American History III Final Study Guide

Flashcards for American History III Final Exam Review

GI Bill (1944)

Provided educational and housing benefits to WWII veterans, helping to create a prosperous middle class and expanding access to higher education.

Cold War (1945-1991)

A period of political, military, and ideological rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union following World War II.

United Nations (UN) (1945)

An international organization founded to promote peace, security, and cooperation among nations; replaced the League of Nations after WWII.

Truman Doctrine (1947)

U.S. policy to provide economic and military aid to countries resisting communism, starting with Greece and Turkey.

House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) (1940s-1950s)

A committee of the U.S. House of Representatives that investigated alleged communist activities, especially during the Cold War.

Marshall Plan (1947)

U.S. program giving over $12 billion to help rebuild Western European economies after WWII to prevent the spread of communism.

Containment Policy (1947-1991)

U.S. strategy to prevent the spread of communism by providing economic and military support to countries resisting Soviet influence.

Arms Race (1940s-1980s)

Competition between the U.S. and USSR for nuclear superiority during the Cold War.

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) (1949)

A military alliance formed to counter Soviet expansion by providing mutual aid and defense amongst its members.

Communism

An economic and political system where property is publicly owned, and each person works and is paid according to abilities and needs. Economic ideology of the Soviet Union.

Capitalism

An economic system based on private ownership of the means of production and operation for profit. Economic ideology of the US.

Korean War (1950 - 1953): Cause

Conflict started when (communist) North Korea invaded (non-communist) South Korea; viewed as a test of the containment policy during the Cold War.

Korean War (1950 - 1953): Outcome

Ended in stalemate with Korea remaining divided at the 38th parallel; showed limits of U.S. military power.

McCarthyism (1950s)

Anti-communist hysteria marked by Senator Joseph McCarthy's accusations of communist infiltration in the U.S. government.

Joseph McCarthy

U.S. Senator who led anti-communist investigations; later criticized for misconduct.

Warsaw Pact (1955)

A military alliance of communist nations in Eastern Europe organized in response to NATO.

Vietnam War (1955 - 1975): Cause

U.S. involvement aimed at preventing the spread of communism in Southeast Asia.

Sputnik (1957)

First artificial satellite launched by the Soviet Union; sparked the U.S.-Soviet space race.

Eisenhower Doctrine (1957)

Pledged U.S. military and economic aid to Middle Eastern countries resisting communism.

Vietnam War (1955-1975): Outcome

Ended with U.S. withdrawal and North Vietnamese victory; led to domestic backlash and loss of trust in government.

Space Race (1957-1969)

Competition between the United States and the Soviet Union to achieve major milestones in space exploration.

Bay of Pigs Invasion (1961)

Failed U.S.-backed attempt by Cuban exiles to overthrow Fidel Castro.

Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

13-day confrontation over Soviet missiles in Cuba; ended with Soviet withdrawal and U.S. promise not to invade Cuba.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (1964)

Allowed President Johnson to escalate U.S. involvement in Vietnam without a formal declaration of war.

Tet Offensive (1968)

Surprise attack by North Vietnamese forces; turned U.S. public opinion against the war.

Fall of Saigon (1975)

Marked the official end of the Vietnam War and U.S. involvement in Southeast Asia.

Detente (1970s)

Period of eased tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union marked by arms limitation agreements.

Oil Embargo (1973)

OPEC's decision to cut oil exports to the U.S. in response to support for Israel; led to energy crisis and inflation.

Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan (1979)

Soviet military intervention to support communist government; led to U.S. boycott of 1980 Olympics.

Nuclear Disarmament Treaties (1963-1987)

Agreements like SALT and START aimed at reducing the number of nuclear weapons.

Iran-Contra Affair (1986-1987)

Secret U.S. arms sales to Iran to fund Nicaraguan Contras; illegal and damaged Reagan's reputation.

Fall of the Berlin Wall (1989)

Symbolized the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe and led to German reunification.

Dissolvement of Soviet Union (1991)

Marked the end of the Cold War and the breakup of the USSR into independent republics.

