The Nixon Administration
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Transcript The Nixon Administration
The Nixon Administration
Chapter 24, Section 1 Notes
Ch 24 Objectives #5 & #6
Summarize Nixon’s plans to lead the nation
on a more conservative course
Analyze Nixon’s efforts to win the support
of Southern Democrats
Describe the steps Nixon took to battle
stagflation
Examine the importance of Nixon’s visits
to China and the Soviet Union
Main Idea and Terms/Names
President Richard
Nixon tried to steer
the country in a
conservative
direction and away
from federal control
Richard Nixon
New Federalism
Revenue Sharing
Family Assistance Plan
Southern Strategy
Stagflation
OPEC
Realpolitik
Détente
SALT I Treaty
Nixon’s Goals
#1 Size & Power of Federal Gov.
Limit the federal government
Reduce its power
Reverse Johnson’s liberal policies
Restore America’s prestige and influence
in the world
Fix “Vietnam”
Nixon’s New Conservatism
#1 Size & Power of Federal Gov.
Decrease the size and influence of the
federal government
New Federalism
Distribute some federal power to state/local
levels
Revenue Sharing
More financial freedom for local govts.
State/local govts could spend their federal
money how they saw fit
Nixon’s New Conservatism
#2 Inefficiency of the welfare system
Welfare Reform
Family Assistance Plan (FAP)
Family of Four receives $1600/yr.
Could also earn supplemental income
Unemployed participants would have to take
job training or any reasonable job
Nixon’s bill was defeated
Both liberals and conservatives attacked it.
Nixon’s New Conservatism
#2 Inefficiency of the welfare system
New Federalism – two faces
Nixon needed support of Democrats
Wanted to reduce liberal programs
Nixon couldn’t defeat some liberal
programs
Used Impoundment – withheld the necessary
funds
Federal courts ordered the end of impounding
Law and Order
#3 Vietnam & Domestic Disorder
Election of 1968 – Nixon promised to get
out of Vietnam and restore law and order
Law and Order –
FBI wiretapped liberals
IRS audited anti-war and civil rights activists
Nixon compiled “enemies list”
VP – Spiro Agnew confronted the liberal
media
Southern Strategy
#4 Nixon’s reelection
Southern Strategy
#4 Nixon’s reelection
Nixon tried to get support from white southern
democrats who were unhappy with federal
desegregation policies and a liberal supreme
court
Nixon favored slow desegregation, in 1969 he
ordered the Dept. of Health, Ed, and Welfare to
delay segregation in Miss. and SC ( Overturned
by the Supreme Court)
Desegregation though school busing became a
civil rights issue ( Whites in Detroit and Boston
opposed it) Nixon was opposed to it
Nixon and the Supreme Court
#5 Liberalism of SC Justices
Nixon criticized Warren Court for being
too liberal
Four justices retired and Nixon chose
replacements (conservatives)
Nominated Warren Burger as Chief Justice
Nixon and the Economy
#6 Stagflation & Recession
Stagflation – high inflation and high
unemployment
Johnson’s Great Society and the Vietnam war
were funded with deficit spending
Competition in world trade
Flood of new workers
Dependency on foreign oil – OPEC was
formed and increased the price of oil
Nixon and the Economy
#6 Stagflation & Recession
Nixon tries to reverse deficit spending
Nixon tries to confront inflation
Raised taxes and cut the budget
Congress rejected plan
Reduce amount of money in circulation
Raise interest rates
Nixon controlled wages and prices
Recession continued
OPEC and War
During the 1960’s the Organization of Petroleum
Exporting Countries (OPEC) raised the price of oil
The Six Days War in 1967 impacted prices
The 1973 Yom Kippur War between Israel and
Egypt and Syria rose prices
The US sent massive military aid to Israel, Arab
OPEC nations cut oil sales to the US (Oil
Embargo) By 1974 price increased 4x
Major gas lines and shortages in the US early,
mid 1970’s
Nixon’s Foreign Policy
Nixon’s top priority was peace in Vietnam
Significant advances in US relationships
with China and Soviet Union
Nixon’s Foreign Policy
Kissinger – Secretary of State
Realpolitik – “political realism”
Foreign policy should be based on power NOT
ideology
If weak country falls to communism – ignore it!
Departure from containment
US should confront powerful nations
Negotiations or military engagement
Nixon’s Foreign Policy
#7. U.S. - China
Kissinger – Secretary of State
Détente – more flexible approach to
Communist nations
Ease Cold War tensions
Nixon visits China in 1972
Opened up diplomatic and economic ties
Agreements – neither will dominate Pacific
and Taiwan would eventually reunite with
China
Nixon Visits China
Since 1949 the US had not recognized the
Communist Chinese Government
“Ping-pong” diplomacy began in 1971
Nixon wanted to play the “China Card” and take
advantage of the rift between the China and the
USSR
Nixon’s visit to China was symbolic and it opened
up diplomatic and economic relations
Both would cooperate and participate in scientific
and cultural exchanges
Nixon’s Foreign Policy
#8 U.S. Soviet Relations
1972 - Nixon visits Moscow, Soviet Union
Nixon and Brezhnev sign SALT I
Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty
Limited number of intercontinental missiles
1972 “peace was at hand” in Vietnam
Peace was still elusive