Oil+Crisis

Kevin Mahone <3

Background
In 1973, America has went through one of the most financially challenged events in energy storage, the Oil Crisis. It all started over the Yom Kippur War. The U.S. insisted to re-supply the Israeli Army. In effect, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) decided to release an oil embargo on the United States. After this, the U.S. were strictly low on fossil fuel resources and affected the nation greatly. At this period of time, automobiles were the bases of getting around. With the lack of oil and gas, people could not rely on those sources anymore. America, multiple times, tried negotiating with the Middle East. However, their involvement made things worst.

What and Who is Apart of OPEC?
The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, is an organization that correlates the policies of eleven oil producing member nations. The first countries to produce the organization were Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela. Through out 1960 and 1975 OPEC has included six more countries: Qatar, Indonesia, Libya, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria, and Nigeria. OPEC is a very successful organization. During the 1960s, 75% of its oil were exported to Western Europe.

What and Where did the Yom Kippur War Take Place?
The Yom Kippur War took place on September 1973. The war was between Israel and a coalition of the Arab states led by Egypt and Syria. The Arab army launched a surprise attack on Israel on Yom Kippur, holiest day in judaism. The United States and Soviet Union both greatly supported their allies causing greacotension between the two countries. Also, it caused great tension between the U.S. and OPEC, associated with the Arab countries.

What's An Embargo?
An embargo is the order of a government banning the movement of merchant supplies in and out of its ports. Usually it happens when a country gets upset with another country. For example, today the U.S. has submitted an embargo on Cuba. Cuba is communist and America hates that type of government. So the U.S. dosent allow any trade to or from Cuba and itself.

Impact on the U.S.
The Oil Crisis had a great affect on U.S. The standard way to get around were large, power hungry cars. After the embargo, the price for oil and gasoline arose and the need for transportation had to be substituted. New styles of cars had to be produced. They had to be smaller and more fuel-efficient on gas. The Big Three (General Motors, Ford, and Chryster) were forced to take action and make these kind of cars. Also, causing more competition among the three. Ever since the need to conserve energy, America has always tried to make new ways to save it.

Works Cited-
Austin, Peter E. "OPEC." //Gale U.S. History in Context//. Ed. John J McCusker. N.p., 2006. Web. 25 May 2012. <http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/uhic/

"Emargo." //Gale World History in Context//. Ed. Kutler I Stanley. Charles Scribner's Sons, 1996. Web. 30 May 2012. <http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/

Herzog, Chaim. "Yom Kippur War." //Gale World History in Context//. Ed. Michael Berenbaum. 2nd ed. Encyclopedia Judaica, 2007. Web. 29 May 2012.

"1973 Oil Crisis." //Wikipedia//. N.p., 11 May 2012. Web. 25 May 2012.