High School 4/2 The Vietnam Era (1968-1980)

Timeline

1968 Tet Offensive
         War divides American public into “hawks” and “doves”
        Cultural revolution strong: “hippie” lifestyle and “Jesus freaks”
        Richard Nixon elected president

1969 Neil Armstrong is first man on the moon
        Sesame Street premiers on public television 
        Violent and peaceful Anti-war protests continue

1971 26th Amendment lowered voting age from 21 to 18 years old 

1972 Nixon re-elected as President of the United States
        Henry Kissinger serves as National Security adviser and pioneers deténte
        Strategic Arms Limitations TalksTreaty (SALT I)

1973 After South Vietnam, North Vietnam, and US sign a cease-fire agreement, American troops leave Vietnam
        Arab oil embargo (OPEC oil crisis)
        Roe vs. Wade

1974 Watergate affair
        Nixon is the first American President to resign from office
        Gerald R. Ford replaces Nixon as president 

1975 Construction of Alaskan Pipeline begins
        Ford announces end of American involvement in Vietnam
          Fall of Saigon

1976 James (Jimmy) Carter elected US President

1979 Iran hostage crisis

1980 Ronald Reagan elected US President

Quotes and Homework

I need Ian, Cassadie G. to answer #1.
Ryan, Cassidy L., and Madi answer #2.
Sasha and Rahbin answer #3.  
EVERYONE answer #4 and #5.

1)    "No event in American history is more misunderstood than the Vietnam War. It was misreported      then, and it is misremembered now."   --Richard M. Nixon

Research and discuss the role the American media played in the Vietnam war. Vietnam was very much a “media war,” fought in newspapers and on television as much as in the jungles of Vietnam. What does this mean? 

2)    "Forgiveness made me free from hatred. I still have many scars on my body and severe pain most days but my heart is cleansed. Napalm is very powerful, but faith, forgiveness, and love are much more powerful. We would not have war at all if everyone could learn how to live with true love, hope, and forgiveness. If that little girl in the picture can do it, ask yourself: Can you?"   --Phan Thi Kim Phuc

Who is Kim Phuc, and what did she experience that makes this quote so powerful? How does she use her story today? 

If there are any points on the timeline that we were unable to cover in class today, I will assign each of you one point to research and present next week. Don't forget! Your input is important!

3)    What was the Watergate Affair? Which president was involved? Who was Charles "Chuck" Colson, and how was he a part of the Watergate Affair? Please tell me about Chuck Colson's testimony. I highly recommend Focus on listening to any of his interviews with Focus on the Family:http://www.focusonthefamily.com/media/daily-broadcast/a-visit-with-chuck-colson-pt1

4)    What was the Arab oil embargo of 1973 (OPEC oil crisis)? How is it related to the construction of the Alaskan Pipeline?

5)    What was the Iran hostage crisis of 1979?