Nixon to the Present

July 20, 1969: Apollo 11 with Michael Collins, Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong land on the moon.

Visits Communist China and the USSR (1972)

Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT I) 1972: Signed with Leonid Brezhnev. Limits the number of nuclear weapons both sides can have.

Ends Vietnam War (1973)

Richard M. Nixon (1969-1974): Republican

Apollo 11

Stagflation: stagnant economy with increasing inflation (failed to deal with)

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC): U.S. supported Israel in 1973 Yom Kippur War against its Arab neighbors. OPEC puts oil embargo on U.S. that caused economic recession, inflation, a stagnant economy, unemployment, higher gas prices, gas rationing and the 55 MPH speed limit.

Nixon continued

Watergate (1972-1974)◦ June 17, 1972: 5 men caught breaking into the

Democratic Party HQ at the Watergate Complex. All five are associated with the Nixon administration.

◦ June 23, 1972: Nixon orders break-in covered up. Shredded documents, paid burglars $500,000 hush money, used government agencies. If Nixon disowns the operation, he could have ended the scandal.

Nixon continued

◦October 1973: Vice President Spiro Agnew resigns after bribery scandal. Gerald Ford becomes new Vice-President

◦July 24, 1974: Supreme Court orders Nixon to turn over tapes

◦August 5, 1974: Nixon released tape transcripts that show he ordered the cover-up on June 23, 1972

◦August 8, 1974: Nixon announces his resignation

Watergate continued

September 8, 1974: Ford gives Nixon a full pardon

Stagflation: Ford failed to deal with End of Vietnam nightmare in 1975 Survived two female assassination attempts

Gerald Ford Administration 1974-1977: Republican

Failed to deal with stagflation Created Department of Energy Panama Canal Treaty (1977): turned canal

over to Panama on 12/31/1999 Iran-Hostage Crisis: November 4, 1979 – 52

Americans held for 444 days USSR invades Afghanistan

◦ Russia’s Vietnam

Jimmy Carter Administration 1977-1981: Democrat

Anwar el-Sadat: Egypt Menachem Begin: Israel Jimmy Carter: USA First Middle East Peace agreement Israel gives back the Sinai Peninsula to

Egypt and Egypt recognized Israel

Camp David Accords 1978

Reaganomics (supply-side or trickle –down economics)

Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI): “Star Wars” missile defense system

March 30, 1981: ◦ Reagan shot by John Hinckley Jr.◦ Hinckley not guilty by reason of insanity (trying to

impress Jodi Foster)

Reagan Administration 1981-1989: Republican

Iran-Contra Affair Gorbachev reforms in USSR (Glasnost &

Perestroika) Sandra Day O’Connor: first woman on the

Supreme Court

Reagan continued

Winning…

Fall of communism in the USSR and Eastern Europe (end of Cold War)

Operation Desert Storm (1991):◦ January 16, 1991: air assault on Iraq◦ February 23-28, 1991: ground offensive against

Iraq◦ Led by General Norman Schwarzkopf◦ Liberates Kuwait

George H.W. Bush (1989-1993): Republican

Economic Budget Boom & Surplus Oklahoma City Bombing (1995): Timothy

McVeigh executed North American Free Trade Agreement

(NAFTA) Impeachment by House & Acquittal by

Senate

Bill Clinton (1993-2001): Democrat

9/11 terrorist attacks Department of Homeland Security & Patriot

Act War in Afghanistan & Iraq

George W. Bush (2001-2009): Republican

First African-American President Economic Depression Health Care Reform Osama Bin Laden

The Operation-Osama Bin Laden

Barack Obama (2009-): Democrat