Jimmy Carter
39th President of the United States

(1977 - 1981)
Vice President: Walter Mondale

Infant James Earl Carter, Jr., born October 1, 1924 in Plains, Georgia.


President: Jimmy Carter

Wife: Eleanor Rosalynn Smith (1928- ), on July 7, 1946

Kids: John William "Jack" Carter (1947- ); James Earl "Chip" Carter III (1950- ); Donnel Jeffrey "Jeff" Carter (1952-); Amy Lynn Carter (1967- )

Pets: Grits the dog; Misty Malarky Ying Yang, a Siamese cat

Bio: James Earl Carter, Jr.,(1924- ), was the 39th President of the United States. Born October 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia, Carter was the son of a peanut farmer and politician father and mother who was a nurse. Carter graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1946, and for the next seven years he served in the U.S. Navy, becoming a lieutenant commander. After leaving the Navy, Carter returned to Plains, where he lived with his new wife, Rosalynn, and eventually took over the family peanut business.

His interest in politics drove him to begin his career as a state senator from 1962 to 1966. He then moved up to governor status from 1971 to 1974. While campaigning for the U.S. presidency, Carter promised an honest government, something the American public was yearning for after the Nixon fiasco. He won the Democratic nomination in 1976, and narrowly beat Gerald Ford in the presidential election.

Major accomplishments of his administration were the creation of the Panama Treaty and the historic Camp David Agreement between Israel and Egypt in 1979. Although he was an honest man, and had excellent intentions, his weakness in times of crisis was his downfall. When 52 Americans were seized from the U.S. Embassy in Iran on November 4, 1979, he had no solution. The perpetrators were angry that Carter allowed the exiled Shah of Iran into the United States for medical treatment. A tragic rescue attempt killed 8 Marines. All attempts were ineffective.

The nation’s economy and high rate of inflation plagued the administration, and the public lost confidence in his ability to lead and solve problems. He lost the 1980 presidential election by one of the largest margins in U.S. history. The very day that his successor, Ronald Reagan, was sworn in, the hostages were released.

Carter retired to Georgia, but remained quite active in volunteer activities and is revered to this day for his devotion to the underprivileged.

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