Civil Rights Act of 1964
Banned racial discrimination in public facilities
Strengthened federal government’s power to fight segregation in school
Empowered EEOC and barred employer from discriminating based on race
affirmative action
Term from executive ordered passed by LBJ
Take action against discrimination - both racial and gender
Great Society
LBJ’s domestic agenda
Focused on spreading postwar prosperity to all -- Through Civil Rights and fighting poverty
Tonkin Gulf Resolution
Passed in response to the Tonkin Gulf Incident
Congress didn’t respond with a formal declaration of war, but gave LBJ the check to use all necessary measures.
Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965
Abolished 1921 quota
Admission criteria was changed - based on immigrant’s skill and family ties with US citizens
Transformed America’s demographic profile
Freedom Summer
Voter registration drive in Mississippi lead by a coalition of civil rights groups.
African Americans joined hands with white civil rights workers and sang “We Shall Overcome”
Mississippi Freedom Democratic party
Political party formed by civil rights activist to challenge Mississippi delegation
Denied seats at the Democratic National Convention
Setback to civil rights activism in the South and continued the struggle for black voting rights.
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Passed by LBJ
Prohibited ballon-denying tactics
Successor to Civil Rights Act of 1964
Watts
A predominantly black neighbor in LA, California
Vicious riot erupted after word spreading of an act of police brutality against a black man.
Undermined King’s nonviolence policy and turned many activists to a violent approach
Black Panther party
Armed black militants in Oakland, CA in 1966 to protect black rights
Dissatisfied with the nonviolent wing of Civil Rights
Black Power
Militancy and separatism policy that rose in prominence
Rejected MLK’s pacifism
Promoted African heritage and militant position in defense of their rights
Six-Day War
Military conflict between Israel and Arab Nations (Egypt, Jordan, and Syria).
Israeli victory and territorial expansion
Tet Offensive
Surprise attacks by Viet Cong on 27 South Vietnamese Cities (including Saigon)
Military defeat, but political victory for Ho Chi Minh
In response, American military leaders requested more troops.
Stonewall Rebellion
Uprising in support of equal rights of gay people
Sparked by an assault of off-duty police officers at a gay bar in New York
Led to rise in activist and militancy with the gay community
Furthered the sexual revolution of the late 60s.
Students for a Democratic Society (SDS)
Campus-based political organization found by Tom Hayden
Emerged at the forefront of the civil rights, antipoverty, and antiwar movements during the 60s
Young Americans for Freedom (YAF)
Conservative counterpart to SDS
Helped propel Goldwater’s 1964 presidential candidacy and energized conservatism during the Reagan years.
Vietnamization
Military strategy launched by Nixon
Reduced number of American combat troops in Vietnam and left more of the righting to the South Vietnamese, who were supplied with American armor, tanks, and weaponry.
Nixon Doctrine
Nixon’s plan for peace with honor in Vietnam
Stated US would honor its existing defense commitments, but in the future countries would have to fight their own wars.
silent majority
Nixon’s term for law-abiding, middle-class Americans who supposed the Vietnam War and America’s institutions.
Made the distinction between believers in traditional values and the vocal minority who challenged the status quo.
My Lai
March 1968 - Vietnamese Village that was the scene of a military assault
American soldiers under the command of 2nd Lieutenant William Calley murdered hundreds of unarmed Vietnamese civillians (mostly women and children)
Produced outrage and reduced support for the war in America and around the world when details of an attempted cover up were revealed (November 1969).
Kent State University
Scene of massacre of 4 college students by National Guardsmen in Ohio
In response to Nixon’s announcement of expanding the war into Cambodia, college campuses exploded in in violence.
May 14 and May 15, students were protesting -- highway patrolmen fired into a student dormitory, killing two students.
Pentagon Papers
Secret US gov report detailing early planning and policy decision regarding the war under Kennedy and Johnson
Leaked to the New York Times in 1971
Revealed governmental secrecy, lies, and incompetence in the prosecution of the war.
détente
French for reduced tension
Period of Cold War - US and USSR negotiated reduced armament treaties under Nixon, Ford, and Carter
Ushered by Nixon’s visits, led to ABM, SALT, and freezing number of long-rage nuclear missile - departure from destruction and containment
Miranda warning
Came out of supreme court’s decision in Miranda v. Arizona
Declared that law enforcement officers must make sure suspects understand their constitutional rights - safeguard against forced confessions and self-implication
Philadelphia Plan
Established by Nixon
Require construction trade unions to work towards hiring more black apprentices.
Altered LBJ’s concept of affirmative action -- instead of focusing on groups, this plan focused on individuals
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Signed into law by Nixon in 1970
Designed to regulate pollution, emissions, and other factors that negatively influence the natural environment
Marked the newfound commitment of the gov to actively combat environmental risks
Earth Day
International day of celebration and awareness of global environmental issues launched by conservationists on April 22, 1970.
southern strategy
Nixon’s reelection campaign strategy
Designed to appeal to conservative whites in the historically Democratic South
Stressed law and order issues and remained noncommittal on civil rights
Typified the regional split between the two parties - White southerners began to be increasingly attracted to the Republican party in the aftermath of the Civil Rights movement.
primary elections
Required presidential hopefuls to run popular campaigns to garner party’s support -- as opposed to party leaders choosing candidates
Allowed newcomers more opportunities
War Powers Act
Limited president’s ability to wage war without congressional approval
Required Congress to notify Congress within 48 hrs of committing troops to a foreign conflict
Consequence of Vietnam War
All-Volunteer Force (AVF)
No more conscription - a highly selective force comprising more disciplined and more prepared force than the ones in place since WW2
Less expensive, easier to employ as an instrument of foreign policy, and more technologically enhanced.