Unit 8 Notes

Taft-Hartley Act
Date: 1947
Significance: A federal law that restricted the activities and power of labor unions. It banned closed shops and allowed states to pass right-to-work laws.
Impact: Seen as a major setback for organized labor; it limited union power during a time of economic transition.

Dixiecrats
Date: 1948
Significance: A breakaway faction of the Democratic Party, led by Strom Thurmond, opposing civil rights initiatives.
Impact: Signaled a fracture in the Democratic Party and foreshadowed the South’s eventual shift to the Republican Party.

“Iron Curtain” & Winston Churchill
Date: 1946
Significance: Churchill coined the term “Iron Curtain” in a speech to describe the division between democratic Western Europe and communist Eastern Europe.
Impact: Marked the ideological divide that defined the Cold War and justified U.S. containment policies.

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
Date: 1949
Significance: A military alliance formed between the U.S., Canada, and Western European nations to counter Soviet expansion.
Impact: Institutionalized U.S. commitment to European defense; increased Cold War tensions.

People’s Republic of China (Red China)
Date: 1949
Significance: Mao Zedong’s Communist forces took control of China, forming the PRC.
Impact: A major Cold War turning point; the U.S. refused to recognize communist China and backed Taiwan as the legitimate government.

Joseph McCarthy
Date: Early 1950s
Significance: U.S. Senator from Wisconsin who became the symbol of the Red Scare by making sensational accusations of communist infiltration in the U.S. government.
Impact: Led to increased paranoia, blacklisting, and the curtailing of civil liberties. His influence faded after the televised Army-McCarthy hearings exposed his tactics.

Betty Friedan
Date: 1963 (The Feminine Mystique)
Significance: Feminist author and co-founder of the National Organization for Women (NOW). Challenged traditional roles for women in postwar America.
Impact: Sparked the second wave of feminism; pushed for workplace rights, abortion access, and the Equal Rights Amendment.

Sphere of Domesticity
Date: 1950s (Post-WWII era)
Significance: A cultural belief that women should remain in the home and care for the family, reinforcing traditional gender roles.
Impact: Became a target of critique during the feminist movement; many women began pushing for professional and personal autonomy.

Brown v. Board of Education
Date: 1954
Significance: Landmark Supreme Court case that ruled racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional.
Impact: Overturned Plessy v. Ferguson; served as a catalyst for the civil rights movement and led to widespread resistance in the South.

Brinkmanship
Date: 1950s
Significance: Cold War foreign policy strategy of pushing dangerous situations to the brink of war to achieve favorable outcomes. Associated with John Foster Dulles.
Impact: Heightened Cold War tensions and the risk of nuclear conflict, especially during crises like Cuba and Berlin.

Nikita Khrushchev
Date: Soviet Premier (1953–1964)
Significance: Leader of the Soviet Union during key Cold War events including the Cuban Missile Crisis and the construction of the Berlin Wall.
Impact: Played a major role in escalating and then easing Cold War tensions; promoted de-Stalinization in the USSR.

Suez Crisis
Date: 1956
Significance: Conflict when Egypt nationalized the Suez Canal; Britain, France, and Israel invaded.
Impact: Marked the decline of British/French global influence; U.S. and USSR jointly pressured for withdrawal, highlighting Cold War superpower diplomacy.

Military-Industrial Complex
Date: 1961 (Eisenhower’s Farewell Address)
Significance: Eisenhower warned of the growing influence of defense contractors and the military on U.S. policy.
Impact: Sparked ongoing debates about defense spending and war profiteering; became a symbol of excessive militarization.

New Frontier
Date: 1960–1963 (JFK Presidency)
Significance: Kennedy’s domestic program focusing on space exploration, education, healthcare, and civil rights.
Impact: Laid the groundwork for future liberal reforms, though many policies were later implemented by LBJ.

Peace Corps
Date: 1961
Significance: Volunteer program created by JFK to send Americans abroad to assist in development and promote goodwill.
Impact: Strengthened U.S. soft power during the Cold War; thousands of young Americans contributed to global humanitarian work.

Berlin Wall
Date: 1961–1989
Significance: Barrier built by East Germany to prevent citizens from fleeing to West Berlin.
Impact: Became a powerful symbol of the Cold War division between East and West; its fall in 1989 marked the collapse of Soviet influence in Eastern Europe.

Great Society
Date: 1964–1965
Significance: LBJ’s sweeping domestic agenda to end poverty and racial injustice, including programs like Medicare, Medicaid, Head Start, and urban renewal.
Impact: Expanded the welfare state and federal government's role in education, healthcare, and civil rights.

George Wallace
Date: Prominent in 1960s–1970s
Significance: Segregationist governor of Alabama who ran for president multiple times, often on a populist, states' rights platform.
Impact: Symbolized resistance to civil rights; drew support from white voters alienated by liberal reforms.

