U8 APUSH Vocabulary

Soviet Union: Communist superpower and rival to the United States during the Cold War, seeking to expand its influence globally through ideology and military alliances.

Security Council: The most powerful body of the United Nations, tasked with maintaining international peace and security, with five permanent members (U.S., USSR, UK, France, China) holding veto power.

Satellite States: Eastern European countries under Soviet control during the Cold War, used as a buffer zone against Western influence and NATO.

Iron Curtain: Term coined by Winston Churchill to describe the ideological and physical division between communist Eastern Europe and democratic Western Europe during the Cold War.

George F. Kennan: American diplomat who authored the "Long Telegram," advocating for the containment of Soviet expansion and shaping U.S. Cold War policy.

Containment Policy: U.S. strategy to prevent the spread of communism by countering Soviet influence through economic, political, and military measures.

Truman Doctrine: U.S. foreign policy pledging support for nations resisting communism, initially providing aid to Greece and Turkey to prevent Soviet expansion.

George C. Marshall: U.S. Secretary of State who proposed the Marshall Plan to rebuild Europe after World War II and prevent the spread of communism.

Marshall Plan: U.S. economic aid program providing $13 billion to rebuild war-torn Europe, strengthen democratic governments, and counter Soviet influence.

Berlin Airlift: U.S.-led operation to supply West Berlin with food and goods during the Soviet blockade in 1948–1949, demonstrating American commitment to resisting communism.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO): Military alliance formed in 1949 between Western nations to provide collective security against Soviet aggression.

Warsaw Pact: Soviet-led military alliance of Eastern Bloc nations formed in 1955 as a counterbalance to NATO.

National Security Act: 1947 legislation restructuring U.S. defense, creating the Department of Defense, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and National Security Council (NSC).

Douglas MacArthur (Japan): U.S. general who oversaw Japan's postwar reconstruction, democratization, and economic recovery after World War II.

Mao Zedong: Leader of the Chinese Communist Party who established the People's Republic of China in 1949 after defeating the Nationalists in the Chinese Civil War.

Korean War: 1950–1953 conflict between communist North Korea (supported by China and the USSR) and democratic South Korea (supported by the U.S. and UN), ending in a stalemate.

38th Parallel: The dividing line between North and South Korea established after World War II and reinforced after the Korean War.

Stalemate: The outcome of the Korean War, with no clear victory and the continued division of Korea along the 38th Parallel.

Brinkmanship: Cold War policy of pushing conflicts to the edge of war to force concessions, exemplified by the Cuban Missile Crisis.

“Spirit of Geneva”: 1955 summit between U.S. and Soviet leaders signaling a temporary thaw in Cold War tensions during Eisenhower's presidency.

Nikita Khrushchev: Soviet leader who pursued de-Stalinization, led during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and promoted Soviet advancements in space exploration.

Sputnik: The first artificial satellite launched by the Soviet Union in 1957, sparking the Space Race and U.S. fears of Soviet technological superiority.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA): U.S. agency established in 1958 to lead space exploration and counter Soviet advancements during the Space Race.

U-2 Incident: 1960 event where a U.S. spy plane was shot down over Soviet territory, worsening Cold War tensions and embarrassing the Eisenhower administration.

Cuba: Became a communist state under Fidel Castro in 1959, leading to Cold War confrontations such as the Bay of Pigs invasion and Cuban Missile Crisis.

Fidel Castro: Communist leader of Cuba who aligned with the Soviet Union, becoming a key figure in Cold War conflicts with the U.S.

Military-Industrial Complex: Term coined by Eisenhower warning of the growing influence of defense contractors and military spending on U.S. policy.

Berlin Wall: Barrier built in 1961 by East Germany to prevent emigration to West Berlin, symbolizing Cold War division and oppression.

Bay of Pigs: Failed 1961 U.S.-backed invasion of Cuba by anti-Castro exiles, embarrassing the Kennedy administration and strengthening Castro's regime.

Cuban Missile Crisis: 1962 confrontation between the U.S. and USSR over Soviet missiles in Cuba, resolved through negotiations that avoided nuclear war.

Nuclear Test Ban Treaty: 1963 agreement between the U.S., USSR, and UK banning nuclear tests in the atmosphere, outer space, and underwater.

John F. Kennedy: U.S. president (1961–1963) who led during the Cuban Missile Crisis, promoted civil rights, and initiated the Space Race.

Lyndon B. Johnson: U.S. president (1963–1969) who expanded civil rights through the Great Society programs and escalated U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

Non-Proliferation Treaty: 1968 international agreement to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and promote disarmament.

