Richard M. Nixon
37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974, when he became the only president to resign the office, started and ended US involvement in Vietnam, involved in Watergate Scandal and resigned due to possible impeachment.
Spiro Agnew
Nixon's vice-president resigned and pleaded "no contest" to charges of tax evasion on payments made to him when he was governor of Maryland. He was replaced by Gerald R. Ford.
Phyllis Schlafley
Led the campaign to stop the ERA. She argued that ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment would undermine the American family by violating "the right of a wife to be supported by her husband,"requiring women to serve in combat, and legalizing homosexua
Rachel Carson
United States biologist remembered for her opposition to the use of pesticides that were hazardous to wildlife (1907-1964)
Detente
A policy of reducing Cold War tensions that was adopted by the United States during the presidency of Richard Nixon.
Silent Majority
A phrase used to describe people, whatever their economic status, who uphold traditional values, especially against the counterculture of the 1960s
Vietnamization
A war policy in Vietnam initiated by Nixon in June of 1969. This strategy called for dramatic reduction of U.S. troops followed by an increased injection of S. Vietnamese troops in their place. A considerable success, this plan allowed for a drop in troop
Nixon Doctrine
During the Vietnam War, the Nixon Doctrine was created. It stated that the United States would honor its existing defense commitments, but in the future other countries would have to fight their own wars without support of American troops.
My Lai Massacre
1968, in which American troops had brutally massacred innocent women and children in the village of My Lai, also led to more opposition to the war.
Cambodian Incursion
series of military operations conducted in eastern Cambodia during the late spring-early summer of 1970 by the armed forces of the US and South Vietnam; "the most successful military operation of the entire war
Kent state, Jackson State Incidents
Ohio college where an anti-war protest got way out of hand, the Nat'l Guard was called in and killed 3 students (innocent, unarmed,wounded 9) in indiscriminate fire of M-1 rifles; Mississippi students broken in a fight during a protest of war 2 were kille
26th Amendment
Lowered the voting age from 21 to 18
Pentagon Papers
Classified study of the Vietnam War carried out by the Department of Defense. Daniel Ellsberg gave copies of the study to New York Times and Washington Post. The Supreme Court upheld the right of the newspapers to publish the documents. In response, Presi
ABM Treaty
1972-2001; political; treaty between the U.S and the Soviet Union on the limitation of the anti-ballistic missile (ABM) systems used in defending areas against missile-delivered nuclear weapons
SALT I and II
the first treaty between the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics resulting from the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks. Second Strategic Arms Limitations Talks. A second treaty was signed on June 18, 1977 to cut back the weaponry of the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 1970
an independent federal agency established to coordinate programs aimed at reducing pollution and protecting the environment. Respected pollution prevention and the protection of the environment and human health in order to contribute to sustainable develo
Henry Kissinger
Awarded 1973 Nobel Peace Prize for helping to end Vietnam War and withdrawing American forces. Heavily involved in South American politics as National Security Advisor and Secretary of State. Condoned covert tactics to prevent communism and fascism from s
Warren Burger
Burger was the Supreme Court justice during the Nixon administration. He was chosen by Nixon because of his strict interpretation of the Constitution. He presided over the extremely controversial case of abortion in Roe vs. Wade.
George McGovern
A Senator from South Dakota who ran for President in 1972 on the Democrat ticket. His promise was to pull the remaining American troops out of Vietnam in ninety days which earned him the support of the Anti-war party, and the working-class supported him,
John Dean III
White House counsel to Richard Nixon from 1970 to 1973 who became deeply involved in the Watergate break-in and cover-up. After pleading guilty to obstruction of justice charges, he became a key witness for the prosecution whose testimony was later corrob
impoundment
A decision by the president not to spend money appropriated by Congress, now prohibited under Federal law.
executive privlege
principle that the president has the right to keep certain communications between himself & other members of the executive branch private, Nixon tried to use this to his favor in Watergate, US v. Nixon forced him to give them up
Engel v. Vitale, 1962
Families in Hyde Park, New York, complained about prayer being conducted in public schools. The Supreme Court held in 1962 that state officials violated the establishment clause of the First Amendment when they wrote a prayer to be recited by New York's s
Gideon v. Wainwright, 1963
ordered states to provide lawyers for those unable to afford them in criminal proceedings. Warren-court's judicial activism in criminal rights.
Escobedo Case, 1964
1964--Ruled that a defendant must be allowed access to a lawyer before questioning by police.
Miranda Case, 1966
Miranda said he admitted what he did because he was not aware of his rights, court ruled that when a person is arrested, police must inform him or her of the constitutional rights to remain silent and to have a lawyer.
