50s-70s

Dwight Eisenhower

Won the 1952 election with the slogan 'I Like Ike' and emphasized Cold War deterrence.

Checkers Speech

A live TV address by Eisenhower to defend against corruption allegations.

SEATO

Southeast Asia Treaty Organization created by Eisenhower to combat communism.

Massive Retaliation

Eisenhower’s strategy to deter Soviet aggression during the Cold War.

22nd Amendment

Constitutional amendment that limits U.S. presidents to two terms.

Korean War Armistice

Ceased hostilities in Korea in 1953, leaving the nation divided at the 38th parallel.

Dean Acheson’s 'Green Light' Mistake

Acheson’s speech that was interpreted as the U.S. disinterest in South Korea.

Baby Boom

A significant increase in U.S. birth rates from 1946 to 1964.

Highway Act (1956)

Legislation that created the Interstate Highway System under Eisenhower.

Military-Industrial Complex

Term used by Eisenhower warning against the influence of Defense contractors.

Suburbia

Post-WWII mass migration to suburban neighborhoods critiqued for promoting conformity.

Civil Rights Movement

A movement aimed to end segregation and achieve legal equality for Black Americans.

Red-lining

Discriminatory practice denying loans in minority neighborhoods, institutionalizing segregation.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

Supreme Court case that ruled school segregation unconstitutional.

Emmett Till (1955)

14-year-old boy lynched which sparked national outrage and galvanized the Civil Rights Movement.

Little Rock Nine (1957)

Nine Black students who integrated Central High School in Arkansas amidst violent opposition.

Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955-1956)

Protest against bus segregation led by Martin Luther King Jr. after Rosa Parks’ arrest.

Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)

Founded by MLK in 1957 to focus on nonviolent activism in the Civil Rights Movement.

Letter from Birmingham Jail (1963)

MLK's response advocating for civil disobedience and urgency for justice.

Sit-ins (1960)

Form of protest beginning in Greensboro where students sat in segregated lunch counters.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Legislation banning segregation in public places and employment discrimination.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Legislation that eliminated literacy tests and allowed federal oversight of elections.

Stokely Carmichael

SNCC leader who popularized 'Black Power' and shifted towards a more militant stance.

Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)

Grassroots organization focusing on civil rights activism founded by college students.

Black Power

Movement emphasizing Black pride, autonomy, and often contrasted with nonviolent integrationism.

Black Panthers (founded 1966)

Militant group promoting self-defense and community services in Black neighborhoods.

John F. Kennedy

Won the 1960 election and dealt with Cold War tensions, assassinated in 1963.

Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

A 13-day confrontation over Soviet missiles in Cuba that nearly led to nuclear war.

Berlin Wall (1961)

Built by East Germany to stop defections from East to West Berlin.

Lyndon B. Johnson

Took office after JFK, launched the 'Great Society' and escalated Vietnam involvement.

Great Society

LBJ's program aiming to eliminate poverty and racial injustice through various reforms.

Medicare (1965)

Federal health insurance program for citizens aged 65 and older.

Tet Offensive (1968)

A major attack by Viet Cong that shifted public opinion against the Vietnam War.

Kent State Shootings (1970)

National Guard killed protestors during Vietnam War protests, sparking outrage.

Watergate

Scandal involving a break-in at the Democratic National Committee revealing abuse of power.

Nixon’s Resignation (1974)

First U.S. president to resign, stepping down to avoid impeachment.

Camp David Accords (1978)

Peace treaty between Egypt and Israel brokered by President Jimmy Carter.

Iranian Hostage Crisis (1979-1981)

Crisis where 52 Americans were held hostage at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran.

Reaganomics

Economic policies of Ronald Reagan emphasizing tax cuts and deregulation.

Silent Majority

Phrase used by Nixon referring to Americans who did not publicly protest but supported conservatism.

26th Amendment (1971)

Amendment that lowered voting age from 21 to 18, empowering youth participation.

2nd Wave Feminism

Feminist movement focusing on workplace equality and reproductive rights, influenced by Betty Friedan.

Title IX (1972)

Banned sex discrimination in federally funded education

Expanded women’s sports and academic opportunities

Major milestone in gender equality

Watergate

Break-in at DNC headquarters linked to Nixon campaign

Led to cover-up and massive scandal

Sparked impeachment proceedings

Saturday Night Massacre (1973)

Nixon fired special prosecutor Archibald Cox

Top DOJ officials resigned in protest

Increased calls for Nixon’s impeachment

Woodward and Bernstein

Washington Post reporters who investigated Watergate

Used informant “Deep Throat” to uncover truth

Their work helped expose the cover-up

U.S. v. Nixon (1974)

Supreme Court ruled Nixon must turn over tapes

Rejected executive privilege as absolute

Sealed Nixon’s political fate

Nixon’s Resignation (1974)

First and only U.S. president to resign

Avoided impeachment by stepping down

Gerald Ford became president

Gerald Ford (1974–1977)

Pardoned Nixon, hurting his popularity

Faced economic recession and rising inflation

Presided over U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam

Jimmy Carter’s Election (1976)

Ran as a Washington outsider and moral leader

Faced challenges with economy and foreign policy

Emphasized human rights in diplomacy

Inflation / Economic Problems

1970s marked by “stagflation” — high inflation and unemployment

Oil crisis worsened economic conditions

Undermined public confidence in leadership

Camp David Accords (1978)

