UNIT 8/9 APUSH IDS

American Indian Movement

led by Dennis Banks and Russell Means; purpose was to obtain equal rights for Native Americans; protested at the site of the Wounded Knee massacre Its goals eventually encompassed the entire spectrum of Indian demands—economic independence, revitalization of traditional culture, protection of legal rights, and, most especially, autonomy over tribal areas and the restoration of lands that they believed had been illegally seized.

fast food

edibles that can be prepared and served very quickly, sold in a restaurant, and served to customers in packaged form Especially because "meat," dairy, and eggs are the main ingredients in fast food, the exponential increase in its consumption has engendered a wide range of negative social impacts—including rapidly rising rates of diet-related disease, worker exploitation, systemic animal abuse, and environmental degradation.

SALT Treaties

name for series of treaties between US and USSR regarding nuclear weapons The ABM Treaty limited strategic missile defenses to 200 interceptors each and allowed each side to construct two missile defense sites, one to protect the national capital, the other to protect one ICBM field. basically established numerical equality between the two nations in terms of nuclear weapons delivery systems. It also limited the number of MIRV missiles (missiles with multiple, independent nuclear warheads).

Nuclear Arms Race

the Cold War competition between superpowers to develop more powerful and greater numbers of nuclear weapons The United States' use of nuclear weapons to end World War II led to a determined and soon successful effort by the Soviet Union to acquire such weapons, followed by a long-running nuclear arms race between the two superpowers. The Soviet Union conducted its first nuclear test in 1949. The nuclear arms race resulted in widespread anxiety for both the American and Soviet peoples. In the United States, some families built homemade underground bomb shelters.

social critics of the 1950's

the critics of the 1950's focused more on social and cultural issues than economic It often refers to a mode of criticism that locates the reasons for such conditions in a society considered to be in a flawed social structure. It may also refer to people adhering to a social critic's aims at practical solutions by way of specific measures either for consensual reform or powerful revolution.

United Nations Security Council

the main governing body of the United Nations, it has the authority to identify threats to international peace and security and to prescribe the organization's response, including military and/or economic sanctions The Security Council has primary responsibility, under the United Nations Charter, for the maintenance of international peace and security. It is for the Security Council to determine when and where a UN peace operation should be deployed.

homogeneity

the quality of being similar or comparable in kind or nature Eisenhower epitomized the American middle class's idealized image of itself. And not incidentally, he presided over an era of almost unbroken prosperity and unbroken peace that reinforced the power of the stable, consensual public culture of the time.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

unanimously held that the racial segregation of children in public schools violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. Brown claimed that Topeka's racial segregation violated the Constitution's Equal Protection Clause because the city's black and white schools were not equal to each other and never could be. Overruled Plessy v. Ferguson's "separate but equal" doctrine and would eventually led to the desegregation of schools across the South The U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Education marked a turning point in the history of race relations in the United States. On May 17, 1954, the Court stripped away constitutional sanctions for segregation by race, and made equal opportunity in education the law of the land.

The Other America

A 1962 book by left-wing social critic Michael Harrington, chronicling "the economic underworld of American life." His study made it clear that in economic terms the bottom class remained far behind. It found a small-but-emerging audience in an America that was developing a greater self-awareness after the struggles of World War II and the Korean War.

Soviet Union

A Communist nation, consisting of Russia and 14 other states, that existed from 1922 to 1991. The Soviet Union's collapse not only threw economic systems and trade relations throughout Eastern Europe into a tailspin, it also produced the upheaval in many Eastern European countries and led to increased crime rates and corruption within the Russian government.

Nikita Khrushchev

A Soviet leader during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Also famous for denouncing Stalin and allowed criticism of Stalin within Russia. Premier of the Soviet Union from 1958-1964, he was a communist party offical who emerge from the power struggle after Stalin's death in 1953 to lead the USSR. He crushed a pro-Western uprising of Hngary in 1956, and, in 1958, issued an ultimatum for Western evacuation of Berline. Defended Soviet-style economic planning in the Kitchen Debate with Richard Nixon in 1959 and attempted to send missiles to Cuba in 1962 but backed down when comfronted by JFK

Marshall Plan

A United States program of economic aid for the reconstruction of Europe (1948-1952) was a U.S. program providing aid to Western Europe following the devastation of World War II. In addition to economic redevelopment, one of the stated goals of the Marshall Plan was to halt the spread communism on the European continent.

