AP US History Unit 1: Rise of the Silent Majority Key Terms

What is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) passed in 1990?

A civil rights law passed in 1990 that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places open to the general public.

Who was Barry Goldwater and what were his key political positions in 1964?

He was the unsuccessful Republican presidential candidate against Lyndon Johnson in 1964 who called for dismantling the New Deal, escalation of the war in Vietnam, and maintaining the status quo on civil rights; he is seen as the grandfather of the conservative movement of the 1980s.

What were the key achievements and events of President Bill Clinton's administration?

Serving from 1993 to 2001, President Clinton pursued a centrist approach resulting in the North American Free Trade Agreement, welfare reform, and a balanced budget, and he became the second president in American history to be impeached.

What terms were agreed upon in the Camp David Accords (1979)?

In negotiations brokered by President Carter, Israel surrendered land seized in earlier wars and Egypt recognized Israel as a nation.

What protections were established by the Civil Rights Act of 1964?

Proposed by John Kennedy and signed by Lyndon Johnson, it desegregated public accommodations, libraries, parks, and amusements, while broadening federal power to protect individual rights and prevent job discrimination.

What was the Contract with America drafted under Newt Gingrich?

A document drafted under Republican congressman Newt Gingrich promising to enact ten items if Republicans won control of Congress, including congressional term limits, a balanced budget amendment, tax cuts, tougher crime laws, and welfare reform.

What was the main message of President Jimmy Carter's Crisis of Confidence (Malaise) Speech?

A televised national address in which Carter complained that a weak national spirit struck 'at the very heart and soul of our national will,' making many Americans feel their president had given up.

How was deregulation carried out under President Ronald Reagan in the 1980s?

Reagan removed price controls on oil, eliminated federal health and safety inspections for nursing homes, and reduced rules governing the airline industry and the savings and loan industry.

What were the significant contributions of Chief Justice Earl Warren (1953–1969)?

He led the Supreme Court in far-reaching racial, social, and political rulings, including school desegregation and