1970–1979 Lesson 8

LESSON 8 The Decade of 1970–1979

LESSON ASSIGNMENTS You are encouraged to be very attentive while viewing the video program. Review the video objectives and be prepared to record possible answers, in abbreviated form, as you view the video. The topics and time periods may differ from the chapters of the textbook your school system is using. Each video program chronicles a wide array of events and personalities during a specific decade of the 20th century. Keep in mind that one of the overarching goals of each lesson is to help you understand how past historical events and actions by historical personalities did not occur in a vacuum, and that they are inextricably interwoven in your society today. Video: “The Decade of 1970–1979” from the series, The Remarkable 20th Century. Activities: Your teacher may assign one or more activities for each lesson.

OVERVIEW The decade of the 1970s saw the end of the , the death of Elvis Presley and the revelation of Watergate and the birth of the microprocessor, or “the computer on a chip.” Videocassette recorders changed home entertainment forever. The sites of DNA production on genes were discovered, and the fledgling research in genetic engineering was temporarily halted pending further development of safer techniques. Three presidents (Nixon, Ford, and Carter) tried to provide leadership for the nation as it marched towards advances for women, civil rights, the environment, and space exploration. Many of the “radical” ideas of the 1960s reached fruition in the 1970s and were mainstreamed into American life and culture. The violence, however, of the 1960s did not end. The anti-war movement was still alive and erupted in the Kent State massacre. Violence was not confined to the war, as forced busing to achieve racial integration, especially in Boston, caused disruption to the educational process. Teacher’s Guide George Lucas’ Star Wars joined the Apollo program in taking people into outer space. The 1970s was the decade of blockbuster movies with such high tech movies as The Godfather, Rocky and Jaws. The movies were joined by television in exploring new frontiers with programs like “All in the Family” and “Saturday Night Live.” They brought humorous social satire to the screen and satirized topics and people once thought “off limits.” Will Rogers would have been astounded at the attacks on the

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political leaders. Scandals such as Watergate, the Pentagon Papers, and Spiro Agnew’s resignation provided a never-ending supply of material for “talk show” hosts. Television not only gave us the “Watergate hearings” but also Bert and Ernie as “Sesame Street” hit the television screen and generations of children were introduced to the world of education by Count Dracula and other “Sesame Street” characters.

LESSON GOALS To assess the importance the Vietnam War had on future U.S. foreign and domestic affairs. To evaluate the impact the had on the following: • the power of the executive branch of government. • the public perception of politicians. • the Democratic and Republican political parties.

VIDEO OBJECTIVES The following objectives are designed to assist the viewer in identifying the most significant aspects of the video segment of this lesson. You should take succinct notes while viewing the video. Video: “The Decade of 1970–1979” 1. Assess the significance of the Vietnam war on U.S. domestic and foreign policy. 2. Evaluate the implications of the Watergate scandal. 3. Identify and evaluate the key foreign policy accomplishments of the American presidents in the 1970s. 4. Analyze the most significant advances and failures in the social and cultural fields in the 1970s. 5. Based on the “lessons” of the 1970s, determine what U.S. space exploration and oil policies should be in the 21st century. 6. Identify and explain the importance of the most significant international events of the decade. Teacher’s Guide TIME CODES Time Code Year Topic Description 00:00 Opening Opening 00:30 1970 Overview Howard K. Smith intros the decade 02:28 Title Episode VIII: 1970s

