NAME: ______/100
Nixon-Obama Assessment
A. Chapter 24: An Age of Limits pgs. 794-826 – 25pts.
I. Define all bold words:
Richard NixonRepublican - 37th president from 1969-1974
New Federalism President Richard Nixon’s program to turn over part of the federal government’s power to state and local governments
revenue sharingthe distribution of federal money to state and local governments with few or no restrictions on how it is spent
Family Assistance Plan (FAP)a welfare-reform proposal, approved by the House of Representatives in 1970 but defeated in the Senate, that would have guaranteed an income to welfare recipients who agreed to undergo job training and to accept work
Southern StrategyPresident Nixon’s attempt to attract the support of Southern conservative Democrats who were unhappy with federal desegregation policies and the liberal Supreme Court
Stagflationan economic condition marked by both inflation and high unemployment
OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries)an Organization of Petroleum Eporting Countries – an economic association of oil-producing nations that is able to set oil prices
Realpolitika foreign policy advocated by Henry Kissinger in the Nixon administration based on consideration of a nation’s power rather than its ideals or moral principles
Détentethe flexible policy, involving a willingness to negotiate and an easing of tensions, that was adopted by President Richard Nixon and his adviser Henry Kissinger in their dealings with communist nations
SALT I Treatya five-year agreement between the United States and the Societ Union, signed in 1972, that limited the nations’ numbers of intercontinental ballistic missiles and submarine-launched missiles
Impeachmentthe process of accusing a public official of wrongdoing
Watergatea scandal arising from the Nixon administration’s attempt to cover up its involvement in the 1972 break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in the Watergate apartment complex
H.R. HaldemanChief of Staff in Nixon’s inner circle; involved in the Watergate scandal
John EhrlichmanChief of Domestic Advisor in Nixon’s inner circle; involved in the Watergate scandal
John MitchellAttorney General in Nixon’s inner circle; involved in the Watergate scandal
Committee to Reelect the Presidentan organization formed to run President Nixon’s 1972 reelection campaign, which was linked to the break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters that set off the Watergate scandal
John Siricajudge for the trial of the Watergate burglars and made it clear that he did not believe the men acted alone
Saturday Night Massacrea name given to the resignation of the U.S. attorney general and the firing of his deputy in October 1973, after they refused to carry out President Nixon’s order to fire the special prosecutor investigating the Watergate affair
Gerald R. Ford38th president of the United States 1974-1977; Republican - pardoned Richard Nixon
Jimmy CarterDemocrat – 39th president of the United States 1977-1981
National Energy Acta law, enacted during the Carter administration, that established a tax on “gas-guzzling” automobiles, removed price controls on U.S. oil and natural gas, and provided tax credits for the development of alternative energy sources
Human rightsthe rights and freedoms, such as those named in the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights, to which all people are entitled
Camp David Accordshistoric agreements between Israel and Egypt, reaching in negotiations at Camp David in 1978
Ayatollah Ruhollah KhomeiniMuslim religious leader who led the rebels in overthrowing the shah and establishing a religious state based on strict obedience to the Qur’an, the sacred book of Islam in Iran
Rachel Carson Marine biologist who published a book, Silent Springs, where she warned people against the growing use of pesticides – chemicals used to kill insects and rodents
Earth Daya day set aside for environmental education, celebrated annually on April 22.
Environmentalista person who works to protect the environment from destruction and pollution
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)a federal agency established in 1970 for the regulation of water and air pollution, toxic waste, pesticides, and radiation
Three Mile Island March 29, 1979, one of the reactors at a plant on Three Mile Island near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania malfunctioned. The reactor overheated after its cooling system failed, and fear quickly arose that radiation might escape and spread over the region. 100,000 residents were evacuated from the surrounding area
II. Read (skim) through sections 1-4 and answer the main idea questions 1-8 on pg. 826
1. In what ways did President Nixon attempt to reform the federal government?
He tried to lessen the federal government’s responsibilities through revenue sharing and welfare reform
2. How did Nixon try to combat stagflation?
He tried to raise taxes, cut the budget, raise interest rates, and impose wage-and-price controls
3. In what ways did the participants in Watergate attempt to cover up the scandal?
They shredded incriminating evidence, paid off the burglars, lied under oath, and attempted to stall the burglary investigation
4. What were the results of the Watergate scandal?
Nixon resigned as president, and many people lost faith in the government
5. What were Gerald Ford’s greatest successes as president?
Ford helped the nation move beyond Watergate and also negotiated the Helsinki Accords
6. How did President Carter attempt to solve the energy crisis?
Carter asked Americans to reduce energy consumption and pushed the National Energy Act through Congress
