Post-WWII Politics and Civil Rights Movement

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to post-WWII U.S. politics and the Civil Rights Movement.

Containment

A U.S. policy to prevent the spread of communism.

NATO

North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a military alliance formed in 1949.

Truman Doctrine

U.S. policy to support countries resisting communism, announced in 1947.

Marshall Plan

A U.S. program providing aid to Western Europe after WWII.

Cold War

A period of political tension between the U.S. and the Soviet Union from 1947 to 1991.

Suburbanization

The movement of populations from cities to suburbs, especially in the post-WWII era.

Baby Boom

A significant increase in birth rates from 1946 to 1964.

Korean War

A conflict between North and South Korea from 1950 to 1953, involving U.S. forces.

McCarthyism

A campaign against alleged communists in the U.S. during the early 1950s.

Red Scare

The fear of communism in the U.S., particularly in the 1920s and 1950s.

Lavender Scare

The persecution of homosexuals in the U.S. government during the 1950s.

Principles of Non-violence

A philosophy advocating for peaceful resistance to oppression.

Cuban Missile Crisis

A 1962 confrontation between the U.S. and the Soviet Union over missiles in Cuba.

Civil Rights Act (1964)

Legislation prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

Voting Rights Act (1965)

A law aimed at overcoming legal barriers preventing African Americans from voting.

Equal Rights Amendment

A proposed amendment to guarantee equal rights for all citizens, regardless of sex.

Selma March

A series of marches in 1965 advocating for voting rights for African Americans.

Freedom Rides

Activists who rode interstate buses in 1961 to challenge segregation.

Second-wave Feminism

A period of feminist activism in the 1960s and 1970s focused on issues like equality and reproductive rights.

Chicano Movement

A civil rights movement in the 1960s advocating for Mexican-American rights.

American Indian Movement (AIM)

A movement founded in 1968 to address issues related to Native American rights.

Stonewall

A series of protests in 1969 that marked the beginning of the LGBTQ+ rights movement.

Medicaid

A government program providing healthcare to low-income individuals and families.

Medicare

A federal program providing healthcare for people aged 65 and older.

Great Society

A set of domestic programs launched by President Lyndon B. Johnson in the 1960s.

Vietnam War

A conflict in Vietnam from 1955 to 1975 involving the U.S. supporting South Vietnam against the North.

Tet Offensive

A major offensive by North Vietnamese forces in 1968 during the Vietnam War.

My Lai Massacre

The killing of hundreds of unarmed Vietnamese civilians by U.S. soldiers in 1968.

Gulf of Tonkin Incident and Resolution

A 1964 incident that escalated U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

Paris Peace Accords (1973)

An agreement to end the Vietnam War and restore peace in Vietnam.

Black Panther Party

A political organization founded in 1966 to advocate for African American rights and self-defense.

Young Lords

A Puerto Rican nationalist group active in the late 1960s advocating for social justice.