1950s U.S. Society, Civil Rights, and Cold War Exam Study Guide

A collection of flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts from the lecture notes on American society in the 1950s, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Cold War.

Baby Boom

A significant increase in birth rates following World War II, affecting American society by leading to increased population, demand for goods, and emphasis on family life.

Suburbanization

The process of population movement from within cities to the outskirts, leading to the growth of suburban areas.

William Levitt

An American real estate developer known for pioneering suburban development, particularly through Levittown, which created affordable housing after World War II.

Social Conformity

The tendency for individuals to align their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors with group norms, which was evident in various aspects of 1950s society.

G.I. Bill

Legislation that provided benefits to World War II veterans, including funding for education and housing, significantly impacting post-war America.

Taft-Hartley Act

A 1947 labor law that restricted the power of labor unions, passed in response to fears of labor unrest; Truman opposed it.

White Flight

The phenomenon where white residents moved out of neighborhoods as African Americans moved in, often due to racial tensions and economic factors.

Beat Movement

A literary and artistic movement in the 1950s that rejected mainstream American values and sought new forms of expression.

Containment

A foreign policy strategy aimed at stopping the spread of communism, particularly associated with the U.S. response to the Cold War.

Cold War

The period of geopolitical tension between the Soviet Union and the United States after World War II, characterized by a struggle for influence without direct military confrontation.

McCarthyism

The practice of making accusations of subversion or treason without proper evidence, named after Senator Joseph McCarthy's anti-communist crusade.

Cuban Missile Crisis

A 1962 confrontation between the U.S. and the Soviet Union over Soviet missiles in Cuba, which brought the two superpowers close to nuclear conflict.

Civil Rights Movement

A social movement seeking to end racial discrimination and secure legal recognition and federal protection of the citizenship rights enumerated in the Constitution and federal law.

Emmett Till

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

Freedom Riders

Civil Rights activists who rode buses into segregated southern U.S. states to challenge and protest segregation laws.

Title IX

A federal law passed in 1972 prohibiting gender discrimination in any educational program receiving federal funding.

Interstate Highway Act

Legislation signed by President Eisenhower that allocated funds for the construction of the U.S. Interstate Highway System, greatly impacting transportation and suburban growth.

Red Scare

A period of intense anti-communist suspicion in the United States, particularly in the late 1940s and 1950s.

Lavender Scare

The witch hunt and mass firings of homosexuals from government jobs in the 1950s, paralleling the Red Scare.

General MacArthur

A U.S. Army General who played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during WWII and in the Korean War until he was removed by President Truman.

Berlin Wall

A barrier constructed in 1961 that divided East and West Berlin, symbolizing the ideological division during the Cold War.

March on Washington

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