JFK, LBJ, Civil Rights, Vietnam, and 1968 Study Guide

Vocabulary flashcards covering the presidencies of JFK and LBJ, the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War, and the major events of 1968.

Election of 1960

A very close election between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon where Kennedy won partly due to strong TV debate performances and support from younger voters.

The Kennedy Mystique

The glamorous and youthful image of JFK and his family that made Americans admire him.

Camelot

The nickname for JFK’s presidency, comparing it to King Arthur’s kingdom because it was viewed as hopeful and idealistic.

Flexible Response

JFK's military strategy involving the buildup of conventional military forces and nuclear weapons to respond to different threats.

Fidel Castro

The Communist leader of Cuba who allied Cuba with the Soviet Union.

Bay of Pigs

A failed 1961 invasion of Cuba by CIA-trained Cuban exiles attempting to overthrow Castro.

Cuban Missile Crisis

A 1962 confrontation after the Soviet Union placed nuclear missiles in Cuba, nearly causing nuclear war.

Berlin Wall

A wall built in 1961 separating East and West Berlin to stop escapes from communist East Germany.

Berlin Crisis

A Cold War conflict over the status of Berlin.

Hot line

A direct communication line established between the U.S. and Soviet Union after the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

A 1963 agreement banning nuclear tests in the atmosphere, outer space, and underwater.

New Frontier

Kennedy’s domestic program focused on economic growth, civil rights, and reform.

Peace Corps

A volunteer program helping developing nations.

Alliance for Progress

An aid program for Latin America designed to reduce poverty and stop communism.

Race to the Moon

The competition between the U.S. and Soviet Union for space achievements.

JFK’s Assassination

Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963.

Warren Commission

An investigation concluding Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in the assassination of JFK.

Lyndon Baines Johnson

The Vice president who became president after JFK’s death.

Economic Opportunity Act

A 1964 law creating anti-poverty programs like Job Corps and Head Start.

Great Society

LBJ’s reform program aimed at ending poverty and racial injustice.

Immigration Act of 1965

A law that ended national-origin quotas and increased immigration from Asia and Latin America.

Brown vs. Board of Education

A 1954 Supreme Court case ruling segregation in schools unconstitutional.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

A law that banned segregation and discrimination.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

A law that protected African Americans’ voting rights.

Montgomery Bus Boycott

A 1955 protest sparked by Rosa Parks.

March on Washington

A 1963 rally where MLK gave his 'I Have a Dream' speech.

Martin Luther King

A civil rights leader who promoted nonviolent protest.

SNCC

A student-led civil rights organization focused on direct action.

Selma to Montgomery Marches

1965 marches protesting voting discrimination.

Sit-ins

Peaceful protests at segregated lunch counters.

Freedom Rides

Integrated bus rides protesting segregation in interstate travel.

Malcolm X

A civil rights leader promoting Black pride and self-defense.

Black Power

A movement encouraging political and economic empowerment for African Americans.

Vietminh

A communist nationalist group led by Ho Chi Minh.

Domino Theory

The belief that if one country became communist, nearby countries would follow.

Dien Bien Phu

A 1954 battle where the Vietminh defeated France.

Geneva Accords

An agreement temporarily dividing Vietnam at the 17th parallel.

Vietcong

Communist guerrilla fighters in South Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh Trail

A supply route used by North Vietnam.

Gulf of Tonkin Incident

An incident leading to greater U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

Napalm

A highly flammable weapon used during the war.

Agent Orange

A chemical herbicide used to destroy jungle cover.

Credibility Gap

The public distrust between government reports and the reality of the war.

Draft

Required military service for young American men.

Doves

People opposed to the Vietnam War.

Hawks

People who strongly supported the Vietnam war.

My Lai Massacre

A mass killing of Vietnamese civilians by U.S. soldiers.

Tet Offensive

A major surprise attack by North Vietnam in 1968.

Vietnamization

Nixon’s plan to shift fighting responsibility to South Vietnam.

War Powers Act

A 1973 law limiting presidential military powers.

Assassination of Martin Luther King

An event occurring in 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee.

Columbia University Protests

Student protests in 1968 against racism and the Vietnam War.

Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy

RFK was assassinated during his presidential campaign in 1968.

1968 Democratic National Convention Protests

Violent clashes between protesters and police in Chicago.

Election of Richard Nixon

Nixon won in 1968 promising law and order and peace in Vietnam.

Apollo 8 Mission

The first manned mission to orbit the moon.