By Stef Flint, Keegan Flinter, Rachel Coyle, and
Adam Lucas
Historic Events and
People
• Protests throughout nation involving the war in
Vietnam
• Kent State
• The Civil Rights Movement
• Cold War
• Vietnam War
• Richard Nixon was very well known in this era for his
achievements and mistakes.
The USA during vietnam
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVA2cMSgj_U&f
eature=related-battle scene
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GH-5lUBBdmYpatrols
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvJ4wh1kwR8ping pong
Vietnam War : At Home
• The people of the US became increasingly divided over the
war in Vietnam. Many people did not support it. Some did,
however. This is mostly in regard to the politicians and
government because the government feared the spread of
communism. Northern Vietnam was occupied by a
communist government. They then invaded Southern Vietnam
to conquer and gain more power. This is why the US
intervened. China, the Soviet Union, and North Korea, and
parts of Latin America, especially Cuba, were already in
communist control. If Vietnam became communist, that is one
more country to be worried about. Now, many people at
home were against it because they didn’t see the point in
going to a place where we have no business being in. The loss
of life was very high and the war was going nowhere. The
weapons used, such as Agent Orange and Napalm, were
protested all over the country due to hits lethal effects. The
war was eventually ended, thanks to the actions and
achievements through foreign policy of Richard Nixon.
The End of the War
Results
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Vietnam and Cambodia Communists
Cambodian massacre- 1/5 of all Cambodians
Cambodian-Vietnamese war of 1978
Sino-Vietnamese war of 1979
Vietnamese massacre of 3000
Thousands flee to escape wars and Communist
oppression-“boat people”
• The affects of Agent Orange
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqG9C8lPm6k&fe
ature=related
SIGNIFICANCE
58,000 American and 1,000,000 Vietnamese dead
“First Televised War”
Violent Protest in USA-many veterans returned home to scorn and shame
Distrust in US government
The Vietnam Syndrome-Henry Kissinger
“[The Vietnam War] created doubts about American judgment, power, and credibility, and
the effects are still felt at home and abroad”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qp0LYc4IHnY&feature=related-up to 1:18
Richard Nixon:
Pros vs. Cons
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Richard Nixon came into office in January,
1969 with a lot on his plate. He was a
supporter of world peace and a better,
more stable world.
He took proper actions in Vietnam by
getting the North Vietnamese out of South
Vietnam and by withdrawing US troops.
Nixon also took a trips to China, The U.S.S.R.,
Latin America and the Middle East to
negotiate peace and to establish and
create a contact or neutrality. By visiting
the Soviet Union and China, he was able to
lessen the two countries support in the
Vietnam War.
Nixon also approved the Space Shuttle
program of NASA which led to the US
landing the first man on the moon.
Nixon approved the Apollo-Soyuz Test
Project program, a program between
NASA and the Soviet’s space program. This
was a joint-mission of the American Apollo
and a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft in 1975.
Nixon also supported and signed many
acts, such as the National Environmental
Policy Act and the Clean Air Act of 1970, to
help better the US environmentally.
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Although Nixon was a very strong Foreign
Policy president, he lacked with domestic
policy.
He actually escalated the war in Vietnam
before ending it. The authorized Invasion of
Cambodia caused much protest and conflict.
This event led to the Kent State Massacre.
Nixon decreased spending on defense despite
the war in Vietnam.
The Civil Rights Movement was huge and Nixon
did little for Civil Rights.
Nixon also stopped funding the NASA program,
which was making vast movements for in
space.
The Watergate Scandal was the breaking point
of Richard Nixon’s presidency. This event led to
his resignation of presidency.
Watergate Scandal
• June 19, 1972 – 5 men arrested
after attempting to remove bugging
devices from headquarters of the
Democratic National Committee in
the Watergate office in Washington
• Incidents traced to offices of Nixon -> led
to scandal
• Nixon was pardoned by vice president
Ford
• Nixon resigned
• Negative effects : American people lost
trust in government and began to doubt
ist effectiveness
Watergate Scandal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZUQ6hKmwkI&feature=related
Arab Oil Embargo
• Yom Kippur War : U.S. supported
Israel, outraging other middle eastern
countries
• OPEC (Organization of Petroleum
Exporting Countries) cut off oil exports
to the U.S.
• Negative effects : 400 % rise of oil
prices, resulting in rise of prices for
electricity and gasoline which caused
many American to not being able to
afford heating for their house or
gasoline for their car anymore
Arab Oil Embargo
Sports
Of the 1970s
SPORTS
• 1970’s dynasties were right here in Pittsburgh
• Pirates: 2 World series and 6 East Division titles
• Steelers: 4 Superbowl Wins and voted greatest team of
all time (followed by Cowboys and Dolphins perfect
season)
• Hockey wasn’t very popular but was expanding vastly,
from 6 teams to 18 by 1975
• Basketball was steadily increasing in popularity also and
gave rise to stars such as Dr. J.
• Steelers superbowlshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qE0YRvSgto0&featu
re=related
Music in the
1970’s
In the 1970’s America saw a rise in disco, funk,
smooth jazz, jazz fusion, rock, and heavy metal
music.
Who were some famous singers from the 1970s?
