question

popularity of conservatism

answer

break up of the political coalition forged by FDR, economic crisis that traditional liberals could not solve, shift of population and economic resources to conservative strongholds in the Sunbelt of South and West, growth of activist, conservative Christianity (increasingly aligned with Republicans), series of international setbacks

question

Nixon's domestic policies

answer

was mostly interested in foreign policy so he had no desire to battle the Democratic Congress on domestic issues expanded many elements of Great Society, offered federal "block grants" to the states as they saw fit, created new federal agencies (EPA), spent lavishly on social services and environmental initiatives, abolished the Office of Economic Opportunity, expanded foot stamp programs, indexed social security benefits to inflation (which would rise as cost of living rose)

question

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

answer

programs to combat water/ air pollution, clean up hazardous wastes, required "environmental impact" statements from any federally funded project

question

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

answer

sen inspectors into the nation's workplace

question

National Transportation Safety Board

answer

instructed automobile makers on how to make their cars safer

question

Endangered Species Act

answer

prohibited spending federal funds on any project that might extinguish an animal species

question

Clean Air Act

answer

set air quality standards for carbon monoxide and other chemicals released by cars and factories --> dramatic decline in air pollution

question

proposal for Family Assistance Plan

answer

"negative income tax," would replace AFDC, federal govt. would guarantee a minimum income for all Americans, would replace welfare (welfare provided limited assistance to poor families that met local eligibility standards) was too radical for conservatives- saw it as a reward for laziness liberals denounced $1,600 for a family of 4 per year as inadequate plan was not approved

question

AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent Children)

answer

expanded in 1960s because of increase in births to unmarried women, sharp rise in the number of poor female-headed households

question

welfare

answer

Conservative politicians attacked recipients of welfare as people who preferred to live at the expense of honest taxpayers than by working

question

Nixon's attempt to consolidate support in white South

answer

he nominated Clement Haynesworth and G. Harold Carswell (conservative southern jurists with records of support for segregation), both rejected by Senate

question

racial integration under Nixon

answer

extensive racial integration finally came to public schools in the South proportion of southern black students attending integrated achools rose from 32% to 77% in Nixon's 1st 3 years

question

"affirmative action"

answer

to upgrade minority employment under Johnson: the required establishment of "specific goals and timetables" to establish what number of minorities should be hired and when

question

Philadelphia Plan

answer

Nixon's extension of "affirmative action" required construction contractors on federal projects to hire specific numbers of minority workers Secretary of Labor George Schultz sincerely hoped to open more jobs for black workers; Nixon viewed it mainly as a way of fighting inflation by weakening the power of the building trade unions

question

Nixon on weakening the power of building trade unions

answer

he believed their control of the labor market pushed wages to unreasonably high levels, raising the cost of construction; if the plan caused dissension between blacks and labor unions (two pillars of the Democratic coalition) then the Republicans could only benefit

question

construction workers assaulted antiwar demonstrators in NYC, May 1970 event

answer

widely publicized, Nixon suddenly decided that he might be able to woo blue-collar workers in preparation for his 1972 reelection campaign; he soon attacked affirmative action goals and abandoned the Philadelphia plan

question

Chief Justice Warren Burger

answer

was expected to lead the justices in a conservative direction BUT surprised his supporters --> while pace of change slowed, Burger Court consolidated and expanded many of the judicial innovations of the 1960s

question

Swann v. Charlotte Mecklenburg Board of Education (1971)

answer

justices unanimously approved a lower court's plan that required the extensive transportation of students to achieve school integration, hundreds of cases throughout the country, busing was used as a lightning rod for protests

question

San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez

answer

5-4 court decision ruled that the Constitution did NOT require equality of school funding (Mexican American schools had much less funding than white schools)

question

Milliken v. Bradley (1974)

answer

justices overturned a lower court decision that required Detroit's predominantly white suburbs to enter into a regional desegregation plan with city's heavily minority school system decision guaranteed that housing segregation would be mirrored in public education

