US History- Unit 8- Cold War, Civil Rights Movement
Baby Boom
- 1940's-1960's: US birthrate soars as troops return home from war - 1957: one baby born every 7 seconds. 4.3 million that year - Result: 1. creation of the largest generation in US history 2. Society had to accommodate influx in children and families
PC's
- 1940's: scientists develop electronically powered computers - 1951: PCs available for purchase - 1980's: computers enter workforce and households - 1990's: internet changes communication, purchases, and media
Communist China
- 1945: China under control of Chinese Nationalist Chiang Kai-shek - Chiang Kai-shek leads corrupt & ineffective government - Mao Zedong wants to dethrone Chiang & create communist China - Starts civil war between Nationalists & Communists - US backs Chiang Kai-shek and sends $2 billion in military equipment and supplies - USSR supported Communists - 1949: Communists take over China - Chiang & nationalists flee to Taiwan
Truman's Integration of US Army
- 1945: Racial violence erupts in South - African Americans who fought in WWII demand their rights - 1946: President Truman meets with African American leaders to promote civil rights - They ask for anti-lynching law, end to poll tax, and laws against racial discrimination in hiring - Congress refuses to pass laws - 1948: Truman 2 civil rights orders: 1. Executive order to integrate military Integrate: bring together as one 2. End to hiring discrimination in government positions
Warren Court
- 1953-1969 Earl Warren: Chief Justice of Supreme Court 5 of 9 Justices were liberal, Supreme Court made many liberal decisions - Helped civil rights and rights of accused - Ex: Brown v. Board of Education (school segregation = illegal) - Miranda v. Arizona (Miranda Decision = police must read arrested person their rights)
Sputnik
- 1957: USSR launches Sputnik I - First successful space satellite - Travels around earth at 18,000 mph - Circled globe every 96 minutes - Sputnik shocks US and shows USSR technology - US races to catch up with USSR
Bay of Pigs
- 1960: US trains Cubans living in US to invade Cuba Goal: overthrow Castro - 1,500 Cubans land in Bay of Pigs - Bay of Pigs: southern coast of Cuba - Resistance met by 25,000 Cuban troops with USSR tanks & planes - Rebels killed or imprisoned - Loss humiliates US - JFK pays $53 million in food and medical supplies to retrieve imprisoned rebels - Event pushes Cuba closer to USSR
I have a dream speech
- 1963: JFK asks Congress to pass civil rights bill - A. Philip Randolph and SCLC plan march on Washington D.C. to persuade Congress - 250,000 marchers including 75,000 whites - MLK gives "I Have a Dream" speech - Importance: puts pressure on Congress to create Civil Rights Act of 1964
Assassination of MLK
- 1968: MLK in Memphis, TN - MLK assassinated on balcony by James Earl Ray - MLK's death led to worst urban riots in US history - 100 cities in flames - Baltimore, Chicago, Kansas City, and Washington D.C. were the worst
Rosa Parks
- After Brown case, African American activists take action to gain equal rights - Rosa Parks refuses to give up seat on Alabama bus - Arrested for disobedience - After Parks' arrest, NAACP suggests bus boycott - Ask Martin Luther King to lead boycott - 1956: Supreme Court outlaws bus segregation
Vietnam War
- After Korean War, US trying to stop spread of communism in Asia - North Vietnam supports Vietcong - 1964: North Vietnamese patrol boat attacks US destroyer - President Lyndon B. Johnson asks Congress for permission to start Vietnam War - Congress issues Gulf of Tonkin Resolution - US not prepared for jungle conditions - US weapons no match for Vietcong guerilla tactics - Vietcong dig tunnels to evade airstrikes, launch surprise attacks, & quickly disappear - Even with massive losses, Vietcong continue to fight using USSR & Chinese supplies
GI Bill
- After WWII, 10 million US men and women released from military - Congress passes GI Bill to ease veterans return to civilian life - 2 parts of GI Bill: 1. US pays college tuition 2. Federal loans for buying homes or businesses passed by Congress to protect and reward returning servicemen. - Increase in money from education and loans caused a housing boom and increase demand in the economy
Levittown
- After WWII, veterans face huge housing shortage - William Levitt uses assembly line method to mass produce low cost houses ($7,000) - Houses built in suburbs outside NYC - Over 17,000 homes built in 4 years using mass production - Attracted families searching for the American Dream
MLK's Letter from Birmingham Jail
- Alabama known for extreme segregation and racial violence - Believe it's perfect place for nonviolent civil rights movement - MLK and SCLC try to desegregate city - White religious leaders felt segregation should be fought in courts not on streets - During protests, MLK imprisoned and writes "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" - Letter's importance: states people have moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws Continues protests until segregation ends in Birmingham - Letter wrote on strips of paper and smuggled out of jail - "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere"
The US's reaction to Sputnik
- Americans blamed lack of education in US - Federal government increased math & science requirements in school - US created NASA in 1958 (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)
2nd Red Scare
- Americans fear communism spreading in US as seen in Eastern Europe, China, and North Korea - Created agencies to investigate American loyalty to democracy
