US History exam - ww2 continuation

Cuban Missile Crisis

A 13-day confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union after the Soviets placed nuclear missiles in Cuba, bringing the world close to nuclear war.

John F. Kennedy

U.S. president who handled the Cuban Missile Crisis using a naval blockade and negotiations.

Nikita Khrushchev

Soviet leader who agreed to remove missiles from Cuba to avoid war.

Naval Blockade (Quarantine)

U.S. action to stop Soviet ships from bringing more missiles to Cuba.

Hotline Agreement

Direct communication link created between U.S. and Soviet leaders after the crisis.

New Frontier

Kennedy’s program focused on economic growth, space exploration, and helping the poor.

Peace Corps

Program that sent American volunteers to help other countries and spread U.S. ideals.

Alliance for Progress

Program to provide aid to Latin America and prevent the spread of communism.

Space Race

Competition between the U.S. and Soviet Union to explore space.

Flexible Response

Military strategy allowing the U.S. to respond to threats in different ways, not just nuclear weapons.

Lyndon B. Johnson

U.S. president who expanded civil rights and social programs.

Great Society

Set of programs aimed at ending poverty and racial injustice.

War on Poverty

Government effort to reduce poverty through education and job programs.

Medicare

Health insurance program for people age 65 and older.

Medicaid

Health insurance for low-income individuals.

Civil Rights Act (1964)

Law that banned discrimination based on race, gender, religion, or national origin.

Voting Rights Act (1965)

Law that protected voting rights and eliminated barriers like literacy tests.

Vietnam War

War between communist North Vietnam and non-communist South Vietnam, with heavy U.S. involvement.

Containment

U.S. policy to stop the spread of communism.

Domino Theory

Idea that if one country became communist, nearby countries would follow.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

Law that allowed Johnson to increase U.S. military involvement in Vietnam.

Viet Cong

Communist fighters in South Vietnam.

Tet Offensive

Major 1968 attack by North Vietnam that turned U.S. public opinion against the war.

Vietnamization

Plan to withdraw U.S. troops and let South Vietnam take over fighting.

Anti-War Movement

Protests in the U.S. against the Vietnam War.

Miranda v. Arizona (1966)

Supreme Court case that required police to inform suspects of their rights.

Miranda Rights

Rights including the right to remain silent and the right to a lawyer.

Ernesto Miranda

Defendant whose case led to Miranda Rights.

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

Supreme Court case that ruled states must provide lawyers to defendants who cannot afford one.

Right to Counsel

The right to have a lawyer, guaranteed by the Constitution.

Clarence Earl Gideon

Defendant whose case led to guaranteed legal representation.

Foreign Policy by Nixon

Nixon's foreign policy aimed at easing tensions with the USSR and China through détente, characterized by strategic arms limitation talks (SALT) and opening relations with China.

Domestic Policy by Nixon

Nixon's domestic policy included initiatives like the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the promotion of revenue sharing among states.

New Federalism

Nixon's policy that aimed to transfer some federal powers back to the states, allowing for greater local control over programs and funding.

Nixon Watergate Scandal

A political scandal involving the break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters and subsequent cover-up efforts by the Nixon administration.

Nixon's Resignation

Richard Nixon resigned from the presidency on August 8, 1974, due to the Watergate scandal, becoming the first U.S. president to resign from office.