HIST 131 Exam 2

Alger Hiss

Government official accused of spying for the Soviet Union; convicted of perjury.

Anti-Drug Abuse Act

Imposed strict penalties for drug offenses during the War on Drugs.

Bay of Pigs

An unsuccessful invasion of Cuba in 1961, which was sponsored by the United States. Its purpose was to overthrow Cuban dictator Fidel Castro.

Brown v. Board of Education

Declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional.

Camp David Accords

A peace treaty between Israel and Egypt where Egypt agreed to recognize the nation state of Israel

Civil Rights Act of 1964

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

Griswold v. Connecticut (1965)

Established that there is an implied right to privacy in the U.S. Constitution

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (1964)

Gave U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson authorization, without a formal declaration of war by Congress, for the use of conventional military force in Southeast Asia.

Hart-Cellar Act of 1965

Ended national-origin immigration quotas and increased diversity in U.S. immigration.

Helsinki Accords

Political and human rights agreement signed in Helsinki, Finland in 1975 by the Soviet Union and western European countries.

Iran-Contra Affair

scandal including arms sales to the Middle East in order to send money to help the Contras in Nicaragua even though Congress had objected

Levittown

Mass-produced suburban communities symbolizing postwar suburbanization.

Malcom X

African-American civil rights leader who encouraged violent responses to racial discrimination

Marshall Plan (1947)

U.S. program that gave billions in economic aid to rebuild Western Europe after WWII and prevent the spread of communism.

McCarthyism

Campaign led by Senator Joseph McCarthy accusing people of being communists without solid evidence.

Moral Majority

Conservative Christian group influencing politics in the 1980s.

National Defense Education Act

Funded science and education to compete with the Soviet Union after Sputnik.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

Military alliance formed in 1949 between the U.S. and Western nations for mutual defense.

NSC-68

1950 document calling for major military buildup to contain communism worldwide.

Reaganomics

Economic policy under Reagan emphasizing tax cuts, deregulation, and reduced government spending.

Roe v. Wade (1973)

The court legalized abortion by ruling that state laws could not restrict it during the first three months of pregnancy. Based on 4th Amendment rights of a person to be secure in their persons.

Silent Spring (1962)

Exposed environmental damage from pesticides; sparked environmental movement.

Southern Christian Leadership Conference

Organization led by Martin Luther King Jr. promoting nonviolent protest.

Stagflation

a period of slow economic growth and high unemployment (stagnation) while prices rise (inflation)

Stokely Carmichael

a black civil rights activist in the 1960's. Leader of the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee. He did a lot of work with Martin Luther King Jr.but later changed his attitude. Carmichael urged giving up peaceful demonstrations and pursuing black power. He was known for saying,"black power will smash everything Western civilization has created."

Strategic Arms Limitation Talks

Negotiations between U.S. and USSR to limit nuclear weapons.

Student Nonviolent Coordination Committee

Youth-led group organizing sit-ins and protests.

Students for a Democratic Society (1961)

Student activist group protesting war and inequality.

Taft-Hartley Act

Restricted labor unions and allowed the government to intervene in strikes.

Tet Offensive (1968)

Major North Vietnamese attack that shocked Americans and shifted public opinion.

The Feminine Mystique (1963)

Best-selling book by Betty Friedan that challenged women to move beyond the drudgery of being a

suburban housewife.

Truman Doctrine (1947)

U.S. policy to contain communism by providing aid to countries resisting it (first applied to Greece and Turkey).

Vietname Syndrome

the US's reluctance to engage in foreign wars in fear of defeat

War Powers Act

Limited the president's ability to send troops without congressional approval.

Warsaw Pact

Eastern European communist alliance created in response to NATO.

Watergate Scandal

a political scandal involving abuse of power and bribery and obstruction of justice; led to resignation of Nixon