Period 8 Test

God help us all...

Cold War

A period of geopolitical tension between the Soviet Union and the United States and their respective allies, lasting from the end of World War II until the early 1990s.

Civil Rights Movement

A social movement in the United States aimed at ending racial discrimination and securing equal rights for African Americans, particularly during the 1950s and 1960s.

Vietnam War

A conflict in Vietnam from 1955 to 1975, involving North Vietnam and its communist allies against South Vietnam and the United States, resulting in significant loss of life and political upheaval.

LBJ Presidency

The presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson from 1963 to 1969, marked by significant domestic policies including the Great Society and civil rights legislation.

Nixon Presidency

The presidency of Richard Nixon from 1969 to 1974, notable for its foreign policy achievements and the Watergate scandal that led to his resignation.

Watergate Scandal

A political scandal involving a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters and the subsequent cover-up by the Nixon administration, leading to Nixon's resignation.

Truman Doctrine

A U.S. policy established in 1947 to counter Soviet geopolitical expansion during the Cold War by providing political, military, and economic assistance to countries resisting communism.

Containment

A foreign policy strategy aimed at preventing the spread of communism beyond its existing borders during the Cold War.

Berlin Blockade

A Soviet attempt in 1948-1949 to cut off access to West Berlin, which led to the Berlin Airlift by Western Allies to supply the city.

Marshall Plan

An American initiative enacted in 1948 to provide economic aid to Western European countries to help rebuild their economies after World War II.

Iron Curtain

A term used to describe the division between the Soviet-controlled Eastern Europe and the Western democracies during the Cold War.

M.A.D.

Mutually Assured Destruction, a military strategy during the Cold War where both sides possess enough nuclear weaponry to destroy each other, deterring the use of nuclear weapons.

McCarthyism

A campaign against alleged communists in the U.S. government and other institutions, led by Senator Joseph McCarthy in the early 1950s.

Proxy Wars

Conflicts where opposing powers support combatants that serve their interests instead of waging war directly, often seen during the Cold War.

Space Race

The competition between the United States and the Soviet Union to achieve significant milestones in space exploration during the Cold War.

2nd Red Scare

A period of intense anti-communism in the United States during the late 1940s and 1950s, characterized by fears of communist infiltration.

March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom

A 1963 civil rights rally where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous 'I Have a Dream' speech, advocating for jobs and civil rights.

Selma Campaign

A series of marches in 1965 from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, aimed at combating voter suppression and advocating for voting rights.

Emmett Till

A 14-year-old African American boy whose lynching in 1955 became a catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement.

Montgomery Bus Boycott

A civil rights protest against racial segregation on public buses in Montgomery, Alabama, initiated by Rosa Parks in 1955.

Freedom Rides

Civil rights activists who rode interstate buses into the segregated southern United States in 1961 to challenge non-enforcement of Supreme Court decisions.

Black Panther Party

A revolutionary socialist organization founded in 1966 that advocated for self-defense and civil rights for African Americans.

Brown v. Board of Education

A landmark Supreme Court case in 1954 that declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional.

Warren Court

The Supreme Court under Chief Justice Earl Warren, known for its progressive rulings on civil rights and liberties during the 1950s and 1960s.

The Watts Rebellion

A violent protest in Los Angeles in 1965, sparked by racial tensions and police brutality, highlighting issues of systemic racism.

Executive Order 9981

An order signed by President Truman in 1948 that abolished racial discrimination in the U.S. military.

NAACP

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, a civil rights organization founded in 1909 to fight for racial equality.

Great Society

A set of domestic programs launched by President Lyndon B. Johnson in the 1960s aimed at eliminating poverty and racial injustice.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

A 1964 congressional resolution that granted President Johnson the authority to use military force in Vietnam without a formal declaration of war.

Medicare

A federal health insurance program established in 1965 for people aged 65 and older, as well as certain younger individuals with disabilities.

Medicaid

A joint federal and state program that helps with medical costs for some people with limited income and resources.

War on Poverty

A set of initiatives launched by President Johnson in 1964 aimed at reducing poverty in the United States.

Search and Destroy

A military strategy used during the Vietnam War aimed at seeking out and destroying enemy forces.

Domino Theory

The belief that the spread of communism in one country would lead to the spread in neighboring countries, influencing U.S. foreign policy.

Vietnamization

A U.S. policy aimed at ending American involvement in the Vietnam War by transferring military responsibilities to South Vietnam.

The New Deal

A series of programs and reforms introduced by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1930s to combat the Great Depression.

Tet Offensive

A major escalation and turning point in the Vietnam War, where North Vietnamese forces launched a surprise attack during the Vietnamese New Year in 1968.

