histiry

De Jure Segregation

Legal segregation enforced by laws, especially in the South (e.g., Jim Crow laws).

Brown v. Board of Education

Supreme Court decision declaring racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional.

Little Rock Nine

Nine Black students who integrated Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, facing heavy resistance.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Civil rights leader who promoted nonviolent protest; famous for his 'I Have a Dream' speech.

Sit-ins

Nonviolent protests where Black students sat at segregated lunch counters demanding service.

Freedom Ride

Integrated bus rides into the segregated South to test Supreme Court rulings; met with violent opposition.

March on Washington

Civil rights rally where MLK delivered his 'I Have a Dream' speech; pushed for civil rights legislation.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

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

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Banned literacy tests and other discriminatory practices that suppressed Black voters.

Malcolm X

Civil rights activist who advocated for Black empowerment and self-defense; associated with Nation of Islam.

Equal Pay Act

Aimed to abolish wage disparity based on sex.

War on Poverty

President Lyndon B. Johnson’s initiative to reduce poverty in America through social programs.

Great Society

Johnson’s domestic agenda to eliminate poverty and racial injustice; included Medicare, education, and urban development reforms.

Medicare

Federal health insurance for people over 65 or with certain disabilities; part of the Great Society.

Counterculture

1960s movement rejecting mainstream American values, favoring peace, love, and communal living.

Generation Gap

Cultural divide between youth and their parents, especially during the 1960s.

Hippies

Members of the counterculture who embraced peace, drugs, and alternative lifestyles.

Negative Side of the Counterculture

Drug abuse, lack of direction, and societal rejection; some communes failed.

Feminism

Movement for gender equality; gained momentum in the 1960s and 70s.

Title IX

Prohibited sex discrimination in federally funded education programs and sports.

Cesar Chavez

Labor leader who fought for farm workers’ rights, co-founded the United Farm Workers (UFW).

Chicano Movement

Mexican-American civil rights movement seeking education reform, labor rights, and political empowerment.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Created in 1970 to enforce environmental protection laws and regulations.

Bay of Pigs

Failed U.S.-backed invasion of Cuba by anti-Castro exiles.

Cuban Missile Crisis

13-day confrontation between the U.S. and USSR over Soviet missiles in Cuba; nearly led to nuclear war.

Blockading Cuba

U.S. naval blockade during the Cuban Missile Crisis to prevent more Soviet missiles from arriving.

Hot Line

Direct communication link between the U.S. and Soviet Union established after the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Space Race

U.S.-Soviet competition for space exploration dominance during the Cold War.

Apollo 11

First successful moon landing by the U.S.; astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.

Berlin Wall

Wall built by East Germany (1961) to prevent East Berliners from fleeing to West Berlin; Cold War symbol.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

Gave President Johnson authority to use military force in Vietnam without a formal declaration of war.

Americanization

Escalation of U.S. involvement in Vietnam with more American troops and resources.

Operation Rolling Thunder

Sustained U.S. bombing campaign against North Vietnam.

Agent Orange

Toxic herbicide used by U.S. in Vietnam to destroy jungle cover; caused serious health issues.

Unconventional War

Guerrilla tactics used in Vietnam, making traditional warfare ineffective.

Tet Offensive

Major Viet Cong/North Vietnamese assault during the Vietnamese New Year; turned U.S. public opinion against the war.

Credibility Gap

Distrust between the U.S. public and government due to misleading statements about Vietnam.

Vietnamization

Nixon’s policy to gradually withdraw U.S. troops and hand over combat to South Vietnamese forces.

Invading Cambodia

U.S. expansion of the Vietnam War into Cambodia, sparking protests.

Kent State Killings

National Guard shot and killed four student protesters during anti-war demonstration.

My Lai Massacre

U.S. soldiers killed hundreds of Vietnamese civilians; increased anti-war sentiment.

Pentagon Papers

Leaked documents revealing U.S. government deception in the Vietnam War.