Henry Kissinger: U.S. diplomat and National Security Advisor who led détente with the Soviet Union and negotiated the Paris Accords ending U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

Détente: Period of eased Cold War tensions between the U.S. and USSR during the 1970s, marked by arms control agreements like SALT I.

Strategic Arms Limitations Talks (SALT I): 1972 treaty between the U.S. and USSR limiting the number of nuclear weapons, part of détente.

Soviet-Afghan War: 1979–1989 conflict where the U.S. supported Afghan rebels against Soviet forces, contributing to the USSR's eventual collapse.

McCarran Internal Security Act: 1950 law requiring communist organizations to register with the government and restricting subversive activities.

House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC): Congressional committee investigating alleged communist influence in the U.S., targeting Hollywood and government officials.

Alger Hiss: State Department official accused of espionage and convicted of perjury, symbolizing Cold War fears of communist infiltration.

Julius Rosenberg: American executed for allegedly passing atomic secrets to the Soviet Union, heightening fears of espionage during the Cold War.

Joseph R. McCarthy: U.S. senator who led anti-communist witch hunts during the Second Red Scare, often making baseless accusations.

McCarthyism: Era of intense anti-communist suspicion and accusations during the Second Red Scare, led by Senator McCarthy.

Second Red Scare: Post-WWII fear of communist infiltration in the U.S., fueled by events like the Korean War and espionage cases.

Servicemen’s Readjustment Act (GI Bill): 1944 law providing education, housing, and job benefits to WWII veterans, fueling postwar economic growth.

Baby Boom: Postwar surge in births (1946–1964), leading to economic growth, suburbanization, and cultural changes.

Levittown: Mass-produced suburban housing developments symbolizing postwar prosperity and the rise of suburban living.

Sun Belt: Southern and western states experiencing population and economic growth after WWII due to defense industries and favorable climates.

22nd Amendment: Constitutional amendment limiting U.S. presidents to two terms, passed after FDR's four-term presidency.

Fair Deal: Truman’s domestic program aimed at expanding New Deal policies, including healthcare reform, civil rights, and public housing, though many initiatives faced congressional opposition.

Dwight D. Eisenhower: U.S. president (1953–1961) who pursued moderate policies, expanded infrastructure with the Interstate Highway Act, and maintained Cold War containment strategies.

Interstate Highway Act: 1956 law funding the construction of a national highway system, facilitating suburbanization, economic growth, and military mobility.

New Frontier: JFK’s domestic agenda focused on advancing civil rights, space exploration, and social programs, though many initiatives faced congressional resistance.

Great Society: LBJ’s ambitious set of programs aimed at eliminating poverty and racial injustice, including Medicare, Medicaid, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

New Federalism: Nixon’s policy of transferring power from the federal government to state and local governments, emphasizing decentralization.

Richard Nixon: U.S. president (1969–1974) known for détente, Vietnamization, the Watergate scandal, and his resignation following impeachment proceedings.

Stagflation: Economic condition of stagnant growth and high inflation during the 1970s, challenging traditional economic policies.

Rock and roll: Popular music genre emerging in the 1950s, symbolizing youth rebellion and cultural change, with artists like Elvis Presley leading the movement.

Beatniks: Countercultural group of the 1950s rejecting mainstream values, advocating for artistic expression, and influencing the later counterculture movement.

Kennedy Assassination: The 1963 killing of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas, shocking the nation and leading to widespread conspiracy theories.

Warren Commission: Government investigation into JFK’s assassination, concluding that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone, though its findings remain controversial.

Committee on Civil Rights: Truman’s initiative to investigate racial discrimination and recommend policies to advance civil rights, laying groundwork for later reforms.

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP): Civil rights organization fighting segregation and discrimination through legal challenges, including Brown v. Board of Education.

Jackie Robinson: First African American to play Major League Baseball, breaking racial barriers in sports and advancing civil rights.

Brown v. Board of Education: 1954 Supreme Court case declaring school segregation unconstitutional, overturning Plessy v. Ferguson and sparking the civil rights movement.

Thurgood Marshall: NAACP lawyer in Brown v. Board of Education; later became the first African American Supreme Court justice.

Earl Warren: Chief Justice of the Supreme Court who led landmark rulings advancing civil rights, criminal justice reform, and individual liberties.

Desegregation: The process of ending racial segregation, particularly in schools and public facilities, often met with resistance in the South.

Little Rock Nine: Group of African American students integrating Central High School in Arkansas in 1957, facing violent opposition and requiring federal intervention.

Rosa Parks: Civil rights activist whose refusal to give up her bus seat to a white passenger sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Montgomery Bus Boycott: Year-long protest against bus segregation in Montgomery, Alabama, led by Martin Luther King Jr., resulting in the desegregation of public buses.