Civil Rights Act of 1964
Date: 1964
Significance: Landmark legislation that outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
Impact: Ended legal segregation in public places; enforced by the federal government.

Voting Rights Act of 1965
Date: 1965
Significance: Banned literacy tests and other discriminatory practices that disenfranchised Black voters.
Impact: Dramatically increased voter registration and participation among African Americans in the South.

Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965
Date: 1965
Significance: Abolished the national origins quota system, favoring family reunification and skilled immigrants.
Impact: Reshaped U.S. demographics by increasing immigration from Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Election of 1964
Date: 1964
Significance: LBJ defeated Barry Goldwater in a landslide, gaining a mandate for his Great Society programs.
Impact: Marked a major political realignment; the South began shifting toward Republican dominance.

Barry Goldwater
Date: 1964 presidential candidate
Significance: Arizona senator and staunch conservative; opposed New Deal programs and civil rights legislation.
Impact: His campaign laid the foundation for the modern conservative movement and Reaganism.

Students for a Democratic Society (SDS)
Date: Founded 1960
Significance: A student activist group that issued the Port Huron Statement, calling for participatory democracy and protesting racism, war, and economic inequality.
Impact: Became a key part of the New Left; led anti-Vietnam protests and campus demonstrations throughout the 1960s.

New Left
Date: 1960s–1970s
Significance: A political movement that sought social change through activism and rejected both traditional liberalism and conservatism.
Impact: Focused on civil rights, anti-war protests, and opposition to corporate power; led to broader youth activism and counterculture movements.

National Organization for Women (NOW)
Date: Founded 1966
Significance: Feminist organization co-founded by Betty Friedan, advocating for gender equality, including reproductive rights and workplace protections.
Impact: Became a leading voice in the women’s liberation movement; pushed for the Equal Rights Amendment and Title IX.

War Powers Act
Date: 1973
Significance: Law that limited the president's ability to deploy military forces without congressional approval, passed in response to Vietnam and Nixon’s use of power.
Impact: Reasserted congressional authority in foreign affairs; presidents have often ignored or challenged its provisions.

Détente
Date: 1970s
Significance: A period of eased tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union during the Nixon, Ford, and Carter administrations.
Impact: Led to arms control agreements (like SALT), trade, and diplomatic cooperation, though tensions resumed in the 1980s.

Significance of Nixon’s Visit to China
Date: 1972
Significance: President Nixon’s trip to Communist China marked a major shift in U.S. foreign policy, ending decades of non-recognition.
Impact: Opened diplomatic and trade relations; strategically pressured the Soviet Union and rebalanced Cold War alliances.

SALT (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks)
Date: SALT I (1972), SALT II (1979)
Significance: Agreements between the U.S. and USSR to limit nuclear weapons and reduce the threat of nuclear war.
Impact: Slowed the arms race during the Cold War and symbolized progress in U.S.–Soviet relations during détente.

OPEC Oil Embargo
Date: 1973
Significance: In response to U.S. support for Israel in the Yom Kippur War, Arab nations in OPEC cut oil exports to the U.S.
Impact: Led to energy shortages, high inflation, and a major economic downturn; exposed U.S. dependence on foreign oil.

Title IX
Date: 1972
Significance: Part of the Education Amendments, it prohibited sex-based discrimination in any educational program receiving federal funding.
Impact: Increased female participation in sports and academics; significant step toward gender equality in education.

Roe v. Wade
Date: 1973
Significance: Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide, stating it was protected under the right to privacy.
Impact: Remains one of the most controversial rulings in U.S. history; sparked ongoing debates and activism around reproductive rights.

Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)
Date: Passed by Congress 1972 (not ratified)
Significance: Proposed constitutional amendment to guarantee equal legal rights regardless of sex.
Impact: Failed to be ratified due to conservative opposition; became a rallying point for feminists and anti-feminists alike.

Phyllis Schlafly (Stop ERA)
Date: 1970s
Significance: Conservative activist who led opposition to the ERA, arguing it would harm traditional family structures and women's roles.
Impact: Successfully mobilized grassroots opposition; her campaign contributed to the ERA’s defeat.

American Indian Movement (AIM)
Date: Founded 1968
Significance: Advocacy group for Native American rights that focused on issues like treaty enforcement, police brutality, and cultural preservation.
Impact: Organized high-profile protests (e.g., Alcatraz occupation, Wounded Knee standoff); raised awareness of Indigenous struggles.

Warren Court Decisions
Date: 1953–1969
Significance: The Supreme Court under Chief Justice Earl Warren issued several landmark rulings expanding civil rights and liberties.
Impact: Decisions included Brown v. Board, Gideon v. Wainwright, Miranda v. Arizona, and more—reshaping U.S. society through judicial activism.