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Time Code Year Topic Description 02:32 1970 World Politics Nixon tries to end Vietnam War but conflict in Cambodia expands War 04:54 1970 US Politics/ Social Issues Campus Demonstrations: Kent State 05:36 1970 World Politics My Lai Massacre 06:03 1970 Discoveries & Technology Apollo 13 mission aborted 06:40 1970 Social Issues / US Politics Earth Day; EPA 07:37 1970 Entertainment Music: Beatles break up, Deaths of Hendrix, Joplin, Morrison 08:22 1970 Transportation 1st passenger jumbo jet 08:43 1971 Discoveries & Technology Portable electronic calculator; silicon chip microprocessor 09:34 1971 Social Issues Charles Manson murder trials; TV in more homes 10:41 1971 Entertainment TV: "All in the Family"; Music: Led Zeppelin; Fashion: hot pants, platform shoes, polyester, leisure suits 12:32 1972 World Politics Nixon goes to & Soviet Union; ABM Treaty & SALT; Bombing of Hanoi 15:29 1972 Entertainment/ World Sports: Olympics – Mark Spitz, Politics Olga Korbut, Black September Terrorists 16:36 1972 US Politics George Wallace is shot; Nixon wins re-election 17:12 1972-74 Entertainment Movies: The Godfather I & II 17:53 1972 Social Issues Women’s Movement & ERA 18:55 1972-75 Discoveries & Technology Apollo – 5 more moon missions 21:02 1973 World Politics Vietnam War lost for US 23:18 1972 Entertainment TV: "Mash", "Happy Days"; Movies: American Graffiti 24:04 1973 Discoveries & DNA cloning & genetic Technologies engineering 25:35 1973 Social Issues Roe v. Wade – abortion issue 25:58 1972-73 US Politics Watergate: Woodward & Bernstein, Senate Watergate Hearings; Agnew Resigns 28:58 1973 Overview Howard K. Smith segues between 1st and 2nd half of 1970 decade: Novelties (pet rocks) and Firsts (ATMs) 29:32 1973 World Politics Arab-Israeli Conflict 31:07 1973 Economy Arab Oil Embargo 31:51 1974 Social Issues Patty Hearst is kidnapped by SLA 32:41 1974 Entertainment Sports: baseball & Hank Aaron; Dance: Mikhail Baryshnikov defects 33:35 1974 US Politics Nixon resigns; Ford pardons Nixon 35:43 1975 World Politics Fall of Saigon; Pol Pot, Khmer Teacher’s Guide Rouge & Cambodia 37:04 1975 Discoveries & Technology Ch’in Dynasty Tomb uncovered 37:21 1975 World Politics Francisco Franco dies; Juan Carlos becomes King of Spain 37:54 1975 Discoveries & Technology Personal computer & Apple computer 38:55 1975/76 Entertainment Movies: Jaws, Rocky; Sports: "Thrilla in Manila" 40:09 1976 Transportation Supersonic passenger jet 40:28 1976 US Politics US 200th Birthday; Ford loses to Carter 71 Lesson 8 1970–1979

Time Code Year Topic Description 42:35 1976/77 Discoveries & Technology Viking I photos of Mars; Voyager space probes 43:24 1977 Entertainment Movies: Saturday Night Fever, Annie Hall, Star Wars; TV: "Roots"; Music: Elvis dies 45:21 1978 Discoveries & Technology Test Tube Baby 45:33 1978 Social Issues Cults: Jim Jones & Guyana murders/suicides; Pope John Paul II first Polish pope 46:42 1978 World Politics US gives back Panama Canal; Camp David summit with Begin & Sadat 48:04 1979 Social Issues Mother Teresa gets Nobel Peace Prize 48:14 1979 World Politics Margaret Thatcher elected first female British prime minister 49:28 1979 Discoveries & Technology Compact Discs 49:50 1979 Social Issues 3-Mile Island Disaster 50:23 1979 World Politics Sandinistas in Nicaragua; Soviets invade Afghanistan; Iran occupies US Embassy 52:41 1979 Overview Howard K. Smith talks about changes in US democracy: new power for women, African Americans, youths 54:16 Closing Closing Credits

WEB ACTIVITIES These activities are not required unless your teacher assigns them. They are offered as suggestions to help you learn more about the material presented in this lesson.

Activity 1—Watergate Access the following National Archives and Records and Administration Web site and review the information: http://www.nara.gov/education/teaching/watergate/watergat.html Access the “Watergate: A Chronology” Web site and review the information: http://www.nara.gov/education/teaching/watergate/chronolo.html Access the “Memorandum to Leon Jaworski” Web site and review its contents: http://www.nara.gov/education/teaching/watergate/memoran1.jpg Answer the following questions: Teacher’s Guide 1. Who was Leon Jaworski? 2. Why was facing impeachment charges? 3. What argument from each side seems the most persuasive to you? Why?

