Unit 8 APUSH Vocab

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Collective Security

The foreign policy strategy of forming alliances or international organizations to ensure mutual defense, where an attack on one member is treated as an attack on all; one example of such an alliance is NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)

Korean Conflict

The Korean War (1950-1953) was a proxy war that began when the communist North Korea, backed by the USSR and China, invaded the democratic South Korea, backed by the US, though it ultimately led to a stalemate and few changes to the border between the countries

Vietnam Conflict

The Vietnam War (1955-1975) was a proxy war that began after French colonization in the region ended; the fighting in the Vietnam War was between the communist North Vietnam, backed by the USSR, and the democratic South Vietnam, backed by the US, and ultimately resulted in communist unification of Vietnam

Détente

The easing of Cold War tensions between the US and USSR from the late 1960s to 1979

Decolonization

After World War II, European colonial empires rapidly collapsed, creating new independent nations in Asia and Africa

Nationalist Movements

Political and social efforts by a group of people sharing a common identity—such as a culture, language, ethnicity, or history—to achieve or maintain autonomy, sovereignty, and self-governance

Nonaligned Countries

The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) is a forum of 121 developing nations that formally agreed not to align with or against any major power bloc established during the Cold War to promote sovereignty, independence, and peace

Liberty

“The state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one’s way of life, behavior, or political views” (Oxford Languages)

Cold War

A period of international geopolitical rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, which lasted from the aftermath of World War II to the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991

Oil Crises

Major economic shocks caused by OPEC embargoes, triggered by U.S. support for Israel in the Yom Kippur War and the Iranian Revolution

Military Industrial Complex

An informal, powerful alliance between a nation’s military, defense contractors, and government, designed to develop, produce, and procure weaponry

Non-violent Protest

A method of social or political activism that achieves goals without using physical violence or force

Desegregation of Military

President Truman signed Executive Order 9981 on July 26, 1948, abolishing racial discrimination and segregation in the U.S. Armed Forces

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

The landmark Supreme Court decision that ruled that segregated public schools violated the 14th Amendment, even if the segregated facilities were equal in quality

Civil Rights Act of 1964

A landmark piece of legislation that outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin

Lyndon Johnson

The 36th President of the United States, famous for ambitious “Great Society” programs and involvement in the Vietnam War

Great Society

President Johnson’s ambitious mid-1960s domestic agenda, aiming to eliminate poverty and racial injustice through expansive federal programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid

Private Sector

“The part of the national economy that is not under direct government control” (Oxford Languages)

Baby Boom

A massive post-WWII surge in U.S. birth rates, adding more than 50 million people to the population

Suburbanization

The massive migration of middle-class Americans, primarily white families, from urban centers to surrounding, low-density residential areas

Sun Belt

Spanning the South and Southwest from Florida to California, this region experienced massive post-1945 population and economic growth, driven by defense spending, 1950s air conditioning, and a warmer climate

Conformity

The widespread 1950s cultural push for social uniformity, where Americans aligned their behaviors, beliefs, and consumption patterns with middle-class, suburban norms

Immigration Act of 1965

Abolished the discriminatory national origins quota system

Counter-culture

Groups, such as the 1960s hippies, that intentionally reject and oppose dominant societal norms, values, and behaviors, often driving social change through alternative lifestyles, political, and artistic expression

Sexual Revolution

A major social movement challenging traditional, conservative 1950s norms regarding sexual behavior and relationships

Environmental Movement

A diverse, global social movement focused on conserving natural resources, protecting biodiversity, and fostering sustainability to combat pollution and climate change

Middle East

A transcontinental region that bridges Southwest Asia and parts of North Africa; saw several events during the Cold War such as the Iranian Revolution, Suez Crisis, and Yom Kippur War

Martin Luther King Jr.

A prominent Black preacher and Civil Rights activist known for his nonviolent method of protest and role in helping Black Americans gain civil rights in the 1960s

Anti-Vietnam War Protests

A massive, sustained U.S. movement fueled by the draft, high casualties, and media coverage

Latin America

A diverse cultural and geographic region in the Americas including countries where Romance languages dominate, primarily Spanish and Portuguese; saw several events during the Cold War such as the Cuban Missile Crisis and US interventions in countries like Guatemala to prevent leftist influence

National Energy Policy

A comprehensive strategy formulated by the government to manage and regulate energy production, consumption, and conservation at a national level

Latinos, Asians, & American Indians

Key subjects in the broader narrative of civil rights expansion and long-term struggles for sovereignty, labor rights, and cultural recognition