The Beatles
The Beatles inspired a more relaxing and mellow
style of music. The Beatles were know for their hit
song, “Let it Be”
The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5 were one of the biggest pop-music
acts of the 1970’s. They were also the first black
band to appeal to white audiences. They are most
famously known for the songs, “I Want You Back”
and “ABC” featuring Michael Jackson.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vhm4TGOKn8c
Elvis Presley
Elvis was one of the most popular American
singers of all time. He was known as “The
King of Rock and Roll.” He brought the
sound of African American music to a larger
audience. His music was loud, uptempo,
and had “rockability.” Elvis was known for
being able to sing any kind of music, from
pop to gospel to the blues. Elvis received
numerous awards, including several
Grammy’s and was introduced into the
Music Hall Of Fame.
Journalist Tony Scherman writes that by early 1977,
"Elvis Presley had become a character of his sleek,
energetic former self. Hugely overweight, his mind
dulled by the pharmacopoeia he daily ingested, he
was barely able to pull himself through his
abbreviated concerts.”
Elvis later died from drug abuse on June 16, 1977.
President Jimmy Carter issued a statement that
credited Presley with having "permanently changed
the face of American popular culture"
Some other famous singers of the 1970’s are….
Billy Joel
Bob Marley
Led Zepplin
Aerosmith
The music in the 1970’s was mostly know for it’s story
telling lyrics.
FUN FACT:
In 1979 the American Music Magazine, Billboard
Magazine, voted Elton John as the best artist in the
decade. The Beatles and Elvis Presley were also on
this list.
The 1970‘s
Theatre, Film,
Television &
Radio
Saturday Night Live (SNL) was one of the
most popular shows on television during
this decade. Families all gathered together
to watch this program.
Grease
Grease is a musical that came out in 1978, it was a
huge success in Hollywood! This movie made almost
$400 billion, and only cost 6 million to make.
In Grease, the characters were known as “greasers.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAGfLOsyT6o
Sesame Street
Sesame Street is an American children’s television
series created by Joan Ganz Cooney. The program
is known for its educational content, and creativity
communicated through the use of Jim Henson’s
muppets, animation, short films, humor, and cultural
references.
• Steven
Spielberg
• Series of
deaths caused
by a massive
white shark
• First film to
depict sharks
in violent
confrontation
with man
• $ 260 million
Star wars
• Director George Lucas
• Story of Anakin Skywalker‘s
rise, fall and redemption &
subsequent story of adventures
of his son Luke Skywalker
• Lucas advanced area of visual
effects
• Highest-grossing movie ever
since : $ 307 mio
• Developed cult-following
resulting in international
community of Star Wars fans
• Benefitted genre of science
fiction
• http://www.youtube.com/watc
h?v=vP_1T4ilm8M
• Director John
Avildsen
• written & starring
Sylvester Stallone
• Rocky Baboa begins
as club fighter but
works his way up
to the national
heavyweight
championship
• Archieves american
dream, subsequent
love story with a
girl named Adrian
Inventions and
discoveries
Technology
The 1970‘s
Fads &
Fashions
Fashion
Disco
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84djP5zKsOw
Donna Summer –
Disco Queen
Mood Rings
• men & women of all ages
• 1975 Reynolds & Ambats
• Bonded liquid crystals with quartz
stone
• Theory : body heat changes with
emotional state & causes ring to
change color
• In actuality, outside temparature
influences color
• First mood ring sold for $ 50
Pet Rock
• Gary Dahl developed
idea after listening
to complaints about
pets
• Perfect pet = rock
• No need of food or
walking, doesn‘t
become sick or dies
• Drafted instructional
manual for a pet
rock
• Sold over 1.5 million
& became millionaire
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORFAcQv9PaM&feature=related
ERA
• Section 1. Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied
or abridged by the United States or by any State on account
of sex.
Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by
appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.
Section 3. This amendment shall take effect two years after the
date of ratification.
Affirmative Action
• “Race quotas” for accepting blacks, Latinos, and
Native Americans into colleges/job positions
• Government mandated race quotas overturned by
the Supreme Court, but was very ambiguous and still
goes on today
Study done in 2005: Advantages and disadvantages of
being accepted by race (based on 1600 SAT score)
Blacks: +230
Hispanics: +185
Asians: –50
Recruited athletes: +200
Legacies (children of alumni): +160
This means whatever your actual SAT scores are,
add/subtract these values based on your race to see
what colleges view your scores as
Energy Crisis: a period in which the major
industrial countries of the world, particularly
the United States, faced substantial shortages, both
perceived and real, of petroleum.
Effects:
-The major industrial centers of the world were
forced to contend with escalating issues related to
petroleum supply.
-The crisis led to stagnant economic growth in many
countries as oil prices climbed.
Petroleum-rich countries in the Middle East benefited tremendously from
increased prices and the slowing production in other areas of the world. In the
United States, the states of Texas and Alaska, as well as some other oil-producing
areas, experienced major economic booms due to soaring oil prices even as most
of the rest of the nation struggled with the stagnant economy. Many of these
economic gains, however, came to a halt as prices stabilized and dropped in the
1980s.
On April 18, 1977 Carter
delivered a televised
speech declaring that the
U.S. energy crisis during the
1970s was the moral equivalent of war. Carter
encouraged energy conservation by all U.S. citizens
and installed solar water heating panels on the
White House, and wore sweaters while turning down
the heat within the White House.
The decade of the 1970s was a period of limited
economic growth due in part to the energy crisis of
this time. Though the mid decade was the worst
period for the United States the economy was
generally weak until the 1980s.