Senator Joseph McCarthy
- Anti-Communist activist - Republican Senator from Wisconsin - Believes communists taking over government - Accuses people of communism without evidence - 1954: McCarthy accuses Army officials of communism which leads to televised Senate investigation disproving McCarthy - 1957: McCarthy dies from alcoholism
Anti-Vietnam Movement
- As Vietnam War continued in 1960s, more Americans disagreed with it - Americans, especially young people, held protests against the war - Believed too many Americans were dying - Believed US had no reason to interfere in a Vietnamese civil war
Legacy of the Civil Rights Movement
- Bans segregation and discrimination - Increases African American high school and college enrollment - Leads to better job opportunities - Growth of African American pride in racial identity Display symbols of African American history and culture
Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy
- Brother of JFK - Tried to run for President in 1968 - Gained support but was assassinated on June 5, 1968 - Shocked Americans
Interstate Highway Act
- Cheap gas and cars leads to huge car purchases. Rise of suburbs leads to longer commute to city jobs. Schools, stores, and doctors not within walking distance which all this causes creation of Interstate Highway Act - law passed by Eisenhower - Federal govt. funded project to build interstate highways - Building of a nationwide highway network - 41,000 miles of expressways Importance- 1. Unifies nation through series of highways, Ex: I-95, I-16, I-20 2. Traffic moves outside cities 3. More Americans travel to mountains, national parks, historic sites, and amusement parks 4. Improved trade
Detente
- Cold War cost US and USSR a lot of money, time, and energy - Neither country could afford keeping up with arms race anymore so détente began in 1970s - Détente: decreasing tension between US and USSR - How was this done? Treaties were signed by Nixon and Brezhnev (leader of USSR) to limit the number of nuclear weapons a country could have and where they could test nuclear weapons
Cold War in the 1980s
- Cold War tension increased during 1980s - President Ronald Reagan planned to out spend the USSR in the Cold War - Reagan increased defense budget by $12 billion in early 1980s Money spent on... 1. Missiles 2. research for Strategic Defense Initiative ("Star Wars") 3. Reconnaissance 4. Gaining/Defending allies 5. Placed additional cruise missiles in Europe to target USSR
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)
- Confrontational strategies to change civil rights - Use sit-ins to end segregation- African American protesters sit down at segregated lunch counters and refuse to leave until served - TV brings coverage of protests into homes - See SNCC members beat, food dumped on, and racism of whites and refusing to fight back - Helps Civil Rights Movement
The Impact of the Vietnam War
- Containment ended as Americans became cautious of the U.S. role in the world - Americans began to lose faith in the honesty of gov't leaders during the Johnson & Nixon years - The $176 billion cost of the war led to high inflation in the 1970 & weakened LBJ's Great Society - The 26th Amendment lowered the voting age to 18 years old
Efforts to Resist Brown v. Board
- Court said integration should happen quickly but never says how fast - Many southern states use this to slowly integrate - 1960's: many school districts ordered to achieve racial balance - Biggest opposition in Little Rock, Arkansas when governor orders National Guard to prevent integration in high school - President Dwight Eisenhower sends 1,000 soldiers to remove National Guard, prevent violence, and enforce integration - US watches event on television
Air Conditioning
- Created in early 1900's - First placed in Wall Street at NY Stock Exchange - 1950's: Americans buy A/C for homes - Importance: 1. Makes hot places more livable 2. Growth of southern cities
John F. Kennedy
- Democrat - Elected President in 1960 - Goals: wanted to improve education, healthcare, and civil rights for minorities - funded space program, wanted to land on moon by 1970
Brown v. Board of Education
- Due to separate but equal, South has schools for whites and "coloreds" - Linda Brown's father upset Linda (8 yrs. old) had to take a long bus ride to the colored school across town - White school was much closer Supreme Court Ruling- 1. Bans segregation in schools, beaches, and restaurants, 2. Separate but equal can never be equal 3. Helps end Jim Crow Laws 4. Strengthens 14th Amendment
Berlin Wall Destroyed
- East and West Germany had been separated since 1945 after WWII - Berlin Wall separated East (communist) and West (democratic) Berlin since 1961 - 1989- protests tore down Berlin Wall - East and West Berlin were reunited and later East and West Germany became Germany
Richard Nixon
- Elected President in 1968 - Republican - Appealed to people against hippies and anti-war protestors - Promised a return to conservative ideals and way to withdrawal American troops from Vietnam
Voting Rights Act of 1965
- Eliminates literacy tests for voting - US government could enroll voters who were denied suffrage locally - Importance: triples African American voters in South
Jackie Robinson
- First African American to play major league baseball - Before: MLB & Negro Baseball League - 1947: Plays for Brooklyn Dodgers - Met with much opposition. Unhappy fans, death threats, pitchers throwing at him, players trying to spike him - Importance: 1. Helps bring end to racial segregation in professional baseball 2. Gives hope to Civil Rights Movement
