Download Nixon tries to end the Cold War

WCHS REVIEW III
Key Terms for post World War II trough 1950's
“Cold War”- rivalry b/t the US and Soviet Union in politics, economics, and
technology
Iron curtain- stated by Winston Churchill; said an “iron curtain has descended
across eastern Europe” that divides communist Europe from non-communist
Europe
Soviet satellites- countries that were communist and looked to the USSR for
leadership
United Nations/Security Council- world-wide peace keeping organization formed
at the end of World War II; it replaced the League of Nations; the Sec. Council was
made up of the US, USSR, China, France, and
Great Britain and other
countries that rotated membership on the council
Containment Policy- George Kennan- belief that the US should and would fight to
stop the spread of Communism; this guided our actions from 1945 until 1991
Truman Doctrine- an informal declaration of war when Truman said we would
help anyone who was resisting communist aggression
h-bomb- 800 to 1,000 times more powerful than the a-bomb; the US made this
after the USSR got the a-bomb
Korean Conflict: June 1950, Pusan, Inchon, Gen. Douglas MacArthur, 38th parallel,
Yalu River, Chinese involvement, Truman fires MacArthur, Ike ends the war with
massive retaliation
Inflation- when demand exceeds supply; occurred after WWII b/c people had $ to
spend but goods had not been made during the war and so prices went up
drastically
Fair Deal- Truman’s domestic program; his plan proposed to increase minimum
wage, extend Social Security, and begin public housing
Taft Hartley Act- limited the power of labor unions; required a cooling off period
before striking; allowed the president the power to intervene and end a strike
Joseph McCarthy and McCarthyism- “second red scare”; people were concerned
about communists in our government; Senator McCarthy led the hysteria and was
later censured
The Rosenbergs- couple executed for selling atomic secrets to the Soviets;
showed how scared we were of communist taking over; they were executed
Alger Hiss- a government worker who was accused of stealing government
documents
Dixiecrats and Strom Thurmond- southern political party that believed in states’
rights and denying rights to African Americans led by South Carolinian Strom
Thurmond
Brinkmanship- threatening an all-out war in an attempt to confront communist
aggression
Eisenhower Doctrine- Ike promised to help all countries in the Middle East that
wanted our help in stopping the spread of communism
Castro comes to power- Castro leads a revolution to overthrow Batista but then
becomes communist; 1959
U-2 spy plane incident (1960)- Ike is president; the USSR shot down our spy plane
and captured the pilot,
Gary Powers; it made our relationship with the USSR worse
Sputnik- 1957; the USSR launched the first successful artificial earth satellite; it
scared us to death!
Eisenhower funds- the government started to pump more $ into education to
help us catch up with the Soviets in technology
NASA- space program established to help us win the space race
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)- was created in 1947 by Congress as an
intelligence-gathering organization to protect American interest in other
countries.
Civil Defense Administration- was a government organization that taught
Americans how to survive a nuclear attack.
Second Red Scare-This was a fear that communist both inside and outside the
United States were working to destroy the American way of life and the United
States government.
The Smith Act-this legislation was used by Harry Truman to cripple the
Communist party within the United States. This act made it unlawful to teach or
advocate a violent overthrow of the United States government.
The House on Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)- was an organization
created by the US House of Representatives to investigate possible subversive
activities by fascists, Nazis and communists.
Blacklist- a do not hire list that actors, artists, etc. were placed on if they were
believed to have association with the Communist Party
Automation- making things by machine; reduces the number of workers but
increases productivity
GI Bill of Rights- gave returning WWII vets $ for college and homes..... new home
building sprang up under the FHA
Baby Boom- when vets came home they settled down and started families;
people could now afford to have children; boom was from 1945-1960
Impact of television- I Love Lucy, Mickey Mouse Club… contributed to the
conformity of the 1950s
Migration to suburbs- the auto allowed people to move out of the city; was seen
as a “step up” in society to move to the new houses in the suburbs
Levittown-the first suburb built to fill a need for homes for returning veterans.
Theses homes were affordable and were mass produced.
Car Culture-car ownership sprang from 26 million in 1945 to 60 million in 1960.
The automobile industry thrived and this led to more businesses.
