Presidents from Nixon through Carter, 1969-1981: Debating the Issues in Pro and Con Primary Documents

Watergate, Nixon’s pardon, and the Iran hostage crisis are just some of the contentious issues of the tumultuous period from 1969 to 1981 examined in this volume. When Richard Nixon was elected president in 1968, the United States was mired in a war in Vietnam. In 1981, as Jimmy Carter was preparing to leave office, American citizens were being held hostage in Iran. The intervening years were no less turbulent. Richard Nixon was forced to resign; the USA boycotted the Olympic games; an energy crisis struck the country; skyrocketing rates of inflation and stagnated growth hampered the economy; and the nation was torn over arguments about forced desegregation of schools, Ford’s pardon of Nixon, the turnover of control to Panama of the Panama Canal, and a host of environmental issues. This invaluable student resource provides a historical overview on the most controversial issues of the Nixon, Ford, and Carter administrations, and allows the presidents and their opposition to speak for themselves through primary documents. Each administration is introduced by an essay that presents an overview of the president, his policies, and the time. Following that, up to 14 of the major issues of each administration are discussed, with essays providing historical detail about each issue, the president’s position, and an opposing viewpoint. Primary documents provide the actual words of the chief executive and his opposition as they make their case to the people. Also aiding researchers are a timeline, bibliography, and an index. Students of history, politics, and the American presidency will find this reference work uniquely helpful in trying to understand the United States in the latter portion of the 20th century.