us history final exam study guide

What were FDR's Fireside Chats?

Radio speeches that explained New Deal programs and built trust with Americans.

What were FDR's three main goals during the New Deal?

Relief, recovery, and reform.

What was the immediate goal of the New Deal?

To help struggling Americans through jobs, aid, and housing.

What was one major cause of the Great Depression?

overproduction

What does "buying on margin" mean?

Buying with borrowed money/credit.

How did the New Deal change the role of government?

The federal government became more responsible for citizens' economic well-being.

Did FDR believe the government should step in during crises?

Yes

What kinds of programs were created during the New Deal?

Jobs programs, banking reform, and social safety nets.

Why did many African Americans move North and West during the Great Migration?

To escape racism, Jim Crow laws, violence, and inequality in the South.

What poem reflected the Great Migration?

"One Way Ticket" by Langston Hughes

What was the main theme of "One Way Ticket"?

Leaving the South because of racial injustice.

What did the Social Security Act provide?

Financial support for elderly people age 65 and older.

What long-term effect did Social Security create?

Government responsibility for citizens' welfare.

What caused tension during the Cold War?

Communism vs. capitalism, nuclear arms race, and competing foreign policies.

Was racial inequality a cause of the Cold War?

No, it was a domestic issue.

What was containment?

US policy to prevent the expansion of communism

What was the Domino Theory?

That if one nation fell to communism then all the others would fall like dominos.

What is brinkmanship?

When countries come to the "edge" of war

What was the Berlin Blockade?

A Soviet attempt to block Western access to West Berlin.

Why was the Cuban Missile Crisis important?

It brought the U.S. and Soviet Union close to nuclear war.

What started the Space Race?

Soviet Union launched Sputnik

Did the U.S. and Soviet Union fight directly in the Cold War?

No, they avoided direct war.

What idea helped lead the U.S. into the Vietnam War?

The Domino Theory.

How did Americans feel about the Vietnam War over time?

The war became increasingly unpopular.

What lesson was learned from the Vietnam War?

Military strength does not guarantee victory.

What role did public opinion play during Vietnam?

Public opinion strongly affected government decisions.

What constitutional issue grew during the Vietnam War?

Expansion of presidential war powers.

Why did some Americans support the Vietnam War?

Patriotism and fear of communism.

Why did others protest the Vietnam War?

They supported peace and opposed the war.

What were the goals of the Civil Rights Movement?

Ending segregation and gaining equal rights under the law.

What method did Martin Luther King Jr. support?

Nonviolence

What is civil disobedience?

Peacefully breaking unjust laws.

What does NAACP stand for?

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

What does SCLC stand for?

Southern Christian Leadership Conference

What does CORE stand for?

Congress of Racial Equality

What did Brown v. Board of Education do?

It ended legal school segregation by holding that separate is not equal.

What did the Civil Rights Act do?

Outlawed discrimination and segregation.

What did the Voting Rights Act do?

Protected voting rights for African Americans.

Who promoted the idea of "Black Power"?

Stokely Carmichael

Why did Stokely Carmichael criticize nonviolence?

He believed it was too slow.

What is segregation?

separation of the races

What does the Equal Protection Clause guarantee?

Equal treatment under the law for all individuals.

What is Title IX?

A law banning gender discrimination in education programs.

What was the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)?

A proposed amendment for gender equality.

Was the ERA ratified?

no

Why were the Stonewall Riots important?

They started the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.

What happened during Watergate?

A break-in at Democratic headquarters connected to Nixon's administration.

What happened to Richard Nixon because of Watergate?

He resigned.

How did Watergate affect Americans?

People lost trust in government

How did Watergate affect the media?

Journalists became more investigative.

Why did the U.S. enter the Persian Gulf War?

To defend Kuwait after Iraq invaded it.

Why was Kuwait important to the U.S.?

Oil supply and regional stability.

How did 9/11 change U.S. foreign policy?

It led to major security and military changes.

What did the Patriot Act do?

Increased government security powers.

When did the role of government increase?

During the New Deal and Cold War.

What was the Cold War mainly about?

Tension between the U.S. and Soviet Union without direct war.

What did the Vietnam War show about military power?

It has limits.

What rights movements should you know?

Civil Rights, Women's Rights, and LGBTQ+ Rights.

Why is public opinion important in U.S. history?

It helps shape government policy and decisions.