Here’s a quick-reference guide for each of those terms, with clear and concise definitions:
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### Social Movements & Organizations
- American Indian Movement (AIM): A Native American advocacy group founded in 1968 to address issues of sovereignty, treaty rights, and police harassment.
- Cesar Chavez & United Farm Workers: Chavez co-founded the UFW to advocate for the rights of migrant farm workers, emphasizing nonviolent protest and labor organization.
- National Organization of Women (NOW): A feminist group founded in 1966 to advocate for women's rights, including equal pay and reproductive rights.
- Equal Rights Amendment (ERA): A proposed constitutional amendment to guarantee equal legal rights for all Americans regardless of sex. Passed by Congress in 1972 but not ratified by enough states.
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### Court Cases
- Miranda v. Arizona (1966): Supreme Court decision requiring that suspects be informed of their rights before being interrogated ("Miranda rights").
- Engel v. Vitale (1962): Supreme Court case that ruled prayer in public schools violates the First Amendment.
- Roe v. Wade (1973): Landmark Supreme Court case that legalized abortion nationwide, citing a woman's right to privacy.
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### Healthcare & Social Programs
- Medicare & Medicaid (1965): Federal programs created under LBJ’s Great Society; Medicare provides health care for seniors, Medicaid for low-income individuals.
- Head Start: A federal program that promotes school readiness for young children from low-income families through education, health, and nutrition services.
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### Legislation & Policies
- Immigration Reform Act of 1965: Abolished the national origins quota system, opening up U.S. immigration to non-European countries.
- Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (1964): Gave President Johnson broad military powers in Vietnam without a formal declaration of war.
- Vietnamization: Nixon’s strategy to withdraw U.S. troops from Vietnam and transfer combat responsibility to South Vietnamese forces.
- War Powers Act (1973): Law limiting the president’s ability to send troops into combat without congressional approval.
- Nixon Doctrine: U.S. would support allies with aid and arms but not direct military involvement.
- SALT I (1972): Strategic Arms Limitation Talks between the U.S. and USSR to limit nuclear weapons.
- SALT II (1979): Follow-up treaty to SALT I, aimed to further limit strategic nuclear weapons; never ratified due to Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
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### Events
- Tet Offensive (1968): A massive surprise attack by North Vietnamese forces during the Vietnam War; shifted U.S. public opinion against the war.
- Stonewall Riot (1969): LGBTQ+ uprising in NYC that sparked the modern gay rights movement.
- Three Mile Island (1979): A nuclear power plant accident in Pennsylvania that raised fears about nuclear safety.
- Iranian Hostage Crisis (1979–1981): 52 Americans were held hostage in Iran for 444 days after the U.S. embassy in Tehran was seized.
- Watergate (1972–1974): Political scandal involving a break-in at the Democratic National Committee HQ, leading to Nixon’s resignation.
- Moscow Olympics (1980): The U.S. boycotted the games in protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
- Camp David Accords (1978): Peace agreement between Egypt and Israel brokered by President Carter.
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### People
- Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique (1963): Book that challenged traditional gender roles and sparked the second-wave feminist movement.
- Phyllis Schlafly: Conservative activist who opposed the ERA, arguing it would dismantle traditional family values.
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### Terms & Ideologies
- Silent Majority: Nixon’s term for Americans who did not publicly protest but supported his policies, especially during the Vietnam War.
- Great Society: President Lyndon B. Johnson’s domestic agenda to eliminate poverty and racial injustice through programs like Medicare, Head Start, and civil rights legislation.
- Warren Court: The Supreme Court under Chief Justice Earl Warren, known for expanding civil rights and liberties.
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Created in 1970 to enforce environmental regulations and protect natural resources.
- OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries): Oil cartel that caused energy crises in the 1970s by limiting oil exports.
- Silent Spring (1962): Book by Rachel Carson that exposed the dangers of pesticides and launched the modern environmental movement.
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