Roe v. Wade, 1973
Held that a state ban on all abortions was unconstitutional. The decision forbade state control over abortions during the first trimester of pregnancy, permitted states to limit abortions to protect the mother's health in the second trimester, and permitt
Bakke Case
This Supreme Court Case decided in 1978 that affirmative action is legal as long as race is not the only factor considered. White student who was denied admission to a school; brought it to SC claiming he was more qualified than other students who got in
Griswold v Connecticut
Mrs. Griswold gave counsel to marital couples that wished to use birth control that was apparently against a Connecticut statute. Result: Marital couples have the right to privacy implied by a few amendments of the Bill of Rights. The statute therefore is
Southern Strategy
Nixon's attempt to attract the support of Southern conservative Democrats who were unhappy with federal desegregation policies and liberal Supreme Court.
Watergate Scandal
A break-in at the Democratic National Committee offices in the Watergate complex in Washington was carried out under the direction of White House employees. Disclosure of the White House involvement in the break-in and subsequent cover-up forced President
CREEP
Richard Nixon's committee for re-electing the president. Found to have been engaged in a "dirty tricks" campaign against the democrats in 1972. They raised tens of millions of dollars in campaign funds using unethical means. They were involved in the infa
Anwar Sadat
Former President of Egypt (1st Arab leader to recognize and make peace with Israel) He was assassinated Oct. 6 1981 for making peace with Israel.
Menachem Begin
Leader of Israel who signed a peace treaty with Egypt withdrawing from Sinai Peninsula and Gaza Strip and returning them to Egypt.
Thurgood Marshall
American civil rights lawyer, first black justice on the Supreme Court of the United States. Marshall was a tireless advocate for the rights of minorities and the poor.
Gerald Ford
(1974-1977) Solely elected by a vote from Congress. He pardoned Nixon of all crimes that he may have committed. Evacuated nearly 500,000 Americans and South Vietnamese from Vietnam, closing the war. We are heading toward rapid inflation. He runs again and
Jimmy Carter
(1977-1981), Created the Department of Energy and the Department of Education. He was criticized for his return of the Panama Canal Zone, and because of the Soviet war in Afghanistan, he enacted an embargo on grain shipments to USSR and boycotted the 1980
Revenue Sharing
A law providing for the distribution of a fixed amount or share of federal tax revenues to the states for spending on almost any government purpose.
25th Amendment
Clarifies an ambiguous provision of the Constitution regarding succession to the Presidency, and establishes procedures both for filling a vacancy in the office of the Vice President as well as responding to Presidential disabilities.
Saturday Night Massacre
Dismissal of independent special prosecutor Archibald Cox, and the resignations of Attorney General Elliot Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William Ruckelshaus during the Watergate scandal 1973, after they refused to go along with firing the prosecu
War Powers Act (1973)
A resolution of Congress that stated the President can only send troops into action abroad by authorization of Congress or if America is already under attack or serious threat.
Title IX
A United States law enacted on June 23, 1972 that states: "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity r
Helsinki Accords
The Final Act of the Helsinki conference in 1975 in which the thirty-five nations participating agreed that Europe's existing political frontiers could not be changed by force. They also solemnly accepted numerous provisions guaranteeing the human rights
OPEC
An international oil cartel originally formed in 1960. Represents the majority of all oil produced in the world. Attempts to limit production to raise prices. It's long name is the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries- placed an embargo on any co
WIN Campaign
Fords attempt at restoring public confidence. stood for Whip Inflation Now. Program had no incentives to conserve energy, so it did not do well.
Camp David Agreements (1979)
Sadat who was a president of Egypt and Begin who was a Israeli Prime Minister signed the agreement with secret negotiation in Camp David. Carter who was a president the United States helped and witnessed this negotiation; as a result, this agreement broug
Iranian Hostage Crisis (1979)
Iranian fundamentalists seized the American embassy in Tehran and held fifty-three American diplomats hostage for over a year. The Iranian hostage crisis weakened the Carter presidency; the hostages were finally released on January 20, 1981, the day Ronal
Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)
A constitutional amendment originally introduced in Congress in 1923 and passed by Congress in 1972, stating that "equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex." Despite public sup
Wounded Knee
Indians used the tactics of civil rights movements to assert their status as separate semi-sovereign peoples. Indian activists captured the island of Alcatraz, and this small village in SD, which led to the decision in the case United States v. Wheeler th
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (Shah of Iran
Shah who was leader of Iran; his leadership and oil revenues helped Iran become rich country; Iran also became chief ally of U.S in Middle East in 1950s and 1960s; most Iranians opposed him because devout Muslims found new Iranian culture distasteful; mas
Leonid Brezhnez
General secretary of the General Committee of the communist party and the global influence of the soviets grew a lot during this time, mostly due to to the expansion of the soviet military. His time as leader was followed by a time of social and economic