2026 USW Media Final Exam Study Guide

Vocabulary flashcards identifying key political terms, historical events, and significant figures from the 1950s through the early 2000s.

Containment

A key term related to the US policy during the Cold War to stop the spread of communism.

Domino Theory

The theory that if one country falls to communism, surrounding countries will follow.

Detente

A period of reduced tension or easing of hostility between countries.

Proxy War

A conflict where opposing powers use third parties as substitutes for fighting each other directly.

Partition

The division of a territory into separate political entities, such as the division of India and Pakistan.

Segregation

The enforced separation of different racial groups, a central issue of the Civil Rights Movement.

McCarthyism

The practice of making accusations of subversion or treason, particularly related to communism.

India

A majority Hindu country created during the Partition.

Pakistan

A majority Muslim country created during the Partition.

Cold War

A period of geopolitical tension between the Soviet Union and the United States, involving NATO, the "Iron Curtain" speech, and the Berlin Wall.

Brown v. Board of Education

A landmark case in the Civil Rights Movement focused on desegregating schools.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

A major legislative goal and achievement of the Civil Rights Movement.

Ho Chi Minh

A nationalist leader of North Vietnam who wanted independence and became communist.

Vietnam War

A conflict in Indochina (formerly colonized by the French) between the North and South; it involved the draft, the Pentagon Papers, and chemical weapons like Agent Orange.

Agent Orange

A chemical weapon used during the Vietnam War that had a significant impact.

Iran 1953 Coup

The overthrow of the Iranian government that occurred in 1953.

Iran Revolution 1979

The revolution that transformed Iran into an Islamic Republic under Ayatollah Khomeini.

Iraq and Afghanistan Invasions

The occupations and invasions that occurred in 2001 and 2003.

9/11

The date of the terrorist attacks that initiated the War on Terror.

Terrorist Groups

Entities including Al Qaeda, ISIS, Hamas, and Hezbollah.

Winston Churchill

The leader of the UK after WW2 known for the "Iron Curtain" speech.

Fidel Castro

The leader of Cuba.

JFK

The US President during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

George W. Bush

The US President during 9/11, the Iraq invasion, and the Afghanistan invasion.

Osama bin Laden

The leader of Al Qaeda associated with the 9/11 attacks.

Saddam Hussein

The leader of Iraq.

Ronald Regan

The US President during the 1980s.

Ayatollah Khomeini

The leader of Iran during the 1979 Revolution.