Black Panthers

A black political organization that was against peaceful protest and for violence if needed. The organization marked a shift in policy of the black movement, favoring militant ideals rather than peaceful protest. The Black Panther Party achieved national and international presence through their deep involvement in the local community.

cultural pluralism

A condition in which many cultures coexist within a society and maintain their cultural differences. Cultural pluralists insist that different ethnic groups have enriched the American way of life as immigrants and native-born citizens have learned from one another, thereby broadening their views on art, cuisine, education, history, music, and other aspects of life.

Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

A confrontation among the Soviet Union, Cuba and the United States in October 1962, during the Cold War. The result of the Cuban Missile Crisis was an increasing buildup of nuclear weapons that continued until the end of the Cold War. Air Force General Curtis LeMay was less sanguine because the U.S. had already been limiting its above ground tests while the Soviets had been increasing their own.

Earth Day

A holiday conceived of by environmental activist and Senator Gaylord Nelson to encourage support for and increase awareness of environmental concerns; first celebrated on March 22, 1970 Earth Day continues to grow as a worldwide phenomenon focused on promoting clean living and a healthy, sustainable habitat for people and wildlife alike. Celebrating Earth Day serves as a conscious reminder of how fragile our planet is and how important it is to protect it.

Endangered Species Act of 1973

A law requiring the federal government to protect all species listed as endangered. The Endangered Species Act is the strongest law for protecting biodiversity passed by any nation. Its purpose is to prevent the extinction of our most at-risk plants and animals, increase their numbers and effect their full recovery — and eventually their removal from the endangered list.

Ralph Nader

A leftist American politician who promotes the environment, fair consumerism, and social welfare programs. His book Unsafe at Any Speed brought attention to the lack of safety in American automobiles. led directly to the passage of the 1966 National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, which gave the government the power to enact safety standards for all automobiles sold in the US.

New Federalism

A policy in 1969, that turned over powers and responsibilities of some U.S. federal programs to state and local governments and reduced the role of national government in domestic affairs (states are closer to the people and problems) The primary objective of New Federalism, unlike that of the eighteenth-century political philosophy of Federalism, is the restoration to the states of some of the autonomy and power which they lost to the federal government as a consequence of President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal.

Détente

A policy of reducing Cold War tensions that was adopted by the United States during the presidency of Richard Nixon. resulted in productive negotiations and treaties on nuclear arms control and improved diplomatic relations, events at the end of the decade would bring the superpowers back to the brink of war.

Open Skies Policy

A policy proposed by Eisenhower saying that each country could fly over the other to inspect the nuclear weapons; Russia refuses and turns down the policy. vastly expanded international passenger and cargo flights to and from the United States, promoting increased travel and trade, enhancing productivity, and spurring high-quality job opportunities and economic growth.

Iron Curtain

A political barrier that isolated the peoples of Eastern Europe after WWII, restricting their ability to travel outside the region the political, military, and ideological barrier erected by the Soviet Union after World War II to seal off itself and its dependent eastern and central European allies from open contact with the West and other noncommunist areas.

Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott

December, 1955 - In Montgomery, Alabama, she refused to give up her bus seat for a White man as required by city ordinance. It started the Civil Rights Movement and an almost nation-wide bus boycott lasting 11 months. Her defiance sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Its success launched nationwide efforts to end racial segregation of public facilities.

baby boom

By the end of the decade, about 32 million babies had been born, compared with 24 million in the lean 1930s. In 1954, annual births first topped four million and did not drop below that figure until 1965, when four out of ten Americans were under the age of twenty. This generation of "baby boomers" was the result of a strong postwar economy, in which Americans felt confident they would be able to support a larger number of children. Boomers also influenced the economy as a core marketing demographic for products tied to their age group, from toys to records.

Congress of Racial Equality

CORE was a civil rights organization. They were famous for freedom rides which drew attention to Southern barbarity, leading to the passing of civil rights legislation. interracial American organization established by James Farmer in 1942 to improve race relations and end discriminatory policies through direct-action projects.

