Key Terms from U.S. History (1960s-2000s)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key U.S. history terms and events ranging from the 1960s to the early 2000s.

Betty Friedan

Author and activist who published 'The Feminine Mystique' in 1963, challenging traditional gender roles.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Legislation passed to prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin; strengthened voting rights protection.

Heart of Atlanta Motel v. U.S.

Supreme Court case affirming the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by upholding the prohibition of racial discrimination in public accommodations.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

Legislation that enabled President Johnson to take military action in Vietnam following alleged attacks on American ships.

Ralph Nader

Political activist whose book 'Unsafe at Any Speed' led to auto safety regulations.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Legislation aimed at overcoming barriers preventing African Americans from voting.

Watts Riots

Six-day uprising in Los Angeles in 1965, sparked by police brutality and racial tensions.

Malcolm X

African American leader who advocated for Black empowerment and civil rights through both peaceful and militant means.

Black Panthers

Founded in 1966, this organization sought to protect African American neighborhoods from police brutality and provided social programs.

Robert F. Kennedy

Former Attorney General and U.S. senator known for advocating civil rights; assassinated in 1968.

Cesar Chavez

Migrant farmer and labor leader who founded the National Farm Workers Association to advocate for farm workers' rights.

Tet Offensive

1976 assault by North Vietnamese forces, which surprised U.S. troops and the American public.

American Indian Movement

Founded in 1968 to advocate for Native American civil rights and recognition of treaties.

Moon Landing

July 20, 1969, when Neil Armstrong became the first human to walk on the moon.

Richard M. Nixon

Thirty-seventh President known for ending the Vietnam War and for the Watergate scandal.

Pentagon Papers

Government documents revealing the truth about U.S. involvement in Vietnam, leading to a Supreme Court case on freedom of the press.

Kent State

Site of a 1970 protest against the Vietnam War where four students were killed by Ohio National Guard troops.

Twenty-Sixth Amendment

Ratified in 1971, it granted voting rights to citizens aged eighteen and older.

Henry Kissinger

National Security Advisor and Secretary of State who played a significant role in U.S.-China relations and the SALT negotiations.

Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT)

Agreements between the U.S. and the Soviets to limit nuclear arsenals.

Watergate Scandal

Political scandal involving a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters, leading to Nixon's resignation.

Furman v. Georgia

Supreme Court case ruling the death penalty unconstitutional unless fairly applied.

War Powers Act

Law requiring the President to notify Congress before committing U.S. troops to an armed conflict.

Saturday Night Massacre

Event during the Watergate scandal when Nixon attempted to fire a special prosecutor, leading to a constitutional crisis.

Rise of the New Right

Political movement in the 1960s-1980s focusing on conservative policies and traditional values.

Roe v. Wade

Supreme Court case ruling that state laws prohibiting first trimester abortions are unconstitutional.

Gerald Ford

Thirty-eighth President who pardoned Nixon and took office after the Watergate scandal.

Jimmy Carter

Thirty-ninth President known for human rights advocacy and foreign policy achievements.

Bakke v. Regents of the University of California

Supreme Court case that upheld affirmative action but banned racial quotas in admissions.

American Hostages in Iran

Incident in 1979 where Iranian revolutionaries took Americans hostage at the U.S. embassy.

Three Mile Island

Site of a nuclear accident in 1979 that raised awareness of environmental safety.

Ronald Reagan

Fortieth President known for conservative policies and ending the Cold War.

Mikhail Gorbachev

Soviet leader known for liberalizing reforms that contributed to the end of communism.

Iran-Contra Affair

Scandal involving the illegal sale of arms to fund Nicaraguan rebels while Congress had prohibited such aid.

Black Monday

Date in 1987 when the stock market crashed, leading to significant financial fallout.

Savings and Loan Scandal

Financial crisis in the 1980s due to poor regulation, leading to a massive government bailout.

George H.W. Bush

Forty-first President known for leading the U.S. during the Gulf War.

Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty

Treaty signed in 1990 by the U.S. and USSR to reduce nuclear arsenals.

Persian Gulf War

Conflict initiated by Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, leading to U.S. military action in 1990.

Effects of the Collapse of Soviet Union

Led to new foreign policy challenges and a shift in trade dynamics after the Soviet breakup.

Bill Clinton

Forty-second President known for economic reforms, NAFTA, and impeachment.

Branch Davidian Incident

1993 standoff between FBI and a religious group in Waco, Texas, ending in a tragic fire.

Oklahoma City Bombing

1995 attack by Timothy McVeigh that killed 168 people, linked to anti-government sentiments.

George W. Bush

Forty-third President who declared a war on terror after the 9/11 attacks.

September 11, 2001

Day of coordinated terrorist attacks on the U.S., leading to significant changes in national security.

Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan

Ongoing military engagements initiated in response to terrorism, aiming to establish democratic governance.

Hurricane Katrina

2005 hurricane that devastated New Orleans and raised issues of government response and racial inequality.

Barack Obama

Forty-fourth President and first African American President, known for healthcare reform and economic measures.

Evolution of the Major Political Parties

Historical changes in party platforms related to social issues and economic policies beginning with the Kansas-Nebraska Act.