meatymen

Brown v. Board of Education

Supreme Court case that declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Civil rights leader known for nonviolent protest and his role in ending racial segregation.

Civil Disobedience

Nonviolent resistance to unjust laws, championed by MLK and others during the Civil Rights Movement.

Sit-Ins

Nonviolent protests, usually at segregated lunch counters, to demand civil rights.

Montgomery Bus Boycott

Protest sparked by Rosa Parks’ arrest; led to the desegregation of public buses.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

Federal agency enforcing laws against workplace discrimination.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Landmark law banning segregation in public places and employment discrimination.

24th Amendment

Abolished the poll tax, which had been used to keep African Americans from voting.

Malcolm X

Civil rights leader advocating for Black empowerment and self-defense; initially associated with Nation of Islam.

Black Panthers

Militant civil rights group focused on self-defense and social programs in Black communities.

John F. Kennedy (JFK)

35th U.S. president; known for civil rights support, space race, and Cold War crises.

Peace Corps

Volunteer program started by JFK to aid developing countries.

NASA

U.S. space agency; led American efforts in the space race against the Soviet Union.

Alliance for Progress

JFK initiative to aid Latin America and prevent the spread of communism.

Medicare/Medicaid (1965)

Federal programs providing healthcare to the elderly (Medicare) and low-income people (Medicaid).

Rachel Carson, Silent Spring

Environmentalist whose book exposed the dangers of pesticides, sparking the environmental movement.

Betty Friedan, The Feminine Mystique

Book that sparked second-wave feminism by highlighting dissatisfaction of women in traditional roles.

National Organization for Women (NOW)

Founded in 1966 to advocate for women’s rights.

Title IX (1972)

Federal law banning sex-based discrimination in education, particularly in sports.

New Frontier

JFK’s domestic program focused on civil rights, education, space, and economic growth.

Bay of Pigs (1961)

Failed U.S.-backed invasion of Cuba by Cuban exiles trying to overthrow Fidel Castro.

Berlin Wall (1961–1989)

Wall built by East Germany (with Soviet backing) to stop East Germans from fleeing to West Berlin.

Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

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

Warren Commission

Government investigation that concluded Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in JFK’s assassination.

Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ)

36th president; known for civil rights legislation, the “Great Society,” and escalating the Vietnam War.

Great Society

LBJ’s domestic programs aimed at eliminating poverty and racial injustice (e.g., Medicare, Head Start, Voting Rights Act).

Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (1963)

Agreement between the U.S., USSR, and UK to prohibit nuclear tests in the atmosphere, outer space, and underwater.

War on Poverty

Part of LBJ’s Great Society; aimed to reduce poverty through education, job training, and social services.

Warren Court

The Supreme Court under Chief Justice Earl Warren; expanded civil rights and individual liberties.

Burger Court

Supreme Court under Chief Justice Warren Burger; issued key decisions like Roe v. Wade and U.S. v. Nixon.

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

Supreme Court decision guaranteeing the right to a lawyer for all felony defendants.

Escobedo v. Illinois (1964)

Ruled that criminal suspects have the right to counsel during police interrogations.

Miranda v. Arizona (1966)

Established the “Miranda rights,” requiring police to inform suspects of their rights when arrested.

Engel v. Vitale (1962)

Banned state-sponsored prayer in public schools, citing violation of the First Amendment.

Ralph Nader, Unsafe at Any Speed (1965)

Book criticizing the auto industry’s disregard for safety; led to consumer protection laws.

Richard Nixon

37th president; known for Vietnam War policies, opening China, and the Watergate scandal.

Détente

Period of eased tensions between the U.S. and USSR in the 1970s, including arms control agreements.

Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT)

Treaties between the U.S. and USSR to limit nuclear weapons during the Cold War.

Stagflation

Economic condition in the 1970s marked by high inflation and unemployment combined with slow economic growth.

Watergate (U.S. v. Richard Nixon)

Scandal involving Nixon’s administration spying on political opponents; led to Nixon’s resignation in 1974.

OPEC, Oil Embargo (1973)

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries cut oil exports to the U.S., causing fuel shortages and price spikes.

Jimmy Carter

39th president; focused on human rights and energy issues; presidency marked by the Iran Hostage Crisis.

Bicentennial (1976)

200th anniversary of American independence, celebrated with nationwide events and patriotism.

Roe v. Wade (1973)

Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide based on the right to privacy.

Camp David Accords (1978)

Peace agreement brokered by President Carter between Egypt and Israel.

Panama Canal Treaty (1978)

Agreement to gradually transfer control of the Panama Canal from the U.S. to Panama.

Iran Hostage Crisis (1979–1981)

52 Americans held hostage in Iran after revolutionaries seized the U.S. embassy; lasted 444 days.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Federal agency established in 1970 to regulate pollution and protect the environment.

Ronald Reagan

40th president; known for conservative policies, ending the Cold War, and boosting military spending.

Reaganomics

Economic policy under Reagan favoring tax cuts, reduced government spending, and deregulation to stimulate growth.

Immigration Reform and Control Act (1986)

Law that penalized employers for hiring undocumented workers and granted amnesty to some immigrants.

American Indian Movement (AIM)

Activist group advocating for Native American rights, sovereignty, and cultural preservation.

Iran-Contra Affair (1980s)

Scandal where U.S. officials secretly sold weapons to Iran and used the money to fund rebels in Nicaragua (Contras).

Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI)

Reagan’s proposed missile defense system (nicknamed “Star Wars”) to protect the U.S. from nuclear attacks.

Gulf War (1990–1991)

U.S.-led coalition drove Iraqi forces out of Kuwait after Saddam Hussein’s invasion; also called Operation Desert Storm.

Soviet Union Breakup/End of Cold War (1991)

Collapse of the USSR ended decades-long U.S.-Soviet rivalry.

Bill Clinton/Impeachment/Kosovo War

Clinton was impeached for perjury related to a personal scandal (not removed); also led NATO intervention in Kosovo (1999).

Globalization

Increasing global interconnectedness in trade, culture, and communication, especially after the Cold War.

George W. Bush/9-11/Iraq War

After 9/11 terrorist attacks (2001), Bush launched the War on Terror, including invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.