Biography of Jimmy Carter

James Earl "Jimmy Carter, Jr. was born on October 1, 1924. He served as the 39th President of the United States from 1977 to 1981 and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Before becoming president, Carter served as the 76th Governor of Georgia from 1971 to 1975.

As president, Carter oversaw the creation of the Department of Energy and the Department of Education. By this, he established a national energy policy by removing price controls on domestic petroleum production and advocated for less American reliance on foreign oil. He also bolstered the Social Security system by introducing an increase in payroll tax. As for foreign affairs, he pursued the Camp David Accords, the Panama Canal Treaties, and the second round of Strategic Arms Limitation Talks. Furthermore, he made basic human rights a critical part of American foreign policy. During his final year, his presidency was dominated by the Iran hostage crisis. He lost the 1980 re-election bid to Ronald Reagan.

Since leaving office, President Carter founded the Carter Center which promotes global health, democracy, and human rights. He also trvels extensively to monitor international elections, conduct peace negotiations, and establish relief efforts.

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