Emmett Till: African American teenager brutally murdered in Mississippi in 1955, galvanizing the civil rights movement.

Martin Luther King Jr.: Leader of the civil rights movement advocating nonviolent resistance, delivering the "I Have a Dream" speech, and leading key protests like the March on Washington.

Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC): Civil rights organization led by MLK, promoting nonviolent protests to achieve racial equality.

Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC): Youth-led civil rights group organizing sit-ins, Freedom Rides, and voter registration drives, later shifting toward Black Power.

Covert action: Secret operations conducted by the CIA during the Cold War to undermine communist governments and influence foreign affairs.

Suez Canal: Strategic waterway in Egypt; the 1956 Suez Crisis highlighted Cold War tensions as the U.S. pressured Britain, France, and Israel to withdraw.

Eisenhower Doctrine: U.S. policy pledging economic and military aid to Middle Eastern countries resisting communism, announced in 1957.

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC): International organization formed in 1960 to coordinate oil production and pricing, influencing global economics and politics.

Yom Kippur War: 1973 conflict between Israel and Arab nations, leading to U.S. support for Israel and triggering the OPEC oil embargo.

Oil Embargo: 1973 action by OPEC cutting oil exports to the U.S. and allies, causing energy shortages and economic disruption.

Camp David Accords: 1978 peace agreement brokered by President Carter between Egypt and Israel, marking a major diplomatic achievement.

Iran Hostage Crisis: 1979–1981 event where Iranian revolutionaries held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days, severely damaging U.S.-Iran relations.

The Peace Corps: Volunteer program established by JFK in 1961 to promote global development and goodwill through service in developing nations.

Panama Canal: U.S. agreed to transfer control of the canal to Panama by 1999 under treaties signed during Carter’s presidency.

Vietnam War: Prolonged conflict between communist North Vietnam and U.S.-backed South Vietnam, deeply divisive in the U.S. and ending in 1975 with the fall of Saigon.

Domino Theory: Belief that if one country fell to communism, neighboring countries would follow, justifying U.S. intervention in Vietnam.

Tonkin Gulf Resolution: 1964 congressional resolution giving LBJ broad authority to escalate U.S. military involvement in Vietnam.

Credibility Gap: Public skepticism about the government’s honesty regarding Vietnam, fueled by media coverage and events like the Pentagon Papers.

Hawks vs. Doves: Hawks supported military intervention in Vietnam; Doves opposed the war and advocated for peace.

Tet Offensive: 1968 surprise attack by North Vietnamese forces, undermining U.S. confidence in the war effort despite military victory.

Vietnamization: Nixon’s policy of gradually withdrawing U.S. troops and transferring responsibility for the war to South Vietnam.

Kent State Massacre: 1970 killing of four student protesters by National Guard troops during anti-war demonstrations, sparking national outrage.

My Lai Massacre: 1968 mass killing of Vietnamese civilians by U.S. soldiers, exposing the brutality of the war and fueling anti-war sentiment.

Pentagon Papers: Secret government documents leaked in 1971, revealing deception in U.S. policy during the Vietnam War.

Paris Accords: 1973 agreement ending U.S. involvement in Vietnam, though fighting continued between North and South Vietnam.

War Powers Act: 1973 law limiting presidential authority to deploy troops without congressional approval, passed in response to Vietnam.

Fall of Saigon: 1975 capture of South Vietnam’s capital by North Vietnamese forces, marking the end of the Vietnam War.

Ho Chi Minh: Communist leader of North Vietnam who fought for Vietnamese independence and reunification.Viet Cong: Communist guerrilla fighters in South Vietnam who opposed U.S. and South Vietnamese forces during the Vietnam War, using unconventional warfare tactics.

War on Poverty: LBJ’s initiative to reduce poverty through programs like Medicare, Medicaid, Head Start, and the Economic Opportunity Act, as part of the Great Society.

Department of Transportation (DOT): Federal agency created in 1966 under LBJ to oversee national transportation systems, including highways, railroads, and aviation.

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): Federal agency established in 1965 under LBJ to address urban housing issues and promote affordable housing.

Ralph Nader: Consumer advocate who exposed unsafe practices in industries like auto manufacturing, leading to reforms in consumer protection and safety standards.

Silent Spring (Rachel Carson): 1962 book highlighting the dangers of pesticides like DDT, sparking the modern environmental movement and leading to greater environmental regulation.

Immigration Act of 1965: Law that abolished national origin quotas, increasing immigration from Asia, Latin America, and other regions, reshaping U.S. demographics.

James Meredith: First African American to integrate the University of Mississippi in 1962, facing violent opposition and requiring federal intervention.