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

Supreme Court decision that upheld racial segregation under the "separate but equal" doctrine.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

Landmark Supreme Court case that declared segregation in public schools unconstitutional, overturning Plessy v. Ferguson.

Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955)

Year-long protest against racial segregation on public buses in Montgomery, Alabama, sparked by Rosa Parks' arrest.

Freedom Riders (1961)

Civil rights activists who rode interstate buses into the segregated South to challenge non-enforcement of Supreme Court decisions.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Prominent leader of the Civil Rights Movement known for advocating nonviolent protest and civil disobedience.

March on Washington (1963)

Massive civil rights rally in Washington, D.C., where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech.

Birmingham Campaign (1963)

A series of nonviolent protests in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963 that highlighted brutal response by local law enforcement to civil rights demonstrations.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Federal law that banned discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in employment and public accommodations.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Law aimed at overcoming legal barriers that prevented African Americans from exercising their right to vote.

Chief Justice Earl Warren (1953-1969)

Led a transformative era on the Supreme Court known for expanding civil rights and liberties.

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

Supreme Court decision that guaranteed the right to legal counsel for criminal defendants in federal and state courts.

Miranda v. Arizona (1966)

Supreme Court case that established the requirement for police to inform suspects of their rights before questioning.

Affirmative Action (1960s-)

Policies that take race, ethnicity, or gender into consideration in order to promote opportunities for historically marginalized groups.

Black Power Movement (1960s)

A movement that emphasized racial pride, economic empowerment, and the creation of political and cultural institutions for Black Americans.

Title IX (1972)

Part of the Education Amendments that prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs and activities.

Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) (1972)

Proposed constitutional amendment aiming to guarantee equal rights regardless of sex; passed by Congress but not ratified by enough states.

Roe v. Wade (1973)

Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide, based on a woman's right to privacy.

Al Qaeda (1988)

Terrorist group led by Osama bin Laden; responsible for 9/11 attacks.

Persian Gulf War (1991)

A U.S.-led coalition launched Operation Desert Storm to expel Iraqi forces from Kuwait after Iraq's invasion in 1990.

Taliban (1994)

An Islamist militant group that emerged in Afghanistan in the 1990s, known for enforcing strict Sharia law.

War on Terror (2001)

Global campaign launched by the U.S. after 9/11 to eliminate terrorist threats.

9/11 Attacks (2001)

Coordinated terrorist attacks by al-Qaeda on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, killing nearly 3,000 people.

Patriot Act (2001)

Legislation expanding U.S. law enforcement's surveillance and investigative powers.

Osama Bin Laden

Founder of the terrorist group al-Qaeda and mastermind of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.

Sadam Hussein

Authoritarian president of Iraq from 1979 to 2003 known for brutal repression and regional aggression, including the invasion of Kuwait.

Age of Conformity (1950s)

A term describing the social pressures to adhere to traditional norms during the postwar era, emphasizing family, consumerism, and anti-communism.

Rock n' Roll Music (1950s)

A genre that revolutionized popular music with artists like Elvis Presley; became a symbol of youth rebellion and cultural change.

Counter Culture

A culture with lifestyles and values opposed/unpopular to those of the established culture.

Beatniks (1950s)

A countercultural group known for rejecting materialism and promoting artistic expression, spontaneity, and alternative lifestyles.

Sunbelt Migration (1950s)

A population shift from the Northeast and Midwest to the South and West due to industrial growth, warmer climate, and job opportunities.

"On the Road" by Jack Kerouac (1957)

A defining novel of the Beat Generation that celebrated freedom, nonconformity, and cross-country exploration.

Age of Liberalism (1960s-1970s)

A period when the U.S. government expanded civil rights, social welfare, and environmental protections through federal legislation.

Hippies (1960s)

A youth movement promoting peace, love, environmentalism, and countercultural values; often associated with antiwar protests and communal living.

"Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson (1962)

An influential environmental science book that exposed the dangers of pesticides and launched the modern environmental movement.

"The Feminine Mystique" by Betty Freidan (1963)

A groundbreaking feminist work that critiqued traditional roles for women and sparked the second-wave feminist movement.