Interstate Highway Act- 1956; Ike’s greatest domestic achievement; tens of
thousands of miles of roads were built which impacted transportation of goods
and people etc.
Sunbelt- this was a name given to the southern and western states. The coastal
areas along the southernmost United States are part of the Sunbelt. The
invention of the air-conditioner made their climates attractive, as well as, the
development of the Interstate Highway System caused migration into the areas to
increase.
Information industries-individuals who built and operated the first computer
White-Collar jobs-professional/semi-professional jobs such as office workers. This
type of work increased during the 1950's.
Service Sector-businesses where people provide services; such as banks,
healthcare, lawyers, , insurance, manufacturing, etc. These type of businesses
grew in the 1950's.
Franchise businesses-this allows a company to distribute its products or services
through retail outlets owned by independent operators. Ex. McDonalds, BEST
Buy, Wendy's
Multinational Companies-this is when American businesses produced and osold
their goods all over the world.
consumerism-buying as much as you could...usually on credit.
Median family income-this is an average of a family's income over a year.
Median income increased from $3,319 to $5417 during the 1950's.
Nuclear Family- the 1950's embraced the ideology that the "ideal" family would
consist of a mother, father and their children. Parents bought and read this book
because they wanted expert advice on how to raise their children. Spock
emphasized the importance of nurturing children in the early years.
The 1950's was a time of religious revival. In God We Trust was added to the
American dollar during the 1950's. Under God was added to the Pledge of
Allegiance during the 1950's. More churches were built in the 1950's than ever
before. Billy Graham was a famous preacher from the 1950's.
“rock and roll”- new music of the 1950s. Chuck Berry was a rock and roll artist
from the 1950's. Elvis Presley is the most noted rock-n-roller from the 1950's.
Dick Clark started American Bandstand. Parents were horrified by rock-n-roll and
teenagers loved it.
Beatniks-a small group of writers and artist who refused to dress the way society
said was "the norm." They wore "careless dress" with "Colorful jargon."
Urban renewal-were projects where federal, state and local governments tried to
reverse the downward trend in some American cities. Urban renewal government
projects cleared large tracts of older houses and built freeways and developments
which in hopes would "revitalize" the area.
Termination Policies-these were laws that sought to end Native American tribal
governments
and to support relocation of Native Americans to our nation's cities.
Brown vs. Board of Education 1954- this Supreme Court case reversed the Plessy
decision stating that "separate but equal was constitution." The Brown decision
stated "separate but equal facilities" for different races was "inherently unequal
and unconstitutional."
Rosa Parks launched the start of the Civil Rights Movement in 1955 when she
refused to give up her seat to a white citizens. As a result, the Montgomery Bus
Boycott started where African Americans boycotted the public busing system in
Montgomery Alabama for over a year.
Martin L. King Jr. was the father of the Civil Rights Movement starting in the late
1950's. He worked with the Southern Christian Leadership Council to get civil
rights legislation passed.
Academic Vocabulary:
Evaluate
Analyze
Argument
Ideology
Migration
Diversity
Traditionalism
Domestic
Mass Media
Federal Powers
National Security
Economics
Push/Pull Factors
Retaliation
Arms Race
Productivity
urbanization
natural rights
Civil rights
______________________________________________________________________________
Key Terms for late 1950's through 1960's
“Cold War”- rivalry b/t the US and Soviet Union in politics, economics, and
technology
Castro comes to power- Castro leads a revolution to overthrow Batista but then
becomes communist; 1959
U-2 spy plane incident (1960)- Ike is president; the USSR shot down our spy plane
and captured the pilot, Gary Powers; it made our relationship with the USSR
worse
1960 election- John Kennedy narrowly defeated Richard Nixon; the televised
debates helped JFK win “Ask not what your country..”- famous quote from JFK’s
inaugural address that encouraged Americans to volunteer (Peace Corps etc.)
New Frontier- JFK’s domestic agenda for the United States. He made changes in
the Social Security System, fought poverty, fought racial discrimination and
spurred the space race. The New Frontier sought to improve economy,
education, healthcare and civil rights in the United States. He pushed for
improvements in the welfare system, an extension of social security and an
increased minimum wage.
