SUMMATIVE REVIEW

Post WW1 and cold war

  1. NATO

Definition: North atlanitc Treaty Organization (1949), a military alliance led by the U.S., Canada and Western European nations.

Important Facts:

  • Attack on one member = attack on all members.
  • Created to stop soviet expansion.

Why is it significant:

  • Major alliance of the Cold War.
  • Still Exists today.

Remember: NATO = Western allies

  1. Warsaw Pact

Definition: Military alliance of the soviet union and Eastern European communist countries (1955).

Important facts:

  • Communist response to NATO
  • Included countries like Poland and East Germany.

Why is it significant:

  • Divided Europe into two opposing sides.

Remember: Warsaw pact = Soviet / NATO rival.

  1. Iron curtain:

Definition: Term used by Winston Churchill to describe the division between communist Easterm Europe and democratic Western Europe.

Why significant:

  • Symbolized Cold War tensions

Remember: Iron Curtain= line dividing Europe

1950’s

  1. Segregation in education:

Definition: Keeping black and white students in seperate schools

Important facts:

  • Ended by the Brown v Board of Education decision
  • The court ruled separate schools were unequal.

Why is it significant:

  • Major victory for civil rights.

Remember: Brown v Board ended school segregation

  1. Suburbanization

Definition: movement from cities to suburbs after WW2

Important facts:

  • GI Bill helped veterens buy homes
  • Growth of places like Levittown

Why is it significant:

  • Changed where Americans lived
  • Created modern suburbs

Remember: Families moved outside cities

  1. Civil disobedience

Definition: peacefully breaking unfair laws.

Important Facts:

  • Used by civil rights activists
  • Examples: sit ins and boycotts

Why is it significant:

  • Helped gain equal rights.

Remember: Peaceful protests

  1. Civil rights movements and leaders

Definition: Movement to end racial discrimination

Leaders:

  • Martin Luther King Jr.
  • Rosa Parks
  • Malcom X

Major achievments:

  • Civil rights Act (1964)
  • Voting rights act (1965)

Why is this significant:

  • Expanded equality and voting rights

Remember: end segregation and discrimation

1960’s

  1. JFK’s inagural address

Definition: Speech by President John F. Kennedy in 1961.

Famous Quote:

  • “Ask not what your country can do for you..”

Why is it significant:

  • Encouraged public service and patriotism

Remember: Serve your country

  1. Peace Corps

Definition: Volunteer program started by JFK.

Important facts:

  • Americans helped other countries with education and development.

Why is it significant:

  • Improved America's image abroad.

Remember: Volunteers helping worldwide.

  1. Voting rights of 1965

Definition: Federal law protecting voting rights

Important facts:

  • Banned literacy tests
  • Protected black voters

Why is it significant:

  • Increased voter participation

Remember: Protected the right to vote.

  1. LBJ and Great Society

Definition : programs created by President Lyndon B Johnson

Important programs:

  • Medicare
  • medicaid
  • education funding

Goals:

  • End poverty
  • Improve education

Why is it significant:

  • Expanded governments role in helping people

Remember: Fight poverty and inequality.

VIETNAM

  1. Anti-War Movement

Definition: protests against the vietnam war

Important facts:

  • Common among students
  • Large demonstartions nationwide

Why is it significant:

  • Increased pressure to end the war.

Remmeber: Americans protesting Vietnam.

  1. Domino Theory

Definition: if one country became communist, nearby countries would follow

Why is it significant: Main reason American entered Vietnam

Remember: One falls, others fall.

  1. Media impact on the War

Definition: Vietnam was the first “television war”

Important facts:

  • Americans saw fighting and casualties on TV.

Why is it significant:

  • Reduced public support for the war.

Remember: TV changed opinions.

  1. Silent Majority

Definition: Term used by President Richard Nixon.

Meaning:

  • Americans who quietly supported U.S policies in vietnam

Why is this significant:

  • Showed the country was divided

Remembered: quiet supporters of the war.

1970’s - present

  1. Womans Rights Movement

Definiton: movement seeking equal rights for women.

Goals:

  • Equal pay
  • Equal opportunities
  • End discrimination

Why is it significant:

  • Expanded womens opportunities

Remember: equality for women.

  1. Title IX

Definiton: Law banning seex discrimination in schools receiving federal funds

Why is it significant:

  • Increased womens sports and educational opportunities

remember : Equal opportunities in schools

  1. AIDS epidemic

Definition: Health crisis caused by HIV/AIDS during the 1980’s

Important facts:

  • Thousands dies before treatments improved.
  • Led to major medical research

Why is it significant:

  • Changed public health policies

Remember: Majjor disease crisis

  1. US veterans in the 1980’s

Definition: veterans, especially from vietname, sought recognition and support.

Important facts:

  • More attention to PTSD
  • Vietname veterens memorial opened in 1982

Why is it significant:

  • Increased support for veterans

Remember: recognition and treatment

  1. Changes in immigration (1940’s present)

Defintion: immigration became more diverse after laws changed in 1965.

Important facts:

  • More immigrants from Asia and Latin America

Why is it significant:

  • Increased cultural diversity

Remember: more diverse America

  1. Iraq War (2003)

Definitoin: us led invasion of iraq

Important facts:

  • Saddam hussein removed from power
  • Long conflict followed

Why is it significant

  • Major modern us war

Remember: us invaded iraq after 9/11 era concerns

  1. Patriot Act

Definition: law passed after the septemer 11 attacks

Important facts:

  • Increased government surveillance
  • Intended to prevent terrorism

Why is it significant:

  • Debate over security vs privacy

Remember: more anti terror powers.

  1. Obamas election

Defintion: election of Barrack Obama in 2008.

Why is it significant:

  • First african american president
  • Symbolized a historic milestone

Remember: first black president.

  1. Federal budget

deficit : government spends more than it collects

Surplus: government collects more than it spends

Why is it significant: affects national debt and economy.

Remember: Deficit = losing money, Surplus = extra money

  1. Societal/family changes of the modern era

Examples:

  • More dual income households
  • More single parent households
  • Increased use of technology
  • Greater workforce participation by women

Why is it significant:

  • Changed everyday American life.

Remember: families and technology changed society

  1. Baby boomers

Definition: Generation born from 1946-1964 after WW2

Important facts:

  • Largest generation of its time
  • Influenced culture, politics, housing and the economy

Why is it significant:

  • Their aging affects healthcare and social security today.

Remember: huge generation born after WW2