U.S History Exam

Civil Rights Movement:

  • Rights for equal treatment and protection from discrimination.

  • Jim Crow Laws: Enforced segregation in the South.

  • Plessy v. Ferguson: U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding the constitutionality of racial segregation under the doctrine of "separate but equal."

  • Brown v. Board of Education: NAACP argued that segregated schools were inherently unequal, reinforcing the message of black inferiority.

  • Little Rock Incident: Arkansas Governor used the National Guard to prevent black students from entering Little Rock Central High School; they only entered under the protection of federal troops.

  • Sit-ins: Black college students protested by sitting in white-only public spaces.

  • Freedom Riders: Challenged segregation in public transportation across the South.

  • Montgomery Bus Boycott: African Americans protested by boycotting buses for 381 days until the repeal of segregation laws.

  • Rosa Parks: Her arrest for refusing to give up her bus seat sparked the boycott.

  • Martin Luther King Jr.: Key leader of the civil rights movement; known for his advocacy of non-violent protest.

  • March on Washington: Significant event that contributed to the passing of the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act.

  • Earl Warren: Supreme Court Justice who supported the Brown v. Board decision.

The 1970s:

  • Political Climate: Marked by disillusionment in government after Vietnam and Watergate scandal.

  • Watergate: Break-in at the Watergate complex led to Nixon’s resignation, which eroded public trust in government.

Vietnam War:

  • The country was divided into communism and democracy, resulting in a protracted conflict with the U.S.

  • Ho Chi Minh: Communist leader of North Vietnam.

  • Containment: U.S. policy aimed at preventing the spread of communism.

  • Gulf of Tonkin Resolution: Authorized broad powers for President Johnson to defend Vietnam following alleged attacks on U.S. ships.

  • LBJ (Lyndon B. Johnson): Increased American involvement in Vietnam significantly.

  • Guerrilla Warfare: Tactics used by the Vietcong against U.S. forces.

  • Search and Destroy: Military mission strategy aimed at engaging and eliminating Vietcong forces.

  • My Lai Massacre: U.S. troops killed many civilian Vietnamese; significantly fueled anti-war sentiment.

  • Tet Offensive: Major Vietcong attack in 1968 that shocked the American public and increased anti-war protests.

  • Draft: Compulsory military service leading to widespread protests.

  • 26th Amendment: Lowered the voting age to 18, influenced by younger opposition to the war.

  • Kent State Incident: National Guard troops killed four protesting students, escalating national outcry against the war.

  • Richard Nixon: President who implemented Vietnamization to withdraw U.S. troops, aiming for peace without admitting defeat.

  • Results of Vietnam War: North Vietnam emerged victorious, leading to a unified communist Vietnam; increased distrust in government among U.S. citizens.

  • Pentagon Papers: Leaked documents that revealed government deception regarding the war, leading to further public disillusionment.