Unit 8 ALL

Fidel Castro (1959)

Cuban revolutionary who overthrew a U.S.-backed dictator and established a communist government. His alliance with the Soviet Union led to Cold War tensions, especially the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Bay of Pigs Invasion (1961)

A failed U.S.-backed operation by Cuban exiles to overthrow Fidel Castro. The embarrassing defeat increased Cold War tensions and pushed Cuba closer to the USSR.

Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

A 13-day standoff after the U.S. discovered Soviet missiles in Cuba. It brought the world to the brink of nuclear war but ended with the USSR removing the missiles in exchange for U.S. concessions.

Economic Embargo (1960-present)

The U.S. imposed trade restrictions on Cuba after Castro's revolution. It aimed to weaken Castro's regime but instead strengthened Cuban-Soviet ties.

Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) (1955-1975)

The South Vietnamese military, supported by the U.S. during the Vietnam War. Despite heavy U.S. aid, they struggled against the North Vietnamese and Vietcong.

Vietcong (VC) (1960s-1975)

South Vietnamese communist fighters allied with the North. Used guerrilla tactics and were hard to defeat, frustrating U.S. forces.

Gulf of Tonkin Incident (1964)

Alleged attacks on U.S. ships by North Vietnam. Led to the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, giving LBJ broad war powers without a formal declaration.

Living Room War (1960s-1970s)

Nickname for the Vietnam War because TV brought graphic war coverage into American homes. Public opinion turned against the war as people saw its brutal reality.

Hippies (1960s)

Part of the counterculture that rejected traditional values. Promoted peace, love, and drugs, and protested war and consumerism. Symbolized youth rebellion.

The Man (1960s)

Slang for authority or the government, especially seen as oppressive by the counterculture and civil rights activists. Represented the system they opposed.

Tet Offensive (1968)

Massive surprise attacks by North Vietnam during the Vietnamese New Year. Though a military failure for them, it shocked Americans and reduced public support for the war.

My Lai Massacre (1968)

U.S. soldiers killed hundreds of unarmed Vietnamese civilians. When it became public, it fueled anti-war protests and distrust of the military.

Nixon's Silent Majority (1969)

Term Nixon used to describe Americans who supported the Vietnam War and traditional values but didn't protest. He appealed to them for political support.

Détente (1970s)

Policy of easing Cold War tensions between the U.S. and USSR. Led to arms control agreements and a more diplomatic approach during Nixon's presidency.

Kent State Shooting (1970)

National Guardsmen shot and killed four students during a protest against the Vietnam War. Sparked national outrage and increased anti-war sentiment.

Environmental Protection Agency (1970)

Created by Nixon in response to growing environmental concerns. Enforced regulations to protect air, water, and land from pollution.

Three Mile Island (1979)

Site of a partial nuclear meltdown in Pennsylvania. Though contained, it caused public fear of nuclear energy and slowed its development.

Oil Crisis (1973)

OPEC cut oil exports to the U.S. for supporting Israel. Gas prices soared, causing economic recession and revealing U.S. dependence on foreign oil.

Watergate (1972-1974)

Scandal where Nixon's team broke into the DNC HQ and then covered it up. Exposed abuse of power, led to Nixon's resignation, and deepened public mistrust.

Woodward & Bernstein (1972-1974)

Washington Post reporters who investigated the Watergate break-in. Their reporting helped uncover the cover-up and bring down Nixon.

Crisis of Confidence Speech (1979)

Jimmy Carter addressed American doubt in leadership and national direction. Intended to inspire, but many saw it as blaming the people. Also called the "Malaise Speech."

The Silent Majority (1969)

(Repeated from above) Nixon's term for Americans who didn't protest but supported the war and traditional values. He appealed to them to counter loud activists.

Madman Strategy (1969-1970)

Nixon's plan to appear unpredictable and willing to use extreme force, including nuclear weapons, to scare North Vietnam into peace. Part of his Vietnam strategy.

Pentagon Papers (1971)

Top-secret documents leaked showing U.S. officials had lied about the Vietnam War's progress. Their release increased public distrust in the government.

1967 Summer of Love

A gathering of thousands of hippies in San Francisco promoting peace, music, and love. Symbolized the peak of 1960s counterculture and rejection of the mainstream.

Woodstock (1969)

A massive music festival promoting peace, love, and music. Became a cultural symbol of the 1960s counterculture and antiwar movement.

Communism (Economically)

An economic system where the government controls production, eliminating private property. The U.S. opposed communism during the Cold War (1945-1991), seeing it as a threat to capitalism and democracy.

Free Market

An economic system where prices and production are determined by private businesses with little government interference. The U.S. promoted this during the Cold War (1945-1991) to counter communism.

Foreign Policy

A government's strategy in dealing with other nations. During the Cold War (1945-1991), U.S. foreign policy focused on containing communism and expanding influence through alliances and aid.

Collective Security (1949)

A system where nations agree to protect each other from threats. NATO (formed in 1949) was an example, created to counter Soviet expansion and defend against communist aggression.

2nd Red Scare (1947-1957)

A period of intense fear of communism in the U.S., leading to blacklists, loyalty tests, and accusations, often without evidence. Fueled by McCarthyism and Cold War tensions.

The Hollywood Ten (1947)

A group of screenwriters and directors blacklisted for refusing to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) about communist ties. Symbolized Cold War-era censorship.

Containment (1947)

U.S. policy to stop the spread of communism by supporting threatened nations. First seen in the Truman Doctrine (1947) and later in the Korean and Vietnam Wars.

Marshall Plan (1948)

A U.S. program giving $13 billion to Western Europe to rebuild after WWII and prevent the spread of communism. Strengthened Cold War alliances.

