The Middle East and Malaise: America in the Late 1970s

Learning Objectives

1. Explain the persistence of economic difficulties during the middle and late 1970s and the way the economy affected the United States during these years.
2. Summarize the arguments for and against the Equal Rights Amendment. Explain how competing perspectives led Americans to interpret the amendment differently and how the controversy surrounding the amendment led to its failure.
3. Briefly compare the foreign policies of Carter to those of other presidents during the Cold War. Explain how Carter was able to negotiate an agreement between Egypt and Israel, and why this agreement led many to hope for peace in the Middle East.