Chapter 29: The Search for Order
in an Era of Limits, 1973-1980
1. An Era of Limits
A.
B.
C.
D.
Energy Crisis
Environmentalism
Economic Transformation
Urban Crisis and Suburban Revolt
2. Politics in Flux, 1973-1980
A. Watergate and the Fall of a President
B. Jimmy Carter: The Outsider as President
3. Reform and Reaction in the 1970s
A. Civil Rights in a New Era
B. The Women’s Movement and Gay Rights
C. After the Warren Court
4. The American Family on Trial
A. Working Families in the Age of Deindustrialization
B. Navigating the Sexual Revolution
C. Religion in the 1970s: The 4th Great Awakening
Part 1: An Era of Limits
1A: Energy Crisis
• US support for Israel in 1967 and 1973 wars led to Arab outrage
• 1973 OPEC oil embargo created gas shortages and more inflation
• Auto industry suffered as consumers turned to fuel-efficient imports
Part 1: An Era of Limits
1B: Environmentalism
• Environmentalism was heir of earlier conservation movement and
fueled by 1960s activism and 1962 publication of Silent Spring
• Oil woes (spill, river fire, embargo) led to EPA and first Earth Day
• Clean Air/Water Act, Endangered Species Act, OHSA became law
• 3 Mile Island near catastrophe turned public against nuclear power
Part 1: An Era of Limits
1C: Economic Transformation
• Slowing GDP growth, a decreasing share of world trade, and
stagflation showed depths of US economy’s troubles
• Deindustrialization cost millions of factory jobs in the “rustbelt” and
led to huge decline in union workers in transition to service economy
• Low wage service jobs replaced many lost industrial jobs
Part 1: An Era of Limits
1D: Urban Crisis and Suburban Revolt
• 6 million moved to suburbs caused large cities to struggle
• CA’s Prop 13 devastated state spending and a nationwide tax revolt
• Layoffs, outsourcing, suburbanization led to an increase in income
inequality as economic upheaval ended many middle class jobs
Part 2: Politics in Flux
2A: Watergate and the Fall of a President
• Watergate was part of a broad pattern of illegality, corruption abuse
leading to Congressional investigations and Nixon’s resignation
• War Powers Act, FoIA, and FISA all passed to stop future abuses
• “Watergate Babies” accidentally strengthened special interest power
• Dem. gains were temporary as the economy continued to struggle
New
Jersey
Phalanx
building
photograph
Nixon leaving
the White House
Part 2: Politics in Flux
2B: Jimmy Carter: The Outsider as President
• Carter defeated Ford in 1976 election by running as an “outsider”
• Inexperience and economy hampered Carter’s presidency
• Transportation deregulation aided competition but hurt labor unions
1976 inaugural stroll
Carter’s televised “Malaise” speech, 1978
Part 3: Reform and Reaction in the 1970s
3A: Civil Rights in a New Era
• Affirmative action, crafted to make-up for the legacy of racism and
sex discrimination, created a backlash as “reverse discrimination”
• Bakke case ended UC quotas & Prop 209 banned affirmative action
Part 3: Reform and Reaction in the 1970s
3B: The Women’s Movement and Gay Rights
•
•
•
•
•
Women’s studies and anti-rape movement emerged in early 1970s
ERA failed due to Phyllis Schlafly and a conservative backlash
Roe legalized abortion based on privacy rights and politicized courts
Milk became national symbol for gay rights after he was assassinated
Burger court confirmed previous liberal rulings but was more centrist
Part 3: Reform and Reaction in the 1970s
3B: The Women’s Movement and Gay Rights
•
•
•
•
•
Women’s studies and anti-rape movement emerged in early 1970s
ERA failed due to Phyllis Schlafly and a conservative backlash
Roe legalized abortion based on privacy rights and politicized courts
Milk became national symbol for gay rights after he was assassinated
Burger court confirmed previous liberal rulings but was more centrist
Part 4: The American Family on Trial
4A: Working Families in Age of Deindustrialization
• 90% of people saw their real wages decline 10% from 1973-1993
• More women worked as wages stagnated and divorce rate doubled
• TV shows began depicting working class and inner city struggles
Part 4: The American Family on Trial
4B: Navigating the Sexual Revolution
• The sexual revolution (caused by the birth control pill, counterculture
and feminism) liberalized attitudes and destigmatized casual sex
• Many in middle class feared the sexual revolution and rising divorce
Part 4: The American Family on Trial
4C: Religion in the 1970s: The 4th Great Awakening
• Fear of social change and the country’s moral decay led to a
resurgence of evangelicalism as 34% stated they were “born again”
• Evangelicalism was supported by a new Christian media (TV, books)
• Issues: abortion, school prayer, gender roles, divorce, sex attitudes