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APUSH Unit 8
vocab termsss
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Soviet Union | A socialist state in Eastern Europe and Asia, existing from 1922 to 1991, led by the Communist Party, also known as the USSR. |
| Security Council | A principal part of the United Nations responsible for maintaining international peace and security. |
| Satellite States | Countries in Eastern Europe that were controlled or heavily influenced by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. |
| Iron Curtain | The ideological and physical boundary dividing Europe into the Soviet-controlled East and the Western democracies during the Cold War. |
| George F. Kennan | U.S. diplomat and expert on Soviet affairs who developed the idea of containment to counter Soviet expansion. |
| Containment Policy | A Cold War strategy aimed at preventing the spread of communism, especially by the Soviet Union. |
| Truman Doctrine | A 1947 U.S. policy that provided military and economic aid to countries resisting communism, starting with Greece and Turkey. |
| George C. Marshall | U.S. Secretary of State who proposed the Marshall Plan, an aid program to rebuild Western Europe after WWII. |
| Marshall Plan | A U.S. program that provided economic aid to help rebuild Western European countries after World War II to prevent the spread of communism. |
| Berlin Airlift | A 1948-1949 operation where the U.S. and Britain supplied West Berlin with food and supplies by air after the Soviet blockade. |
| North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) | A military alliance formed in 1949 among the U.S., Canada, and Western European nations to defend against Soviet aggression. |
| Warsaw Pact | A military alliance formed in 1955 between the Soviet Union and its Eastern European satellite states, in response to NATO. |
| National Security Act | A 1947 U.S. law that reorganized the military and intelligence agencies, creating the CIA and National Security Council. |
| Douglas MacArthur (Japan) | U.S. general who oversaw the occupation and reconstruction of Japan after WWII and played a key role in the Korean War. |
| Mao Zedong | Chinese communist revolutionary and founding father of the People’s Republic of China, leading the country from 1949 until his death in 1976. |
| Korean War | A conflict from 1950 to 1953 between communist North Korea, supported by China and the Soviet Union, and South Korea, supported by the U.S. and UN forces. |
| 38th Parallel | The line of latitude dividing North and South Korea, the boundary before and after the Korean War. |
| Stalemate | A situation in which neither side in a conflict can make progress, often resulting in an impasse. |
| Brinkmanship | The practice of pushing dangerous events to the edge of disaster in order to achieve the most advantageous outcome, especially during the Cold War. |
| “Spirit of Geneva” | A 1955 meeting between the U.S. and Soviet leaders in Geneva, where they discussed easing Cold War tensions. |
| Nikita Khrushchev | Leader of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, known for his de-Stalinization policies and confrontations with the U.S. |
| Sputnik | The first artificial Earth satellite, launched by the Soviet Union in 1957, marking the start of the space race. |
| National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) | The U.S. government agency responsible for the nation’s civilian space program and aerospace research, founded in 1958. |
| U-2 Incident | The 1960 shooting down of a U.S. spy plane over the Soviet Union, causing a major diplomatic crisis between the U.S. and the USSR. |
| Cuba | An island nation in the Caribbean, which became a communist state under Fidel Castro after the 1959 revolution. |
| Fidel Castro | Cuban revolutionary leader who served as Prime Minister (1959-1976) and President (1976-2008) of Cuba. |
| Military-industrial complex | The close relationship between a nation's military and its defense industry, influencing public policy and decision-making. |
| Berlin Wall | A barrier built by East Germany in 1961 to prevent East Berliners from fleeing to West Berlin, symbolizing the Cold War divide. |
| Bay of Pigs | A failed 1961 U.S. invasion of Cuba by Cuban exiles, backed by the CIA, to overthrow Fidel Castro. |
| Cuban Missile Crisis | A 1962 confrontation between the U.S. and the Soviet Union over Soviet missiles in Cuba, bringing the two nations close to nuclear war. |
| Nuclear Test Ban Treaty | A 1963 agreement between the U.S., USSR, and UK to ban nuclear weapons tests in the atmosphere, space, and underwater. |
| John F. Kennedy | The 35th President of the United States (1961-1963), known for his leadership during the Cuban Missile Crisis and civil rights advocacy. |
| Lyndon B. Johnson | The 36th U.S. president (1963-1969), who escalated U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War and passed landmark civil rights legislation. |
| Non-Proliferation Treaty | A 1968 international treaty aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and promoting peaceful uses of nuclear energy. |
| Henry Kissinger | U.S. Secretary of State and National Security Advisor under Presidents Nixon and Ford, known for his role in détente and opening relations with China. |
| Détente | A period of relaxed tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union during the 1970s, marked by diplomatic agreements like SALT I. |
| Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT I) | A 1972 agreement between the U.S. and the Soviet Union to limit the number of nuclear weapons each country could deploy. |
| Soviet-Afghan War | A 1979-1989 conflict in which Soviet forces intervened in Afghanistan to prop up a communist government, leading to resistance by Afghan guerrillas. |
| McCarran Internal Security Act | A 1950 law that required Communist organizations to register with the U.S. government and allowed for the detention of suspected subversives. |
