YAWP Chapter 28 Reading Terms

Living Room War

The Vietnam War, as it was televised and shown directly into American homes, making it more personal and controversial.

Cam Ne

A South Vietnamese village where the U.S. military conducted a controversial 'search and destroy' operation during the Vietnam War.

Tet Offensive

A surprise series of attacks by North Vietnamese forces on South Vietnam in 1968, which turned American public opinion against the war.

My Lai

A massacre in 1968 where U.S. soldiers killed hundreds of unarmed South Vietnamese civilians, leading to widespread outrage.

Richard Nixon

37th U.S. president, known for ending the Vietnam War, his involvement in the Watergate scandal, and his resignation in 1974.

Vietnamization

Nixon's policy to gradually withdraw U.S. troops from Vietnam and transfer combat duties to the South Vietnamese forces.

Kent State and Jackson State

College protests against the Vietnam War in 1970, where National Guard troops killed four students at Kent State and two at Jackson State.

Paris Peace Accords, 1973

The agreement that ended U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, calling for a ceasefire and the withdrawal of American troops.

Malcolm X

Civil rights leader who advocated for black empowerment and the use of self-defense, later shifting toward a more inclusive approach after his pilgrimage to Mecca.

All in the Family

A 1970s TV show that addressed controversial social issues, starring Archie Bunker, known for its progressive yet provocative content.

Watts, Newark, and Detroit

Major cities that experienced violent race riots in the 1960s, protesting police brutality and racial inequality.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Landmark law that outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in employment and public accommodations.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

A law aimed at eliminating racial discrimination in voting, particularly in the South, by banning literacy tests and other discriminatory practices.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Leader of the civil rights movement, known for his advocacy of nonviolent resistance and his 'I Have a Dream' speech.

George Wallace

Governor of Alabama, known for his strong segregationist views and his opposition to civil rights reforms during the 1960s.

SALT

Strategic Arms Limitation Talks; negotiations between the U.S. and the Soviet Union to limit nuclear weapons during the Cold War.

Detente

A period of improved relations between the U.S. and the Soviet Union during the 1970s, focusing on arms control and diplomacy.

OPEC

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, a group of oil-producing nations that work together to regulate oil production and prices.

War Powers Act

A 1973 law that limited the president's ability to send U.S. troops into combat without Congressional approval.

Pentagon Papers

A secret government report detailing U.S. political and military involvement in Vietnam, leaked to the press in 1971, revealing government deception.

CREEP

The Committee to Re-Elect the President, an organization involved in the Watergate scandal's illegal activities.

Watergate

A political scandal involving a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters and subsequent cover-up, leading to President Nixon’s resignation.

Rustbelt

A region of the U.S. known for its declining industrial base, especially in cities in the Midwest and Northeast.

Sunbelt

A region of the U.S. in the South and West, characterized by a growing population, warm climate, and an expanding economy.

Roe v. Wade

A landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide, ruling that a woman’s right to choose was protected under the Constitution.

ERA (Equal Rights Amendment)

A proposed amendment to the Constitution guaranteeing equal rights for all citizens, regardless of sex, which was never ratified.

NOW (National Organization for Women)

A feminist organization founded in 1966 to advocate for women's rights, including gender equality and reproductive rights.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

A federal agency established to enforce laws against workplace discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

Stonewall

A 1969 uprising at the Stonewall Inn in New York City, considered the catalyst for the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.

Jerry Falwell

Evangelical Christian leader and founder of the Moral Majority, a political organization that sought to influence American politics in the 1970s and 1980s.

Phyllis Schlafly

Conservative activist who opposed the feminist movement, particularly the Equal Rights Amendment, in the 1970s and 1980s.

Jimmy Carter

39th U.S. president, known for his focus on human rights, his successful mediation of the Camp David Accords, and his handling of the Iran Hostage Crisis.

Stagflation

An economic condition in the 1970s characterized by high inflation and high unemployment occurring simultaneously, hurting the U.S. economy.

“Misery Index”

An economic measure created by economist Arthur Okun, combining inflation and unemployment rates to gauge the overall economic hardship of Americans.

Camp David Accords

A peace agreement brokered by President Carter in 1978 between Egypt and Israel, leading to the first peace treaty between Israel and an Arab country.

Iran Hostage Crisis

A diplomatic crisis in 1979 when 52 American diplomats were held hostage in Iran for 444 days, damaging President Carter's re-election prospects.