APUSH Quarter 4 Lessons 3-5

McCarthyism: The practice of accusing people of being communists without proper evidence, led by Senator Joseph McCarthy in the early 1950s.
Alger Hiss: A government official accused of being a Soviet spy; his case fueled fears of communist infiltration.
HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee): Congressional group that investigated suspected communists in America, especially in Hollywood.
Hollywood 10: A group of writers and directors who refused to testify before HUAC; they were blacklisted.
McCarran Internal Security Act (1950): Required communist groups to register with the government; gave the government power to detain suspected subversives.
Rosenberg Case: Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed for allegedly passing atomic secrets to the Soviets, increasing Cold War fears.
Army-McCarthy Hearings: Televised hearings in 1954 that exposed McCarthy's aggressive tactics and led to his downfall.

Levittowns: Mass-produced suburban homes symbolizing the growth of suburbia and conformity in the 1950s.
I Love Lucy: Popular 1950s TV show; represents the rise of television culture and traditional gender roles.
Elvis: Rock 'n' roll icon of the 1950s; symbol of youth rebellion and changing American culture.
Beatniks: Countercultural writers and artists in the 1950s who rejected materialism and traditional values.
Jack Kerouac: Beat Generation author; wrote On the Road, celebrating nonconformity and spontaneity.
Allen Ginsberg: Beat poet; his poem Howl criticized American consumer culture and conformity.

Massive Retaliation: Eisenhower’s policy of threatening to use nuclear weapons if attacked; aimed to deter the USSR.
Brinkmanship: Pushing dangerous situations to the edge of war to force opponents to back down.
Interstate Highway Act (1956): Created a national highway system for defense and travel; boosted the economy and suburbs.
Sputnik (1957): First satellite launched by the USSR; led to U.S. fears of falling behind in science.
NASA: U.S. space agency created in response to Sputnik; began the Space Race.
National Defense and Education Act (1958): Gave money to improve science and math education after Sputnik.
Eisenhower Doctrine: Promised U.S. aid to Middle Eastern countries resisting communism.
U-2 Crisis (1960): U.S. spy plane shot down over the USSR; worsened Cold War tensions.

1960 Election Debates: First televised presidential debates; helped JFK win due to his strong TV presence.
New Frontier: JFK's domestic and foreign policy agenda; focused on civil rights, space, and helping the poor.
Flexible Response: Replaced massive retaliation; allowed U.S. to respond to threats with different levels of force.
Green Berets: Special Forces created under JFK to fight unconventional wars, like in Vietnam.
Bay of Pigs (1961): Failed U.S.-backed invasion of Cuba by exiles to overthrow Fidel Castro.
Cuban Missile Crisis (1962): U.S. and USSR came close to nuclear war over Soviet missiles in Cuba; JFK negotiated a peaceful resolution.
Berlin Crisis (1961): USSR built the Berlin Wall to stop East Germans from fleeing to the West; symbol of the Cold War.
Peace Corps: Volunteer program started by JFK to help developing countries and spread goodwill.

Great Society: LBJ’s plan to eliminate poverty and racial injustice through government programs.
The Other America: Book by Michael Harrington exposing hidden poverty in the U.S.; inspired LBJ’s War on Poverty.
War on Poverty: Part of the Great Society; programs like Head Start, food stamps, and job training to help the poor.
Medicaid/Medicare: Great Society programs; Medicare gave health care to the elderly, Medicaid to the poor.
Immigration Act 1965: Ended old quota system; allowed more immigrants from Asia, Africa, and Latin America.