Space Race
- From 1957-1975 - USSR and US competed to develop superior space technology Goals: ~Send satellites into space ~Send people into space ~Use space technology to spy and fight wars
Cuban Revolution
- Fulgencio Batista ruled Cuba in 1950s - Cuba prospered as center for organized crime and gambling - Gap between rich and poor increased - 1959 Fidel Castro overthrew Batista and made Cuba communist - US scared to have communist country 90 miles from FL coast - Castro welcomes aid from USSR
War Powers Act
- Gulf of Tonkin Resolution gave President too much power during Vietnam War - After Vietnam War, Congress passes War Powers Act - Requires Congress to approve troop commitments within time frame - Importance: redistributes power to conduct military operations between President & Congress
The Berlin Blockade
- In 1948, the USSR responded to Containment by cutting off all traffic to Berlin in East Germany - The USA began the Berlin Airlift to bring food, fuel, & supplies to keep West Berlin from turning to Communism - Lasted 2 weeks until Stalin lifted the blockade
Television
- In 1949: first regular TV broadcast ~Small part of east coast ~Offered 2 hours of programs each week - 1956: rapid expansion of TV ~TV in black and white ~TV leads to: 1. Tool for mass transmission of cultural values 2. Creation of on-the-scene news reports - Result: TV crucial to presidential elections, Vietnam War, and the Civil Rights Movement
Environmentalism
- In 1960s Americans realized environmental problems - Silent Spring by Rachel Carson ~ Inspired Americans to limit impact on environment - Led to: 1. Earth Day: celebrated every April 22nd to inspire Americans to appreciate environment 2. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): goal is to protect human health and the environment (land, air, and water)
Rise of Conservatism
- In response to social and political changes - conservatism focused on individualism , family and tradition by rejecting the ideas of the New Deal and Great Society - Barry Goldwater became the leader of the conservative movement in the 1960's
Kent State Massacre
- Infamous Vietnam Protest - May 4, 1970 - Thousands of students at Kent State University protested war - Ohio National Guard called to end protest - Shots fired by soldiers - 4 students killed - Increased national attention and opposition to Vietnam War
Tet Offensive
- January 30: Vietnam New Year's - Known as Tet - Vietnam has week long truce for Tet - Use time for funerals to bury dead troops - Vietcong use funeral coffins to sneak in weapons - Vietcong surprise attack 100 S. Vietnam cities & 12 US air bases - Attack stuns US - Takes US 1 month to regain control of S. Vietnam - Largest offensive attack during Vietnam War
United Farm Workers
- Labor union formed by Cesar Chavez in 1966 - Represented farm workers - Fought for better working conditions, pay, and ability to strike - Believed in non-violent protests like MLK
National Organization for Women (NOW)
- Organization created in 1960s - Led by Betty Friedan Goals: 1. Secure equal rights for women 2. Wanted equal pay 3. Wanted to eliminate discrimination in hiring for jobs
Rock-n-Roll
- Popular new music - Combined gospel , folk, and blues - LOVED by teens - Parents HATED dance styles with rock music - Elvis Presley 1. Famous musician 2. White man but sang like an African American 3. Loved by teens
Causes of the Space Race
- President Eisenhower puts money into US space program - Causes improved satellite communication - US and USSR competition will lead to more nuclear weapons, longer range missiles, more satellites, and a race to the moon
Vietnamization
- President Richard Nixon (1968-1974) promised to withdraw American troops from Vietnam - Vietnamization = Nixon's plan to end US involvement in Vietnam War by giving control of Vietnam War to South Vietnamese troops - Many Americans agreed with Nixon's plan (helped him get elected in 1968) - American involvement in Vietnam ended in 1973, but Vietnam War didn't end until 1975
Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)
- Program created by MLK and other civil rights leaders - Purpose: train leaders to carry on nonviolent crusades - Against racial inequality - Stage protests and demonstrations throughout south
Great Society
- Program started by LBJ - Included: 1. Medicare (health insurance for elderly) 2. Medicaid (health insurance for poor or disabled 3. money for education, housing and crime prevention
Civil Rights Act of 1964
- Prohibits discrimination because of race, religion, national origin, and gender - Ends segregation in all public places - Signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson - Became President after JFK assassinated
1960 Presidential Debate
- Richard Nixon vs. John F. Kennedy - First televised debate - 70 million viewers watched - Before debate, candidates nearly tied - JFK appeared confident and at ease on film - Nixon seemed nervous, pale, underweight, and sickly - Debate gives JFK poll lead - JFK wins 1960 election - Importance: TV takes over as medium of politics
Dwight Eisenhower
- Truman served as President from 1945-1952 - Americans elected Dwight Eisenhower (Republican) as President in 1952 - former WWII military general - Re-Elected in 1956
Outcome of Chinese Civil War
- US only recognizes Taiwan as Chinese government and refuses to accept communist China - Americans fear communism will spread around world - Containment policy expands to Asia - Helps lead to the 2nd Red Scare - Americans blamed Pres. Truman for "losing China"
What happened after WWII?
