Unit 11: 1960-1980 JFK-Carter

Warren Court

The Supreme Court under Chief Justice Earl Warren, known for its landmark rulings on civil rights and liberties from 1953 to 1969.

Brown v Board of Education (1954)

Supreme Court case that declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students to be unconstitutional.

Miranda Rights

Rights that must be read to an arrested person, including the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney.

Gideon v Wainwright (1963)

Supreme Court ruling that requires courts to provide an attorney to defendants in criminal cases who cannot afford one.

Escobedo v Illinois

Supreme Court case establishing the right of a defendant to have an attorney present during police questioning.

Miranda v Arizona (1966)

Supreme Court ruling establishing that detained criminal suspects must be informed of their rights to an attorney and against self-incrimination.

Engel v Vitale

Supreme Court case that ruled state laws requiring school prayer violate the First Amendment.

Griswold v Connecticut

Supreme Court case recognizing a constitutional right to privacy, specifically regarding the use of contraceptives.

Roe v Wade (1973)

Landmark Supreme Court case that ruled that states cannot restrict access to abortions during the first trimester.

Election of 1960

A closely contested presidential election between Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy.

Nixon's role in the 1960 election

Former Vice President, known for his tough stance on communism and participation in the 'Kitchen Debate'.

Kitchen Debate

A series of impromptu exchanges between Nixon and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev in a model kitchen, illustrating American consumerism.

Kennedy's characteristics

Young, charismatic, Catholic candidate noted for his focus on a 'Missile Gap' and civil rights.

Camelot

A term used to describe the idealized presidency of John F. Kennedy and his glamorous family.

New Frontier

Kennedy's domestic policy agenda aiming to address civil rights, poverty, and space exploration.

JFK's pledge about space

He committed to landing a man on the moon by the end of the 1960s.

JFK assassination date

November 22, 1963.

Lee Harvey Oswald

The individual identified as the assassin of President Kennedy.

Warren Commission

The commission led by Chief Justice Earl Warren that investigated JFK's assassination and concluded Oswald acted alone.

Conspiracy theories surrounding JFK's assassination

Various theories suggesting multiple conspirators or involvement from groups such as Cubans or the U.S. government.

Defining moments of a generation

Events such as Pearl Harbor and 9/11 that shaped societal views and historical perspectives.

Lyndon B. Johnson

The 36th President of the United States, known for his Great Society initiatives and escalation of the Vietnam War.

War on Poverty

Johnson's initiative aimed at reducing the poverty rate in America, including programs like Job Corps and Head Start.

Great Society

Johnson's domestic program that aimed to eliminate poverty and racial injustice, including Medicare and Medicaid.

The Daisy Ad

A controversial political advertisement for LBJ, suggesting that electing Goldwater would lead to nuclear war.

Civil Rights Movement

A struggle for social justice and civil rights in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s.

Sit-ins

A form of protest where activists occupy a space and refuse to leave until demands are met.

Freedom Rides

Bus trips taken by civil rights activists to challenge segregation in the southern United States.

James Meredith

The first African American student admitted to the University of Mississippi, sparking significant civil rights conflict.

Birmingham Campaign

A series of protests against segregation in Birmingham, Alabama, notable for police brutality.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Prominent civil rights leader known for his philosophy of nonviolence and powerful speeches.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Landmark legislation that outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

Selma to Montgomery march

A historic march protesting voting rights discrimination, marked by 'Bloody Sunday' violence.

Black Muslim Movement

A movement characterized by the unification and empowerment of Black Muslims in America.

Malcolm X

A civil rights activist who advocated for Black empowerment and more militant approaches to achieving equality.

Black Power movement

A movement advocating for the unification and empowerment of African Americans.

Black Panthers

A militant organization formed to advocate for civil rights and self-defense for African Americans.

AIM - American Indian Movement

Civil rights organization focused on addressing issues faced by Native Americans and advocating for their rights.

Cesar Chavez

Labor leader and civil rights activist who worked to improve conditions for farm workers.

The Feminine Mystique

A book by Betty Friedan that sparked the second-wave feminism movement by challenging traditional women's roles.

NOW - National Organization for Women

An organization formed to advocate for equal rights for women, including equal pay and reproductive rights.

Earth Day

An annual event celebrated to promote environmental protection and awareness.

Flexible Response

Kennedy's defense strategy that emphasized a range of military responses rather than nuclear deterrence.

Bay of Pigs invasion

A failed CIA operation to overthrow Fidel Castro in Cuba.

Berlin Wall significance

A physical and symbolic barrier separating East and West Berlin, representing the broader Cold War divisions.

Cuban Missile Crisis

A 13-day confrontation between the U.S. and the Soviet Union over Soviet ballistic missiles deployed in Cuba.

Vietnam War's 'Domino Theory'

The belief that the fall of one country to communism would trigger a chain reaction of communist takeovers in other countries.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

Legislation that granted the President broad powers to act in Vietnam following alleged attacks on U.S. ships.

Tet Offensive

A major offensive by North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces in January 1968 that shifted public opinion against the war.

My Lai Massacre

A mass killing of South Vietnamese civilians by U.S. troops during the Vietnam War, revealing the war's tragic consequences.