The Other America was a best-selling book by Michael Harrington that exposed
the graphic poverty in America. This booked shocked President Kennedy and
other politicians, such as VP Lyndon Johnson.
Equal Pay Act-there was a glaring difference between the pay of men and women
who had "equal jobs." The Equal Pay Act of 1963 required employers have "equal
pay" for "equal work" in commerce industries. This was a a major step on the
road to fair and equal employment.
Deficit spending-Kennedy advocated deficit spending to stimulate the economy.
(EX FDR Pump Priming)
Space race- JFK challenged Americans to have a man on the moon and have him
safely return by the end of the decade. The Space Race was a term used to
describe the competition between the Soviet Union and the United States to
develop technology to land on the moon.
Alan Sheppard 1961 becomes the first American to make a space flight.
John Glenn 1962 becomes the first American to orbit the Earth.
In 1967 Apollo mission has 3 astronauts killed due to fire.
Apollo 11 astronauts successfully land on the moon July 1969.
Third World countries- also known as underdeveloped countries or developing
countries; poor countries (most of Africa, parts of Mexico and China, SE Asian
countries) where we feared communism could spread; the US developed the
Peace Corps and Alliance for Progress to combat poverty in these areas while
also hoping to contain the spread of communism
Green Berets- special forces in the Army trained in guerilla warfare
Peace Corps- organization created in 1961 to sends volunteers to Third World
countries to help these areas fight poverty and receive basic services like clean
drinking water, basic medical care, education, technical assistance , etc. The
Peace Corp were on "missions of freedom" to support developing countries.
Alliance for Progress- the US gave Latin American countries millions of $ in
exchange for the promise that the countries would have democratic
governments; few, if any, countries kept their promise. This was to resurrect
FDR's Good Neighbor Policy.
Flexible Response Doctrine: this was a defense policy that prepared the United
States to fight any type of war. Kennedy gave increased funding to the military, as
well as the Special Forces, such as Green Berets. This was partially as a response
to Fidel Castro taking power in Cuba.
Bay of Pigs- April 17,1961 John F. Kennedy implemented a CIA plan to free Cuban
exiles. The CIA led the Cuban exiles in an attack on Cuba. The forces landed
poorly equipped and had no cover. 300 out of 1400 were not captured by Cuba.
This failed attempt by the US to overthrow Cuban dictator Fidel Castro only
strengthened his hold and John Kennedy looked "foolish."
Berlin Wall- 1961; built by the Soviets to keep East Berliners (communist
controlled) from fleeing to West Berlin (not communist); stood until 1989
Nikita Khrushchev-leader of the Soviet Union
Cuban Missile Crisis- 1962; Soviet response to the Bay of Pigs; Soviets were
building missile sites in Cuba when they were discovered by the US; JFK’s
response was a naval blockade around Cuba; Soviet ships turned around and
headed home; the closest the world has ever come to nuclear war JFK’s
assassination- JFK was shot by
Hotline: Khrushchev and Kennedy stood on the brink of a nuclear war. To prevent
a war and to calm "cold war" tensions a temporary phone line was placed
between Washington DC and Moscow to improve communication.
Nuclear Test Ban Treaty 1963- USA, Great Britain and USSR signed the first
agreement to limit above ground test on nuclear weapons. 36 other nations
eventually signed this treaty.
John F. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963 while in Dallas, Texas.
Lee Harvey Oswald was at the Texas School Book Depository and fired three
shots. The third shot hit Kennedy in the back of the head and killed him. 30
minutes later Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as President of the United States.
Lee Harvey Oswald was jailed and killed while in police custody. Oswald was shot
by Jack Ruby when police officers were escorting him to a different jail; the
Warren Commission was established to investigate the assassination and found
that Oswald acted alone in killing JFK.
Gideon vs. Wainwright 1963 was a Supreme Court case that dealt with "can a
person get a fair trial."Gideon was charged with burglary but was to poor to hire
an attorney. The case went forward and Gideon defended himself and was found
guilty. Gideon claimed he had been denied his rights to an attorney and this
violated his due process. The Supreme Court ruled unanimously that Florida
should have provided him an attorney.