question

the Burger court on affirmative action

answer

whites viewed it as "reverse discrimination," claimed it violated the 14th Amendment's "equal protection clause" affirmative action plans spread from blacks to women, Latinos, Native Americans, Asian-Americans (conservatives demanded invalidation of such policies) court did NOT invalidate but found it difficult to devise a consistent approach to this issue later became increasingly hostile to affirmative action policies

question

Griggo v. Duke Power Company (1971)

answer

Court ruled that even racially neutral job requirements (like written examination) were illegal if they operated to exclude a disproportionate number of nonwhite applicants and were not directly related to job performance

question

United Steelworkers of America v. Weber (1979)

answer

upheld a program devised by the Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corporation and its union that set quotas for training and hiring nonwhite workers in skilled jobs -private, voluntary agreement that did not involve government action, so court ruled that it did NOT violate the 14th Amendment

question

Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978)

answer

court overturned an admissions program of the University of California at Davis (public) which set aside 16/100 places in the entering medical school class for minority students

question

Justice Lewis F. Powell

answer

rejected the idea of fixed affirmative action quotas but he added that race could be used as one factor among many in admissions decisions > affirmative action continued at colleges and universities

question

continuing sexual revolution

answer

passed from counterculture to mainstream, # of Americans who thought pre-marital sex was wrong plummeted, # of divorces soared, age at which men and women married rose, birthrate declined (birth control, legal abortions, poorer Americans (like in south/rural areas) had more kids, number of women at work rose, gay and lesbian movement expanded

question

An Unmarried Woman (1978) film

answer

portrayed dissolution of marriage as a triumph for the wife, discovered her potential for individual growth only after being abandoned by her husband

question

Title IX

answer

Congress approved in 1972, banned gender discrimination in higher education

question

Equal Credit Opportunity Act

answer

required that married women be given access to credit in their own name

question

American Telephone and Telegraph (AT&T)

answer

entered into a landmark agreement in which it agreed to pay millions to workers who had suffered gender discrimination and to upgrade employment opportunities for women

question

gay and lesbian movement

answer

began to elect local officials, persuaded states to decriminalize homosexual relations, continued cities with large gay populations to pass anti-discrimination laws, actively encouraged people to "come out of the closet"

question

American Psychiatric Association 1970s

answer

removed homosexuality from its list of mental diseases

question

1970s as the "Me Decade"

answer

coined by writer Tom Wolfe poll to rate series of ideas- highest ranking given to "freedom to choose" America's obsession with self-improvement: fitness programs, health food diets, new forms of psychological therapy

question

Nixon in Chile

answer

1970- Chile elected socialist Salvador Allende as president CIA worked with his domestic opponents to destabilize the regime September 11, 1973- Allende was overthrown and killed in a military coup --> led to bloody dictatorship under General Augusto Pinochet Nixon administration knew of coup plans in advance but failed to warn Allende, and continued to back Pinochet in his brutal policies

question

Nixon and Kissinger were "realists"

answer

they had more interest in power than ideology and preferred international stability to relentless conflict

question

Nixon and China

answer

realized that China (apart from being a unified communist bloc) had its own interests and was destined to play a major role on the world stage 1971- Kissinger secretly flew to China, paving the way for Nixon's astonishing public visit of Feb 1972 Beijing took up China's seat at the U.N. his visit sparked dramatic increase in trade between the two countries

question

Nixon and the Soviet Union

answer

3 months after trip to Beijing, Nixon was the 1st American president to visit the Soviet Union - intense negotiations with Leonid Brezhnev - "summit meeting" --> agreements for increased trade and two landmark arm-control treaties

question

Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) since 1969

answer

FROZE each country's arsenal of intercontinental missiles capable of carrying nuclear war heads

question

Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty

answer

banned development of systems designed to intercept incoming missiles

question

détente

answer

"peaceful coexistence;" détente = cooperation its goal would be to replace the hostility of the cold war

question

Vietnamization

answer

Nixon's plan where American troops would gradually be withdrawn while South Vietnamese soldiers did more of the fighting (American bombing would continue) neither limited the war nor ended the antiwar movement