7. What factors increased Americans’ concerns about environmental issues during the 1960s and 1970s?
The publication of Carson’s Silent Spring, Earth Day celebrations, and the incident at Three Mile Island increased environmental concerns
8. What was the impact of the Three Mile Island incident?
It caused the government to strengthen its safety standards and to improve inspection procedures of nuclear facilities
B. Chapter 25: The Conservative Tide pgs. 828-856 – 25pts.
I. Define all bold words:
Entitlement program a government program – such as Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid – that guarantees and provides benefits to a specific group
New Right a late 20th century alliance of conservative special-interest groups concerned with cultural, social, and moral issues
Affirmative action a policy that seeks to correct the effects of past discrimination by favoring the groups who were previously disadvantaged
Reverse discrimination an unfair treatment of members of a majority group – for example, white men – resulting from efforts to correct discrimination against members of other groups
Conservative coalition an alliance formed in the mid-1960s of right-wing groups opposed to big government
Moral Majority a political alliance of religious groups, consisting mainly of evangelical and fundamentalist Christians, that was active in the 1970s and 1980s, condemning liberal attitudes and behavior and raising money for conservative candidates
Ronald ReaganRepublican – 40th president of the United States 1981-1989. He ran on a number of key issues: Supreme Court decisions on abortion, pornography, the teaching of evolution, and prayer in public school with the conservative viewpoint
Reaganomics the economic policies of President Ronal Reagan, which were focused on budget cuts and the granting of large tax cuts in order to increase private investment
Supply-side economics the idea that a reduction of tax rates will lead to increases in jobs, savings and investments, and therefore to an increase in government revenue
Strategic Defense Initiativea proposed defense system- popularly known as Star Wars – intended to protect the United States against missile attacks
Sandra Day O’ConnorReagan appointed her to the Supreme Court; played a central role in the discussion of women’s roles in social, political and business affairs. She was the first woman justice
Deregulationthe cutting back of federal regulation of industry
Geraldine FerraroFirst woman on a major party’s presidential ticket (Carter)
George BushRepublican – 41st President of the United States 1989-1993; only half of the eligible voters went to the polls
AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome)a disease caused by a virus that weakens the immune system, making the body prone to infections and otherwise rare forms for cancer
Pay equity the basing of an employee’s salary on the requirements of his or her job rather than on the traditional pay scales that have frequently provided women with smaller incomes than men
L. Douglas WilderIn 1990 he became the nation’s first African American governor in Virginia
Jesse JacksonAn African American Reverend who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988
Lauro CavazosLatino woman who President Reagan appointed as secretary of education in 1988
Antonia CoelloNovelloIn 1990, President Bush named Latino, Dr. Antonia CoelloNovello, to the post of surgeon general
Mikhall GorbachevIn March of 1985, he became the general secretary of the Communist Party in the Soviet Union. His rise to power marked the beginning of a new era in the Soviet Union
Glasnostthe open discussion of social problems that was permitted in the Soviet Union in the 1980s
Perestroikathe restructuring of the economy and the government instituted in the Soviet Union in the 1980s
INF Treatythe Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty – a 1987 agreement between the United States and the Societ Union that eliminated some weapons systems and allowed for on-site inspection of military installations
Tiananmen Squarethe site of 1989 demonstrations in Beijing, China, in which Chinese students demanded freedom of speech and a greater voice in the government
Sandinistas belonging to a leftist rebel group that overthrew the Nicaraguan government in 1979
ContrasNicaraguan rebels who received assistance from the Reagan administration in their efforts to overthrow the Sandinista government in the 1980s
Operation Desert Storma 1991 military operation in which UN forces, led by the United States, drove Iraqi invaders from Kuwait
II. Read (skim) through sections 1-4 and answer the main idea questions 1-8 on pg. 856
1. What caused the conservative revolution of the early 1980s?
Frustration over entitlement programs, inflation, high taxes, criticism of affirmative action, religious revival
2. What factors led to Ronald Reagan’s victory in 1980?
Reagan’s views on key issues; prolonged Iranian hostage crisis; weak economy; high rate of inflation
3. What principles formed the basis of “Reaganomics”?
Cutting social programs, lowering taxes, increasing defense spending
4. What is deregulation, and how did it affect certain industries in the 1980s?
Removal of government regulations on industries; deregulation increased competition and resulted in lower prices for consumer
5. What progress and obstacles did different minority groups experience in the 1980s?
African Americans made political gains, although economic progress lagged; Latinos became fastest growing minority; gaining political and economic power; Native Americans faced long-term problems in health, education, and employment; Asian Americans became second fasted growing minority; gay men and lesbians openly fought for civil rights
6. What were some gains that women achieved in the 1980s?
Ferraro’s 1984 vice presidential candidacy; increase in number of women in Congress; push for pay equity