War on Poverty- President Lyndon Johnson’s plan to eliminate or reduce poverty
in the US. He had taught school before politics and was determine to address
poverty of the United States. He created change in American educational
systems.
Head Start- pre-kindergarten program for low income children that will give them
a “head start” with their education so they won’t enter school at an educational
disadvantage. This was a program enacted by President Johnson.
Great Society- Lyndon Johnson’s (LBJ’s) domestic agenda that included Medicare
(government subsidized health care for the elderly), Medicaid (govt. subsidized
health care for low income families), Elem. and Sec. Education Act (gave millions
of $ to poor areas for schools), and HUD (Housing and Urban Development)
Economic Opportunity Act of 1964-created the Job Corps to train young men and
women between the ages of 16 and 21 in work skills they needed to acquire
better jobs and move out of poverty.
Medicare - this was a feature of the Great Society that provided basic hospital
insurance for Americans in the Social Security System who were 65 and older.
Medicaid- this was a feature of the Great Society that provided basic hospital
insurance services to the poor and disabled citizens who were NOT part of the
Social Security System.
Elementary and Secondary Education Act 1965- this part of the Great Society
gave aid to schools that were in poor communities. It provided federal funds to
improve libraries, learning centers, language laboratories, and services in
impoverished school districts across America. This act drastically increased
funding for Indian, inner city and Mexican-American schools.
Rachel Carson and Silent Spring 1962- Silent Spring was a book written by Rachel
Carson that detailed how chemical fertilizers and pesticides were damaging the
fragile ecosystem. Her book raised American awareness about the environmental
and consumer problems. Ralph Nadar's book Unsafe at Any Speed was written
in 1965 and attacked the automotive industries in their lack of passenger safety.
Both Raplh Nadar and Rachel Carson's books urged Congress to pass legislation
to protect consumers and the environment. The Water Quality Act 1965 and
Clean Water Restoration Act 1966 aimed at improving water and air standards in
our country. The National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act 1966 established
safety standards for automotive vehicles.
The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 altered America's quota system.
Once again America's doors were open to immigrants from around the world.
Immigrants came from the eastern and western hemispheres, Latin America, Asia,
etc.
The Warren Court-- became the term tagged to the "liberal" United States
Supreme Court under Chief Justice Earl Warren. This court took on controversial
issues such as religion, social and political issues. It's decisions supported civil
rights, civil liberties, voting rights and personal privacy.
The Following important Supreme Court Cases from the Warren Court:
1. Baker vs. Carr 1962-the Supreme Court ruled in favor of
reapportionment on the basis of "one man one vote." Electoral districts
had to reflect the numbers of people within those districts.
2. Reynolds vs. Sims 1964- the Court reaffirmed its decision adding that
anything other that the "one man one vote" would violate the "Equal
Protection Clause" of the 14th Amendment.
3. Mapp vs. Ohio 1961-this ruling stated that any evidence obtained
"illegally" would violate the 14th Amendment and could not be used in
court. This ruling was a "protection of the rights of the accused."
4. Gideon vs. Wainwright 1963-established that everyone had a "right" to
any attorney even if they could not pay for one (14th Amendment)
5. Escobedo vs. Illinois 1964-this expanded the Gideon ruling by stating
that the accused had a right to an attorney before questioning and any
evidence obtained from a suspect who had not been advised of his
rights would not be admissible in court.
Warren Court Rulings considered Liberal for 1960's:
6. Miranda vs. Arizona 1966-the court ruled that the accused criminal
had to be informed of his/her 5th and 6th Amendment rights before
they are questioned. Miranda Rights: you have the right to remain
silent, you have the right to an attorney, etc.
7. Engle vs. Vitale 1962-this case dealt with whether a public school could
require students to recite a state-sanctioned prayer. The Court ruled
that school prayer was a violation of the First Amendment and a
attempt by a body of government to promote religion.
8. Abington vs. Schempp ruled that Bible reading in public schools also
violated the First Amendment rights.