question

Nixon in Cambodia

answer

1970- he ordered American troops into neutral Cambodia with the hope of cutting off North Vietnamese lines did not achieve military goals but destabilized Cambodian govt., set in place a series that brought Khmer Rouge into power

question

protests continued on college campuses

answer

Spring 1970- more than 350 colleges/ universities experienced strikes, troops occupied 21 campuses, protests at Kent State and Jackson state demonstrated spread of antiwar sentiment outside elite campuses

question

morale dropped in Vietnam

answer

army was mostly working-class whites/ members of racial minorities soldiers experimented with drugs, openly wore peace/black power symbols, refused orders, assaulted unpopular officers, 1971- thousands deserted the army, held antiwar demonstrations decline of discipline = officers convinced that they should get out of Vietnam blacks now complained about high # of black casualties 1965&1966- blacks were more than 20% of American casualties Johnson had ordered # of black soldiers in combat unites reduced

question

Pentagon Papers

answer

1971- New York Times- started publishing them they were classified reports prepared by the Defensive Department traced American involvement in Vietnam back to WWII revealed how successive presidents had misled the American people about it

question

landmark freedom of press decision

answer

Supreme court rejected Nixon's request for an injunction to halt publication

question

War Powers Act 1973

answer

required president to seek congressional approval for the commitment of American troops overseas most vigorous assertion of congressional control over foreign policy

question

1973 end of Vietnam war

answer

Nixon achieved final withdrawal of American troops- Paris peace agreement compromise: South Vietnamese govt. would be in place but also left the N. Vietnamese/ Viet Cong soldiers in control of parts of the south, American bombing ceased, military draft came to an end (volunteers would make up armed forces) agreement did NOT solve: would Vietnam be 1 country or 2?

question

Vietnam after US withdrawal

answer

1975- N. Vietnam launched a final military offensive, govt. of S. Vietnam collapsed and U.S. did not intervene (except remove the embassy) and Vietnam was reunified under communist rule 3-4 million Vietnamese dead, 58,00 American dead $100 billion

question

Robert McNamara

answer

former secretary of defense, published memoir, admitted the policy that he had helped to shape was "terribly wrong" he wrote: ignorance of the history and culture of Vietnam and the misguided belief that every communist movement in the world was a puppet of Moscow--> led country into a regrettable war New York Times rejected his apology

question

Watergate

answer

Nixon obsessed with secrecy viewed every critic as a threat to national security "enemies list" when Pentagon Papers were published- Nixon created a special investigative unit "plumbers" to gather info about Daniel Ellsberg (former govt. official who leaked them to the press) "plumbers" raided the office of Ellsberg's psychiatrist in search of incriminating records 1972- 5 former employees of Nixon's reelection committee took part in a break-in in Democratic Party headquarters in Watergate apt. complex in DC, played little role in 1972 election week after week, revelations about scandal unfolded Nixon had authorized payments to the burglars to remain silent/ commit perjury suggested impeachment, Nixon resigned

question

VP: Spiro T. Agnew

answer

1973 he resigned after revelations that he accepted bribes from construction firms while serving as governor of Maryland

question

Freedom of Information Act

answer

enacted 1966, has allowed scholars, journalists, ordinary citizens to gain access to millions of pages of records to federal agencies

question

Watergate's impact

answer

led people to think that conservatives were correct when they argued protecting liberty meant a NON-controlling government distracted from 1973 economic crisis

question

Carter and Human Rights

answer

influenced by proliferation of info about global denials of human rights, spread by nongovernmental agencies (Amnesty International) at the end of his presidency, "human rights" had acquired political potency; its vagueness was a weakness and strength he believed foreign policy should emphasize Cold War thinking

question

Amnesty International

answer

American membership in AI grew drastically, reports exposed misdeeds by communist countries but also American allies (esp. death squads of Latin American dictatorships), their findings aroused widespread indignation, pressured elected officials in the U.S. to try and do something to promote human rights