| House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) | A U.S. congressional committee responsible for investigating suspected communist influence in the U.S. government and entertainment industries. |
| Alger Hiss | A U.S. State Department official accused of being a Soviet spy in the 1940s, leading to a highly publicized trial. |
| Julius Rosenberg | U.S. citizen executed in 1953 for allegedly spying for the Soviet Union and passing atomic secrets to them. |
| Joseph R. McCarthy | U.S. senator who led a campaign in the 1950s to expose communists in the U.S. government, often with unfounded accusations. |
| McCarthyism | The practice of making unsubstantiated accusations of communism, named after Senator Joseph McCarthy. |
| Second Red Scare | The fear of communist influence in the U.S. during the late 1940s and 1950s, marked by aggressive anti-communist actions. |
| Servicemen’s Readjustment Act (or GI Bill of Rights) | A 1944 law that provided benefits to veterans, including education, housing, and unemployment assistance. |
| Baby Boom | The significant increase in birth rates in the U.S. following WWII, especially in the late 1940s and 1950s. |
| Levittown | The name of several suburban communities built in the U.S. in the 1940s and 1950s, symbolizing post-WWII suburbanization. |
| Sun Belt | A region of the U.S. stretching from the South to the West, known for its warm climate and rapid population growth after WWII. |
| 22nd Amendment | A 1951 amendment to the U.S. Constitution that limits the president to two terms in office. |
| Fair Deal | President Harry S. Truman’s domestic program, aiming to expand social welfare and improve the economy in post-WWII America. |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower | The 34th President of the United States (1953-1961), a former U.S. general who led Allied forces in WWII and promoted policies of moderation. |
| Interstate Highway Act | A 1956 law that authorized the construction of a nationwide network of interstate highways, facilitating transportation and defense. |
| New Frontier | President John F. Kennedy’s plan for domestic reforms, including civil rights, space exploration, and economic recovery. |
| Great Society | President Lyndon B. Johnson’s series of domestic programs in the 1960s designed to eliminate poverty and racial injustice. |
| New Federalism | A political philosophy that advocates for a shift in power from the federal government to the states, often associated with President Richard Nixon. |
| Richard Nixon | The 37th President of the United States (1969-1974), known for his role in ending the Vietnam War and resigning after the Watergate scandal. |
| Stagflation | A situation in the 1970s where the U.S. experienced high inflation and high unemployment simultaneously. |
| Rock and roll | A genre of popular music that emerged in the 1950s, characterized by a mix of rhythm and blues, country, and gospel influences. |
| Beatniks | Members of the 1950s counterculture who rejected societal norms and embraced new artistic and literary expressions. |
| Kennedy Assassination | The assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas. |
| Warren Commission | The official government investigation into the assassination of President Kennedy, led by Chief Justice Earl Warren. |
| Committee on Civil Rights | A group established by President Truman in 1946 to investigate racial discrimination and promote civil rights for African Americans. |
| National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) | A civil rights organization founded in 1909 that fights for the rights of African Americans through legal challenges and public campaigns. |
| Jackie Robinson | The first African American to play in Major League Baseball, breaking the color barrier in 1947 with the Brooklyn Dodgers. |
| Brown v. Board of Education | The landmark 1954 Supreme Court case that declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional. |
| Thurgood Marshall | The first African American Supreme Court justice and a leading figure in the legal fight against segregation. |
| Earl Warren | Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1953 to 1969, known for expanding civil rights and liberties. |
| Desegregation | The process of ending the separation of races, particularly in public facilities and schools. |
| Little Rock Nine | A group of nine African American students who, in 1957, were the first to integrate Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, under federal protection. |
| Rosa Parks | An African American woman whose refusal to give up her bus seat to a white man in 1955 sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott. |
| Montgomery Bus Boycott | A 1955-1956 protest against racial segregation on public buses in Montgomery, Alabama, sparked by Rosa Parks’ arrest. |
| Emmitt Till | A 14-year-old African American who was lynched in Mississippi in 1955, becoming a catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement. |
| Martin Luther King Jr. | A leader in the Civil Rights Movement, known for his use of nonviolent civil disobedience and his "I Have a Dream" speech. |
| Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) | An African American civil rights organization founded by Martin Luther King Jr. to advance racial equality through nonviolent means. |
| Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) | A youth-led organization formed in 1960 to challenge segregation and promote civil rights, using direct action and sit-ins. |
| Covert action | Secret operations conducted by governments or organizations to achieve political objectives, often involving espionage or support for foreign groups. |
| Suez Canal | A man-made waterway connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea, strategically important for international trade and oil shipping. |
