Term Paper on "Jimmy Carter: His Childhood, Upbringing & Presidency"

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Carter married Rosalynn Smith

Carters have three sons, John William (Jack), James Earl III (Chip), Donnel Jeffrey (Jeff), and a daughter, Amy Lynn.

Career in Navy

Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Naval Academy in 1945

Served on submarines in the Atlantic and Pacific fleets

Command officer nuclear submarine program

Seven years' service as a naval officer

Discharged from the Navy on October 9, 1953

Early Political Career

Eentered state politics in 1962,

Elected Governor of Georgia in 1970

Key policies as governor; emphasizing ecology, efficiency in government, and the removal of racial barriers.

Changes in the 1970s wave of religious revivalism

Moral issues: hedonism, sexual promiscuity, materialism etc.

Evangelical born-again experience by both Protestants and Catholics

Southernization of America traditional southern and western homelands

Importance of issues: Availability of abortion, the place of religious activities in public schools, sex education and creationism within the school curriculum, homosexuality, pornography, and the Equal Rights Amendment

Candidacy for President

Announced candidacy for President in December 1974

President Gerald R. Ford, debating with him three times

Carter won by 297 electoral votes to 241 for Ford.

Christianity role important in electoral success, as he once said "I'll be a better president because of my deep religious convictions,"

Impact of Faith on Policies

Religion affected the image of his presidency

Relationships with key Democratic Party constituents

Foreign issues like the Middle East, the Panama Canal, and Issue of abortion rights & human rights

Positives of the Carter Era

Establishing a national energy policy

Civil service reform

Deregulation of the trucking and airline industries

Environment, human and social services

Abortion Issue

Pre-election stances: Calling abortion wrong

Clash with pro-choice feminists

Appointment of Joseph a. Califano a devout Catholic, as Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare

Change in stance: protection of abortion rights

Appointment of pro-choice advocate, Margaret "Midge" Costanza, as a presidential assistant

The Hyde Amendment

Plight of poor women hurt due to amendment

Outrage from the pro-choice movement

Costanza's replacement with Dr. Sarah Weddington, a pro-abortion rights

Confusion of religion and secular ideas

Speeches

Speeches more about faith than policy

Biblical allegory and the meta-language of born-again Christianity were fundamental to his speeches

Carter considered failure of faith rather than a shortage of fuel America's problem

Negated the idea of freedom" that meant "too many" self-centered Americans searched for instant gratification "worshipping self-indulgence and consumption

The New York Times called once called his speech "less rallying cry than sermon"

Problems of the Carter Era

Stance on gay rights & abortion

Blurring of the church and state

Estrangement between the president and Christian conservatives

Unemployment, rising energy costs, mounting inflation

Continuing tensions on foreign front

Conclusion: Jimmy Carter became well-known as a president who achieved his presidency using the religion card rather than policies. His… READ MORE