APUSH Period 9 Vocab

bless up

affirmative action

a policy that seeks to correct the effects of past discrimination by favoring the groups who were previously disadvantaged

black monday

October 19, 1987. largest single-day decline in the Dow Jones Industrial Average until September 2001, indicated instability in the booming business culture of the 1980s

culture wars

arguments primarily about issues that had come to the front during the social movements of the 1960s and 1970s; sexuality, gender roles, the place of religion in public life, and multiculturalism

deficit

amount by which the government's total budget outlays exceeds its total receipts for a fiscal year

energy crisis

in the 1970s, OPEC largely reduced the supply of oil flowing to the US. This led to rationing of gas, long lines, high gas prices, and a push for energy independence. Many felt President Carter failed to address the issue

evangelicalism

Protestant movement that generally emphasizes the authority of the Scripture, the conversion experience, and the importance of mission work

fundamentalism

a form of religion that upholds belief in strict, literal interpretation of Scripture

Iranian Hostage Crisis

in 1979, Iranian fundamentalists seized the American embassy in Tehran and held fifty-three American diplomats hostage for over a year. Weakened the Carter presidency; hostages were finally released on the day Ronald Reagan became president

Moral Majority

Formed by Jerry Falwell. Organization made up of conservative Christian political action committees which campaigned on issues its personnel believed were important to maintaining its Christian conception of moral law (e.g. banning abortion)

Neoconservatism

American political philosophy that favors small gov't., lassiez-faire capitalism, tough stance with the Soviet Union, personal responsibility, and "family values"

Reaganomics

these policies combined a monetarist fiscal policy, supply-side tax cuts, and domestic budget cutting. Their goal was to reduce the size of the federal government and stimulate economic growth

Ronald W. Reagan

Ushered in an era of economic conservatism. While president, he cut out many welfare and public works programs. He used the Strategic Defense Initiative to avoid conflict. His meetings with Gorbachev were the first steps to ending the Cold War. He was also responsible for the Iran-Contra Affair which bought hostages with guns

Sandra Day O'Connor

conservative-minded Reagan appointee to the U.S. Supreme Court. First female Justice of the Supreme Court

Three Mile Island

1979-partial meltdown of a nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania during Carter administration. Had the potential of causing serious destruction, caused distrust of nuclear power

Yuppies

young, urban professionals who wore ostentation gear such as Rolex watches or BMW cars. They came to symbolize the increased pursuit of wealth and materialism of American in the 1980s.

Afghanistan

1979-1988: The war in this country was a nine-year proxy war during the Cold War involving the Soviet Union against the Afghan Mujahideen guerrilla movement. The mujahideen recieved unofficial military and/or financial support from a variety of countries including the United States, Saudi Arabia, the UK, Pakistan, and Israel

Contras

various rebel groups that opposed the Sandinista government in Nicaragua. Received financial and military support from the US government

Glasnost

a policy of Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev which called for more openness with the nations of the West, and a relaxing of restraints on Soviet citizenry

Grenada

Ronald Reagan dispatched a heavy-fire-power invasion force to this, where a military coup brought Marxists power. Demonstrated Reagan's determination to assert the dominance of the US in the Carribbean

Iran-Contra Affair

Government officials sold missiles to Iran (hoping to free hostages in Lebanon), money from the sale was used to aid the anit-communist Contra forces in Nicaragua. Big scandal for Reagan

Mikhail Gorbachev

head of the Soviet Union from 1985-1991. His liberalization effort improved relations with the West, but he lost power after his reforms led to the collapse of Communist governments in Eastern Europe

Mujahideen

"those engaged in jihad," collective name for several regional groups who joined to fight against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s

Perestroika

"restructuring" the policy of economic and governmental reform instituted by Mikhail Gorbachev in the Soviet Union during the mid 1980s

Sandinistas

members of a leftists coalition that overthrew the Nicaraguan dictatorship and attempted to install a socialist economy. The US financed armed opposition by the Contras

Strategic Defense Initiative

announced in 1983 by President Reagan. Popularly known as "Star Wars". Involved a massive shield in space to intercept and destroy incoming Soviet missiles. This was tested but never deployed.

Kosovo

region of Yugoslavia that had autonomy until Milosevic attempted to crush the Albanian group with ethnic cleansing; 1999 NATO used military strikes against Yugoslavia until the crisis came to an end in 1999

Slobodan Milosevic

Serbian nationalist leader who launched a war of ethnic cleansing against the Bosnian Muslims and Croat civilians to purge them from the land

9/11

a series of coordinated suicide attacks by al-Qaeda upon the US on September 11, 2001. Over 3,000 people were killed. Many participants in the attacks were from Saudi Arabia. Catalyst of the War on Terror

Americans with Disabilities Act 1990

law passed requiring employers and public facilities to make "reasonable accommodations" for people with disabilities

Barack H. Obama

Worked to promot economic recovery by signing The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in 2009. Environment and energy i