apush terms

Dwight Eisenhower

The 34th President of the United States, serving from 1953 to 1961, known for his leadership during the Cold War and domestic policies promoting infrastructure and economic growth.

Richard Nixon

The 37th President of the United States, who served as Eisenhower's Vice President and later became President from 1969 to 1974, known for his foreign policy initiatives and the Watergate scandal.

Modern Republicanism

Eisenhower's political philosophy that aimed to balance conservative economic policies with social welfare programs, promoting a middle ground in American politics.

Oveta Culp Hobby

A prominent American politician and businesswoman who served as the first Secretary of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare under Eisenhower.

Soil-bank program

A program initiated by Secretary of Agriculture Ezra Taft Benson to reduce crop production and conserve soil, aiming to stabilize farm prices.

Highway Act (1956)

Legislation that authorized the construction of a national interstate highway system, significantly impacting American transportation and commerce.

John Foster Dulles

The U.S. Secretary of State under Eisenhower, known for his aggressive foreign policy stance, including the concepts of 'brinkmanship' and 'massive retaliation.'

Brinkmanship

A foreign policy strategy that involves pushing dangerous events to the brink of active conflict to achieve favorable outcomes.

Massive Retaliation

A military doctrine that promised a strong response to any act of aggression, particularly by the Soviet Union, emphasizing nuclear deterrence.

The New Look

Eisenhower's defense policy that emphasized nuclear weapons and air power over conventional military forces to deter Soviet aggression.

Liberation

A Cold War strategy aimed at freeing countries under communist influence, often through covert actions and support for anti-communist movements.

Third World

A term used during the Cold War to describe countries that were not aligned with NATO (the First World) or the Communist Bloc (the Second World), often newly independent nations in Africa and Asia.

Iran

A country in the Middle East where the CIA orchestrated a coup in 1953 to overthrow Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh and reinstate the Shah, reflecting Cold War tensions.

Covert Action

Secret operations conducted by governments to influence political events in other countries, often used during the Cold War.

Indochina

A region in Southeast Asia that includes Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, significant for its role in the Vietnam War and U.S. foreign policy.

Geneva Conference

A 1954 meeting that aimed to resolve issues in Indochina, leading to the division of Vietnam into North and South.

Ho Chi Minh

The leader of North Vietnam and a key figure in the Vietnam War, known for his communist ideology and efforts to unify Vietnam.

Vietnam

A Southeast Asian country that became the focal point of U.S. military involvement during the Vietnam War, reflecting Cold War tensions.

Domino Theory

A geopolitical theory suggesting that the fall of one country to communism would lead to the spread of communism to neighboring countries.

Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO)

A regional defense pact established in 1954 to prevent the spread of communism in Southeast Asia, involving the U.S. and several Asian countries.

Suez Canal Crisis (1956)

A diplomatic and military confrontation involving Egypt, Israel, Britain, and France over the nationalization of the Suez Canal, highlighting Cold War tensions.

Eisenhower Doctrine

A policy that promised U.S. economic and military assistance to Middle Eastern countries resisting communist aggression.

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

A group of oil-producing countries that coordinate petroleum policies and prices, significant for its impact on global oil markets.

Spirit of Geneva

A term referring to the optimistic atmosphere of the 1955 Geneva Summit, where leaders discussed easing Cold War tensions.

Open-skies crisis

A failed proposal for mutual aerial surveillance between the U.S. and the Soviet Union to reduce tensions during the Cold War.

Nikita Khrushchev

The leader of the Soviet Union during part of the Cold War, known for his attempts to de-Stalinize the USSR and for his confrontations with the U.S.

Peaceful Coexistence

A foreign policy strategy proposed by Khrushchev that advocated for the coexistence of capitalist and communist states without conflict.

Hungarian Revolt

A 1956 uprising against Soviet control in Hungary, which was brutally suppressed by Soviet forces, highlighting the limits of U.S. support for anti-communist movements.

Warsaw Pact

A military alliance of communist nations in Eastern Europe, established in response to NATO, solidifying the division of Europe during the Cold War.

Sputnik

The first artificial satellite launched by the Soviet Union in 1957, marking the beginning of the space race and raising concerns in the U.S.

NDEA

The National Defense Education Act, enacted in 1958 to promote education in science, mathematics, and foreign languages in response to the Soviet launch of Sputnik.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

The U.S. government agency responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research, established in 1958.

U-2 Incident

A 1960 event in which an American U-2 spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union, leading to heightened tensions between the two superpowers.

Fidel Castro

The Cuban revolutionary leader who established a communist state in Cuba after the 1959 revolution, significantly impacting U.S.-Cuba relations.

Cuban Revolution

The 1959 overthrow of the Batista regime in Cuba by Fidel Castro and his followers, leading to the establishment of a communist government.

Military-Industrial Complex

A term used to describe the relationship between a country's military and the defense industry, which Eisenhower warned against in his farewell address.

Civil Rights

The movement aimed at ending racial discrimination and securing equal rights for African Americans, gaining momentum during the Eisenhower years.

Jackie Robinson

The first African American to play in Major League Baseball in the modern era, breaking the color barrier and becoming a symbol of the civil rights movement.

NAACP

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, a civil rights organization founded in 1909 to fight for racial equality and justice.

Desegregation

The process of ending the separation of races in public places, particularly schools, which was a major focus of the civil rights movement.

Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka

A landmark Supreme Court case in 1954 that declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional, a major victory for the civil rights movement.