United Farm Workers and Cesar Chavez- Hispanic American Cesar Chavez led a
successful strike of migrant workers out west in the 60’s
American Indian Movement (AIM) and occupation of Alcatraz- American Indians
formed AIM and fought to regain land that had been taken from their ancestors
by the government; AIM occupied Alcatraz and offered to buy it with some beads
and cloth (early settlers bought Manhattan Island from the local Indians with
beads and cloth)
National Organization for Women (NOW)- feminist organization founded by
Betty Friedan (author of Feminine Mystique) and Gloria Steinam; fought for
women’s rights and the Equal Rights Amendment which did not pass
Some Civil Rights Highlights from 1960's:
Greensboro and Nashville sit-ins- SNCC and other groups fought to integrate
downtown lunch counters by staging sit-ins; they sat quietly and were refused
service… they continued to sit peacefully and were beaten/arrested
Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee- SNCC; college age students who
organized non-violent protests
Freedom Riders- civil rights workers who hoped to integrate bus terminals; they
rode buses from city to city in the South and often faced fierce crowds when they
arrived at their destinations
Bull Conner and Birmingham- Racist police commissioner of Birmingham, AL who
ordered the police/firefighters to use dogs and fire hoses on children during a
protest; it was videoed and shown world wide on news stations; Birmingham was
known as “Bombingham” due to the number of bombs used and violent acts that
occurred
March on Washington- 1963; largest march in DC at that time with 250,000
marchers; purpose was to draw attention to the Civil Rights Act that was before
Congress; MLK gave his “I Have A Dream” speech
Civil Rights Act of 1964- signed by Lyndon Johnson that outlawed discrimination
in public facilities; ex. no more separate restrooms, water fountains, restaurants,
etc.
Medgar Evers- state leader of the NAACP in MS; murdered in his driveway by
Byron De La Beckwith in 1963; had organized successful boycotts in Jackson, MS
James Meredith- first African American to enroll at the University of MS (Ole
Miss); violent protests occurred
Ms Freedom Democratic Party- new political party formed that allowed all races
to represent the state at the Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City in
1964; the National Committee refused to recognize the MFDP and offered them
two seats at large at the convention; the MFDP refused them and left Fannie Lou
Hamer- MFDP delegate who was very critical of the Democratic party for not
recognizing the MFDP and her speech was nationally televised
Ms Summer Project or Freedom Summer- organized by the NAACP to recruit
volunteers from across the country to come to MS in the summer of 1964 and
help register African Americans to vote; local police arrested 3 volunteers and
their bodies were recovered months later in an earthen dam; inspired the movie
“MS
Burning”
Selma March- 1965; purpose was to draw attention to the lack of voting rights for
African Americans; the first march ended as state troopers on horseback stopped
protestors on the outskirts of Selma; troopers used tear gas on the peaceful
protestors; the second march was successful because the president ordered the
state troopers to protect the marchers
Voting Rights Act of 1965- signed by Lyndon Johnson and allowed the federal
govt. to supervise voting in the south; eliminated all barriers to voting (poll tax,
literacy tests, etc.)
Malcolm X- civil rights leader who was impatient with the slow progress that had
been made and believed that African Americans should fight “eye for an eye” for
their rights; did not want to integrate into the white man’s society
MLK Assassination- shot on the balcony of a hotel in Memphis, TN in 1968; was in
Memphis to help a group of garbage workers who were on strike
Vietnam War Key Terms that impacted culture:
Domino Theory- belief that if one country in SE Asia fell to communism others
would follow; would fall like dominoes
Gulf of Tonkin incident- an American ship was supposedly fired upon by the
North Vietnamese; this led Gulf of Tonkin Resolution that allowed LBJ to take
“any necessary measures” to protect Americans in Vietnam (gave him unlimited
powers in escalating the war)
Ho Chi Minh Trail- supply route of the Vietcong that went into neighboring Laos
and Cambodia
Guerilla Warfare- type of fighting used in the jungle; sneak attacks, ambushes,
man to man combat
Napalm/agent orange- chemicals used to kill vegetation so that the VC could not
hide
“Five O’clock War”- also called the “Six O’clock war” depending on your time
zone; name given to the war because Americans could go home and watch
footage of the war every night on the evening news; first war to be “televised”
Hawks and doves- hawks supported the war and doves wanted peace. The
HAWKS support President Johnson's war policies and believed strongly in
containing communism and domino theory regardless of war cost and casualties.