Earl Warren

Chief Justice during the 1950's and 1960's who used a loose interpretation to expand rights for both African-Americans and those accused of crimes. under Warren, they ruled unanimously that school segregation was unconstitutional. The unanimous decision was a direct result of Warren's efforts.

Kim Il Sung

Communist leader of North Korea; his attack on South Korea in 1950 started the Korean War. He remained in power until 1994. Coming to power after the end of Japanese rule in 1945, he authorized the invasion of South Korea in 1950, triggering an intervention in defense of South Korea by the United Nations led by the United States. Following the military stalemate in the Korean War, a ceasefire was signed on 27 July 1953. Kim Il Sung introduces it where communist philosophy is stressing national self reliance, extreme isolation, and racial purity.

Fidel Castro, Cuba

Cuban socialist leader who overthrew a dictator in 1959 and established a Marxist socialist state in Cuba (born in 1927) underwent significant economic, political, and social changes. In the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro and an associated group of revolutionaries toppled the ruling government of Fulgencio Batista, forcing Batista out of power on 1 January 1959.

Black Muslims

Developed by the black Muslim Leader Elijah Muhammad who preached black nationalism, separatism, and self-improvement. The movement attracted thousands of followers. Elijah Muhammad established the Black Muslims, blend of Islam and black nationalism. Encouraged blacks to celebrate their African heritage, live a life of self-discipline and self-help, and strive for a separate all black nation.

George Wallace

During his tenure, he promoted "low-grade industrial development, low taxes, and trade schools". Racist gov. of Alabama in 1962 ("segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever"); runs for pres. In 1968 on American Independent Party ticket of racism and law and order, loses to Nixon; runs in 1972 but gets shot

Martin Luther King, Jr., SCLC

First President of the SCLC Helped organize many protests of the civil rights movement successfully staged a 381-day boycott of the Montgomery Alabama's segregated bus system.

Sputnik

First artificial Earth satellite, it was launched by Moscow in 1957 and sparked U.S. fears of Soviet dominance in technology and outer space. It led to the creation of NASA and the space race. Sputnik served to intensify the arms race and raise Cold War tensions. During the 1950s, both the United States and the Soviet Union were working to develop new technology.

Communist Satellites

Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia, all of these were satellites, or nations under the control of a great power; in this situation, the Soviet Union. From the perspective of the Soviet Union the satellite states gave them a buffer zone between themselves and a hostile west. They gained a large territory with which they could trade. It enhanced their power and, in theory, strengthened communism.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

The US federal agency with a mission to protect human health and the environment. It has helped to Reduce waste and clean up when harmful substances pollute our land. That includes waste from landfills and fossil fuel power plants.

Korean War

The conflict between Communist North Korea and Non-Communist South Korea. The United Nations (led by the United States) helped South Korea. The Korean War was an important development in the Cold War because it was the first time that the two superpowers , the United States and the Soviet Union, had fought a 'proxy war ' in a third country. The proxy war or 'limited war ' strategy would be a feature of other Cold War conflicts, for example the Vietnam War.

Douglas MacArthur

United States general who served as chief of staff and commanded Allied forces in the South Pacific during World War II He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the Philippines Campaign. MacArthur was recalled to active duty in 1941 as commander of U.S. Army Forces in the Far East.

Chinese Civil War

War between communist Mao Zse Tong and nationalist Chaing-Kai Shek. The communists took over and forced the nationalists to retreat to Taiwan The Chinese Civil War was a civil war fought from 1927 to 1951, because of a difference in thinking between the Chinese Communist Party and the Nationalist Kuomintang. The war was a fight for legitimacy as the government of China. CCP took control of most of China and KMT had only islands.

Hungarian Revolt

When the Hungarians tried to win their freedom from the Communist regime in 1956, they were crushed down by Soviet tanks. There was killing and slaughtering of the rebels going on by military forces. A spontaneous national uprising that began 12 days before in Hungary is viciously crushed by Soviet tanks and troops on November 4, 1956. Thousands were killed and wounded and nearly a quarter-million Hungarians fled the country.

Mao Zedong

(1893-1976) Leader of the Communist Party in China that overthrew Jiang Jieshi and the Nationalists. Established China as the People's Republic of China and ruled from 1949 until 1976. His major influence was a huge impact on Chinese history and World history.