question

Carter and Argentina

answer

he cut off aid to the brutal military dictatorship in Argentina was a dramatic gesture--> Argentina was one of the most important powers in Latin America in the name of anticommunism, it had launched a "dirty war" against its own citizens (kidnapping, secretly murdering)

question

Carter Foreign policy

answer

combat poverty in 3rd world countries, prevent spread of nuclear weapons, promote human rights

question

Camp David

answer

1979 brought leaders of Egypt and Israel to the presidential retreat at Camp David --> historic peace between the two countries

question

resisted calls for intervention- Nicaragua

answer

Sandinista movement overthrew Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza (ally of US) Carter resisted

question

SALT II

answer

signed with Soviets, to reduce the number of missiles, bombers, nuclear warheads

question

Iran Hostage Crisis

answer

1979 Carter allowed deposed Shah to seek medical treatment in the US- Khomeini's followers invaded American embassy in Tehran and seized 53 hostages these events made Carter seen inept and led to his fall in popularity

question

Soviet Union/ Afghanistan

answer

Soviets sent 1000s of troops into Afghanistan to support a friendly government threatened by Islamic rebellion Afghanistan = Soviet Vietnam

question

Carter Doctrine

answer

the US would use force if necessary to protect its interests in the Persian Gulf (departure from Human Rights policy)

question

Taliban

answer

US funded Islamist fundamentalists --> Taliban --> came to power

question

"end of the Golden Age"

answer

prosperity was ending, slow growth, inflation, U.S. promoted the industrial reconstruction of Japan and Germany and the emergence other centers of manufacturing, encouraged overseas investment, strong dollar (linked to gold) made it harder to sell American goods overseas, 1971- first time in 20th century that America had a merchandise trade deficit

question

1971 radical change in economic policy

answer

Nixon took the nation off the the gold standard, world's currency would now "float" in relation to another, worth would not be determined by treaty but by international currency markets Nixon hoped that lowering the dollar value in terms of German mark and Japanese yen would promote exports by making American goods cheaper and reduce foreign imports since products would be expensive BUT: it was a new element in instability in the economy

question

"stagflation"

answer

rising oil prices contributed to: combination of stagnant economic growth and high inflation

question

oil crisis 1973

answer

1973 brief war between Israel & Egypt and Syria --> quadrupled the price of oil, suspending export of oil to U.S. for several months, long lines of cars appeared at American gas stations (either ran out of gas or it was very limited) second oil "shock" in 1979 1973- US imported 1/3 of its oil oil discovered in Alaska 1968, 1977- a pipeline opened to facilitate its shipment to the rest of the country

question

energy crisis

answer

to promote energy conservation, Congress lowered speed limit on interstate highways to 55 mph and made many public buildings reduce heat and lighting 1970s energy crisis brought attention to domestic energy resources like oil, coal, natural gas coal production in Wyoming boomed

question

"misery index"

answer

the sum of unemployment and inflation rates, doubled by 1980

question

car industry

answer

many Americans shifted from large, domestically produced cars (known for high gasoline consumption) to smaller, more efficient imports end of decade --> Japan was the world's leading automobile producer

question

social impact of economy

answer

increased conservative influence in Sunbelt region schools- run down/ overcrowded- govt. had to take control poverty rates rose- had to sell off public library buildings to raise cash tax bases shriveled job loss corporations moved to lower wage areas

question

1975 NYC fiscal crisis

answer

weakening of unions' power NYC: deeply in debt, unable to market bonds, city faced prospect of bankruptcy solution: reduction of city's workforce, severe school budget cuts, parks, subway system, end to century old policy of free tuition at the city university NY people had to absorb job losses, drastic decline in public services

question

Gerald Ford

answer

had been appointed to replace VP Agnew- succeeded to White house when Nixon resigned named Nelson Rockefeller as his VP only time in American history that both offices were occupied by non-elected persons Ford pardoned Nixon (unpopular) he lacked significant domestic policy accomplishments

question

Chief economic advisor under Ford: Alan Greenspan

answer

believed Americans spent too much on consumption and saved too little -cutting taxes on business, lessening govt. regulation of economy Democratic majority in Congress didn't accept the traditional republican policie

