v.p. mondale: we are just so thrilled to have the president with us. i know this was a great evening for all of us. you can feel it. the accomplishments, the carter administration, carter/mondale administration, really are an inspiration. we are thrilled that you are here, and i am glad to be a part of it. we love you. pres. carter: thank you. [applause] [cheering] >> if you like american history tv, keep up with us during the week on facebook, twitter, and youtube. learn about what happened this day in history and see preview clips of upcoming programs, follow us at c-span history -- @ cspanhistory. >> each week, american history's real america brings archival films that provide context for public affairs issues today. ♪ [applause] ♪ >> the debate over the wilderness act was a relatively peaceful prelude to a new era of environmental activism, cultural transformation, and social protest. >> people became more outspoken, wanted to become more involved, unwilling to trust the government. >> the plan is to spray new brush and tree sprouts with chemicals.

mondale served as v.p. under president jimmy carter in the late 1970s. er mondale's life from cnn's wolf blitzer. ♪ >> reporter: walter mondale was a politician who always managed to remain minnesota-nice. known all his life as fritz, walter frederick mondale was born in southern minnesota in 1928. the son of a methodist minister and a music teacher. >> they taught me to work hard, to care for others, to love our country, and to cherish our faith. >> reporter: from the beginning, walter mondale was a steadfast supporter of social justice. by the time he graduated from the university of minnesota law school, he was deeply involved in the democratic farmer labor party, minnesota's own wing of the democratic party. as a dfl liberal, mondale was appointed minnesota's attorney general in 1960. four years later, he was named to the u.s. senate to fill the vacancy left when humphrey was elected lyndon johnson's vice president. in 1976, jimmy carter pulled him from the senate to be his vice presidential running mate. when carter and mondale lost the election in 1