The Great Society (1964-65)

A set of domestic programs launched by President Lyndon B. Johnson aimed at eliminating poverty and racial injustice.

1968 Democratic National Convention

A highly contentious and violent event held in Chicago amid widespread protests against the Vietnam War.

Kent State University Protest (1970)

A student demonstration against the Vietnam War that turned deadly when National Guardsmen fired on protesters, killing four students.

Watergate Scandal (1972)

A political scandal involving a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters and the subsequent cover-up by President Richard Nixon's administration.

Camp David Accords (1978)

A 1978 peace agreement brokered by U.S. President Jimmy Carter between Egypt and Israel.

Iran Hostage Crisis (1979)

A historic peace agreement brokered by President Jimmy Carter between Egypt and Israel, ending decades of conflict.

Stagflation (1970s)

Period of high inflation, slow economic growth, and high unemployment occurring simultaneously.

Conservatism of the 1980s

A political movement emphasizing limited government, free markets, and traditional values as a reaction against the liberal policies of the 1960s and 70s.

Reganomics (1980s)

Economic policies implemented by President Ronald Reagan focused on tax cuts, deregulation, and reducing government spending to stimulate growth.

Recession (1990-1992)

A period of economic slowdown in the early 1990s marked by rising unemployment, reduced consumer spending, and weak business investment.

Mexican Immigration to the United States (1990s)

Driven by economic hardship in Mexico, demand for labor in the U.S., and changes in immigration laws.

NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) (1993)

A trade agreement between the United States, Canada, and Mexico designed to eliminate tariffs and increase economic cooperation.

Oklahoma City bombing (1995)

A domestic terrorist attack in which Timothy McVeigh bombed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, killing 168 people.

2000 Presidential Election

A highly contested election between George W. Bush and Al Gore decided by a disputed Florida vote count.

Social Security in the 2000s

A federal program providing retirement, disability, and survivor benefits to millions of Americans.

Obamacare (Affordable Care Act 2009)

A comprehensive healthcare reform law aimed at expanding insurance coverage, reducing healthcare costs, and improving system quality.

Tea Party (2009)

A conservative political movement that emerged in 2009 advocating for reduced government spending, lower taxes, and limited federal government.

Occupy Wall Street (2011)

A protest movement against economic inequality, corporate influence, and the power of financial institutions.

President Harry S. Truman (1945-1953)

Highs: Ended WWII, implemented the Marshall Plan, Truman Doctrine, NATO formation. Lows: Korean War stalemate, public war fatigue.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961)

Highs: Interstate Highway Act, Space Race kickoff, economic prosperity. Lows: Criticized for slow civil rights response.

President John F. Kennedy (1961-1963)

Highs: Cuban Missile Crisis resolution, civil rights advocacy, moon mission vision. Lows: Bay of Pigs fiasco.

President Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-1969)

Highs: Civil Rights Act, Voting Rights Act, Great Society programs. Lows: Vietnam escalation, 1968 war protests.

President Richard Nixon (1969-1974)

Highs: Opened China relations, détente, moon landing. Lows: Pentagon Papers, Watergate scandal (resigned).

President Gerald Ford (1974-1977)

Highs: Restored the presidency post-Watergate. Lows: Pardoned Nixon, economic struggles.

President Jimmy Carter (1977-1981)

Highs: Camp David Accords, environmental initiatives. Lows: Iran Hostage Crisis, stagflation.

President Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)

Highs: Ended Cold War(technically), Reaganomics, strong national pride. Lows: Iran-Contra, increased deficit.

President George H.W. Bush (1989-1993)

Highs: Gulf War victory, Cold War end (officially). Lows: Economic recession "No new taxes".

President Bill Clinton (1993-2001)

Highs: Economic boom, balanced budget. Lows: Impeachment (Lewinsky scandal).

President George W. Bush (2000-2009)

Highs: Response to 9/11, initial War on Terror support. Lows: Iraq War, Hurricane Katrina response.

President Barack Obama (2009-2017)

Highs: First African American president; passed Obamacare; ordered the raid that killed Bin Laden. Lows: Faced a recession; criticized for inaction in Syria and expanded drone warfare.