Unit 8: AP US History (1945-1980)

Overview of Period 8

  • Focus on key events, figures, and themes in America post-World War II
  • Utilize the free speed review sheet while studying

Economic Growth in Post-War America

  • GI Bill: Provided veterans with education and home-buying opportunities
    • Contributed to the Baby Boom
    • Growth of the Sunbelt Region
  • Eisenhower's Interstate Highway Act: Improved trade and travel
    • Connected the country and popularized road trips
  • Levittown: Symbolized the American Dream with affordable suburban homes
  • Influence of Television: Brought families together & shaped popular culture
    • Influenced fashion, music, and politics

Cultural Conformity and Rebellion

  • Rise of conformity in American families
  • Teen rebellion expressed through rock and roll music
  • The Beats: Critiqued social norms; notable work: "The Affluent Society"

The Cold War Context

  • Following WWII, the Cold War develops between the U.S. and the Soviet Union
  • U.S. abandons isolationism; joins United Nations and NATO
  • Containment Policy: Aimed to stop the spread of communism, proposed by George Kennan
    • Examples:
    • Truman Doctrine: Supported Greece and Turkey against communism
    • Marshall Plan: Financial aid to rebuild Western Europe
  • Korean War: Early test of containment; ended in armistice with Korea still divided

Eisenhower's Cold War Strategies

  • Built on Truman's policies, introduced the Eisenhower Doctrine
    • Military aid to Middle Eastern nations against communism
  • Use of brinkmanship: threat of nuclear action to achieve policy goals
  • Warning of the military-industrial complex upon leaving office

U.S. Relations with Cuba and the Kennedy Administration

  • Cuba becomes a hotbed for communism post-Korean War
  • Failed Bay of Pigs invasion
  • Cuban Missile Crisis: Critical situation of nuclear threat between U.S. and USSR

Domestic Impact of the Cold War

  • Second Red Scare: Public fear of communism led to McCarthyism
  • Development of nuclear fallout shelters and protective drills in schools
  • Heavy investments by the U.S. in defense and space programs

Civil Rights Movement

  • Resurgence of civil rights activism in the 1950s
  • Brown v. Board of Education: Supreme Court ruling against school segregation
  • Resistance against integration:
    • Example: Little Rock Nine, faced hostility during integration efforts
  • Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott: Sparked by her refusal to vacate her bus seat
    • Martin Luther King Jr.: Advocate for nonviolent resistance
    • Key speeches include "I Have a Dream"
  • Greensboro Sit-ins: Students protested at segregated lunch counters
  • Divisions within the movement:
    • Malcolm X and Black Panthers: Advocated for self-defense and empowerment

Legislative Achievements in Civil Rights

  • Civil Rights Act of 1964: Outlawed discrimination based on various factors
  • Voting Rights Act of 1965: Aimed to dismantle barriers to voting
  • Twenty-Fourth Amendment: Outlawed poll taxes

Vietnam War and Its Implications

  • Domino Theory: Concern under Eisenhower that communism could spread in Asia
  • U.S. involvement escalated under Kennedy and Johnson
    • Gulf of Tonkin Resolution: Enabled Johnson to expand military action
  • Public opposition grew during the war:
    • Tet Offensive: Turning point in public sentiment
    • My Lai Massacre: Further fueled anti-war sentiments
    • Pentagon Papers: Revealed deception by the government concerning the war
  • Nixon's Vietnamization Policy: Gradual withdrawal of U.S. troops
  • Paris Accords: Official end of U.S. involvement in Vietnam

Johnson’s Domestic Policies

  • War on Poverty: Introduced significant reforms through the Great Society
    • Medicare and Medicaid: Health care reforms
    • Elementary and Secondary Education Act
  • Opposition from conservatives over the expansion of government programs

Nixon's Foreign Policy and Domestic Issues

  • Detente Policy: Sought to ease Cold War tensions
    • SALT Treaty: Limited nuclear arsenals
    • Historic visit to China to open diplomatic relations
  • Arab-Israeli War: Led to OPEC oil embargo impacting U.S. economy
  • Watergate Scandal: Led to Nixon’s resignation; significant loss of public trust

Post-Nixon America

  • Gerald Ford's Presidency: Praised and criticized for pardoning Nixon
  • Economic challenges, including inflation and rising unemployment
  • Jimmy Carter's Presidency: Faced economic woes but achieved peace in the Middle East (Camp David Accords)

Social Movements of the 1960s and 1970s

  • Rise of the Environmental Movement:
    • Influenced by Rachel Carson's Silent Spring
    • Led to regulations like the Clean Air Act and EPA formation
    • Earth Day established to promote environmental awareness
  • Women's Rights Movement:
    • The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan; advocated for gender equality
    • Groups like NOW fought for equal rights, introduction of the Equal Rights Amendment
  • LGBTQ+ Rights Movement:
    • Stonewall Riots of 1969: Significant milestone for LGBTQ+ advocacy
  • Chicano and Native American Rights Movements:
    • Cesar Chavez: Advocacy for farm workers’ rights
    • American Indian Movement (AIM): Focused on sovereignty and cultural preservation

Exam Preparation Tips

  • Potential exam topics:
    • Effects of the Cold War on American policies
    • Compare different civil rights leaders' tactics
    • Analyze changes in U.S. foreign policy after World War II
  • Utilize the provided eight push ultimate review packet for study resources and practice.