SNCC

(Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee)-a group established in 1960 to promote and use non-violent means to protest racial discrimination; they were the ones primarily responsible for creating the sit-in movement SNCC sought to coordinate youth-led nonviolent, direct-action campaigns against segregation and other forms of racism. SNCC members played an integral role in sit-ins, Freedom Rides, the 1963 March on Washington, and such voter education projects as the Mississippi Freedom Summer.

Escalation of Troops in Vietnam

100,000 U.S. troops were in South Vietnam by 1965, and 500,000 were there by 1967. quest for victory in Vietnam considered to be vital to national security and prestige, had intensified The catalyst for this US escalation in Vietnam was Lyndon Johnson's election victory in November 1964. With a full four-year term ahead, Johnson now turned his full attention to Vietnam

Cesar Chavez

1927-1993. Farm worker, labor leader, and civil-rights activist who helped form the National Farm Workers Association, later the United Farm Workers. best known for his efforts to gain better working conditions for the thousands of workers who labored on farms for low wages and under severe conditions. Chavez and his United Farm Workers union battled California grape growers by holding nonviolent protests.

Truman Doctrine

1947, President Truman's policy of providing economic and military aid to any country threatened by communism or totalitarian ideology, mainly helped Greece and Turkey With the Truman Doctrine, President Harry S. Truman established that the United States would provide political, military and economic assistance to all democratic nations under threat from external or internal authoritarian forces.

Little Rock Nine

1957 - Governor Faubus sent the Arkansas National Guard to prevent nine Black students from entering Little Rock Central High School. Eisenhower sent in U.S. paratroopers to ensure the students could attend class. The integration of Little Rock's all-white Central High School was a first real measure of the federal government's ability to enforce a 1954 Supreme Court ruling that said separate but equal schools were unconstitutional. It also became an ugly and violent chapter in the nation's history.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

1964 Congressional resolution authorizing President Johnson to take military action in Vietnam The resolution served as the principal constitutional authorization for the subsequent vast escalation of the United States' military involvement in the Vietnam War. On August 4, 1964, President Lyndon Johnson announced that two days earlier, U.S. ships in the Gulf of Tonkin had been attacked by the North Vietnamese.

Watts Riots

1964 riots which started in an African-American ghetoo of Los Angeles and left 30 dead and 1,000 wounded. Riots lasted a week, and spurred hundreds more around the country. The riots resulted in the deaths of 34 people, while more than 1,000 were injured and more than $40 million worth of property was destroyed.

Barry Goldwater

1964; Republican contender against LBJ for presidency; platform included lessening federal involvement, therefore opposing Civil Rights Act of 1964; lost by largest margin in history sparked the resurgence of the American conservative political movement in the 1960s. He also had a substantial impact on the libertarian movement.

Tet Offensive

1968; National Liberation Front and North Vietnamese forces launched a huge attack on the Vietnamese New Year (Tet), which was defeated after a month of fighting and many thousands of casualties; major defeat for communism, but Americans reacted sharply, with declining approval of LBJ and more anti-war sentiment The Tet Offensive played an important role in weakening U.S. public support for the war in Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh and leaders in Hanoi planned the Tet Offensive in the hopes of achieving a decisive victory that would end the grinding conflict that frustrated military leaders on both sides.

Three Mile Island

1979 - A mechanical failure and a human error at this power plant in Pennsylvania combined to permit an escape of radiation over a 16 mile radius. It caused the worst commercial nuclear accident in U.S. history, resulting in a partial meltdown that released dangerous radioactive gasses into the atmosphere.

World Bank

A specialized agency of the United Nations that makes loans to countries for economic development, trade promotion, and debt consolidation. Its formal name is the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The World Bank Group is one of the world's largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries. Its five institutions share a commitment to reducing poverty, increasing shared prosperity, and promoting sustainable development.

Council of Economic Advisers

A three-member body appointed by the president to advise the president on economic policy. This agency is charged with offering the President objective economic advice on the formulation of both domestic and international economic policy.

Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

A treaty signed by the Soviet Union and the United States, and roughly 100 other countries, that ended the testing of nuclear weapons in the atmosphere. After Senate approval, the treaty that went into effect on October 10, 1963, banned nuclear weapons testing in the atmosphere, in outer space, and under water. In August of 1945, when the United States dropped two atomic bombs on Japan, World War II came to a conclusion.