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Activity 2—Vietnam Access the following Web sites for background information: Vietnam: A Teacher’s Guide http://www.askasia.org/Vietnam_Challenge/curric/menu.htm Vietnam War Encarta Reference Encyclopedia http://encarta.msn.com/find/Concise.asp?z=1&pg=2&ti=00489000 A Vassar College Site. The Wars for Vietnam: 1945-1975 http://students.vassar.edu/~vietnam/overview.html History of Vietnam and the Vietnam War http://www.vwam.com/vets/hisintro.html Access the following two Web sites: The Myth of the Girl in the Photo http://www.vwam.com/vets/myth.html The Three Wall Behind the Wall the Myth of Vietnam Veteran Suicide http://www.vwam.com/vets/suicide.html Write an analysis of one of the two preceding Web site articles by answering the following questions: 1. Why was the article written? 2. Who was the author and was he qualified to write the article? 3. Did the author use documentation? If so, what is your assessment of the sources cited? 4. What statistics did the author cite to support his opinion? 5. Did you agree with the author’s conclusions. Why or why not? 6. List two things the author tells you about Vietnam that you didn’t know before. 7. What question do you have that the author left unanswered? 8. What is the strongest argument the author makes that supports his opinion? 9. What is the weakest argument the author makes to support his opinion? Review the following maps of Vietnam: http://grunt.space.swri.edu/visit/maps/mapE.jpg Teacher’s Guide http://www.lib.utexas.edu/Libs/PCL/Map_collection/middle_east_and_asia/ Vietnam.jpg http://grunt.space.swri.edu/visit/maps/viet1.gif

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Access the National Archives “Map Analysis Worksheet” at http://www.nara.gov/ education/teaching/analysis/map.html and answer as many of the questions on the worksheet as are pertinent to the map you select to analyze.

PRACTICE TEST After watching the video and reviewing the objectives, you should be able to complete the following Practice Test. When you have completed the Practice Test, turn to the Answer Key to score your answers.

Multiple-choice Select the single best answer. If more than one answer is required, it will be so indicated.

1. Which of the following occurred in the 1970s: A. Middle East Peace Settlement (Camp David Agreement). B. U.S. signs an agreement to turn over control of the Panama Canal to Panama. C. Nixon travels to the Peoples Republic of China and the Soviet Union. D. the Arab Oil Embargo. E. all of the above occurred in the 1970s.

2. The ____Amendment ____the voting age to _____: A. Twenty-sixth; raised; twenty-one. B. Twenty-fourth; lowered; eighteen. C. Twenty-fifth; raised; nineteen. D. Twenty-sixth; lowered; eighteen.

3. The Watergate scandals caused by the actions of Richard Nixon’s staff in the 1972 presidential campaign involved all of the following except: A. ballot stuffing. B. obstruction of justice. Teacher’s Guide C. use of the Internal Revenue Service to harass political opponents. D. illegal use of the FBI and CIA.

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4. As part of the cease-fire agreement in Vietnam in 1973: A. the United States was to withdraw all its troops from Vietnam. B. the United States was to stop all economic and military aid to South Vietnam. C. North Vietnam was to withdraw all its troops from South Vietnam. D. the Viet Cong were to form a new government for Vietnam. E. China and Russia pledged not to interfere in Vietnam affairs.

5. President Jimmy Carter’s most spectacular foreign-policy achievement was the: A. Panama Canal Treaty. B. Helsinki accords. C. Camp David Agreement between and Egypt. D. SALT II Treaty. E. Rescue of the hostages held by Iran.

6. Which of the following did not occur in the 1970s: A. DNA cloning. B. the Supreme Court Case of Roe v. Wade. C. the movie “Godfather” won an academy award as best motion picture. D. the first “Earth Day.” E. the passage of the ERA Amendment.

7. Which of the following did not occur in the 1970s: A. George Wallace was shot. B. the microprocessor was invented. C. the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. D. Margaret Thatcher became the first female Prime Minister in Great Britain. E. John Paul II was the first French Pope of the Catholic Church. Teacher’s Guide

Essay/Problem Questions 8. Other than the Vietnam War, what was the most significant event in foreign affairs during the 1970s? Why? 9. What was the most important domestic event that occurred in the United States in the 1970s? Why?

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ANSWER KEY The following provides the answers and references for the practice test questions. Video objectives are referenced using the following abbreviations: V= Video Objective. Multiple Choice: Essay/Problem Questions: 1. E Ref. V 3; 5; 6 8. Ref. V 1; 3; 6 2. D Ref. V 4 9. Ref. V 2; 4; 5 3. A Ref. V 2 4. A Ref. V 1; 3; 6 5. C Ref. V 3; 6 6. E Ref. V 4 7. E Ref. V 4; 6

Teacher’s Guide

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