Peace treaty between Egypt and Israel brokered by Carter

Egypt recognized Israel; Israel withdrew from Sinai

Landmark Middle East peace agreement

Iranian Hostage Crisis (1979–1981)

Iranian revolutionaries seized U.S. embassy in Tehran

52 Americans held hostage for 444 days

Major blow to Carter’s presidency

Invasion of Afghanistan / Olympics (1979)

USSR invaded Afghanistan; U.S. boycotted 1980 Moscow Olympics

Cold War tensions reignited

Led to U.S. support for anti-Soviet rebels (Mujahideen)

Election of 1980

Ronald Reagan defeated Jimmy Carter

Promised to restore American strength and reduce government

Marked conservative shift in U.S. politics

Ronald Reagan

Promoted “Reaganomics” — tax cuts and deregulation

Increased defense spending and challenged the USSR

Known as the “Great Communicator”

How did the civil rights movement begin, develop, and what changes were made as a result?

Beginning:

Sparked by longstanding segregation and discrimination, especially in the South.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954) declared segregated schools unconstitutional.

Emmett Till's murder (1955) and the Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955–56) drew national attention.

How did the civil rights movement begin, develop, and what changes were made as a result?

Development:

Nonviolent protest led by MLK and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).

Sit-ins, Freedom Rides, and March on Washington (1963) expanded grassroots activism.

Violent backlash in Birmingham, Selma, etc., increased pressure on lawmakers.

How did the civil rights movement begin, develop, and what changes were made as a result?

Results:

Civil Rights Act of 1964: Banned segregation and employment discrimination.

Voting Rights Act of 1965: Banned literacy tests; enabled federal oversight of elections.

Inspired later movements (e.g., Black Power, women's liberation, LGBTQ+ rights).

What were Johnson’s greatest achievements and biggest mistakes?

Achievements:

Civil Rights Act (1964) and Voting Rights Act (1965)—landmark civil rights legislation.

Great Society programs: Medicare, Medicaid, Head Start, and War on Poverty.

Education and environmental reforms: Elementary and Secondary Education Act; Clean Air Act.

What were Johnson’s greatest achievements and biggest mistakes?

Mistakes:

Escalation of the Vietnam War: Gulf of Tonkin Resolution gave him broad powers; led to deepening U.S. involvement without clear strategy.

Credibility gap: Americans began to distrust government statements about the war.

War spending drained resources from domestic programs and soured public opinion.

How did the years 1968–72 (pre-Watergate) mark a turning point in public attitudes toward government and war?

Turning Point Events:

Tet Offensive (1968) shocked Americans—proved war was far from over despite government claims.

My Lai Massacre (1968, revealed 1971) and Pentagon Papers (1971) exposed government deception.

Widespread protests (Kent State 1970) against the Cambodia bombings.

How did the years 1968–72 (pre-Watergate) mark a turning point in public attitudes toward government and war?

Public Sentiment:

Shift from trust in government (post-WWII optimism) to deep skepticism.

Growing “credibility gap” and disillusionment, especially among young Americans.

What factors prevented the U.S. from achieving its goals in this era (especially in Vietnam)?

Vietnam Factors:

Guerrilla tactics of Viet Cong; U.S. lacked understanding of terrain and culture.

Unclear objectives: Was the goal containment, democracy, or victory?

Lack of South Vietnamese support: Corrupt regimes lost legitimacy.

What factors prevented the U.S. from achieving its goals in this era (especially in Vietnam)?

Homefront:

Divided public opinion and widespread protests weakened political will.

Draft inequities (class and race-based) fueled resentment.

Feminism’s achievements and limits during the era (First vs. Second Wave & ERA opposition):

First-Wave Feminism (late 1800s–1920):

Focused on legal equality and suffrage.

Key figures: Susan B. Anthony, Carrie Chapman Catt.

Feminism’s achievements and limits during the era (First vs. Second Wave & ERA opposition):

Second-Wave Feminism (1960s–80s):

Focused on social, economic, and reproductive rights.

Key figure: Betty Friedan, author of The Feminine Mystique (1963); helped found NOW.

Feminism’s achievements and limits during the era (First vs. Second Wave & ERA opposition):

Achievements:

Title IX (1972): Prohibited sex discrimination in education.

Greater access to jobs, education, and birth control (e.g., Roe v. Wade 1973).

Feminism’s achievements and limits during the era (First vs. Second Wave & ERA opposition):

Limits:

ERA (Equal Rights Amendment) passed Congress in 1972 but failed ratification.

Opposition from Phyllis Schlafly, who argued the ERA would dismantle traditional gender roles and harm families.

What was Watergate and how did it affect the nation?

Summary:

Break-in at DNC HQ (1972) by Nixon campaign operatives (the “plumbers”).

Nixon administration attempted to cover up involvement.

Investigations revealed abuse of power, secret tapes, obstruction of justice.

What was Watergate and how did it affect the nation?

Impact:

Nixon resigned (1974) to avoid impeachment—first U.S. president to do so.

Deepened public distrust in government (post-Vietnam disillusionment intensified).

Led to new reforms: campaign finance laws, greater transparency, and limits on executive power (War Powers Act, FOIA expansion).

Compare and contrast two presidents from this unit (e.g., Johnson vs. Nixon):

Johnson:

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Domestic policy and civil rights leadership (Great Society).

Vietnam escalation, loss of public trust.

Foreign policy—opened relations with China, détente with USSR.

Watergate scandal, abuse of executive