I Wish I Knew That: U.S. Presidents: Cool Stuff You Need to Know by Editors Of Reader's Digest, Patricia Halbert
Authors: Editors Of Reader's Digest, Patricia Halbert
Tags: United States, Children's Books, History, Education & Reference, Biographies, Children's eBooks, Government, U. S. Presidents & First Ladies
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began dating and soon were married. When Jerry announced his candidacy for Congress, Betty jumped in to help with his campaign for Congress—and he won! When President Richard Nixon resigned in 1974, Gerald Ford, who was vice president, took the oath of office as the new president.
Outspoken
As First Lady, Betty Ford spoke out in favor of equal rights for women and her support for a woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. Soon after becoming First Lady, Betty found out that she had breast cancer. Her openness about the disease and the importance of getting early treatment gave other women hope.
Needed Help
When President Ford lost the presidency, Betty was very sad. She began to drink too much alcohol and take too many drugs for her back pain, and she soon realized that she needed help. She checked herself into the Long Beach Naval Hospital and her experience there led her to open the Betty Ford Treatment Center in California. She was open and honest about her treatment. Because Betty Ford spoke out about her problems, she made it easier for other people to get the help they needed—and probably saved many lives.
FUN FACT
When she was a teenager, Betty Ford studied dance with the famous dance teacher, Martha Graham. She was such a talented dancer that she was chosen to dance at Carnegie Hall!
39th President ~ 1977–1981
JAMES EARL CARTER
Jimmy
----
“Wherever life takes us, there are always moments of wonder.”
Born
October 1, 1924 Plains, Georgia
Political Party
Democrat
Vice President
Walter Mondale
First Lady
Rosalynn
Children
John “Jack,” James Earl III “Chip,” Jeffrey “Jeff,” and Amy
Pets
Grits, a collie; Misty Malarky Ying Yang, a Siamese cat
----
Before Politics
Jimmy Carter grew up on his family’s peanut farm in Georgia. He studied nuclear physics at the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis and worked on a nuclear submarine. When his father died in 1953, Carter went home to run the farm and soon got into politics.
The Outsider
When Carter ran for president, people liked him because he was an “outsider” in Washington. Voters were tired of all the wheelers and dealers in the government and wanted someone new who wasn’t “connected.” Carter was a born-again Christian with very high moral standards.
World Problems
Unfortunately for the new president, a worldwide energy crisis was making gas prices skyrocket out of control. Cars had to wait in long lines just to buy gas. And it got more expensive than ever to borrow money to buy a house.
In Iran, protesters stormed the U.S. embassy in November 1979 and took 52 American diplomats hostage, holding them as prisoners. Carter worked around the clock to get them free, but couldn’t. After 444 days—and on Carter’s last day as President—the hostages were released.
PRESIDENTIAL FIRST
Jimmy Carter was the first president who had been born in a hospital.
----
FUN FACT
Jimmy Carter, his family, and staff took speed-reading classes at night at the White House.
----
An Outsider’s Problems
Not being a Washington “insider” worked against President Carter. He had trouble getting Congress to go along with many of his ideas. And international and domestic difficulties just didn’t seem to get any better. He lost re-election.
The Nobel Prize
An extremely intelligent, decent, and sincere man, Carter was the third U.S. president to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. In 2002 he was awarded the honor for forging a 1978 peace treaty between warring sides in the Middle East.
“War may be a necessary evil,” he said. “But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good. We will not learn to live together in peace by killing each other’s children.”
An Active Former President
After leaving the White House, he and Mrs. Carter worked to build homes for the homeless, often taking up hammer and nails and doing the carpentry themselves. Carter also actively worked for human rights causes around the world.
40th President ~
Outspoken
As First Lady, Betty Ford spoke out in favor of equal rights for women and her support for a woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. Soon after becoming First Lady, Betty found out that she had breast cancer. Her openness about the disease and the importance of getting early treatment gave other women hope.
Needed Help
When President Ford lost the presidency, Betty was very sad. She began to drink too much alcohol and take too many drugs for her back pain, and she soon realized that she needed help. She checked herself into the Long Beach Naval Hospital and her experience there led her to open the Betty Ford Treatment Center in California. She was open and honest about her treatment. Because Betty Ford spoke out about her problems, she made it easier for other people to get the help they needed—and probably saved many lives.
FUN FACT
When she was a teenager, Betty Ford studied dance with the famous dance teacher, Martha Graham. She was such a talented dancer that she was chosen to dance at Carnegie Hall!
39th President ~ 1977–1981
JAMES EARL CARTER
Jimmy
----
“Wherever life takes us, there are always moments of wonder.”
Born
October 1, 1924 Plains, Georgia
Political Party
Democrat
Vice President
Walter Mondale
First Lady
Rosalynn
Children
John “Jack,” James Earl III “Chip,” Jeffrey “Jeff,” and Amy
Pets
Grits, a collie; Misty Malarky Ying Yang, a Siamese cat
----
Before Politics
Jimmy Carter grew up on his family’s peanut farm in Georgia. He studied nuclear physics at the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis and worked on a nuclear submarine. When his father died in 1953, Carter went home to run the farm and soon got into politics.
The Outsider
When Carter ran for president, people liked him because he was an “outsider” in Washington. Voters were tired of all the wheelers and dealers in the government and wanted someone new who wasn’t “connected.” Carter was a born-again Christian with very high moral standards.
World Problems
Unfortunately for the new president, a worldwide energy crisis was making gas prices skyrocket out of control. Cars had to wait in long lines just to buy gas. And it got more expensive than ever to borrow money to buy a house.
In Iran, protesters stormed the U.S. embassy in November 1979 and took 52 American diplomats hostage, holding them as prisoners. Carter worked around the clock to get them free, but couldn’t. After 444 days—and on Carter’s last day as President—the hostages were released.
PRESIDENTIAL FIRST
Jimmy Carter was the first president who had been born in a hospital.
----
FUN FACT
Jimmy Carter, his family, and staff took speed-reading classes at night at the White House.
----
An Outsider’s Problems
Not being a Washington “insider” worked against President Carter. He had trouble getting Congress to go along with many of his ideas. And international and domestic difficulties just didn’t seem to get any better. He lost re-election.
The Nobel Prize
An extremely intelligent, decent, and sincere man, Carter was the third U.S. president to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. In 2002 he was awarded the honor for forging a 1978 peace treaty between warring sides in the Middle East.
“War may be a necessary evil,” he said. “But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good. We will not learn to live together in peace by killing each other’s children.”
An Active Former President
After leaving the White House, he and Mrs. Carter worked to build homes for the homeless, often taking up hammer and nails and doing the carpentry themselves. Carter also actively worked for human rights causes around the world.
40th President ~
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