Contesting Futures: America in the 1960s – Study Guide Flashcards

A comprehensive set of question-and-answer flashcards covering major people, events, legislation, and concepts from Chapter 29, “Contesting Futures: America in the 1960s.”

What domestic vision did President John F. Kennedy promote during his 1960 campaign?

The "New Frontier," promising aid to the poor, expanded civil-rights protections, and improved education and employment opportunities.

Which two global regions did JFK primarily focus on to counter communism?

Cuba (including the Missile Crisis) and Vietnam (where he sent advisors and troops).

How did Kennedy’s family background and war record boost his political rise?

As Joseph P. Kennedy’s son and a decorated PT-boat war hero, he gained wealth, fame, and credibility despite limited experience.

Why was the first televised presidential debate (1960) historically significant?

TV viewers favored the telegenic Kennedy over Nixon, showing the power of image in modern politics; radio listeners had thought Nixon won.

What was the purpose of Kennedy’s Peace Corps (1961)?

To send young Americans abroad on humanitarian projects, using "soft power" to win allies in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

What foreign-aid program sought to spur Latin American development and deter communism?

The Alliance for Progress.

What happened at the Bay of Pigs invasion (April 1961)?

CIA-trained Cuban exiles landed to oust Fidel Castro; Kennedy canceled U.S. air support, the invasion failed, and insurgents were captured.

What discovery triggered the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis?

U.S. spy photos showing Soviet long-range ballistic missile sites in Cuba.

How was the Cuban Missile Crisis resolved?

Khrushchev removed missiles; Kennedy pledged not to invade Cuba and secretly agreed to remove U.S. missiles from Turkey.

Why was JFK in Dallas on November 22, 1963?

To solidify political support in Texas for his 1964 reelection campaign.

Who was accused of assassinating President Kennedy, and what did the Warren Commission conclude?

Lee Harvey Oswald; the Commission said he acted alone and no conspiracy existed.

What overarching goal defined Lyndon B. Johnson’s domestic agenda?

Creating the "Great Society" to eradicate poverty and combat racial discrimination.

Which 1965 law massively increased federal funds for K-12 schools and programs for disadvantaged children?

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

Name two key benefits of the Higher Education Act of 1965.

Scholarships & low-interest loans for poor students, and expanded federal funding for colleges/universities.

What 1964 legislation created Job Corps, VISTA, and Head Start?

The Economic Opportunity Act (EOA).

What federal programs were established by the 1965 Social Security amendments to cover health costs?

Medicare for those 65+ and Medicaid for the poor.

List three major provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Banned discrimination in public accommodations, ended job discrimination (race, color, religion, sex, origin) with EEOC, and cut federal funds to segregated programs.

What did the 24th Amendment (1964) outlaw?

Poll taxes in federal elections.

What event became known as "Bloody Sunday" (1965)?

Peaceful Selma-to-Montgomery marchers were attacked by state troopers on the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

How did the Voting Rights Act of 1965 protect minority voters?

It banned literacy tests and allowed federal oversight of elections that discriminated on racial grounds.

What issue did the Civil Rights Act of 1968 address?

It prohibited racial, religious, and national-origin discrimination in housing.

What power did the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (1964) give President Johnson?

Authority to use military force in Vietnam without a formal declaration of war.

Why did the Tet Offensive (January 1968) shock Americans?

Despite later U.S./South Vietnamese victory, the large-scale attacks contradicted official claims that the war was nearly won.

What was the purpose of the 1961 Freedom Rides organized by CORE and SNCC?

To test Supreme Court bans on bus-terminal segregation by riding interracial buses through the South.

Which iconic 1963 event pressured Kennedy on civil rights and featured King’s “I Have a Dream” speech?

The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

What message did King convey in his "Letter from a Birmingham Jail"?

That African Americans had waited long enough; nonviolent direct action was necessary to end unjust laws.

How did MLK’s assassination (April 4, 1968) affect U.S. cities?

Sparked riots and unrest in many urban centers as grief and anger erupted.

Define “Black Power” as used by Stokely Carmichael.

African American political and economic self-determination, sometimes advocating separatism from white institutions.

Which organization did Malcolm X leave to form the Organization of Afro-American Unity in 1964?

The Nation of Islam.

What tactic helped Cesar Chavez’s United Farm Workers win recognition from grape growers?

A nationwide consumer grape boycott combined with strikes and a march to Sacramento.

What was the significance of Students for a Democratic Society’s Port Huron Statement (1962)?

It called for participatory democracy, civil disobedience, and rejection of Cold-War anti-communist orthodoxy.

Which 1963 bestseller by Betty Friedan criticized the confinement of women to domestic roles?

The Feminine Mystique.

How did FDA approval of the birth-control pill (1960) influence women’s lives?

Allowed women to delay or avoid pregnancy, facilitating greater participation in work and education.

What broad goal did the National Organization for Women (NOW) set in 1966?

Full equality for women in all aspects of American life, including passage of an Equal Rights Amendment.

Why did Kennedy create the Agency for International Development (USAID)?

To coordinate and distribute U.S. foreign aid in developing countries.

Why did the Bay of Pigs fiasco heighten Cuba’s dependence on the USSR?

It exposed Cuba’s vulnerability, prompting the Soviets to send troops and missiles for defense.

What hidden U.S. concession ended the Cuban Missile Crisis?

Removing American Jupiter missiles from Turkey.

Which Johnson program recruited stateside volunteers to fight poverty, mirroring the Peace Corps abroad?

Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA).

What was the primary purpose of Community Action Agencies under the OEO?

Locally run groups that empowered residents of poor areas to improve social and economic conditions.

Which event in 1963 exposed brutal police tactics against child demonstrators and led to global outrage?

The Birmingham campaign where police used fire hoses and dogs on protesters.

What civil rights legislation sought to eliminate discrimination in renting or selling homes?

The Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act).

Who coined the phrase "by any means necessary" and what did it signify?

Malcolm X; willingness to use whatever strategies, including self-defense, to secure African American freedom and equality.

How did the Gulf of Tonkin incident later affect perceptions of government credibility?

Revelations that the second attack never happened fueled public distrust of official Vietnam War statements.