Modern American Final

Flashcards

Truman Doctrine

A foreign policy strategy announced by President Harry Truman in 1947 aimed at containing the spread of communism by providing political, military, and economic assistance to countries resisting Soviet influence.

Truman’s Memoir

Truman's personal account detailing his experiences as President, including decision-making during critical events like World War II and the beginning of the Cold War.

Pendergrass Letter

A message written by President Truman addressing issues related to civil rights and the integration of African Americans into the military.

McCarthy Communism

A political movement led by Senator Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s that focused on accusations being made that people in the U.S. government and society were communists, often without real proof.

NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a military alliance formed in 1949 to contain communism and promote collective security among member nations.

Korean Conflict

A war between North Korea and South Korea which began when communist North Korea invaded democratic South Korea. The U.S. and UN forces supported the South while China supported the North. It ended in an agreement which left Korea divided.

Domino Theory

The belief that the spread of communism in one nation would lead to the spread of communism in neighboring countries, similar to a row of falling dominoes.

Mutually Assured Destruction

A military idea where two sides have so many nuclear weapons that if one attacks, the other can destroy them back, stopping anyone from starting a war.

Red Scare

A period of intense fear of communism in the United States, particularly during the Cold War, characterized by widespread accusations, paranoia, and government investigations against suspected communists.

Brown vs. Board of Education

A landmark Supreme Court case in 1954 that declared racial segregation in public schools illegal, overturning the "separate but equal" doctrine established in Plessy v. Ferguson.

Letter From Birmingham Jail

A significant open letter written by Martin Luther King Jr. in 1963, advocating for civil rights and social justice, while addressing criticism of his nonviolent protest methods.

Ballot or Bullet

A phrase used by Malcolm X in 1964, emphasizing the importance of voting for African Americans, but if that didn’t happen, there was a risk of violence in the fight for civil rights.

Steinem on Equal Rights

An influential essay by Gloria Steinem, presenting arguments for the Equal Rights Amendment and advocating for gender equality in the 1970s.

Black Power

A political movement that emerged in the 1960s, advocating for the empowerment of African Americans and emphasizing self-determination, racial pride, and political, economic, and social equality.

Black Panther Party

A revolutionary organization founded in 1966 aimed at addressing systemic issues such as police brutality and racial inequality, promoting self-defense, and community social programs.

Freedom Rides

A series of bus trips taken in 1961 by civil rights activists to challenge segregation in the southern United States, promoting desegregation in public transport.

Kent State University

site of a tragic student protest in 1970, where National Guardsmen shot and killed four students during a protest against the Vietnam War. It showed how tense things were in America at the time.

Stonewall Uprising

a series of protests in 1969 led by the LGBTQ+ community against police raids at the Stonewall Inn in New York City, which became a spark for the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.

Teddi Holt on Feminism

Teddi Holt is an activist who advocated for women's rights and feminist principles along with promoting social justice and equality in her community.

Russo Why We Fight

is a documentary film that explores the reasons behind the United States' involvement in various conflicts, particularly focusing on the motivations for war and the impact on society.

Reagan’s Farewell Address

delivered on January 11, 1989, it was a speech reflecting on his presidency, emphasizing themes of national unity, freedom, and the importance of civic engagement.

Income Inequality

Some people earn a lot more money than others. (the gap between the richest and the poorest in a society)

Equal Rights Amendment

Aims to guarantee that everyone has the same legal rights, regardless of their gender or skin color.

Reaganomics

President Reagan’s 1980s plan to cut taxes for the rich and businesses, reduce government spending, and loosen regulations, hoping wealth would “trickle down.”

Conservative vs. Liberal

• Approach to gov.

Conservatives want less government, focusing on individual freedom. Liberals want more government to promote equality and solve problems.

War on Drugs

A government campaign, largely started by President Nixon in the 1970s, to stop illegal drug use and trade through strict laws, increased policing, and harsh prison sentences.

Jerry Falwell - Evangelicals

A religious leader who founded the Moral Majority, a group of conservative Christians (the evangelicals). They aimed to bring their traditional Christian values into American politics and public life, especially concerning issues like LGBTQ+/abortion. They believed these values should guide laws and society.

Bush’s Axis of Evil

After 9/11, President George W. Bush called Iran, Iraq, and North Korea the “Axis of Evil.” He claimed these countries were dangerous because they supported terrorism and were trying to get weapons of mass destruction, threatening global peace.

NAFTA

A deal between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico to eliminate most tariffs (taxes) on goods traded between them. The goal was to make it cheaper and easier for these 3 countries to buy and sell products to each other.

USA PATRIOT Act

Passed after 9/11, significantly expanded government powers for surveillance and information gathering to prevent terrorism, allowing easier access to private records, raising privacy concerns.

The Great Recession

A severe economic downturn caused by a housing market crash that led to bank failures, widespread job losses, and financial instability.

Hurricane Katrina

(August 2005) Caused immense destruction and flooding in New Orleans, leading to widespread loss of life and exposing major disaster response shortcomings.

Social Media Echo Chambers

Limiting ideas ideas, no other perspectives being shared.