Key Concepts: APUSH Chapter 36: The American Zenith (American Pageant)

• The American Economy Booms: The post-World War II era saw a period of economic growth in the United States, with the country becoming the world's leading industrial power. The GI Bill helped returning veterans attend college and buy homes, while the baby boom led to increased consumer spending.

• The Cold War Intensifies: The United States and the Soviet Union engaged in a global struggle for power and influence, with the U.S. pursuing a policy of containment to prevent the spread of communism. The Korean War and the Cuban Missile Crisis were two key events in this conflict.

• Civil Rights Movement Gains Momentum: African Americans and other minority groups began to demand equal rights and an end to segregation. The Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Education and the Montgomery Bus Boycott were important milestones in the struggle for civil rights.

• Women's Liberation Movement Emerges: Women began to challenge traditional gender roles and demand greater equality in the workplace and in society. The publication of Betty Friedan's "The Feminine Mystique" helped spark the women's liberation movement.

• Environmentalism Takes Root: Concerns about pollution and the impact of human activity on the environment led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act.

• Counterculture Challenges Mainstream Society: The youth of the 1960s rejected traditional values and embraced new forms of music, art, and lifestyle. The anti-war movement and the rise of the hippie culture were two key aspects of the counterculture.

• Conservative Backlash Emerges: Some Americans felt that the changes of the 1960s had gone too far and began to push back against the counterculture and the liberal policies of the government. The rise of the New Right and the election of Ronald Reagan were key moments in this conservative backlash./note

Post-WWII Domestic Affairs

Introduction

• After World War II, the United States experienced a period of economic growth and prosperity, but also faced significant social and political challenges.

Economic Policies

• The US government implemented a series of economic policies to promote growth and stability.

• The Marshall Plan provided aid to European countries to rebuild their economies.

• The GI Bill provided education and housing benefits to veterans.

• The Federal Highway Act of 1956 created a national highway system to facilitate commerce and travel.

• The Bretton Woods Agreement established a system of fixed exchange rates to promote international trade.

Social Issues

• The Civil Rights Movement gained momentum in the 1950s and 1960s, as African Americans and other minorities fought for equal rights.

• The Women's Movement also gained traction, as women sought greater opportunities in the workplace and in society.

• The Baby Boom generation created new challenges in education, healthcare, and social welfare.

Political Developments

• The Cold War dominated US foreign policy, as the US and Soviet Union engaged in a global struggle for influence.

• The Red Scare led to a period of political repression and fear of communism.

• The Vietnam War divided the country and sparked protests and social unrest.

Politics and Civil Rights

• Election of 1952: Democrats nominate Illinois governor Adlai Stevenson (since Truman lacked public support due to the military deadlock in Korea), while Republicans nominate Dwight D. Eisenhower (who was already popular since he was a war hero). Running for VP for him was CA senator and notorious Communist-hunter Richard Nixon.

  • After blasting Democrats for corruption and lenient policies with Korea, Nixon is accused of accepting illegal donations.

  • Checkers Speech: Nixon defends himself, saying the only gift he ever received was his dog, Checker — this marks a development in American politics, where political candidates can now speak directly to voters through the TV

  • Eisenhower wins the election by the landslide after promises to end the Korean War. After he takes office, he threatens North Korea with nuclear weapons, which leads to an armistice being signed in 1953 (note: Korea is still divided at the 38th parallel, and the Cold War was still occurring)

  • Although Eisenhower was praised for his bipartisanship and kindness in the postwar era, critics said he should've used his popularity to stand up to McCarthyism and support civil rights

• African Americans were subjected to segregation, Jim Crow laws, and other forms of discrimination that left them politically powerless and economically inferior.

• This hurt America’s reputation, especially after Swedish scholar Gunnar Myrdal published An American Dilemma (1944): where he called the US hypocrites for saying “all men all created equal” and then treated African Americans poorly.

• Sweatt v. Painter (1950): Supreme court ruled that segregated professional schools failed to provide an equal quality of education.

• The repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act and racially restrictive housing marked a decrease in legal discrimination for other racial minorities as well.

• In 1955, Rosa Parks took a seat in the “whites only” section of a bus in Montgomery and refused to give it up. declared that segregating public schools was “inherently unequal’, and therefore unconstitutional. This reversed the decision of Plessy v. Ferguson, which said schools can be “separate but equal.”

  • Her arrest led to the Montgomery Bus Boycotts: year long boycott of the Montgomery busing — the South realized that African Americans will no longer struggle in silence and accept the indignity of segregation.

  • The boycotts also led Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. to become famous, particularly for his nonviolent policies inspired by Gandhi

Foreign Policy - APUSH Chapter 36: The American Zenith (American Pageant)

Introduction

• Foreign policy refers to a country's strategy in dealing with other nations.

• During the period of American Zenith, the US emerged as a superpower and played a significant role in shaping the world order.

The Cold War

• The Cold War was a geopolitical conflict between the US and the Soviet Union.

• The US adopted a policy of containment to prevent the spread of communism.

• The Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan were two key policies that helped contain communism and rebuild Europe after WWII.

• The Korean War was a major conflict that tested the US's commitment to containment.

Nuclear Arms Race

• The US and the Soviet Union engaged in a nuclear arms race, which led to the development of more powerful weapons.

• The Cuban Missile Crisis was a major event that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war.

Decolonization

• Decolonization was a process by which European colonies in Asia and Africa gained independence.

• The US supported decolonization and played a role in helping newly independent nations establish themselves.

Vietnam War

• The Vietnam War was a major conflict that tested the US's commitment to containment and led to significant domestic unrest.

• The war was controversial and unpopular, and it ultimately ended in defeat for the US.

Chapter 37

The Stormy Sixties American Pageant

The 1960s was a decade of significant social, cultural, and political change in the United States. The period was marked by a series of events that shaped the country's history and identity. Here are some of the key highlights of the stormy sixties American pageant:

Civil Rights Movement

• The Civil Rights Movement was a social movement that aimed to end racial segregation and discrimination against African Americans.

• The movement was led by prominent civil rights activists such as Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Rosa Parks.

• The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 were landmark pieces of legislation that helped to end legal segregation and protect the voting rights of African Americans.

Vietnam War

• The Vietnam War was a conflict between North and South Vietnam that lasted from 1955 to 1975.

• The United States became involved in the war in the early 1960s, sending troops to support South Vietnam.

• The war was highly controversial, and many Americans protested against it, leading to a significant anti-war movement.

Counterculture

• The counterculture of the 1960s was a cultural and social movement that rejected mainstream values and norms.

• The movement was characterized by a focus on individual freedom, experimentation with drugs, and a rejection of traditional gender roles.

• The counterculture had a significant impact on American society, influencing music, fashion, and popular culture.

Space Race

• The Space Race was a competition between the United States and the Soviet Union to explore space and achieve technological superiority.

• The United States achieved a significant victory in 1969 when NASA's Apollo 11 mission successfully landed astronauts on the moon.

Conclusion

The stormy sixties American pageant was a period of significant change and upheaval in the United States. The Civil Rights Movement, Vietnam War, counterculture, and Space Race were all major events that shaped the country's history and identity.