Burger Court
Date: 1969–1986
Significance: Supreme Court under Chief Justice Warren Burger, more conservative than Warren Court but still delivered major rulings.
Impact: Upheld Roe v. Wade, supported affirmative action (Bakke case), and limited the scope of some Warren-era rulings.

1. U.S. Policies During Cold War: Europe & Asia

• Goal: Containment of communism.

• Europe:

  • Why involved? To rebuild Europe post-WWII and stop the spread of communism.

  • How?

  • Marshall Plan: Economic aid to rebuild Western Europe.

  • NATO: Military alliance to deter Soviet aggression.

  • Berlin Airlift (1948-49): Response to the Soviet blockade.

• Asia:

  • Why involved? Fear of the domino effect of countries falling to communism.

  • How?

  • Korean War (1950–53): Fought to contain communism in Korea.

  • Support for South Vietnam: Advisors and aid leading to full involvement.

  • Recognition of Taiwan over Communist China (until 1979).

2. Federal vs. State Government During Civil Rights Movement

• Events showing conflict:

  • Little Rock Nine (1957): Federal troops sent to enforce integration.

  • University of Mississippi (1962): James Meredith escorted by federal marshals.

• Key figures:

  • Eisenhower & JFK: Sent troops to enforce desegregation.

  • Orval Faubus & George Wallace: Southern governors resisting integration.

• Federal response: Gradual but growing support for civil rights enforcement via Supreme Court decisions and legislation (Civil Rights Act, Voting Rights Act).

3. U.S. Involvement in the Vietnam War

• Entry:

  • Domino Theory, Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (1964).

• Participation:

  • Search and destroy, bombing campaigns (Operation Rolling Thunder), and heavy troop presence.

• Exit:

  • Vietnamization (Nixon) and Paris Peace Accords (1973).

• Public perception: Initial support → rising protests, especially after the Tet Offensive (1968) and revelations like the Pentagon Papers.

• Laws:

  • War Powers Act (1973) to limit presidential power.

4. JFK’s Cold War Policies

• Flexible Response: Move away from massive retaliation, use of conventional forces.

• Major Events:

  • Bay of Pigs (1961): Failed Cuban invasion.

  • Berlin Crisis (1961): Standoff, led to Berlin Wall.

  • Cuban Missile Crisis (1962): Blockade and diplomacy led to Soviet withdrawal of missiles from Cuba.

• Resolution Style: Direct diplomacy, back-channel talks, avoidance of full-scale war.

5. Interpreting WWII Propaganda

• Themes: Patriotism, sacrifice, anti-Axis sentiments, gender roles ("Rosie the Riveter").

• Techniques: Emotional appeal, demonization of enemy, slogans, symbolism.

6. Political Scandals:

• Bay of Pigs (1961):

  • Start: CIA-trained Cuban exiles invaded Cuba.

  • Fail: No local support; U.S. embarrassed.

• Watergate (1972–1974):

  • Start: Break-in at DNC HQ; Nixon cover-up.

  • Outcome: Nixon resigned; reforms like the War Powers Act and public distrust of government.

7. What’s the Deal With Sputnik?

• Date: 1957

• Significance: First satellite launched by the USSR.

• U.S. Reaction: Shocked → accelerated space race.

  • Creation of NASA, more science/tech education funding.

  • Seen as a Cold War threat.

8. Jimmy Carter’s Presidency

• Successes:

  • Camp David Accords (1978): Peace between Egypt and Israel.

• Failures:

  • Iran Hostage Crisis, economic issues (stagflation, energy crisis).

• Middle East Results: U.S. seen as a power broker but also increasingly targeted (Iranian Revolution, oil instability).

9. Changing Attitudes Toward Women (1960s–70s)

• Rise of second-wave feminism.

• Key events:

  • The Feminine Mystique, Title IX, Roe v. Wade.

• Organizations: NOW, ERA campaign.

• Shift: From domestic roles to push for equality in jobs, education, and law.

10. Civil Rights Movement: Causes & Growth

• Why rise? WWII hypocrisy, growth of Black middle class, media exposure of injustice.

• Cases:

  • Plessy v. Ferguson (1896): "Separate but equal."

  • Brown v. Board (1954): Overturned Plessy, integrated schools.

• Support:

  • TV coverage, youth involvement, white allies, legal victories.

• Leaders: MLK, Rosa Parks, Malcolm X.

• Opponents: George Wallace, KKK, some Southern governors.

11. Nixon’s Policies

• Foreign:

  • Détente, SALT, China visit, Vietnamization.

• Domestic:

  • Environmental protections (EPA), wage/price controls.

  • Appealed to the “Silent Majority,” began Southern Strategy (courting disaffected white voters in the South).