| Eisenhower Doctrine | A policy announced in 1957 that committed U.S. assistance to countries in the Middle East resisting communist aggression. |
| Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) | A group of oil-producing nations formed in 1960 to coordinate policies and prices of oil exports. |
| Yom Kippur War | A 1973 conflict between Israel and a coalition of Arab states, including Egypt and Syria, during the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur. |
| Oil Embargo | A 1973 action by OPEC members to stop oil exports to the U.S. and other countries, resulting in an energy crisis. |
| Camp David Accords | A peace agreement brokered by President Jimmy Carter in 1978 between Egypt and Israel, leading to the normalization of relations between the two countries. |
| Iran Hostage Crisis | A diplomatic standoff in 1979-1981 in which 52 American diplomats and citizens were held hostage in the U.S. embassy in Tehran by Iranian militants. |
| The Peace Corps | A U.S. government program established in 1961 that sends American volunteers to assist with development projects in developing countries. |
| Panama Canal | A man-made waterway connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, which was under U.S. control until 1999. |
| Vietnam War | A conflict from 1955 to 1975 in which North Vietnam, supported by the Soviet Union and China, fought against South Vietnam, supported by the U.S., resulting in a communist victory. |
| Domino Theory | The belief that if one country in a region fell to communism, neighboring countries would follow suit, like a row of falling dominoes. |
| Tonkin Gulf Resolution | A 1964 Congressional resolution that gave President Lyndon B. Johnson the authority to use military force in Vietnam after an alleged attack on U.S. ships. |
| Credibility Gap | The term used to describe the public's growing distrust of the U.S. government’s explanations of the Vietnam War, especially after the Gulf of Tonkin incident. |
| Hawks vs Doves | The division in American opinion during the Vietnam War, with "hawks" supporting military action and "doves" advocating for peace and withdrawal. |
| Tet Offensive | A 1968 series of surprise attacks by North Vietnamese forces during the Vietnamese lunar new year, shaking U.S. public confidence in the war. |
| Vietnamization | A policy introduced by President Nixon to gradually withdraw U.S. troops from Vietnam and transfer combat responsibilities to the South Vietnamese. |
| Kent State Massacre | A 1970 incident in which Ohio National Guard troops killed four students during a protest against the U.S. invasion of Cambodia. |
| My Lai Massacre | A 1968 incident in which U.S. soldiers killed hundreds of unarmed Vietnamese civilians, leading to widespread outrage when it was revealed. |
| Pentagon Papers | A classified government study leaked in 1971, revealing that the U.S. government had misled the public about the Vietnam War. |
| Paris Accords | A 1973 peace agreement that ended the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, leading to a ceasefire between North and South Vietnam. |
| War Powers Act | A 1973 law that limits the president's ability to engage in military conflicts without Congressional approval, designed to prevent unchecked executive war powers. |
| Fall of Saigon | The capture of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) by North Vietnamese forces on April 30, 1975, marking the end of the Vietnam War and the reunification of Vietnam. |
| Ho Chi Minh | The communist revolutionary leader who became the first President (1945-1969) and later the Prime Minister of North Vietnam, advocating for Vietnamese independence and reunification. |
| Viet Cong | The communist insurgent group in South Vietnam that fought against the government and U.S. forces during the Vietnam War, supported by North Vietnam. |
| War on Poverty | A set of programs introduced by President Lyndon B. Johnson in the 1960s aimed at reducing poverty in the United States through economic and social reforms. |
| Department of Transportation (DOT) | A U.S. government agency created in 1966 to oversee transportation systems and ensure safe, efficient travel within the country. |
| Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) | A U.S. government agency established in 1965 to improve housing conditions and support urban development programs. |
| Ralph Nader | A consumer rights advocate known for his work in promoting safer automobiles and his role in the environmental and consumer protection movements. |
| Silent Spring (Rachel Carson) | A groundbreaking book published in 1962 by Rachel Carson that raised awareness about the dangers of pesticides and launched the environmental movement. |
| Immigration Act of 1965 | A law that abolished earlier quotas based on national origin and emphasized family reunification and skilled immigrants in U.S. immigration policy. |
| James Meredith | The first African American student to enroll at the University of Mississippi in 1962, whose enrollment sparked violent protests and federal intervention. |
| George Wallace | Governor of Alabama known for his staunch segregationist views and his opposition to civil rights reforms during the 1960s. |
| “Letter from Birmingham Jail” | A 1963 letter written by Martin Luther King Jr. while imprisoned, defending nonviolent resistance to racial segregation and injustice. |
| March on Washington | A 1963 protest in Washington, D.C., where over 250,000 people gathered to demand jobs and freedom, highlighted by Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. |
| “I Have a Dream” Speech | Martin Luther King Jr.'s iconic speech delivered during the March on Washington in 1963, calling for racial equality and an end to discrimination. |
| Civil Rights Act of 1964 | Landmark legislation that prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, outlawing segregation in public places and employment. |