question

"Whip Inflation Now" (WIN)

answer

Ford urged Americans to shop wisely, reduce expenditures, wear WIN buttons inflation fell but joblessness continued to rise steep recession in 1974-1975- unemployment exceeded 9%

question

Helsinki Accords

answer

continuation of detente, U.S. and Soviet Union signed agreement recognized the permanence of Europe's post-WWII boundaries (incl. the division of Germany), both superpowers agreed to respect basic liberties of citizens (Kissinger and Gromyko assumed that this would have little effect) the accords inspired movements for greater freedom within the communist countries of Eastern Europe

question

Jimmy Carter

answer

graduate of US Naval Academy, peanut farmer, former governor of Georgia, narrowly defeated Ford, ran for president as "outsider," was open about his religious convictions, *his honesty was appealing*

question

Carter had much in COMMON with 20th century Progressives

answer

more efficient govt., protecting environment, raising the moral tone of politics

question

Carter had much UNCOMMON with Progressives

answer

embraced aspirations of black Americans, his inaugural address as Georgia governor 1971- apologized for past mistreatment of state's black population, appointed unprecedented # of blacks to important positions (Andrew Young, former lieut. of MLK, as ambassador to UN)

question

Carter and economic crisis

answer

viewed inflation, NOT UNEMPLOYMENT, as the country's main economic problem to combat: promoted cuts in spending on domestic programs, deregulated trucking/airline industries, supported Federal Reserve Bank's decision to raise interest rates to curtail economic activity until wages and prices fell (traditionally a Republican policy) overthrow of shah in Iran --> oil prices rising but inflation did not decline

question

Carter and nuclear energy

answer

believed in expanded use of nuclear energy (would reduce dependence on imported oil 1979- nuclear energy industry suffered a near-fatal blow accident at Three Mile Island plant in PA released large amount of radioactive steam into the atmosphere rise of environmental movement promoted public skepticism about this, reinforced fears about environmental hazards associated w nuclear energy --> put a stop to the industry's expansion

question

Carter's "Crisis of Confidence" speech 1979

answer

not great for his popularity seemed to blame it on the American people and their "mistaken idea of freedom" as "self-indulgence and consumption"

question

what led to a rise in conservatism?

answer

fear about a decline of American power in the world --> renewal of Cold War rising urban crime rates Sunbelt regions civil rights/ sexual revolutions --> converting to conservatism

question

how were suburbs connected to conservatism?

answer

conservatism appealed to the growing, predominately white suburban population

question

"neoconservatism"

answer

a group of intellectuals who charged that the 1960s had produced a decline in moral standards and respect for authority

question

Jerry Falwell

answer

created Moral Majority, Virginia minister 1979 identified supporters of abortion, easy divorce, "military unpreparedness" as forces of Satan agitated by sexual revolutions and gay movements, thought freedom was out of control wanted the reversal of Supreme Court decisions banning prayer in public schools, against pornography being classified under free speech, against legalizing abortion (abortion = murder)

question

opponents of ERA

answer

believed the freedom for women resided in the divinely appointed roles of wife and mother would let men "off the hook" by denying the their responsibility to provide for their wives and children

question

opponents of Roe v. Wade

answer

demonstrations at family planning/ abortion clinics, placed bombs in medical clinics, murdered doctors who terminated pregnancies

question

Proposition 13

answer

a ban on further increase in property taxes reduced funds for schools, businesses and homeowners anti-tax sentiment flourished

question

Reagan's Campaign 1980

answer

brought together many 1970s strands of conservatism, pledged to end stagflation and restore the country's dominant role and confidence in the world, emphasized his belief on states' rights, condemned welfare "cheats," school busing, affirmative action

question

Reagan's background

answer

-was brought to attention with his nominating speech for Barry Goldwater at the 1964 Republican convention -1966, he was elected governor of California. -originally a New Deal Democrat and also headed the Screen Actors Guild -became the only union leader to ever reach the White house