Berlin Wall

A wall separating East and West Berlin built by East Germany in 1961 to keep citizens from escaping to the West The Berlin wall divided families who found themselves unable to visit each other. Many East Berliners were cut off from their jobs. West Berliners demonstrated against the wall and their mayor Willy Brandt led the criticism against the United States who they felt had failed to respond.

Immigration Act of 1965

Abolished the national-origins quotas and providing for the admission each year of 170,000 immigrants from the Eastern Hemisphere and 120,000 from the Western Hemisphere The law abolished the National Origins Formula, which had been the basis of U.S. immigration policy since the 1920s. The act removed de facto discrimination against Southern and Eastern Europeans, Asians, and other non-Northwestern European ethnic groups from American immigration policy.

Thurgood Marshall

American civil rights lawyer, first black justice on the Supreme Court of the United States. Marshall was a tireless advocate for the rights of minorities and the poor. Marshall's life was very important in shaping the American society today. He did many important things as a judge. He fought for individual rights and equality for all people. His actions helped to end all racial segregation and discrimination against all African Americans.

Joseph Stalin

Bolshevik revolutionary, head of the Soviet Communists after 1924, and dictator of the Soviet Union from 1928 to 1953. He led the Soviet Union with an iron fist, using Five-Year Plans to increase industrial production and terror to crush opposition Stalin then proceeded to annex parts of Poland and Romania, as well as the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. He also launched an invasion of Finland.

Rachel Carson, Silent Spring

An American marine biologist wrote in 1962 about her suspicion that the pesticide DDT, by entering the food chain and eventually concentrating in higher animals, caused reproductive dysfunctions. In 1973, DDT was banned in the U.S. except for use in extreme health emergencies. Carson alerted the world to the environmental impact of fertilizers and pesticides. Her best-known book, Silent Spring, led to a presidential commission that largely endorsed her findings and helped to shape a growing environmental consciousness.

Beatniks

Beatnik was a media stereotype prevalent throughout the late 1940s, 1950s to mid-1960s that displayed the more superficial aspects of the Beat Generation literary movement of the late 1940s and early to mid 1950s. sought out experiences that were more intensely "real." Sometimes "real" experiences meant physical pleasures or more spiritual pursuits. they also helped bring awareness and battle racism in American.

Malcolm X

Black Muslim who argued for separation, not integration. He changed his views, but was assassinated in 1965. He urged his fellow black Americans to protect themselves against white aggression "by any means necessary," a stance that often put him at odds with the nonviolent teachings of Martin Luther King, Jr.

military-industrial complex

Eisenhower first coined this phrase when he warned American against it in his last State of the Union Address. He feared that the combined lobbying efforts of the armed services and industries that contracted with the military would lead to excessive Congressional spending. it was an informal alliance between a nation's military and the defense industry that supplies it, seen together as a vested interest which influences public policy.

Clean Water Act of 1972

Establishes and maintains goals and standards for U.S. water quality and purity. It has been amended several times, most prominently in 1987 to increase controls on toxic pollutants, and in 1990, to more effectively address the hazard of oil spills. Established the basic structure for regulating pollutant discharges into the waters of the United States. Gave EPA the authority to implement pollution control programs such as setting wastewater standards for industry.

Indian Self-Determination Act (1975)

Gave reservations and tribal lands greater control over internal programs, education, and law enforcement. The government could now contract with tribal governments for federal services. The act rejuvenated tribal governments by admitting, rejecting and countering previous paternalistic policies .

Medicare and Medicaid

Great Society programs to have the government provide medical aid to the elderly (Medicare) and the poor (Medicaid). Medicare is a lifeline that puts health care in reach of millions of older Americans. But it does much more: By helping older Americans stay healthy and independent, Medicare eases a potential responsibility for younger family members. Medicaid reaches many low-income children, adults, seniors, and people with disabilities.

