APUSH SEMESTER 2

Semester Exam Study Information

  • Focus of the Exam: Primarily on post-World War II content (1945-Present) with some questions on earlier content.

  • Relevant Resources:
      - Slideshows: Sections 26-51, with emphasis on slides 42-51.
      - Jocz Videos: Videos 22-39, focusing primarily on 35-39.

Major Topics to Study

  • This is a non-exhaustive list of significant topics for the exam.

Post WWII & Cold War

  • Marshall Plan: An American initiative to aid Western Europe, in which the U.S. gave over $12 billion (approximately $130 billion in 2023) in economic assistance to help rebuild Western European economies after the devastation of WWII.

  • Containment: A geopolitical strategy aimed at stopping the expansion of an enemy. Mainly used in the context of U.S. strategies during the Cold War to prevent the spread of communism.

  • Space Race: The competition between the U.S. and the Soviet Union for supremacy in space exploration, marked by events such as Sputnik (1957) and the moon landing (1969).

  • Arms Race: A competition for military superiority between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, highlighted by the stockpiling of nuclear weapons and strategic arms.

Korean War

  • Korean War (1950-1953): A war between North Korea (with support from China and the Soviet Union) and South Korea (backed by the U.S. and other Western nations). Important events include the Incheon Landing and the eventual armistice.

Cuban Missile Crisis

  • Cuban Missile Crisis (1962): A 13-day confrontation between the U.S. and the Soviet Union over the installation of nuclear-armed Soviet missiles in Cuba, leading to a direct conflict that brought the world close to nuclear war.

Red Scare/HUAC/McCarthyism

  • Red Scare: The promotion of fear of communist influence on American institutions and espionage by Soviet agents; key incidents include the activities of the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) and Senator Joseph McCarthy's anti-communist crusades.

Civil Rights Movement

  • Executive Order 9981: An order issued by President Harry S. Truman in 1948 that abolished racial discrimination in the U.S. military and established equality of treatment and opportunity in the armed forces.

  • Plessy v. Ferguson (1896): A landmark Supreme Court decision that upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation under the "separate but equal" doctrine.

  • Brown v. Board of Education (1954): Another landmark Supreme Court case that declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students to be unconstitutional, effectively overturning Plessy v. Ferguson.

  • Major Figures of the Civil Rights Movement: Key individuals included Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, and many others who played significant roles.

  • Strategies of the Civil Rights Movement: Tactics such as peaceful protests, sit-ins, marches, and legal battles to combat racial inequality.

  • Civil Rights Act of 1964: Landmark legislation that prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin; aimed to end segregation in public places and employment.

  • Voting Rights Act of 1965: A significant piece of federal legislation in the United States that aimed to eliminate various forms of legal barriers that prevented African Americans from exercising their right to vote.

1950s Culture

  • GI Bill: Provided various benefits to returning World War II veterans, including low-cost mortgages, low-interest loans to start businesses, and tuition for education.

  • Suburbs: Growth of suburban living post-WWII, facilitated by the GI Bill and the highway system, leading to a demographic shift.

  • Consumerism: Characterized by the buying of goods and services, where increased production and advertising fueled consumer demand.

  • Conformity & Non-Conformity: Examination of societal norms and the rise of counter-cultural movements that resisted societal expectations.

  • Rock and Roll: A popular music genre originating in the U.S. in the late 1940s and early 1950s that became a dominant form of music in American culture.

1960s Events

  • Vietnam War: A prolonged conflict involving North Vietnam and South Vietnam, with heavy U.S. involvement.

  • Gulf of Tonkin Resolution: A resolution passed by Congress that authorized military action in Vietnam following the Gulf of Tonkin incident in 1964.

  • Tet Offensive: A major escalation and turning point in the Vietnam War, launched by North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces on January 30, 1968.

  • Escalation of the War: The significant increase in U.S. troop deployment and military engagement in Vietnam.

  • Credibility Gap: Refers to the lack of trust in the U.S. government regarding the Vietnam War and the discrepancy between government reports and the actual situation.

  • Vietnamization: A strategy to reduce U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War by increasing the responsibility of South Vietnamese forces.

  • Fall of Saigon: The capture of the capital of South Vietnam by the North Vietnamese forces in April 1975, effectively ending the Vietnam War.

