Period 8

What was the overall plan of the United States regarding communism during the Cold War?

To contain communism by whatever means (containment)

What was the Truman Doctrine?

US pledged to give $400 million to help support Greece and Turkey due to a fear they would become communist countries. Sets a precedent for the Cold War policy in which the US would step in and financially and militarily stop communism.

What was the Marshall Plan?

US gave billions of dollars to help rebuild Europe and also to keep western European countries from becoming communist

Why is the Berlin Airlift so significant?

It was the first major test of the Cold War and highlighted the fact that the US would back up its words during the Cold War.

What were the first two major steps in the 1940's leading towards the Civil Rights Movement?

1.Jackie Robinson became the first African American baseball player in the Major Leagues

2. President Truman desegregated the military

Why was Brown v Board of Education so significant?

The landmark Supreme Court case said that segregation in schools was not legal and that separate facilities were not equal.

Why was the Montgomery Bus Boycott so significant?

Showed the effectiveness of nonviolent protest and established King as the face of the Civil Rights Movement.

What two major civil rights bills did LBJ pass?

1. Civil Rights Act of 1964 which prohibited segregation in all public facilities

2. Voting Rights Act of 1965 which prohibited racial discrimination in voting

Who was Malcolm X?

Black leader who helped establish a shift in the Civil Rights Movement from nonviolent protest towards a more militant and sometimes violent approach to achieve goals.

What did the Federal Highway Act do?

Connected and unified the country by creating a nationwide highway system. Helps lead to the rise of the suburbs and a dependence on the automobile.

What is the significance of Sputnik?

It exposed that the United States might be falling behind the Soviet Union in terms of education and science. Led to increased spending on education and the establishment of NASA and the Space Race (moon landing)

What was the focus of the Great Society?

It was a continuation and evolution of the New Deal begun under FDR. Greatly enhanced the power of the federal government.

Why is the Gulf of Tonkin incident so significant?

It drastically altered the role of the US towards a full scale military engagement in Vietnam and also highlighted the growing power of the presidency

What was vietnamization?

Nixon's goal of greatly reducing the military role away from combat

What did the bombing of Cambodia lead to?

1. Increased criticism of the war effort and Nixon

2. Incident at Kent State

3. Congressional questions about the war and the power of the executive which led to the War Powers Act

What was the War Powers Act?

Congressional check against excessive presidential power that required the president to keep Congress in the loop and took back power regarding foreign entanglements.

Why is the Watergate scandal so significant?

It led to Nixon resigning and also drastically increased American mistrust of govt. and its leaders.

What is NATO?

The first peacetime the US belonged to and in which we pledged to support our Allies if they are attacked.

What is massive retaliation?

Eisenhower's policy which advocated the full use of American nuclear weapons to counteract even a Soviet ground attack in Europe

How did Joseph McCarthy become so powerful during the late 1940's and early 1950's?

He was able to use paranoia regarding the spread of communism. His power drastically increased when he claimed to have list of communists in the state department.

Describe the Cuban Missile Crisis

Scariest moment of the Cold War when it appeared that the United States and the Soviet Union might engage in a nuclear war over nuclear missiles discovered in Cuba. It ended when the Soviet Union agreed to remove the missiles and the US pledged not to invade Cuba and to secretly remove missiles from Turkey.

Why was the Tet Offensive so significant?

North Vietnamese forces launched a huge attack on the Vietnamese New Year (Tet). The U.S. won the battles, but Americans reacted sharply which increased anti-war sentiment and helped lead to LBJ not running for re-election.

Define detente

A lessening of tensions between the U.S. and Soviet Union. Ex: SALT I

Describe the 1973 Oil Embargo

The OPEC oil embargo created an energy crisis and caused major economic problems

Describe the Camp David Accords

High point of Carter's presidency in which he invited the leaders of Egypt and Israel to Camp David. Led to a peace agreement.

What is the significance of the Bakke decision?

The Supreme Court ruled that quota systems were forbidden, but that affirmative action programs were constitutional.

Describe Title IX

Declared that all federally funded schools must provide fair and equal treatment of the sexes

Who were the Dixiecrats?

Southerners who fought for an old Southern way of life (states' rights), attempted to gain higher standing within Democratic party; aimed to deny Truman enough electoral votes to avoid his reelection by nominating Strom Thurmond (SC governor)

What is the significance of the Warren Court?

It was the second major creative period in creative judicial law During this period, the focus of the court shifted from property rights to personal rights.

Ex: Brown v Board of Education, Gideon v Wainright and Miranda v Arizona