U.S. History Review: Truman, Eisenhower, and Kennedy

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to U.S. history during the eras of Truman, Eisenhower, and Kennedy.

Baby Boom

A significant increase in birth rates following WWII, driven by returning couples and a stable economy.

Arms Race

A competition between nations, notably the USSR and the USA, to accumulate greater numbers of weapons and military capabilities.

22nd Amendment

Constitutional amendment that limits U.S. presidents to two terms in office.

Marshall Plan

A U.S. initiative that provided financial aid to help rebuild European economies after WWII.

De Facto Segregation

Segregation that occurs by customary practice rather than by law.

De Jure Segregation

Segregation that is enforced by law.

GI Bill of Rights

Legislation that provided various benefits to World War II veterans, including education and housing assistance.

Containment

A foreign policy strategy aimed at preventing the spread of communism.

NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a military alliance formed for mutual defense against aggression.

Berlin Airlift

Operation in which the US supplied West Berlin by air in response to the Soviet blockade.

Jonas Salk

The scientist who developed the vaccine for polio.

Mass Consumption

The large-scale consumption of goods and services, which contributed to post-WWII economic expansion.

Brinkmanship

A policy of pushing a dangerous situation to the brink of collapse to prevent war.

Montgomery Bus Boycott

A civil rights protest against the racial segregation of public transportation in Montgomery, Alabama.

Little Rock Nine

A group of nine African American students who faced significant opposition when they integrated a white high school in Arkansas.

Rosa Parks

Civil rights activist who famously refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus, leading to the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Conformity

Social expectation that individuals will act and look alike; often associated with the cultural norms of the 1950s.

Hollywood Ten

A group of filmmakers who refused to testify before Congress in the 1940s, citing their First Amendment rights.

Interstate Highway System

A network of highways established for efficient military transportation and civilian travel across the U.S.

I have a Dream Speech

A famous speech by Martin Luther King Jr. advocating for civil rights and racial equality.

The Feminine Mystique

A book by Betty Friedan that challenged traditional gender roles and sparked the modern women's movement.

Flexible Response

A defense strategy developed to allow the U.S. military to respond to different levels of conflict without resorting to nuclear weapons.

Peace Corps

A program that sends American volunteers abroad to assist with social and economic development.

Berlin Wall

A barrier that symbolized the division between East and West Berlin; a symbol of the Cold War.

Brown v. Board of Education

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