- US, UK, & USSR meet to discuss future of European nations under German control - US wants elections, spread democracy, & trade, and access to raw materials & new markets - USSR wants to control nations as payment for wartime losses because they lost 20 million people in WWII - They also want to stop future invasions from Germany - Disagreements over these countries leads to Cold War
Arms Race
- USSR and US competed to develop more and stronger nuclear weapons - 1945-1990
Korean War
- USSR controls Korean land north of 38th parallel - Makes North Korea communist - US controls Korean land south of 38th parallel - Makes South Korea democratic - 1950: US troops leave South Korea and only 500 troops remain - USSR supplies North Korea with tanks, airplanes, & money to take over South Korea - USSR believes US won't defend South Korea - North Korea crosses 38th parallel in surprise attack - South Korea asks UN for help - President Truman sends troops to protect S. Korea - 2 months of fighting US pushes N. Korea back over 38th parallel - Peace agreement places North & South Korea to boundaries before war
Containment Policy
- USSR creates communist governments in Nazi occupied Eastern Europe - President Truman creates containment policy which is procedures to prevent expansion of communist rule in other countries
Cuban Missile Crisis
- USSR promises to protect Cuba from US - 1962: USSR starts sending Cuba weapons Includes nuclear missiles - JFK warns Cuba not to take nuclear weapons - October 14, 1962: US planes take pictures of USSR missiles aimed at US that are able to hit US in minutes - JFK informs Americans of threat - JFK knows attack on Cuba will turn into nuclear war with USSR - USSR ships in Atlantic Ocean carrying more missiles to Cuba - US navy places blockade around Cuba to prevent missiles from entering - 100,000 US troops assemble in Miami prepared to attack - Largest invasion force ever assembled in US - USSR boats stop before blockade Result: USSR promises to remove Cuban missiles if US does not invade Cuba
Truman Doctrine
- USSR trying to spread communism to Greece & Turkey - US does not want countries to join USSR - Truman asks Congress for $400 million to aid Greece & Turkey Importance: 1. Keeps Greece & Turkey from joining USSR 2. Becomes part of US policy to contain communism
Fall of the Soviet Union
- USSR's leader (Mikhail Gorbachev) attempted to modernize USSR but could not maintain massive defense budget for Cold War - Gorbachev removed military support from satellite nations in Soviet Union - communist governments of satellite nations were overthrown - satellite nations became independent countries from USSR - this ended the USSR and the Cold War in 1991
Lyndon B. Johnson
- Vice President for JFK, became President after JFK's assassination - Re-Elected in 1964 - Events: 1. Great Society Program 2. Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act 3. Increased US involvement in the Vietnam War
Marshall Plan
- Western European nations broke & destroyed - Factories bombed, millions living in refugee camps - Winter of 1946-47 damages crops and freezes rivers - 1947: US Secretary of State George Marshall creates plan to provide aid to Western European nations & help them grow - US wanted to help Europe before USSR could get a chance - US gives money/food AND builds roads & factories - Importance: countries prosper, become allies & major traders with US
Hippies
- Young people who disagreed with: 1. Government 2. Poverty 3. Racism 4. Vietnam War - Expressed ideas freely - Known for new styles of clothing and music and for drug use
Assassination of JFK
- assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald in 1963 - devastated Americans who believed in his ability to change America
Domino Theory
- belief SE Asia on brink of communism & if one country falls, all SE Asia will fall - Part of US containment policy
House of Un-American Activities (HUAC)
- believes communists taking over movie industry & sneaking propaganda into films - 500 actors, writers, producers, and directors blacklisted
Importance of Tet Offensive
1. News starts to criticize war US reporters in Vietnam showing daily fighting 2. Americans no longer want to fight war Believe war will never end 3. President Johnson refuses to run for 2nd Presidential term Richard Nixon elected president
Eastern Europe
Communist
Cold War
Conflict between US & USSR where neither nation directly confronts the other on the battlefield
Western Europe
More Democratic
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
gives President ability to conduct military operations in SE Asia without declaring war
Vietcong
guerilla army in South Vietnam that wants communism
MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction)
neither side used nuke because they knew it would lead to destruction of both sides
Suburbs
small residential communities outside cities
