peace agreement. First time an Arab nation made peace with Israel.
Carter Legacy
Human Rights Advocate - fights for human rights
Economic crisis - oil/ energy/ housing crisis Camp David Accords
Ronald Reagan
1981-1989 Republican Domestic Policy: “Supply Side” economics
or “Reaganomics”. Gives tax breaks to the rich in hopes it will trickle down to the poor.
Foreign Policy: Fights with the USSR. Spends 200 Billion dollars on defense and military build up. Invested in “Star Wars” a shield to protect the US from Nuclear Missiles.
Iran Contra Affair INF Treaty: Soviet Union and US destroy over 2,800
nuclear missiles. No intermediate range missiles in Europe
George H. W. Bush
1989-1993 Republican Domestic Policy: Fails to bring the
US economy out of a recession. Unemployment is high. Economy is weak.
Iran-Contra Affair Foreign: Sends troops as part of a
UN force to the Middle East. Started the 1st Gulf War
Berlin Wall comes down- END OF COLD WAR
Legacy - US involvement in Iraq
Bill Clinton 1993-2001 Democrat
Domestic Policy: Economic recovery: Tax cuts for poor/ middle class. Impeached for lying to a grand jury.
Foreign Policy: Signs NAFTA: North American Free Trade Agreement.
Opens up trade with Mexico and Canada. Sends troops to Bosnia as part of UN peace keeping force. Tries to broker peace between Palestine and Israel. Somalia – Attempted to take down warlords and was
unprepared. Embarrassment to U.S. Afghanistan -
Bush 2001 – 2010 Republican
Domestic: recession, poverty increases, job loss, Housing crisis
NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND - education initiative to increase level of learning
Foreign: 9/11/01 War in Terror (Bush
Doctrine) War in Iraq War in Afghanistan,