unit 5 vocab

containment- US foreign policy strategy during the Cold War, aimed at preventing the expansion of communism

marshal plan- a U.S. program that provided economic aid to Western Europe after World War II

Truman Doctrine- policy to aid Greece and Turkey after Great Britain cannot support them anymore

Korean war- war over communism which ended in communist north and non communist south

G.I. Bill- provided educational, vocational training, and housing assistance to veterans who served in the armed forces between January 31, 1955, and July 1, 1967

National Interstate and Defense Highways Act- authorized the construction of 41,000 miles of interstate highways. The act was the largest public works project in American history at the time

Brown V Board of Education-the United States Supreme Court that ruled that U.S. state laws establishing racial segregation in public schools are unconstitutional, even if the segregated schools are otherwise equal in quality

Sputnik- the first artificial satellite to orbit Earth, was a significant technological achievement and a source of considerable anxiety in the United States, fueling both the space race and the Cold War arms race

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution- authorized President Lyndon B. Johnson to take "all necessary measures" to repel any armed attack against US forces and prevent further aggression in Vietnam

Great society- a series of domestic programs enacted by President Lyndon B. Johnson aimed to eliminate poverty, reduce racial injustice, and expand social welfare

1960 Kennedy/Nixon Debates- were the first-ever televised presidential debates in U.S. history and a major turning point in American politics

Letter from a Birmingham Jail- a powerful and historic open letter written by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on April 16, 1963, while he was imprisoned in Birmingham, Alabama. It’s one of the most important texts of the Civil Rights Movement and a masterclass in persuasive writing and moral reasoning.

I have a Dream Speech- delivered on August 28, 1963, during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Over 250,000 people gathered at the Lincoln Memorial to hear it

Tet Offensive- major turning point in the Vietnam War, launched by the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and the Viet Cong against South Vietnam and U.S. forces

1968 Presidential Election- one of the most turbulent and consequential in American history, reflecting the nation’s deep divisions over the Vietnam War, civil rights, and social unrest

War Powers Act- passed in 1973 by the U.S. Congress to limit the president’s power to commit American military forces without congressional approval

Camp David Accords- peace agreement between Egypt and Israel, brokered by U.S. President Jimmy Carter in 1978. It marked the first time an Arab country officially recognized Israel, and it led to a lasting peace between the two nations

1979 Iranian Revolution- major political and social upheaval in Iran that led to the overthrow of the U.S.-backed monarch

Iranian Hostage Crisis-444-day diplomatic standoff between the United States and Iran, triggered by the storming of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran by Iranian militants

Environmental Protection Agency- a U.S. federal agency established to protect human health and the environment by creating and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress

National Organization for Women- the largest and most influential feminist organization in the United States, founded in 1966 to advocate for women’s rights and gender equality

Watergate Scandal- major political scandal in the 1970s that ultimately led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon and the downfall of several top government officials

Reagonomics- economic policies implemented by President Ronald Reagan during his time in office from 1981 to 1989

2008 Presidential Election- marked a historic turning point in American politics. Obama’s victory was particularly significant as he became the first African American to be elected to the presidency