APUSH - Cold war - suburbanization

Containment

U.S. policy to stop the spread of communism.

Truman Doctrine

U.S. promise to help nations resist communism.

Marshall Plan

U.S. aid to rebuild Europe after WWII to resist communism.

Iron Curtain

Symbolic division between free West and communist East Europe.

NATO

Military alliance of Western nations against Soviet threat.

Warsaw Pact

Soviet-led military alliance of communist countries.

Berlin Blockade

Soviet attempt to cut off Allied access to West Berlin (1948–49).

Korean War

Conflict between communist North Korea and democratic South Korea.

Korean War Armistice (1953)

Ceasefire agreement ending major fighting in Korea.

Bay of Pigs Invasion

Failed U.S.-backed attempt to overthrow Cuba’s communist leader.

Viet Cong

Communist fighters in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War.

Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD)

Idea that full nuclear war would destroy both sides.

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (1968)

Agreement to stop the spread of nuclear weapons.

Limited Test Ban Treaty (1963)

Treaty banning nuclear tests in the air, space, and water.

Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT I, 1972)

U.S.-Soviet talks to limit nuclear arms.

Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI)

U.S. plan to build a missile defense system in space.

Helsinki Accords (1975)

Agreement to improve relations between communist and Western nations.

Détente

Period of eased tensions between the U.S. and Soviet Union during the Cold War.

McCarthyism

Accusing people of communism without solid proof.

House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)

Congressional group investigating communist ties.

Consumerism

Surge in buying goods like cars, TVs, and appliances after WWII; linked to American identity and status.

Advertisements

Exploded during the 1950s, especially on TV; encouraged materialism and 'keeping up with the Joneses.'

GI Bill

1944 law that gave WWII veterans benefits like college tuition and home loans; expanded the middle class.

Suburbia

Mass movement to affordable, new suburban homes symbolizing the American Dream.

Levittown

First mass-produced suburb; offered cheap homes for white families but excluded minorities.

Baby Boom

Major population surge (1946–1964) that increased demand for housing, schools, and family goods.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

President who promoted suburban growth and signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act in 1956.

Federal-Aid Highway Act

1956 law funding the Interstate Highway System, connecting cities and expanding suburbs.

Interstate Highway System

Massive network of highways that boosted travel, economy, and car culture but hurt cities.

Television

Became a household staple by the late 1950s; shaped consumer habits, culture, and reinforced gender roles.

I Love Lucy

Hit 1950s TV show that defined family entertainment and made TV a central part of daily life.

Second-wave feminism

Movement that grew in the 1960s from women’s dissatisfaction with 1950s domestic roles.

The Feminine Mystique

1963 book by Betty Friedan that criticized traditional roles and inspired feminist activism.

Rock ‘n’ Roll

New music style popular with teenagers; symbolized rebellion and cultural change.

Elvis Presley

Major figure of 1950s rock ‘n’ roll; influenced youth culture and challenged older values.

Brown v. Board of Education

1954 Supreme Court case ending legal school segregation.

Rosa Parks

Sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott by refusing to give up her bus seat in 1955.

Montgomery Bus Boycott

1955–1956 protest against segregated buses in Montgomery, Alabama; major civil rights victory.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Civil rights leader who gained national attention from leading the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Civil Rights Movement

1950s–1960s effort to end segregation, discrimination, and racial inequality in America.