George Kennan

He was an American diplomat and ambassador best known as "the father of containment" and as a key figure in the emergence of the Cold War. George Frost Kennan (February 16, 1904 - March 17, 2005) was an American diplomat and historian. He was best known as an advocate of a policy of containment of Soviet expansion during the Cold War. He lectured widely and wrote scholarly histories of the relations between the USSR and the United States.

off the gold standard

In 1971, President Nixon took the U.S. off the gold standard, which helped to devalue the U.S. dollar relative to foreign currencies. the gold standard prevented the Federal Reserve from expanding the money supply to stimulate the economy, fund insolvent banks and fund government deficits that could "prime the pump" for an expansion. Once off the gold standard, it became free to engage in such money creation.

Bay of Pigs

In April 1961, a group of Cuban exiles organized and supported by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency landed on the southern coast of Cuba in an effort to overthrow Fidel Castro. When the invasion ended in disaster, President Kennedy took full responsibility for the failure. The plan anticipated that the Cuban people and elements of the Cuban military would support the invasion. The ultimate goal was the overthrow of Castro and the establishment of a non-communist government friendly to the United States.

Gay Liberation Movement

In the 1970s, homosexuals began an effort to win social and legal acceptance and to encourage gays to affirm their sexual identity. Despite some advances, the movement was slowed by the onset of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s and the insistence of the military on banning openly gay individuals from the armed services. Gay rights movement, also called homosexual rights movement or gay liberation movement, civil rights movement that advocates equal rights for gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender persons; seeks to eliminate sodomy laws barring homosexual acts between consenting adults; and calls for an end to discrimination

NAACP

Interracial organization founded in 1909 to abolish segregation and discrimination and to achieve political and civil rights for African Americans. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People , interracial American organization created to work for the abolition of segregation and discrimination in housing, education, employment, voting, and transportation; to oppose racism; and to ensure African Americans their constitutional rights.

television

Invented in the 1930s, FDR was the first president to appear on TV; he gave a speech in 1939 at the New York World's Fair, where the television was being officially introduced to the mass public By 1960, over forty million homes had televisions led to questions regarding the nations, morals, politics, etc.Television glamorized the suburban life, woman= homemaker.

James Meredith

James Meredith was the first African-American student at the University of Mississippi. The school had originally rejected his application, and a legal battle ensued. He was a civil rights advocate who spurred a riot at the University of Mississippi. The riot was caused by angry whites who did not want Meredith to register at the university. The result was forced government action, showing that segregation was no longer government policy.

Berlin Airlift

Joint effort by the US and Britian to fly food and supplies into W Berlin after the Soviet blocked off all ground routes into the city The airlift was one of the greatest logistical feats in modern history and was one of the crucial events of the early Cold War. In June 1948, the Soviet Union suddenly blocked all ground traffic into West Berlin, which was located entirely within the Russian zone of occupation in Germany.

38th Parallel

Line that divided Korea - Soviet Union occupied the north and United States occupied the south, during the Cold War. The line was chosen by U.S. military planners at the Potsdam Conference near the end of World War II as an army boundary, north of which the U.S.S.R. This line then solidified into a political frontier between American-supported Republic of Korea and the Soviet backed Democratic People's Republic of Korea. North Korean troops swept across the 38th parallel to attack South Korea.

conglomerates

Major corporation that owns smaller companies in unrelated industries. What do conglomerates do? In a conglomerate, one company owns a controlling stake in smaller companies that each conduct business operations separately. The parent company can cut back the risks from being in a single market by becoming a conglomerate diversified across several industry sectors. Due to diversification, conglomerates can reduce their investment risk. These structures can create a capital market within the group to allow growth of the conglomerate. A conglomerate can grow by acquiring companies, whose shares are more discounted, thereby showing growth in earnings.

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

Major tanker accident in Alaska in 1989, that resulted in a major oil spill in Prince William Sound. It was an oil tanker that caused one of the worst oil spills in U.S. history, leading to the building of double-hulled ships

Selma to Montgomery March

Memorial event originally stopped by police, it eventually led to the Voting Rights Act of '65 Congress passed the Voting Rights Act, which secured the right to vote for millions and ensured that Selma was a turning point in the battle for justice and equality in the United States.

NATO/Warsaw Pact

NATO-North Atlantic Treaty Organization-Alliance formed by domocratic Western nations as and attempt to contain communism. Warsaw Pact-Soviets feel threatened and form a communist alliance The Warsaw Pact was the military complement to the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance , the regional economic organization for the socialist states of Central and Eastern Europe. Both NATO and the Warsaw Pact led to the expansion of military forces and their integration into the respective blocs.