The DOVES broke with President Johnson's war policies. The DOVES were a
group of pacifist, liberal politicians, student radicals, and civil rights leaders.
DOVES questioned the war both on moral grounds and strategic grounds.
Draftees were young men who were drafted to serve in the Vietnam War. The
Selective Service System required young men to register when they turned 18.
Martin Luther King Jr. spoke out against the use of the Selective Service System
stating that in put the burden on African American and poor whites shoulders.
Lottery System- new method of drafting soldiers based on their birthday; all 366
days of the year were put into the “hat” and drawn; young men were drafted in
the order in which their birthday was pulled .
My Lai Massacre- tragedy where American soldiers killed over 200 innocent
Vietnamese after they had been given false info that the My Lai village was a
Vietcong stronghold; this angered Americans and fueled protests at home
Tet Offensive- 1968; major offensive by the VC where they attacked numerous
key cities/ locations on the same day ( ex. US embassy in Saigon); huge
embarrassment to the US and had an enormous negative impact on public
opinion.
The Students for a Democratic Society (SDS)was founded in 1960 at the
University of Michigan. This group was originally formed around a campaign to
fight racism and poverty. The focus modified and they started to fight to bring an
end to the Vietnam War. The SDS organized "sit-ins" and "demonstrations"
against the war. They started the Famous" Hell No We Won't Go" protest. The
University at Berkley had numbers of student protest.
Credibility Gap- due to TV coverage of the war, HAWKS and DOVES protest,
student demonstrations and organized protest there became a credibility gap
between what Lyndon B. Johnson Administrations statements made regarding the
war. The gap widened when journalist were writing different accounts from what
the Johnson Administration actually stated. This caused the American people to
stop supporting the war effort. President Johnson steps down and decides to not
run for reelection in 1968.
presidential elections- 1964: Lyndon Baines Johnson won;
1968 election Richard Nixon won (LBJ didn’t run for re-election);
1972: Nixon won by a landslide b/c he was withdrawing troops
The 1968 election- Lyndon Johnson elects to not run. Eugene McCarthy and
Robert Kennedy both sought the Democratic Seat as candidate to replace
President Johnson. Robert Kennedy is killed in 1968. Martin L. King Jr. was killed
in 1968. King was shot in TN by a racist. Robert Kennedy was killed by a
Palestinian immigrant named Sirhan Sirhan in California. The Democratic National
Convention did not select Eugene McCarthy as their candidate. He had received
campaign donations from "anti-war" protestors. The Democratic Party voted for
Herbert Humphrey to be the candidate to run against Richard Milhouse Nixon for
President.
As soon as votes were cast for Humphrey violence broke out in Chicaago where
the delegates where meeting. The Mayor of Chicago had to call in police.
Chicago Riot- war protestors gathered outside the Democratic National
Convention and began throwing rocks, taunting police, chanting; protestors were
“attacked” by police and arrested; televised world-wide.
Richard Nixon (republican) wins the presidential election of 1968. He called his
supporters the "silent majority." The Silent Majority were especially strong in the
south and west. They were patriotic veterans of World War II and the Korean
War. They were also blue-collar workers, middle-class, conservatives and young
Americans.
Nixon brings an end to the Vietnam War. He starts a plan called Vietnamization
allowing U.S. forces to withdraw as the ARVN assumed more combat duties.
Nixon order a secret bombing of the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Cambodia. He was trying
to reduce the flow of communist and help South Vietnam end the war. Nixon had
inherited LBJ's unpopularity of the war and a vocal America. +
Kent State and Jackson State protests(1) Kent State antiwar protestors argued that Nixon was widening the
scope of the war in Cambodia. Demonstrations and protest erupted across the
college and the National Guard was called in. Demonstrators threw rocks and
bottles at the National Guard and violent erupted. One guardsmen also fired into
a group of protestors killing 4 students. This demonstration led to demonstrations
on other campuses.
(2) Jackson State University, a traditionally African American College in MS,
had eruptions of student protest. Two students were shot and killed by Jackson
police.
