FDR
(1933-1945) (D)
*4-term president
*Breaks 2-term limit of “unwritten
constitution”
* 22nd Amendment-2-term limit (1954)
•New Deal Program
•3 R’s
•Pump Priming
•Alphabet Agencies
•Fire side chats
•Attempts to pack the Supreme Court
•President during most of WWII
•Foreign Policy w Latin America: Good
Neighbor Policy: less emphasis on
intervention & more emphasis on
cooperation.
•Eleanor Roosevelt: “eyes and ears”
• Eleanor’s after FDR died: Eleanor led
a committee in the UN that authored
the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights.
Harry S. Truman
(1945-1953) (D)
•Took over for FDR after he died.
•Made decision to drop atomic
bombs on Japan in 1945 to end
WWII.
•Began the policy of containment of
communism with the Truman
Doctrine ($ to Greece & Turkey)
•Supported economic recovery in
Europe through the Marshall
Plan.($ to rebuild Europe, largest
amt went to Britain, France, Italy &
West Germany)
•Continued New Deal philosophy
with his Fair Deal.
•Desegregated the military after
WWII.
•Entered the Korean War during his
presidency
Dwight D.
Eisenhower (R)
(1953-1961)
•Commander of Allied forces in Europe
during WWII
•Issued the Eisenhower Doctrine:
•The United States pledged to help any
Middle Eastern nation to resist
Communist aggression. (See Cold War &
Foreign Policy power point for more on his foreign
policy during the Cold War)
•Sent troops to Little Rock, Arkansas to
support school desegregation. (See Civil
Rights power point)
•While in office Alaska & Hawaii
become 49th & 50th states.
John F.
Kennedy(D) 1961-1963)
Domestic policy: (Issues of concern in
U.S.)
JFK called his domestic policy NEW
FRONTIER: he continued to expand
upon traditions begun during FDR’s New
Deal in the 30’s.
•The space program: goal of landing a
person on the moon by the end of the
1960’s.
•In 1969, six years later that goal was met
when astronaut Neil Armstrong stepped
onto the moon’s surface. “One small step
for man, one giant leap for mankind.” –
N. Armstrong
•The Peace Corps: program sent
thousands of American volunteers to
developing nations where they trained
local people in
technical/educational/health programs.
Still in existence today.
JFK
Foreign Policy:
Continued Truman’s cold war policy of
containment.
Kennedy & Latin America:
Bay of Pigs: April 1961
The failed CIA plan to overthrow Fidel Castro.
A total embarrassment of Kennedy & the U.S.
government.
The Cuban Missile Crisis: Oct.1962
Naval Blockade of Cuba after finding out they
had agreed to allow Soviets place nuclear
missiles there aimed at the U.S.
Brought U.S. & Soviets to brink of war.
Soviets backed down. This helped Kennedy
recover some of the lost prestige of the Bay
of Pigs invasion.
Kennedy & Vietnam: Shared Eisenhower’s
belief in the Domino Theory.) (see Cold War &
Foreign Policy power point for more info)
Lyndon B. Johnson
(LBJ) (D)(1963-1969)
Domestic Policy:
GREAT SOCIETY: this is LBJ’s policy that
promoted anti poverty programs &
civil rights in the U.S.
* Civil Rights Act of 1964 (see Civil Rights
power point) the most sweeping civil rights law.
Foreign Policy: Vietnam: Containment
Escalated the war dramatically.
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was passed under
LBJ:
It empowered the president to take all
necessary measures …to prevent further
aggression.
So the executive branch got stronger…in
essence, so did the Federal Government.
Hmmmm is this a pattern? You bet your
bottom dollar there is a pattern here!! Our
gov’t keeps getting stronger during times of
war or threat and specifically the power of
the presidency.
RICHARD NIXON
(1969-1974) (R)
•The BIG IDEA:
•Beginning in the early 1970’s,
conservatism (republicans) replaced
liberalism (democrats) in American
politics.
•During this time period Nixon: .
•Vietnam had turned into the nation’s
most costly war and American support
for the war was at an all-time low.
•VIETNAMIZATION: Nixon called for a
takeover of the ground fighting by
Vietnamese soldiers.
•He also bombed neighboring
Cambodia fueling many student
protests including the Kent State
protest which led to four students
being shot and killed by the U.S.
National Guard.
•War Powers Act:1973 reversed Gulf
of Tonkin Resolution.
NIXON
Other Foreign Policy Interests: China &
Soviet Union.
CHINA: Presidential visit in 1971 to
China. The U.S. had not had
diplomatic relations with the People’s
Republic since the 1949 Communist
Revolution.
Nixon “opened the door” to normal
diplomatic relations and cleared the
way for economic & cultural
exchanges.
Nixon’s visit is considered a turning
point in U.S. foreign policy? Why?
A new policy towards the Soviet
Union: DÉTENTE
The goal of détente was to bring a
warming in the cold war. Designed to
prevent open conflict.
SALT: strategic arms limitations talks
NIXON: DOMESTIC ISSUES
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With a Congress primarily filled with Democrats
he realized he would not be successful in
pushing his Republican policies through
Congress, hence he limited his domestic policy
goals.
