SS Vocabulary Terms and People- Ch 15 Post War America

Chapter 15

Cold War

A period of tension between the Soviet Union and the United States after World War II.

Iron Curtain

Division between Western democracies and Eastern communist countries during the Cold War.

Marshall Plan

Program providing aid to Western Europe to help prevent the spread of communism.

Berlin Airlift

Where the U.S. and its allies brought supplies to West Berlin by air.

NATO

Military alliance formed in 1949 for mutual defense against the USSR.

Warsaw Pact

Treaty between the Soviet Union and seven Eastern Bloc socialist republics in response to NATO.

United Nations

An international organization to promote peace, security, and cooperation among countries.

containment

A U.S. strategy aimed at preventing the spread of communism during the Cold War.

Korean War

A conflict that lasted from 1950 to 1953 between North Korea, supported by China and the Soviet Union, and South Korea, supported by United Nations forces led by the United States.

GI Bill of Rights

Legislation that provided benefits to World War II veterans, including education and housing assistance.

Fair Deal

A set of proposals aimed at improving social welfare and promoting economic growth.

suburbs

Residential areas located on the outskirts of a city.

segregation

The practice of separating people, often based on race.

integration

The process of combining different racial or ethnic groups into a unified society.

Montgomery Bus Boycott

A pivotal protest against racial segregation on public buses that took place in Montgomery, Alabama.

civil disobedience

Nonviolent refusal to comply with unjust laws or government demands, often to promote social change.

sit-in

A nonviolent protest method where individuals occupy a space, typically in a segregated area.

Civil Rights Act 1964

Prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

Cuban Missile Crisis

Conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union over the presence of Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba, which brought the two superpowers close to nuclear war.

Domino Theory

Idea that the spread of communism in one nation could lead to its spread in others.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

Legislation passed in 1964 that granted the President authorization to use military force in Southeast Asia.

Watergate Scandal

Break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters and the subsequent cover-up by President Nixon's administration.

Joseph McCarthy

U.S. Senator known for his anti-communist pursuits in the 1950s, leading to Blacklists and accusations of disloyalty.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Civil rights leader who advocated for nonviolent resistance against racial segregation and discrimination in the 1950s and 1960s.

Rosa Parks

Civil rights activist who refused to give up her bus seat, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

John F. Kennedy

The 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963.

Lydon B. Johnson

The 36th President of the United States, who succeeded John F. Kennedy after his assassination in 1963 and is known for his Great Society legislation and escalated involvement in the Vietnam War.

Richard Nixon

The 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974, known for resigning due to the Watergate scandal.