Explain whether you believe President Ford made the right decision pardoning Nixon for his involvement in the Watergate Scandal?

A pardon is the forgiveness of a crime and the cancellation of the relevant penalty

• In 1973, Nixon’s Vice President was forced to resign for taking bribes

• Gerald Ford is named Vice-President

• With Nixon’s resignation Ford becomes President

• Ford will urge America to put Watergate behind them

• However, the effects of the scandal will last long after Nixon’s resignation

•Former Michigan Congressman

•Become VP when Spiro Agnew resigned.

•Most Americans considered Ford to be decent and honest

•Bland, not an exciting or dynamic president.

• On September 8, 1974, Ford pardons Nixon

• In a TV broadcast, Ford explained that he felt the pardon was “for the good of the nation.”

• Approval Ratings drop from 71% to 50%

– Yom Kippur War (1973)– US supports Israel against

Egypt and Syria

– Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) controls prices– Arab members impose

embargo– Shortage of gas caused oil

prices to rise– Inflation increases

Stagflation — combination of high inflation, high unemployment

The Causes of Stagflation– Inflation result of LBJ’s deficit

spending on war, social programs

– Unemployment from more international competition

– Rising oil prices, U.S. dependence on foreign oil add to inflation

– Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) controls prices

•Ford had to inherit the inflation, rising cost of goods from the Nixon era

•WIN – Whip Inflation Now▫Cut back on oil and gas▫Not popular

•He attempts to revive the economy▫Cutting taxes▫Cutting gov’t spending▫Higher interest rates▫Balance the budget

•The Helsinki Accords▫Borders of Eastern. Europe

recognized▫Soviets promised to uphold

human rights.▫Soviets failed to live up to

basic human rights.

•Mayaquez Incident▫Cambodia seized cargo ship.▫Ford sent U.S. Marines, but

Cambodia released crew before they arrived.

•Fall of Saigon

•Republican Nominees▫Ford & Dole

•Democratic Nominees▫Carter & Mondale

•Ford was saddled with a slow economy▫inflation▫Unemployment

•Carter ran as an▫Outsider▫reformer

•Peanut Farmer

•GA State Senator

•GA Governor

•Carter’s plan▫Increase gov’t spending▫Cut taxes

• Inflation increased▫Delayed tax cuts▫Vetoed spending programs▫Reduced money supply▫Raised interests rates

•Energy Crisis▫Conservation ▫Alternative energy sources▫Department of Energy▫Deregulation & “Windfall profit

tax”

•Gas shortages

•High inflation

•Malaise Speech

•Low popularity

•Misery Index▫High unemployment▫High inflation

•One of Carter's most important accomplishments as President were the Camp David Accords on September 17, 1978

•The Camp David Accords produced a framework for peace between Egypt and Israel▫Peace between Egypt and

Israel▫Israel’s “right to exist”

recognized▫Hand-back of Sinai planned

(timetable)

• Signed in September 1977

• Panama would gain control of the Panama Canal after 1999▫ Ended control of the

canal that the U.S. had since 1903

▫ Part of Carter’s human-rights foreign policy focus

• The U.S. retained the permanent right to defend the canal from any threat

• In December 1979, the USSR invaded Afghanistan

• Soviets invaded Afghanistan to ensure continued Communist rule in the country.

• After the invasion, President Carter:▫Stopped exports of

wheat to Russia▫Prohibited U.S.

participation in the 1980 Olympics in Moscow

•The Iran hostage crisis was a diplomatic crisis that lasted from November 4, 1979, until January 20, 1981.

•52 U.S. citizens held hostage inside the American diplomatic mission in Tehran, Iran

Iranian Hostage Crisis

•On January 20, 1981, the hostages were formally released into United States custody after spending 444 days in captivity.

•The release took place just minutes after Ronald Reagan was officially sworn in as president.