Chernobyl meltdown

On April 26, 1986, a sudden surge of power during a reactor systems test destroyed Unit 4 of the nuclear power station at Chernobyl, Ukraine, in the former Soviet Union. The accident and the fire that followed released massive amounts of radioactive material into the environment. the Chernobyl disaster has had far-reaching economic effects. Some of these hastened the end of the U.S.S.R. The radioactive cloud spread over Europe, contaminating food sources.

Suburban Growth

Policies of the Federal government in the post-World War II era, such as the building of an efficient network of roads, highways and superhighways, and the underwriting of mortgages for suburban one-family homes made suburbs grow. In effect, the government was encouraging the transfer of the middle-class population out of the inner cities and into the suburbs. The rapid growth of homeownership and the rise of suburban communities helped drive the postwar economic boom. Suburban neighborhoods of single-family homes tore their way through the outskirts of cities.

Lyndon Johnson, Great Society

President Johnson [1963-1968], who follows Kennedy, creates a powerful set of domestic laws and reforms called the "Great Society." Most Civil Rights and Welfare laws are part of the Great Society programs. The Great Society was a set of domestic policy initiatives, programs, and legislation that were introduced in the 1960s in the U.S. These policies were intended to reduce poverty levels, reduce racial injustice, reduce crime, and improve the environment. Great Society policies were launched by then-President Lyndon B.

War on Poverty

President Lyndon B. Johnson's program in the 1960's to provide greater social services for the poor and elderly The project was designed to help end poverty by providing preschool children from low-income families with a program that would meet emotional, social, health, nutritional, and psychological needs.

Vietnamization

President Richard Nixons strategy for ending U.S involvement in the vietnam war, involving a gradual withdrawl of American troops and replacement of them with South Vietnamese forces Vietnamization drastically cut America's involvement in Vietnam and allowed for thousands of U.S. troops to come home. The shootings sparked heated debate as well as the resurgence of "hardhats."

Atoms for Peace

Proposal by Eisenhower to hand over nuclear materials to a peaceful UN body, rejected by Stalin. opened up nuclear research to civilians and countries that had not previously possessed nuclear technology. Eisenhower argued for a nonproliferation agreement throughout the world and argued for a stop of the spread of military use of nuclear weapons.

inflation and labor unions

Republicans wanted to relax controls of the Office of Price Administration , led to inflation rate of about 25% during the first year. Laborers wanted money that they had missed out on after years of wage controls Unions are important because they help set the standards for education, skill levels, wages, working conditions, and quality of life for workers.

East and West Germany

Soviet union controlled East Germany after WWII. Allies had West Germany. After the defeat of Germany in World War II, the country was divided between the two global blocs in the East and West, a period known as the division of Germany. The Cold War divided Germany between the Western Allies in the west and Soviets in the east.

Levittown

Suburban communities with mass-produced tract houses built in the New York and Philadelphia metropolitan areas in the 1950s by William Levitt and Sons. Typically inhabited by white middle-class people who fled the cities in search of homes to buy for their growing families. Built after World War II for returning veterans and their new families, the communities offered attractive alternatives to cramped central city locations and apartments.

Roe v. Wade

The 1973 Supreme Court decision holding that a state ban on all abortions was unconstitutional. The decision forbade state control over abortions during the first trimester of pregnancy, permitted states to limit abortions to protect the mother's health in the second trimester, and permitted states to protect the fetus during the third trimester. In its ruling, the court recognized for the first time that the constitutional right to privacy "is broad enough to encompass a woman's decision whether or not to terminate her pregnancy". Roe has come to be known as the case that legalized abortion nationwide.

GI Bill of Rights

The G. I. Bill of Rights or Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 provided for college or vocational education for returning World War II veterans as well as one-year of unemployment compensation. It also provided loans for returning veterans to buy homes and start businesses. It established hospitals, made low-interest mortgages available and granted stipends covering tuition and expenses for veterans attending college or trade schools.

OPEC oil embargo

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries that placed an embargo on oil sold to Israel's supporters. Caused worldwide oil shortage and long lines at gas stations in the US. It imposed an embargo against the United States in retaliation for the U.S. decision to re-supply the Israeli military and to gain leverage in the post-war peace negotiations.