  • Pentagon Papers: A classified Department of Defense study that revealed government deception in the Vietnam War, which stoked public dissent.

Great Society

  • Great Society: A set of domestic programs launched by President Lyndon B. Johnson in the 1960s aimed at eliminating poverty and racial injustice.

  • Counterculture Movement: A social movement in the 1960s that rejected traditional values, advocating for peace, love, and the exploration of alternative lifestyles.

  • Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring: A pivotal book published in 1962 that challenged the practices of agricultural scientists and the government and called for a change in the way humankind viewed the natural world, leading to the environmental movement.

1970s Events

  • 26th Amendment: Constitutional amendment that lowered the voting age to 18 years.

  • Equal Rights Amendment: Proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution designed to guarantee equal legal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex; it failed to be ratified.

  • Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): A governmental agency created to protect human health and the environment by enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress.

  • Nixon’s Foreign Policy: Characterized by realpolitik, diplomatic relations with China, and détente with the Soviet Union.

  • Watergate Scandal: A major political scandal involving a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters and the subsequent cover-up by members of the Nixon administration, leading to President Nixon's resignation.

  • OPEC Oil Embargo: A period during the 1970s when the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries proclaimed an oil embargo, leading to global oil shortages and economic crisis.

  • Stagflation: The economic situation characterized by stagnant economic growth, high inflation, and high unemployment during the 1970s.

  • Iran Hostage Crisis: A diplomatic crisis in which 52 American diplomats and citizens were held hostage by Iranian militants for444 days from 1979 to 1981.

  • Growing Conservatism: A trend in U.S. politics that saw a rise in conservative policies and candidates, amplified by economic troubles and political scandals.

1980s Events

  • Supply Side Economics (Reaganomics): An economic theory that advocates lowering taxes and decreasing regulation to stimulate economic growth.

  • Iran-Contra Affair: A political scandal during the Reagan administration involving secret arms sales to Iran to fund Contra rebels in Nicaragua, despite Congressional prohibitions.

  • End of the Cold War: Marked by the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.

  • War on Drugs: A campaign launched by the U.S. federal government to reduce the illegal drug trade, marked by increased law enforcement and punitive measures.

  • AIDS Crisis: The outbreak of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) during the 1980s, leading to widespread fear and significant public health initiatives.

1990s Events

  • Persian Gulf War: A conflict in 1990-1991 resulting from Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, leading to a U.S.-led coalition liberating Kuwait.

  • NAFTA: The North American Free Trade Agreement, implemented in 1994, which included the U.S., Canada, and Mexico to create a trilateral trade bloc.

  • GATT & WTO: General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was established in 1947 to promote international trade by reducing trade barriers. It was succeeded by the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1995, which took on a broader role.

  • Impeachment of Bill Clinton: In 1998, President Bill Clinton was impeached by the House of Representatives on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice regarding his extramarital affair with Monica Lewinsky.

2000s Events

  • 2000 Election: A highly contested presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore, noted for its Supreme Court decision in Bush v. Gore to resolve the Florida recount.

  • 9/11 Terrorist Attacks: A series of coordinated terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda on September 11, 2001, that led to significant changes in U.S. domestic and foreign policy.

  • Hurricane Katrina: The devastating hurricane that struck the Gulf Coast in August 2005, primarily affecting New Orleans, and highlighting governmental deficiencies in disaster response.

  • 2008 Election: The election that saw Barack Obama elected as the first African American president of the United States.

  • Affordable Care Act: A comprehensive healthcare reform signed into law in 2010 aimed at expanding health insurance coverage and reducing healthcare costs.

  • American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: A stimulus package enacted in 2009, intended to improve the economy after the Great Recession through public spending and tax cuts.

Old Topics to Review

  • Impacts of Westward Expansion: Examination of the movement westward by settlers and its impact on indigenous populations, economics, and territorial growth.

  • U.S. as a World Power: Discussion of events like the Spanish-American War and WWI that elevated the U.S. to a position of global influence.

  • 1920s Prosperity: The economic boom of the 1920s characterized by technological advancements, consumer goods proliferation, and stock market speculation.

  • Great Depression: Examination of the causes of the Great Depression (such as the stock market crash of 1929) and responses, including Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal.

  • World War II: Review of causes, key events, and the end of WWII, including the impact of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the consequential geopolitical landscape.