George Wallace: Segregationist governor of Alabama who symbolized Southern resistance to civil rights, famously declaring “segregation now, segregation forever.”

“Letter from Birmingham Jail”: MLK’s 1963 defense of nonviolent protest, written while imprisoned, arguing for immediate action against racial injustice.

March on Washington: 1963 civil rights rally where over 250,000 people gathered to advocate for racial equality, culminating in MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

“I Have a Dream” Speech: MLK’s iconic speech during the March on Washington, envisioning racial harmony and equality in America.

Civil Rights Act of 1964: Landmark legislation banning segregation in public places and employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

24th Amendment: Constitutional amendment ratified in 1964, abolishing poll taxes and removing barriers to voting for African Americans.

Freedom Riders: Civil rights activists who challenged segregation in interstate bus travel in the South, facing violence and arrest.

March to Montgomery: 1965 protest for voting rights, culminating in the Voting Rights Act of 1965 after violent resistance during the Selma marches.

Malcolm X: Civil rights leader advocating Black empowerment, self-defense, and separation from white society, later shifting toward racial unity before his assassination.

Black Panthers: Militant civil rights group founded in 1966 advocating for Black self-defense, community programs, and resistance to police brutality.

Stokely Carmichael: Leader of SNCC and advocate for Black Power, emphasizing racial pride and self-determination.

Watts Riot: 1965 urban uprising in Los Angeles sparked by racial inequality and police brutality, highlighting tensions in Northern cities.

The Feminine Mystique (Betty Friedan): 1963 book exposing women’s dissatisfaction with traditional roles, sparking the second-wave feminist movement.

National Organization for Women (NOW): Feminist organization founded in 1966 advocating for gender equality in employment, education, and reproductive rights.

Title IX: 1972 law prohibiting gender discrimination in education, including athletics, significantly advancing women’s rights.

Equal Rights Amendment (ERA): Proposed constitutional amendment guaranteeing gender equality, passed by Congress but failed to be ratified by enough states.

Cesar Chavez: Labor leader who co-founded the United Farm Workers (UFW) and advocated for farmworkers’ rights through nonviolent protests and boycotts.

American Indian Movement (AIM): Activist group founded in 1968 advocating for Native American rights, sovereignty, and cultural preservation.

Indian Self-Determination Act of 1975: Law granting Native American tribes greater control over their own affairs, including education and healthcare.

Gideon v. Wainwright: 1963 Supreme Court case guaranteeing the right to legal counsel for defendants in criminal cases, even if they cannot afford an attorney.

Miranda v. Arizona: 1966 Supreme Court case requiring police to inform suspects of their rights, including the right to remain silent and to an attorney.

Baker v. Carr: 1962 Supreme Court case establishing the principle of “one person, one vote,” ensuring equal representation in legislative districts.

Yates v. United States: 1957 Supreme Court case protecting free speech, ruling that advocating ideas (but not actions) of revolution is legal.

The New Left: Youth-led political movement in the 1960s advocating for social change, civil rights, and opposition to the Vietnam War.

Counterculture: 1960s movement rejecting traditional values, embracing peace, love, and rebellion, symbolized by events like Woodstock.

Woodstock: 1969 music festival celebrating counterculture ideals, attracting over 400,000 people and symbolizing the era’s spirit of peace and rebellion.

Sexual Revolution: Movement challenging traditional norms around sexuality, gender roles, and relationships, fueled by the availability of birth control and changing cultural attitudes.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Federal agency created in 1970 to address environmental issues, including pollution and conservation.

Clean Air Act: 1970 law regulating air pollution to protect public health and the environment, marking a major step in environmental legislation.

Southern Strategy: Nixon’s political strategy to gain support from Southern conservatives by opposing civil rights reforms and appealing to racial resentment.

Watergate Scandal: Political scandal involving Nixon’s abuse of power and cover-up of a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters, leading to his resignation.

Impeachment: Constitutional process of charging a president with misconduct; Nixon resigned before impeachment proceedings could be completed.

Gerald R. Ford: U.S. president (1974–1977) who pardoned Nixon and faced economic challenges like stagflation during his administration.

National Malaise: Term describing the economic and social struggles of the 1970s, including inflation, unemployment, and declining public confidence.

Roe v. Wade: 1973 Supreme Court case legalizing abortion nationwide, ruling that the right to privacy includes a woman’s right to choose.

Televangelists: Religious broadcasters who gained influence in the 1970s and 1980s, promoting conservative values and shaping political discourse.

Moral Majority: Conservative Christian political organization founded by Jerry Falwell in 1979, advocating for traditional values and opposing liberal policies.

Think Tank: Research organizations influencing public policy and political decisions, often aligned with specific ideological or political goals.