1968 Election

What is a Presidential election in the United States? It is an indirect vote in which citizens from our country cast votes for a specific member; the ballots get tallied and sent to the U.S. Electoral College where the electors select the President and Vice President. These elections are thrilling pieces of American History. They are historical markers for shifts of leadership and thinking in the United States. The 1968 presidential race was no exception because it was most likely one of the most exciting elections to date. It had more controversies and tragic events then ever witnessed before. There was violence, death, war, tension, discrimination, riots, and protests. It was a very close race between Richard Nixon, Hubert Humphrey, and George Wallace and brought about a big change in America’s political stance. This research paper will explore why Nixon won, the historical background, long term effects, and the controversies during that time period. There were many people and events that influenced this election and to understand it fully one needs to know the whole story.

Richard Milhous Nixon, born on January 9th, 1913, in Yorba Linda, California, was the second of five sons. His father, Frank Nixon, was the owner of a small lemon farm in Yorba Linda and a hard worker in a service station. Hannah Milhous, Richard’s mother, was a Quaker and was a major influence in Richard’s early life. During his teens, Nixon attended Fullerton high school but ended up transferring to Whittier high school, where he was very successful. There Nixon ran for student body president but unfortunately lost. He ended up graduating at top of his class and even got offered a scholarship to Harvard University; however, his parents didn’t have enough money for other miscellaneous expenses. Instead, Richard attended Whittier College, where he was an outstanding athlete and debater. After graduating from college, he obtained a scholarship from Duke University Law School, where he