Nixon's promises in election of 1968

His commitment to achieve 'peace with honor' in Vietnam and restore law and order at home.

Watergate Scandal

A major political scandal involving a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters and subsequent cover-up efforts by the Nixon administration.

Saturday Night Massacre

The event in which Nixon fired the special prosecutor investigating Watergate, leading to public outcry.

United States v. Nixon (1974)

Supreme Court case ruling that the President is not above the law, leading to Nixon's eventual resignation.

Nixon's resignation date

August 9, 1974.

Henry Kissinger's role

Nixon's National Security Advisor who played a key role in U.S. foreign policy during the Vietnam War.

Realpolitik

A political philosophy suggesting that actions should be based on practical rather than moral or ideological considerations.

Detente

The easing of strained relations, especially between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, during the Cold War.

Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT 1)

Negotiations aimed at curbing the arms race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.

Southern Strategy

Nixon's political strategy to gain support from southern white voters by appealing to their resistance to desegregation.

Johnson Treatment

LBJ's method of using his physical presence and persuasive tactics to gain support from other politicians.

Head Start program

A program designed to promote early childhood education for low-income families.

The Great Society programs

A series of initiatives launched by LBJ aimed at eliminating poverty and racial injustice.

Job Corps

A program aimed at teaching job skills to young Americans, particularly from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Medicare

A federally funded program providing health insurance to the elderly over 65 in the U.S.

Medicaid

A health insurance program for low-income individuals and families.

HUD - Housing and Urban Development

A federal department responsible for policies related to housing and urban development.

Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act)

Legislation that provided for equal housing opportunities regardless of race, color, religion, or national origin.

AIM - American Indian Movement

An organization that campaigns for the rights of Native Americans and addresses issues of injustice and inequality.

Free Speech Movement

A student-led protest movement at UC Berkeley advocating for free speech and civil rights.

Counterculture movement

A cultural rebellion against mainstream societal norms during the 1960s, often characterized by anti-establishment views.

Woodstock festival

A landmark music festival in 1969 symbolizing the counterculture movement and peace activism.

Kent State incident

The killing of four student protestors by National Guard troops during a protest against the Vietnam War.

Tom Hayden's role

A prominent activist and leader during anti-war protests and the Free Speech Movement.

The Weathermen (Weather Underground)

A radical left organization that grew out of the SDS, known for using militant tactics to promote its agenda.

Militant movements

Groups that employed armed resistance or violent tactics in their fight for civil rights or political change.

Bloody Sunday

A 1965 civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery that became infamous for the violent police response.

SDS - Students for a Democratic Society

A student organization that played a significant role in anti-war protests and civil rights activism during the 1960s.

National Organization for Women (NOW)

An organization aimed at advocating for women's rights and gender equality.

Roe v Wade (1973)

A landmark decision that ruled a woman's right to choose to have an abortion is protected under the constitutional right to privacy.

Silent Spring

A book by Rachel Carson that contributed to the environmental movement by highlighting the dangers of pesticides.

Protests against the Vietnam War

Demonstrations organized to oppose U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War and promote peace.

Agent Orange

A herbicide used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War that caused serious health issues among veterans and Vietnamese civilians.

Rolling Thunder Operation

A sustained bombing campaign during the Vietnam War aimed at North Vietnam.

Tet Offensive (1968)

A coordinated surprise attack by North Vietnamese forces on South Vietnam, significantly impacting U.S. public opinion on the war.

My Lai Massacre

A massacre of Vietnamese civilians by U.S. troops in 1968, leading to widespread outrage when revealed.

Paris Peace Accords

An agreement that aimed to establish peace in Vietnam and end U.S. involvement in the war.

Fall of Saigon

The capture of Saigon by North Vietnamese forces in 1975, leading to the end of the Vietnam War.

Khmer Rouge

A communist regime in Cambodia led by Pol Pot, responsible for the genocide of millions.

Richard Nixon

The 37th president of the United States, known for his controversial foreign and domestic policies, including Watergate.

Nixon's foreign policy

Characterized by détente with the Soviet Union, improved relations with China, and a focus on ending the Vietnam War.

George Wallace

A segregationist politician known for his role in the American Independent Party and presidential campaigns.

Vietnamization

Nixon's strategy of transferring the responsibility of the Vietnam War to South Vietnamese forces.

Scandals during Nixon's presidency

Nixon's administration was plagued by various scandals, most notably Watergate.

1973 Nobel Peace Prize

Awarded to Henry Kissinger and Le Duc Tho for their roles in negotiating a ceasefire in Vietnam.

'Peace with Honor' strategy

Nixon's assertion that U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam could be achieved without conceding defeat.

Election of 1972 outcome

Nixon won an overwhelming victory, losing only in Massachusetts and Washington, D.C.

Watergate Tapes

Audio recordings made by Nixon that revealed his involvement in the cover-up of the Watergate scandal.

Impeachment hearings

Proceedings initiated against Nixon due to his involvement in the Watergate scandal that ultimately led to his resignation.

Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein

Journalists from the Washington Post who investigated and reported on the Watergate scandal.