7. What cause the downfall of the Soviet Union and the founding of the Commonwealth of Independent States?
Economic problems and nationalism in non-Russian republics
8. Summarize the U.S. response to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait.
United States organized international coalition against Iraqi aggression; Bush launched Operation Desert Storm in which the United States and allies staged massive air assault against Iraq, followed by a successful ground offensive
C. Chapter 26: The United States in Today’s World pgs. 858-890 – 25pts.
I. Define all bold words:
William Jefferson ClintonDemocrat – 42nd president of the United States 1993-2001. Was the governor of Arkansas and became the first member of the baby-boom generation to win presidency. He vowed to strengthen the nation’s weak economy and to lead the Democratic Party in a more moderate direction
H. Ross PerotThird party candidate who ran against Bill Clinton; Texas billionaire who targeted the soaring federal budget deficit as the nation’s number one problem
Hillary Rodham ClintonBill Clinton’s wife/First Lady, who he appointed to create a plan for affordable health care for all Americans
North American Free Trials Agreement (NAFTA)a 1993 treaty that lowered tariffs and brought Mexico into the free-trade zone established by the United States and Canada
Newt GingrichRepublican Congressman who drafted the document called Contract with America; he turned people away from Clinton’s failed healthcare plan
Contract with Americaa document that was drafted by Representative Newt Gingrich and signed by more than 300 Republican candidates in 1994, setting forth the Republicans’ conservative legislative agenda
Al Gore2000 Presidential race; Democrat nominee – appeared to have won and projected as winner
George W. Bush2000 Presidential race; Republican nominee - actual winner
Service sectorthe part of the economy that provides consumers with services rather than goods
Downsizeto dismiss numbers of permanent employees in an attempt to make operations more efficient and save money
Bill GatesThe decade’s most celebrated entrepreneur; Gates founded the software company Microsoft.
NASDAQthe National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System – a stock exchange for over-the-counter sales, comprised largely of technology companies
Dotcoma business related to or conducted on the Internet
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)an international agreement first signed in 1947. In 1994, the U.S. and other countries adopted a new version of GATT. This treated lowered trade barriers, such as tariffs, and created the World Trade Organization, which resolves trade disputes
Information superhighwaya computer communications network linking people and institutions throughout the world, providing individuals with services such as libraries, shipping, movies and news
Internet a worldwide network, originally developed by the U.S. Department of Defense that links computers and allows almost immediate communication of texts, pictures and sounds
Telecommuteto work at home for a company located elsewhere, bu using such communications technologies as computers, the Internet, and fax machines
Telecommunications Act of 1996a law enacted in 1996 to remove barriers that had previously prevented communications companies from engaging in more than one type of communications in business
Genetic engineeringthe alteration of the molecular biology of organisms’ cells in order to create new varieties of bacteria, plants and animals
Urban flighta migration of people from cities to the surrounding suburbs
Gentrificationthe process of restoring deteriorated urban property by middle-class people, which often results in the displacement of lower-income residents
Proposition 187a bill passed in California in 1994 that ended all education and nonemergency health benefits to illegal immigrants
II. Read (skim) through sections 1-4 and answer the main idea questions 1-8 on pg. 890
1. What happened following the investigation of President Clinton?
The House passed two articles of impeachment – for perjury and obstruction of justice. At the trial, the Senate did not find Clinton guilty
2. What factors led George W. Bush to victory in 2000?
Close election; third-party candidacy of Ralph Nader; U.S. Supreme Court decision; TV networks announced Gore’s victory prematurely. Bush won the Florida election. Victory triggered a recount. Gore’s campaign requested a manual recount. The Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional. Bush was elected
3. Summarize which parts of the economy grew during the 1990s and which declined.
Service-sector and high-tech industries grew; manufacturing and agriculture declined
4. Why was the World Trade Organization founded?
To resolve trade disputes
5. What resources did the Internet make available?
Internet links people to government agencies, library databases, news media, entertainment and global information
6. What were the positive and negative influences that technology had on American lives in the 1990s?
Positive; improvements in medicine; entertainment; education; automobile safety; the environment. Negative: people spent less time socializing with peers and more time online
7. How has urban flight changed both cities and suburbs?
Urban poverty; suburban sprawl; more problems with crime
8. What challenges do experts think the United States will face the future?
Environmental problems, poverty, global terrorism, cultural diversity
Do your best with the questions, if you want to do all of the terms first, then the questions that is okay. I will be posting the answers to the questions on my website by the end of the day today; however, you MUST be working in class. Assessments will be due next class period.
D. Write one paragraph (at least 5 sentences) responding to the prompt below. – 25pts.
Prompt: Looking back at what you have learned this past semester, what event(s) do you think have influenced present day society the most? Why?