Yates v. US

A Supreme Court case that addressed the limits of free speech and the rights of individuals to advocate for communism, impacting civil rights and political expression.

Jencks v. US

A Supreme Court case that established the right of defendants to access government documents that may be relevant to their defense, impacting legal rights.

Watkins v. US

A Supreme Court case that ruled on the limits of congressional power to investigate private citizens, reinforcing individual rights against government overreach.

Earl Warren

The Chief Justice of the United States from 1953 to 1969, known for his role in advancing civil rights through landmark Supreme Court decisions.

Little Rock Crisis

A 1957 incident where the Arkansas National Guard was used to prevent African American students from entering a segregated high school, leading to federal intervention.

Oppenheimer Case

The security clearance hearing of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, which raised issues of loyalty and the treatment of scientists during the Cold War.

Eisenhower's views on executive power

Eisenhower believed in a limited role for the presidency, advocating for a balance of power and caution in the use of executive authority.

Army-McCarthy Hearings

A series of hearings in 1954 that investigated allegations of communist influence in the U.S. Army, leading to the decline of Senator Joseph McCarthy's influence.

Election of 1956

The presidential election in which Eisenhower was re-elected, reflecting public support for his policies and leadership during a time of relative prosperity.

Eisenhower's views on civil rights

Eisenhower was cautious in his approach to civil rights, often advocating for gradual change rather than immediate action, reflecting the complexities of the era.

Civil Rights Act of 1957

The first civil rights legislation passed since Reconstruction, aimed at increasing voter registration among African Americans.

Civil Rights Act of 1960

An extension of the 1957 Act, providing for federal oversight of voter registration and addressing discrimination in voting.

Rosa Parks

An African American civil rights activist whose refusal to give up her bus seat to a white person in Montgomery, Alabama, sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Montgomery Bus Boycott

A pivotal civil rights protest against racial segregation on public buses in Montgomery, Alabama, initiated by Rosa Parks in 1955.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

A prominent leader of the civil rights movement, known for his nonviolent approach and powerful speeches advocating for racial equality.

Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)

An organization founded by civil rights leaders, including Martin Luther King, Jr., to coordinate nonviolent protests against racial segregation.

Quemoy and Matsu

Two small islands off the coast of China that were the focus of U.S. military strategy during the Cold War, particularly regarding Taiwan.

CIA in Guatemala

The covert operation in 1954 that led to the overthrow of democratically elected President Jacobo Árbenz, reflecting U.S. Cold War policies in Latin America.

Spirit of Camp David

A term referring to the positive atmosphere of the 1959 Camp David Summit between Eisenhower and Khrushchev, aimed at easing Cold War tensions.

Open Skies Proposal

A proposal by Eisenhower for mutual aerial reconnaissance between the U.S. and the Soviet Union to promote transparency and reduce the risk of conflict.

U2 incident, Francis Gary Powers

The downing of a U.S. U-2 spy plane in 1960 and the capture of pilot Francis Gary Powers by the Soviet Union, escalating Cold War tensions.

Baby Boom

A significant increase in birth rates following World War II, leading to a demographic shift and impacting American society and economy.

Growth of Suburbia

The expansion of suburban areas in the U.S. during the 1950s, driven by post-war economic prosperity and the desire for home ownership.

The Other America

A term popularized by Michael Harrington in the 1960s, referring to the poverty and social issues faced by marginalized groups in America.

Suburbia, Arthur Levitt

Arthur Levitt was a developer known for creating Levittown, one of the first mass-produced suburbs, symbolizing post-war suburban growth.

Dr. Benjamin Spock

A pediatrician and author of 'The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care,' which influenced child-rearing practices in the mid-20th century.

Momism

A term used to describe the overprotective and overly involved parenting style of mothers, particularly in the context of the baby boom generation.

The Feminine Mystique

A book by Betty Friedan published in 1963 that challenged traditional gender roles and sparked the second-wave feminist movement.

Family Togetherness

A cultural ideal promoted in the 1950s emphasizing the importance of family unity and traditional family values in American society.

Norman Vincent Peale

A minister and author known for his book 'The Power of Positive Thinking,' which popularized the idea of positive thinking in American culture.

Billy Graham

An influential American evangelist known for his large-scale crusades and efforts to spread Christianity, impacting American religious life.

The Kinsey Report

A series of studies on human sexuality conducted by Alfred Kinsey in the 1940s and 1950s, challenging traditional views on sexual behavior.

Jack Kerouac, the Beats

A group of American writers, including Jack Kerouac, who rejected conventional society and explored alternative lifestyles, influencing the counterculture movement.

The Affluent Society, John Kenneth Galbraith

A book published in 1958 that critiqued post-war consumerism and advocated for social responsibility and economic equity.

The Cult of Youth

A cultural phenomenon in the 1950s that celebrated youth culture and rebellion against traditional values, influencing music, fashion, and lifestyle.

AFL-CIO Merger

The merger of the American Federation of Labor (AFL) and the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) in 1955, creating a powerful labor union.

Eisenhower's Economic View

Eisenhower advocated for a balanced budget and moderate government intervention in the economy, promoting growth while controlling inflation.

Andy Warhol

An influential American artist known for his works in pop art, particularly his use of commercial techniques and themes in art.

Elvis Presley

An iconic American singer and cultural figure known as the 'King of Rock and Roll,' who revolutionized music and youth culture in the 1950s.