Alger Hiss (1948-1950)

A former U.S. government official accused of being a Soviet spy. His trial heightened fears of communist infiltration during the Red Scare.

Rosenbergs (1951-1953)

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed for allegedly giving nuclear secrets to the Soviet Union. Their controversial trial reflected Cold War paranoia.

Truman Doctrine (1947)

A policy stating the U.S. would aid nations threatened by communism, first applied to Greece and Turkey. Marked the official start of Cold War containment.

NSC-68 (1950)

A secret U.S. document that called for massive military spending to counter Soviet expansion. Shaped Cold War defense policies, leading to an arms buildup.

Iron Curtain (1946)

A term from Winston Churchill's speech describing the political and ideological barrier between Soviet-controlled Eastern Europe and the democratic West.

Baby Boom (1946-1964)

A surge in births after WWII, fueled by economic prosperity and the return of soldiers. Led to suburban growth and cultural shifts in the U.S.

Suburbs (1950s)

Residential areas outside cities that expanded due to the Baby Boom, economic growth, and government policies like the GI Bill. Symbolized postwar American life.

Mass Culture (1950s)

A shared national culture created by TV, advertising, and consumer goods. Reinforced traditional gender roles but also shaped youth rebellion through music and fashion.

Rock 'n' Roll (1950s)

A new music genre combining blues, jazz, and country. Popular among teens, it challenged social norms and was seen as rebellious. Artists like Elvis Presley led the movement.

G.I. Bill (1944)

A law providing WWII veterans with college tuition, low-interest home loans, and job training. Helped expand the middle class and suburbanization.

1950s Sitcoms

TV shows like Leave It to Beaver and I Love Lucy that promoted traditional family values, reinforcing suburban lifestyles and gender roles.

Joseph McCarthy (1950-1954)

A U.S. senator who falsely accused many of being communists, fueling the Red Scare. His aggressive tactics, called McCarthyism, led to paranoia and blacklists.

Korean War (1950-1953)

A conflict between communist North Korea (backed by China and the USSR) and South Korea (backed by the U.S. and UN). Ended in a stalemate, reinforcing Cold War tensions.

Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) (1950s-1991)

The idea that nuclear war between the U.S. and USSR would destroy both countries, preventing direct conflict but leading to a dangerous arms race.

NAACP (1909-present)

An organization that played a key role in the Civil Rights Movement by challenging segregation through legal cases, such as Brown v. Board of Education (1954), and advocating for African American rights.

Thurgood Marshall (1967)

The NAACP lawyer who successfully argued Brown v. Board of Education (1954) before the Supreme Court. He later became the first Black Supreme Court justice.

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

A Supreme Court case that upheld racial segregation under the "separate but equal" doctrine. It was overturned by Brown v. Board of Education (1954).

Sarah Keys (1952)

An African American soldier who refused to give up her seat on an interstate bus, leading to Keys v. Carolina Coach Co. (1955), which helped challenge segregation in public transportation.

Rosa Parks (1955)

Her arrest for refusing to give up her bus seat in Montgomery, Alabama, sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a major event in the Civil Rights Movement.

SNCC (1960)

The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, a youth-led civil rights organization known for sit-ins, Freedom Rides, and voter registration efforts in the South.

Letter from a Birmingham Jail (1963)

Martin Luther King Jr.'s response to white clergy criticizing civil rights protests, defending nonviolent resistance and urging immediate action against segregation.

Governor George Wallace (1963)

Alabama governor who strongly opposed desegregation, famously declaring "Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever!" and blocking Black students from entering the University of Alabama.

March on Washington (1963)

A massive civil rights demonstration where MLK delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech, advocating for racial equality and economic justice.

Bloody Sunday (1965)

A violent attack on civil rights marchers by police in Selma, Alabama, which helped push Congress to pass the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1950s-1968)

The most prominent leader of the Civil Rights Movement, known for advocating nonviolent protest. Assassinated in 1968.

American Indian Movement (AIM) (1968)

A Native American advocacy group that fought for indigenous rights, famously leading the Occupation of Wounded Knee (1973).

Chicano Movement (1960s-1970s)

A movement for Mexican American rights focused on labor rights, education reform, and cultural pride.

César Chávez (1960s-1970s)

Co-founder of the United Farm Workers (UFW), he led boycotts and strikes to improve wages and conditions for farmworkers.

Dolores Huerta (1960s-1970s)

A labor leader and co-founder of the United Farm Workers (UFW) who fought for workers' rights alongside César Chávez.

United Farm Workers of America (UFW) (1962)

A labor union founded by César Chávez and Dolores Huerta to fight for better wages and conditions for farmworkers.

Betty Friedan (1963)

Author of The Feminine Mystique, which criticized societal expectations of women and helped launch the second-wave feminist movement.

National Organization for Women (NOW) (1966)

A feminist organization that fought for gender equality, workplace rights, and the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA).

Stonewall Riots (1969)

A series of protests in New York City following a police raid on a gay bar, marking the start of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.

Silent Spring (1962)

A book by Rachel Carson that exposed the dangers of pesticides like DDT, inspiring the environmental movement and leading to the creation of the EPA.

Malcolm X (1950s-1965)

A civil rights leader who advocated for Black empowerment, self-defense, and separation from white society. A key figure in the Nation of Islam, he later moderated his views before his assassination in 1965.

Black Panthers (1966)

A militant Black Power organization founded by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale to combat police brutality and provide social services in Black communities. Known for their armed patrols and community programs.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

A Supreme Court case that overturned Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), declaring racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional, marking a major victory for the Civil Rights Movement.

The Feminine Mystique (1963)

A book by Betty Friedan that challenged the idea that women should only be housewives, helping to spark the second-wave feminist movement.