Pentagon Papers- classified documents stolen by Daniel Ellsberg from the
Pentagon that contained top secret information about our early involvement in
Vietnam; Nixon tried to stop the NY Times from publishing them but the
Supreme Court sided with the Times right to “free press”
Plumbers- group formed in the Nixon White House to “stop leaks”; Nixon wanted
to prevent another Pentagon Papers incident
26th amendment- changed the voting age from 21 to 18; Americans argued that if
you could fight and die for your country then you should be able to vote
(Vietnam)
Fall of Saigon- communist in North Vietnam took control over South Vietnam
War Powers Act- passed by Congress over Nixon’s veto to “prevent another
Vietnam”; limits the number of days soldiers can be deployed without a
Congressional declaration of war.
Academic Vocabulary:
Deployed
free press
Congress
veto
Mass Media
classified
Push/Pull Factors
Retaliation
non-violent protest
sit-in
assassination
first world nation
third world nations
ecosystem
Western hemisphere
Equal Protection Clause
draft
Ideology
time zone
Domestic
National Security
political party
guerilla warfare
civil rights
boycott
riot
second world nation commerce
Eastern Hemisphere
Reapportionment
Key Terms for the Modern Era
Nixon tries to end the Cold War
Henry Kissinger was Nixon's top national security and international affairs
advisor that shaped Nixon's foreign policy. He was named Secretary of State in
1973. He helped bring an end to the Vietnam War. He helped to open relations
with China and shaped detente' (cooling off period) with the Soviet Union. Nixon
and Henry Kissinger embraced the realpolitik idea for foreign policy.
Realpolitik is a German word meaning "real politics." Realpolitik stated
political goals should be defined by concrete matters of national interest
instead of abstract ideologies. Americans must put away their eyes of Cold War
biases and look at the World through a fresh glance. China and USSR, both
Communist, could be great trading partners for the USA. (Pragmatic policy)
Nixon reaches out to China and recognizes the Chinese republic as a nation
regardless of their communist ideologies. He believed it would benefit the USA.
The economic standpoint improved relations with China and brought about trade
agreements that benefitted California and the Pacific Coast. Nixon visits China in
Feb. 1972. He later visited the USSR. Nixon made historic visits to both
communist countries. The following year Americans started traveling to China.
Nixon travels to the USSR to meet with Leonid Brezhnev, USSR leader. At the
summit, Nixon and Brezhnev signed the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty
otherwise known as SALT I. SALT i froze the deployment of intercontinental
ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and placed limits on the antiballistic missiles (ABMs).
The importance of the SALT I agreement is that it reduced tension between the
USA and USSR. A policy aimed at ending Cold War tensions was called
Détente. Detente' had replaced previous diplomatic efforts based on suspicion
and distrust. Nixon made his mark on foreign/international relations and brought
the Cold War closer to ending. Nixon was the global president.
Women's Rights
A 2nd wave of feminism starts in 1970s. Feminism is a theory of political, social
and economic equality for women and men. The struggle for civil rights caused
women to look at sways in which society judged and discrimination against a
group. There were many parallels between the treatment of African Americans
and women. Women started rejecting the "housewife" stereotype. Many women
entered the workforce. Betty Friedan wrote a book called The Feminine Mystique
which powerfully articulated how many women were not housewives in isolation
but held jobs and careers. Freidan helped establish The National Organization for
Women (NOW) which defined itself in winning "true equality" for all women and
"full and equal partnerships between the sexes." NOW set out to break down
barriers in the workplace and in educational settings. NOW used the media to
attack stereotypes of women and called for a balance in the roles of marriage.
NOW pushed for the Equal Rights Amendment or ERA to the USA Constitution to
guarantee gender equality under the law. The ERA would address reproductive
rights, such as the right to an abortion. Gloria Steinem was a feminist who tried
to change the role of women solely through the use of media. Steinem worked as
a freelance write after college and did undercover work at a Playboy Club. She
revealed that the glamorous "Playboy Bunnies" job was not glamorous, but
indeed humiliating for women. In 1972, she started MS Magazine for feminist
work. The title meant to challenge that women did not have to be associated with
marriage but rather as individuals. Phyllis Schlafly denounced women's
liberation. Schlafly stated that the feminist were assaulting the institution of
marriage, the family and on children. Because of her arguments, the ERA fell short
of passage as a constitutional amendment by only three states.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 gave the feminist movement a needed tool. The CRA
of 1964 included Title VII which outlawed the use of discrimination based on an
individual's sex. Because of Title VII of CRA of 1964 the Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission was started to enforce the federal prohibition of job
discrimination. Title IX of the Higher Education Act of 1972 banned
discrimination in educational settings. The Equal Credit Opportunity Act of 1974
made it illegal to deny credit to a women just because of their gender. In 1950,
30% of the workforce was women. In 2000 60% of the workforce is women.