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NEW FEDERALISM:
He wanted to reduce the role of Federal Gov’t
and turn over more activities to the states. (to
save fed $)
He criticized LBJ’s GREAT SOCIETY as too
costly .
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SCANDAL: WATERGATE AFFAIR
Nixon ordered a cover-up of an investigation related
to an illegal break-in to wiretap phones in the
Democratic Party headquarters in Watergate Towers,
Washington D.C.
He resigned before he could be impeached &
removed from office.
Many people called Nixon’s administration the
“Imperial Presidency” b/c of his disregard of the
Constitution.
Nixon was later pardoned by Ford his
predecessor.
The system of checks and balances had stopped
Nixon from placing the presidency above the
law.
See the movie Frost/Nixon based on the real life
interview of Nixon after his downfall.
FORD
(1974-1977) (R)
Only president not to be elected by
the American Public.
(Nixon stepped down so he
succeeded to the presidency)
Pardoned Nixon for his actions with
Watergate. An attempt at regaining
the prestige of the presidency.
Worked to restore faith in
government after the Watergate
crisis.
JIMMY CARTER
(D) 1977-1981)
Domestic problems included inflation
(Stagflation) and oil shortages.
Supported international humanitarian
rights.
Greatest success was the CAMP DAVID
ACCORDS which led to peace between
Egypt and Israel.
Hostage Crisis: U.S. Embassy in Iran
was struck & more than 50 American
hostages were taken. Released the day
of President Reagan’s inauguration.
Nearly a year later.
Big supporter and participant of
Habitat for Humanity (non
governmental/non profit organization)
once he completed his presidency.
This organization builds homes for
people in need.
RONALD REAGAN
(1981-1989) (R)
Took a conservative viewpoint on
social issues, such as abortion and
prayer in school.
Based his supply-side economic policy
or “Reaganomics” on the belief that
government involvement can destroy
individual initiative. (A lot like
Hoover’s “Trickle Down Economics”)
An end to the Cold War: Berlin Wall
Falls in 1989 and East and West
Germany are reunified.
(see Cold War & Foreign
Policy for more)
Popularity damaged and foreign policy
weakened by Iran-Contra scandal.
George H.W. Bush
(R) (1989-1993)
Inherited the budget deficits, savings
and loan scandals and legacy of the
Iran-Contra Affair from the Reagan
administration.
In office when cold war officially ended
and Communist governments in
Eastern Europe and Soviet Union fell.
Led the U.S. in the Persian Gulf War
against Iraq. August, 1990.
The UN also authorized a joint military
buildup called Operation Desert
Shield. Became known as Operation
Desert Storm in Jan. 1991—air assault
on Iraq. Feb 1991 Iraq accepted all UN
demands.
Bill Clinton
(1993-2000) (R)
Domestic policies centered on health care
and social security reform, as well as
economic issues, such as reduction of
national deficit.
Secured approval of NAFTA (North American
Free Trade Agreement)
SCANDAL: Impeached by the House of Reps
in 1998 on charges of perjury & obstruction
of justice, but acquitted by the Senate.
(note: Andrew Johnson was impeached in
1868 by the Radical Republicans. He too was
not removed from office. )
Whitewater Affair: a scandal alleging the
Clinton and his wife Hillary (now secretary
of state for Obama) were involved in an
illegal real estate scheme in Arkansas. They
were never formally charged.
1990’s enjoyed the longest period of
economic growth in its history.
George W. Bush
(2001-2009)
Controversial Election of 2000:
Bush v. Al Gore (see pic)
Bush had 50.5% Electoral Vote
Al Gore had 49.5 % of Electoral Vote
Gore won the popular or people’s vote
but as per the Constitution it is the
majority of the electoral votes that
wins the presidency.
“Winner Takes All” approach.
Very controversial because sometimes
the winner isn’t who the majority of
the population voted for, as in the case
of Election 2000.
Don’t forget that the electoral votes
designated to each state is based on
the individual states’ representation in
congress. NY 33 (that’s 2 in the senate
& 31 in the House of Reps)
George W. Bush
(continued)
Declared war on international
terrorism and ordered U.S. forces into
Afghanistan to defeat Taliban and al
Qaeda extremists post 9/11.
Patriot Act 2001
Department of Homeland Security was
created in light of 9/11 terror attacks.
Led the U.S. into a War against Iraq to
end the dictatorship of Saddam
Hussein.
Immigration Issues: especially more
serious since 9/11.
Educational Reform: No Child Left
Behind.
Economic Issues: Recession—Global
Barrack Obama (D) 2009Inherited a recession from his predecessor,
George W. Bush.
Actively seeks to increase federal
government involvement in economic
matters. (ex. Bail outs for companies, job
creation, financial assistance programs for
people in economic crisis with housing. )
Obama is often compared to FDR with his
“Pump Priming” economic philosophy. (Think
New Deal programs)
War on Terrorism continues to be U.S.
Foreign Policy.
We are still engaged in military operations in
the Middle East.
Recently U.S. Navy SEALS killed Al-Qaeda
leader Osama Bin Laden.
Viewed as a huge victory for the war on
terrorism.