SC - Long Answer Essay - The 1970s Lesson

Long Answer Essay - The 1970s

For all of its social turmoil, the decade of the 1960s was a time of great economic expansion and economic prosperity for most Americans. Some have referred to the economy of the 1960s as "The magic economy" with its rapid growth. But after two decades of overall economic prosperity, the economy struggled for most of the 1970s. Economic growth stagnated. Interest rates, energy prices, and inflation all rose rapidly, seriously hampering Americans' purchasing power.

Additionally, many Americans lost trust in their government. One of the main criticisms of the Vietnam War is that the government was not open with the public and presented an overly optimistic view that the war could be won quickly. Of course that did not happen and American forces ended up leaving Vietnam and the communists were able to win the War after this withdrawal. Americans were left questioning if the United States was declining militarily.

Finally, the effects of the Watergate Scandal contributed to a decline in trust in political leaders and a rising cynicism. President Richard Nixon had resigned in disgrace after it was revealed that he had been involved in a large-scale cover-up stemming from a botched burglary and attempt to spy on the Democratic National Convention. There were positives in the decade as the U.S. celebrated its Bicentennial Celebration in 1976, but the decade featured many challenges.

For this assignment you will write an essay about the 1970s. You do not need to complete the outline, but you may download the form from the 1920s, The Great Depression, and World War II module if you want to use it in your planning. However, you only need to turn in the actual essay. Remember to write your essay in the standard format for an AP Long Essay Links to an external site.. Here is the question:

• In what ways did the 1970s represent a period of struggle in American History? In your answer consider the economic challenges of the decade, the Watergate Scandal, and the American withdrawal from Vietnam.

 

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