question

conservative coalition that elected Reagan 1980

answer

Sunbelt suburbanites, urban working-class ethnic people, antigovernment crusaders, advocates of a more aggressive foreign policy, libertarians who believed in freeing the individual and the Christian Right

question

Reagan's presidential style

answer

He was a more "hands-off" president; he preferred outlining a broad policy and letting his hired officials carry out these policies

question

Reagan's definition of economic freedom

answer

Reagan defined "economic freedom" as lowering the power of unions, dismantling regulations and drastically reducing taxes. He believed taxation violated the principle that "the right to earn your own keep and keep what you earn" was "what it means to be free."

question

tax rates 1981 and 1986

answer

In 1981, Reagan persuaded Congress to reduce the top tax rate form 70% to 50% and to index tax brackets (so that inflation was taken into consideration). In 1986, the Tax Reform Act reduced the rate on the wealthiest Americans to 28%

question

conservative heads of regulatory agencies

answer

cut back on environmental protection and workplace safety rules

question

"supply-side economics"

answer

" relief on high interest rates to curb inflation and lower tax rates, especially for businesses and high-income Americans, to stimulate private investment. The critics called this term "trickle-down economics"

question

how would govt. receipts benefit from supply-side economics?

answer

everyone would be benefitting from the increased business profits from the lowered taxes.

question

striking air traffic controllers under Reagan

answer

all were fired and replaced by military

question

what led to economic inequality?

answer

richest 1% of Americans spent their income on luxury goods as opposed to investments or charity, and this led to another "Gilded Age" filled with corruption. The income of the middle-class stagnated while the population declined

question

unemployment in 1981 for whites and blacks

answer

Those who had just recently own their rights and spots in the workplace lost them, such as blacks and other minorities. The national unemployment rate reached 8.9% and was 20% for blacks

question

Geraldine Ferraro

answer

Walter Mondale chose her (Reagan's opponent in 1984 election) as a running mate. She was the first woman candidate on a major-party presidential ticket

question

how did Reagan disappoint conservatives?

answer

he sharply reduced funding for the Great Society antipoverty measures like food stamps, school lunches and the federal financing of low-income housing

question

Bowers v. Hardwick (1986)

answer

a rare victory for cultural conservatives; the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of state laws that outlawed homosexual acts (in 2003- was reversed because it was deemed unconstitutional to criminalize homosexual acts)

question

Strategic Defense Initiative

answer

An entirely new strategy proposed in 1983 based on developing a space-based system to intercept and destroy enemy missiles. It was not feasible technologically and would theoretically violate the Anti-Ballistic Treaty of 1972

question

how did he try to reverse "Vietnam syndrome"

answer

He sent American troops to the Caribbean island of Grenada to overthrow a pro-Cuban government and ordered the bombing of Libya because of their "alleged" terrorist attack on a West Berlin nightclub (an American was killed)

question

reversal of Carter's emphasis on human rights

answer

He generally relief on military aid rather than American troops to pursue his foreign policy objectives. He embraced the idea that the United States should oppose "totalitarian" communists but assist "authoritarian" noncommunist regimes. Neoconservative writer, Jeane Kirkpatrick, advanced this idea in 1979

question

Contras/ Sandinistas

answer

Contras were those against the Sandinistas. The Sandinistas were the government of Nicaragua

question

why did America sell arms to Iran

answer

American sold arms to Iran to secure the release of a number of American hostages held by Islamic groups in the Middle East

question

money from the sale of arms to Iran

answer

Some of the money from the sale of arms went to buying military supplies for the Contras (in defiance of the congressional ban).

question

Gorbachev

answer

came to office 1985, goals were to reform the Soviet Union's repressive political system and to reinvigorate the economy Glasnost: political openness Perestroika: economic reform

question

Reagan and Gorbachev

answer

agreed on eliminating intermediate and short-range nuclear missiles in Europe

question

Reagan's legacy

answer

He really revealed the contradictions of modern conservatism and he inspired a "speculative frenzy" that enriched architects of corporate takeovers and investors in the stock market

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