| 24th Amendment | A 1964 amendment to the U.S. Constitution that abolished poll taxes in federal elections, which had been used to disenfranchise African American voters. |
| Freedom Riders | Civil rights activists who rode interstate buses in the 1960s to challenge segregation and test new federal court rulings banning segregation in interstate travel. |
| March to Montgomery | The 1965 protest march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, organized by civil rights activists, culminating in the passing of the Voting Rights Act. |
| Malcolm X | An influential African American leader in the 1960s who advocated for black empowerment, racial pride, and was a member of the Nation of Islam before embracing a more inclusive view of civil rights. |
| Black Panthers | A militant African American political organization founded in 1966 to promote self-defense and civil rights for black communities. |
| Stokely Carmichael | A civil rights activist and leader of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), later known for his advocacy of black power and self-defense. |
| Watts Riot | A violent 1965 race riot in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, sparked by racial tensions and police brutality. |
| The Feminine Mystique (Betty Friedan) | A 1963 book by Betty Friedan that explored the dissatisfaction of women in the 1950s and 1960s with traditional roles, sparking the second wave of feminism. |
| National Organization for Women (NOW) | A feminist organization founded in 1966 that works to advocate for women's rights, including equal employment, reproductive rights, and an end to discrimination. |
| Title IX | A 1972 federal law that prohibits gender discrimination in educational programs and activities that receive federal funding, particularly in sports. |
| Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) | A proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution designed to ensure equal rights under the law, regardless of sex, that was passed by Congress but failed to gain ratification. |
| Cesar Chavez | A labor leader and civil rights activist who co-founded the United Farm Workers (UFW), advocating for better working conditions and rights for farm laborers. |
| American Indian Movement (AIM) | A civil rights organization formed in 1968 to address issues such as treaty rights, discrimination, and the cultural preservation of Native Americans. |
| Indian Self-Determination Act of 1975 | A law that aimed to grant Native American tribes more control over their own affairs and reduce federal intervention in tribal governance. |
| Gideon v. Wainwright | A 1963 Supreme Court case that established the right of criminal defendants to have legal counsel, even if they cannot afford it. |
| Miranda v. Arizona | A 1966 Supreme Court case that established the requirement for law enforcement to inform suspects of their rights before interrogation (Miranda rights). |
| Baker v. Carr | A 1962 Supreme Court case that ruled that redistricting issues were justiciable in federal court, leading to the "one person, one vote" principle. |
| Yates v. United States | A 1957 Supreme Court case that ruled that advocating for the violent overthrow of the government was not protected under the First Amendment unless it involved direct action. |
| The New Left | A political movement in the 1960s and 1970s that advocated for civil rights, anti-war activism, and radical social reforms, particularly among youth and students. |
| Counterculture | A cultural movement of the 1960s and 1970s that rejected traditional societal values, embracing alternative lifestyles, artistic expression, and social justice causes. |
| Woodstock | A 1969 music festival in New York that became a symbol of the counterculture era, promoting peace, love, and music. |
| Sexual Revolution | A social movement in the 1960s and 1970s that challenged traditional norms regarding sexuality, advocating for sexual freedom and the use of birth control. |
| Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) | A U.S. federal agency established in 1970 to protect human health and the environment by enforcing regulations and conducting environmental research. |
| Clean Air Act | A 1970 law that established federal regulations to control air pollution and protect air quality in the United States. |
| Southern Strategy | A political strategy used by the Republican Party in the 1960s and 1970s to gain support from Southern white voters by appealing to racial tensions and opposition to civil rights reforms. |
| Watergate Scandal | A political scandal in the 1970s involving a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters and a cover-up by the Nixon administration, leading to President Nixon’s resignation. |
| Impeachment | A formal process by which a president or other high official is charged with misconduct, which can lead to removal from office if convicted. |
| Gerald R. Ford | The 38th President of the United States (1974-1977), who became president after Richard Nixon’s resignation, known for pardoning Nixon over Watergate. |
| National Malaise | A term associated with President Jimmy Carter’s 1979 speech in which he addressed a perceived crisis of confidence in American society due to economic stagnation and social unrest. |
| Roe v. Wade | A landmark 1973 Supreme Court case that legalized abortion in the United States by ruling that state laws banning abortion were unconstitutional. |
| Televangelists | Religious leaders who use television broadcasts to spread their religious messages, often associated with conservative Christian movements in the 1970s and 1980s. |
| Moral Majority | A political group founded in the 1970s by Jerry Falwell that sought to influence U.S. politics through the promotion of conservative Christian values. |
| Think Tank | A research institute or organization that produces policy analysis and recommendations, often in areas such as politics, economics, and social issues. |
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