In what year did the United States deliver its first presidential speech on energy?

• A. 1965
• B. 1973
• C. 1980
• D. 1990

Answer: (B)

The moment a president first frames energy as a national policy priority in a formal address comes from the 1973 energy crisis. President Nixon gave a nationwide speech on energy on November 7, 1973, outlining a broad energy program, calling for conservation, and proposing steps to increase domestic energy production and reduce dependence on foreign oil. This speech is recognized as the first presidential address specifically on energy policy, setting the tone for how subsequent leaders would discuss and shape energy policy. The other years don’t fit because they occur either before the energy crisis or after, without marking the first formal energy-focused presidential address.