AMSCO 8.4-8.7

LTHS

Harry S. Truman

The 33rd U.S. president (1945–1953), known for the Truman Doctrine, Marshall Plan, and desegregating the military.

Employment Act of 1946

Established the Council of Economic Advisers to promote economic stability, full employment, and production.

Servicemen’s Readjustment Act (GI Bill)

Provided benefits to WWII veterans, including funding for education and low-interest home loans.

Baby boom

Significant increase in births between 1946 and 1964, leading to a major demographic shift in the U.S.

Levittown

Suburban housing development created by William Levitt in the late 1940s, symbolizing postwar suburbanization.

22nd Amendment (1951)

Limited U.S. presidents to two terms in office, a reaction to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s four-term presidency.

Taft-Hartley Act (1947)

Restricted the power of labor unions and allowed states to pass right-to-work laws.

Fair Deal

Truman’s domestic policy program aimed at expanding New Deal programs, but most were blocked by Congress.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

The 34th U.S. president (1953–1961) known for promoting moderate Republican policies and expanding the highway system.

Modern Republicanism

Eisenhower’s approach that balanced conservative economic policies with support for some social programs.

Highway Act (1956)

Authorized the construction of the Interstate Highway System, facilitating suburban growth.

New Frontier

John F. Kennedy’s domestic agenda focused on civil rights, space exploration, and anti-poverty efforts.

Beatniks

A 1950s countercultural group known for rejecting societal norms and promoting artistic expression.

Jackie Robinson

The first African American Major League Baseball player, who broke the sport’s racial barrier.

Committee on Civil Rights (1946)

Established by Truman to investigate racial discrimination and recommend solutions.

Thurgood Marshall

NAACP lawyer who argued Brown v. Board of Education and became the first African American Supreme Court justice.

Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka

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

Southern Manifesto (1956)

A document signed by Southern politicians opposing racial desegregation in schools.

Desegregation

The process of ending racial segregation, particularly in public institutions.

Little Rock (1957)

Crisis where federal troops were sent to enforce desegregation at Central High School in Arkansas.

Rosa Parks

Civil rights activist who sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott by refusing to give up her seat.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Leader of the civil rights movement who advocated for nonviolent protest and delivered the "I Have a Dream" speech.

Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955–1956)

A protest against segregated buses that led to a Supreme Court ruling against segregation.

Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)

Civil rights organization founded by Martin Luther King Jr. promoting nonviolent resistance.

Sit-in movement

A nonviolent protest where African American students sat at segregated lunch counters demanding equal service.

Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)

A civil rights organization that organized sit-ins and voter registration drives.

Covert action

Secret CIA operations to influence foreign governments and counter communism.

Suez Crisis (1956)

Conflict over the nationalization of the Suez Canal involving military response from Britain, France, and Israel.

Eisenhower Doctrine (1957)

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

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

Coalition of oil-producing nations that coordinates policies to regulate oil prices.

Yom Kippur War (1973)

A war between Israel and Arab nations leading to tensions in the Middle East.

Oil embargo (1973–1974)

Restriction on oil exports to the U.S. by OPEC, causing an energy crisis.

Camp David Accords (1978)

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

Peace Corps (1961)

A volunteer program established by Kennedy to promote international development.

Alliance for Progress (1961)

U.S. initiative under Kennedy to improve conditions in Latin America to counter communism.