(born 1924). Jimmy Carter became the 39th president of the United States in January 1977. He was the first man reared in the Deep South to be elected president since before the American Civil War. His term was notable for its emphasis on morality in government and social welfare. Family and educationJames Earl Carter, Jr., was born on October 1, 1924, in Plains, a small town in southwestern Georgia. His father, Earl, was a shrewd businessman and a strict parent. His mother, Lillian, was a nurse. Jimmy was the first member of his family to complete a high school education. He went on to attend Georgia Southwestern College and the Georgia Institute of Technology. In 1946 he graduated from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Carter spent seven years in the United States Navy, rising to the rank of lieutenant. Upon his father's death in 1953, he resigned from the Navy and returned to Georgia to manage the family peanut farm. In the summer after his graduation from the Naval Academy, Carter married Rosalynn Smith, who came from his hometown. They had three sons and a daughter. State politicsSoon after he returned to Georgia, Carter became involved in local politics. He was elected as a Democrat to the Georgia Senate in 1962 and reelected in 1964. In 1966 Carter failed in a bid for the governorship of Georgia. Depressed by this experience, he found comfort in evangelical Christianity, becoming a born-again Baptist. Carter ran again for governor in 1970. This time he was successful. In his inaugural address, he announced that “the time for racial discrimination is over.” He appointed African Americans and women to offices previously held only by white men. Carter promoted prison reform and mental health programs. He also reorganized the state government in an effort to make it more efficient. Nomination and electionAt the end of his term as governor, Carter decided to run for president. Carter won the Democratic nomination in July 1976. As his vice presidential running mate, he chose the liberal United States Senator Walter F. Mondale of Minnesota. During the campaign, Carter emphasized efficiency and honesty in government. In November 1976 he won a narrow victory against the Republican president, Gerald R. Ford. Carter received 51 percent of the popular vote and 297 electoral votes to Ford's 240. PresidencyOn inauguration day, Carter walked the parade route to the White House with his wife. This was the first of many acts by which he attempted to establish the image of a man of the people. Carter adopted an informal style of dress and speech in public appearances. He sold the presidential yacht, cut back the White House limousine service, and conducted a radio phone-in program. Domestic affairsA dominant concern of the Carter Administration was the conservation of energy. Carter took office during an exceptionally severe winter, with the country facing its worst-ever shortage of natural gas. In response to the crisis, he established a national energy program. Congress rejected some of Carter's energy proposals but approved others, including the deregulation of natural gas prices. The economy became Carter's other domestic concern. He emphasized cutbacks in spending but also approved some measures to stimulate the economy. Nevertheless, unemployment stayed high and inflation skyrocketed. Many people blamed Carter for the nation's economic woes. Foreign policyIn foreign affairs, Carter had several noteworthy achievements. In 1977 he signed two treaties between the United States and Panama. In 1978 he persuaded the leaders of Egypt and Israel to sign a historic peace agreement in Camp David, Maryland. On January 1, 1979, Carter established full diplomatic relations between the United States and China. He was also praised for championing international human rights. These foreign-policy successes were overshadowed by a serious crisis, however. On November 4, 1979, Iranian militants seized the American Embassy in Tehran. More than 50 Americans were held hostage. Carter's failure to secure the release of the hostages contributed to his reputation for weakness. Renomination and defeatCarter won the Democratic presidential nomination in 1980. His public support had dwindled, however. In the election held that November, Carter lost to the Republican nominee, Ronald Reagan, in a landslide. Carter won only 49 of the 538 votes in the electoral college. RetirementAt the end of his term, Carter returned to his hometown. His public image improved after he left the White House. He and his wife founded the Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia, to promote peace and human rights throughout the world. Later presidents sent Carter on special diplomatic missions. He also helped build homes for the poor through the organization Habitat for Humanity and published more than a dozen books on numerous topics. In 2002 Carter was awarded the Nobel prize for peace. The prize honored his efforts to promote human rights and to find peaceful ways to settle international conflicts. |