Desegregation

The ending of authorized segregation, or separation by race. During the height of desegregation in the 1970s and 1980s, dropout rates decreased for minority students, with the greatest decline in dropout rates occurring in districts that had undergone the largest reductions in school segregation. Integrated schools help to reduce racial achievement gaps.

Jackie Robinson

The first African American player in the major league of baseball. His actions helped to bring about other opportunities for African Americans. On April 15, 1947, he broke the decades-old "colour line" of Major League Baseball when he appeared on the field for the National League Brooklyn Dodgers in a game against the Boston Braves.

U-2 Incident

The incident when an American U-2 spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union. The U.S. denied the true purpose of the plane at first, but was forced to when the U.S.S.R. produced the living pilot and the largely intact plane to validate their claim of being spied on aerially. The incident worsened East-West relations during the Cold War and was a great embarrassment for the United States. The incident derailed an important summit meeting between President Dwight D. ... The CIA assured President Eisenhower that the Soviets did not possess anti-aircraft weapons sophisticated enough to shoot down the high-altitude planes.

Clean Air Act of 1970

The law aimed at combating air pollution, by charging the EPA with protecting and improving the quality of the nation's air. Resulted in a major shift in the federal government's role in air pollution control. This legislation authorized the development of comprehensive federal and state regulations to limit emissions from both stationary sources and mobile sources.

Taft-Hartley Act (1947)

This act was Congress' response to the abuse of power. Outlawed closed shops; prohibited unions' unfair labor practices, and forced unions to bargain in good faith. Provided for college or vocational training for returning WWII veterans as well as one year of unemployment compensation. The Taft-Hartley Act reserved the rights of labor unions to organize and bargain collectively, but also outlawed closed shops, giving workers the right to decline to join a union. It permitted union shops only if a majority of employees voted for it.

Committee on Civil Rights

Truman bypassed the southern Democrats in key seats in Congress and established this committee to challenge racial discrimination in 1946. Pushed for southern anti-lynching laws and tried to register more black voters, but was mostly symbolic and had little real effect. The Committee on Civil Rights was responsible for proposing measures to strengthen and safeguard civil rights in the United States. The committee conducted inquires; examined existing laws, regulations and statutes; and made recommendations for policy improvements to carry out the mandate of Executive Order 9808.

consumer culture

a culture in which personal worth and identity reside not in the people themselves but in the products with which they surround themselves Consumer culture has provided affluent societies with peaceful alternatives to tribalism and class war, it has fueled extraordinary economic growth.

Sit-in Movement

a form of protest used during the Civil Rights Movement. Students from the NAACP Youth Council began this movement by sitting in segregated lunch-counters and refusing to leave even in the when physically assaulted. This is a form of direct action protest. The sit-in movement produced a new sense of pride and power for African Americans. By rising up on their own and achieving substantial success protesting against segregation in the society in which they lived, Blacks realized that they could change their communities with local coordinated action.

March on Washington (1963)

a large political rally that took place in Washington, D.C. on August 28, 1963. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his historic "I Have a Dream" speech advocating racial harmony at the Lincoln Memorial during the march. Widely credited as helping lead to the Civil Rights Act (1964) and the National Voting Rights Act (1965). 80% of the marchers were black. Organized by union leader A. Philip Randolph. The March on Washington helped create a new national understanding of the problems of racial and economic injustice. For one, it brought together demonstrators from around the country to share their respective encounters with labor discrimination and state-sponsored racism.

credit cards

a small plastic card issued by a bank, business, etc., allowing the holder to purchase goods or services on credit. Credit cards are not only important for individuals and businesses; they're an important aspect of continued economic growth. Cash works best in face-to-face transactions and checks take time to cash. Credit cards and electronic payments, however, make functioning in a global marketplace much easier.

Rock and Roll

became a popular music genre in the fifties with the introduction of Elvis Presley name for the popular form of music that teens were listening to in the 1950s. Older generation did not like the dancing that came with this and the messages these musicians were sending.

Stagflation

persistent high inflation combined with high unemployment and stagnant demand in a country's economy. Stagflation led to the emergence of the Misery index. This index, which is the simple sum of the inflation rate and unemployment rate, served as a tool to show just how badly people were feeling when stagflation hit the economy.