Paris Peace Accords

An agreement signed in 1973 intended to establish peace in Vietnam and end the Vietnam War.

Fall of Saigon

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

The Kent State Shooting

The killing of four students by National Guardsmen during a protest against the Vietnam War at Kent State University in 1970.

Detente

A period of improved relations between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War, particularly in the 1970s.

New Federalism

A political philosophy of devolution, or the transfer of certain powers from the federal government back to the states, popularized by President Nixon.

EPA

The Environmental Protection Agency, a U.S. federal agency established in 1970 to protect human health and the environment.

Stagflation

An economic condition characterized by stagnant economic growth, high unemployment, and high inflation, experienced in the 1970s.

War Powers Act of 1973

A federal law intended to check the president's power to commit the U.S. to an armed conflict without the consent of Congress.

Realpolitik

A political philosophy that emphasizes practical and pragmatic approaches to politics, often prioritizing national interests over moral or ideological considerations.

Silent Majority

A term used by President Nixon to describe a significant number of Americans who did not publicly express their opinions, particularly regarding the Vietnam War.

Southern Strategy

A political strategy used by the Republican Party to increase support among white voters in the South by appealing to racial tensions.

Joseph McCarthy

A U.S. Senator known for leading a campaign against alleged communists in the government during the 1950s, often using aggressive and controversial tactics.

Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) Domestic Policies

LBJ's domestic agenda included the Great Society, which aimed to eliminate poverty, expand civil rights, and provide healthcare through programs like Medicare and Medicaid.

Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) Foreign Policies

LBJ's foreign policy was dominated by the Vietnam War, leading to significant escalation of U.S. military involvement.

Richard Nixon's Foreign Policy

Nixon's foreign policy included outreach to China and the Soviet Union, characterized by détente and strategic arms limitation talks (SALT).

Richard Nixon's Domestic Policies

Nixon's domestic policies included the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and initiatives to combat economic issues like stagflation.

Harry S. Truman's Foreign Policy

Truman's foreign policy established the Truman Doctrine to contain communism and led to the creation of NATO.

Harry S. Truman's Domestic Policies

Truman's domestic policies included the Fair Deal, which aimed to expand social security, increase minimum wage, and promote civil rights.

Earl Warren

Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from 1953 to 1969, known for progressive decisions regarding civil rights, including Brown v. Board of Education.

Henry Kissinger

U.S. Secretary of State under Nixon, known for his role in foreign policy initiatives such as détente with the Soviet Union and opening relations with China.

Medicare vs. Medicaid

Medicare is a federal health insurance program for individuals aged 65 and older, as well as certain younger individuals with disabilities. Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that helps with medical costs for some people with limited income and resources.

Countries within the Iron Curtain

The Iron Curtain divided Europe during the Cold War, with Eastern Bloc countries including Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and the Soviet Union, characterized by communist governments.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

A landmark piece of legislation that outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, and enforced the desegregation of schools and public places.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Legislation aimed at overcoming legal barriers at state and local levels that prevented African Americans from exercising their right to vote, prohibiting racial discrimination in voting.

Civil Rights Movement's federal involvement

Federal involvement included the enforcement of civil rights laws, providing federal protection for civil rights activists, and the use of federal troops to enforce desegregation efforts, notably in schools.

Executive Order 9981

An order signed by President Truman in 1948 that abolished racial discrimination in the U.S. military, marking significant federal action in promoting civil rights.

Effects of federal involvement on the Civil Rights Movement

Federal

Stagflation

An economic condition characterized by stagnant economic growth, high unemployment, and high inflation, experienced in the 1970s.

Causes of Stagflation

Stagflation is often attributed to supply shocks, such as oil price increases, and ineffective monetary policy that fails to address both inflation and unemployment simultaneously.

Effects of Stagflation

Stagflation leads to decreased consumer spending, higher prices, and overall economic instability, making it difficult for governments to implement effective policy solutions.

Inflation

A general increase in prices and fall in the purchasing value of money, often measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

Types of Inflation

Demand-pull inflation occurs when demand for goods exceeds supply; cost-push inflation happens when production costs increase, leading to higher prices.

Hyperinflation

An extremely high and typically accelerating inflation rate, which can erode the real value of local currency, often exceeding 50% per month.

Inflation Rate

The percentage change in the price level of a basket of goods and services over a period, indicating how fast prices are rising and hence the purchasing power of currency is falling.

Role of Central Banks in Inflation

Central banks, such as the Federal Reserve, control inflation through monetary policy, using tools like interest rates and open market operations to manage economic growth and price stability.

smoking gun tapes

secret recordings that provided evidence of wrongdoing in the Watergate scandal, linking President Nixon to the cover-up.