The Rights Revolution Expands
Mexican Americans, known as Chicanos, immigrated as job opportunities sprang
up in the United States. In 1965, the US government passed the Immigration and
Nationality Act which eliminated national quotas causing immigration to surge.
More than 400,000 Mexican Americans arrived in the USA during the 1960's,
another 630,000 in the 1970's and 1.5 million in the 1980's. Other Latino
communities sprang up in Florida when Cuba immigrants and Dominican Republic
refugees came to the USA. These immigrants settled in Miami, Florida and New
York City. In the 1960's and 1970's, Latinos fought for their rights using the Civil
Rights Movement as their springboard. They demanded: (1) better working
conditions, (2) improved salaries and (3) educational opportunities. The most
influential Latino activist was
Ceasar Chavez. Chavez fought for the rights of farm laborers who were exploited
by the nation. The migrant farm workers worked long hours, had no benefits and
lived in deplorable situations. In 1962, Chavez started the farm worker's union in
California. In the late 1960's, he merged his union with the Filipino farm laborers
and it became known as the United Farm Workers union or (UFW). Chavez
became the founder and father of the Chicano Movement. This movement
became associated with "brown power" because it wanted to strengthen their
cultural awareness in the USA and in schools, as well as in occupations.
Native Americans had a long history of discrimination in the USA. In 1961, the
National Indian Youth Council (NIYC) formed with the goal of preserving native
fishing rights in the Northwest.
Over time this group expanded and pushed for civil rights for Native Americans.
1968, Chippewa activist Dennis Banks and George Mitchell founded the
American Indian Movement or AIM. AIM initially focused on Native Americans
who lived in urban ghettos. Later AIM started addressing all civil rights issues,
particularly securing land, legal rights and self-government for Native Americans.
In late 1969, a group of American Indians occupied the island of Alcatraz. Alcatraz
was a federal prison near San Francisco Bay that had been closed in 1963.
Members of the Sioux tribe stated that the island was granted to them under a
treaty years before and they wanted their unused land. 100 American Indians,
representing 50 tribes joined the group. The Coast Guard and federal authorities
tried to evict these Indians but were unable. The Indians maintained control of
this island until mid-1971. Dennis Banks and Russell Means, (AIM) orchestrated
the long march from San Francisco to Washington, DC to the Indian Affairs
building. They stated that Native Americans were treated as foreigners. In 1970,
Dee Brown published Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee which was a best-selling
book attracting public awareness to the historic mistreatment of Native
Americans. In 1973, AIM took over the village at Wounded Knee and would not
leave until the government agreed to investigate the conditions of reservation
Indians. The government passed the Indian Self Determination Act of 1975which
granted the tribes greater control over their resources and education on
reservations.
Consumer Rights
Ralph Nader caused a consumer rights movement to emerge in the 1960's and
1970's. He was a lawyer who started investigating flawed designs in cars based
on the number of traffic accidents. He wrote Unsafe at Any Speed in 1965
attacking automakers for their thirst for profits which led to production of unsafe
vehicles. His book outraged the public sector. Congress passed the National
Safety and Motor Vehicle Safety Act in 1966 which made safety belts standard
equipment in all cars. The Nixon administration started Occupational
Health and Safety Standards or OSHA which mandated workplace safety
regulations.
The Environmental Focus
Toxic waste, such as coal, smog, acid rain, etc. became a focus in literature and
eventually in our government. The 1960's and 1970's were a period of scientific
awareness of the damage of chemicals and pollutants within our society. Rachel
Carson's book Silent Spring from 1960's spurred this environmental movement.
Carson attacked the use of pesticides and chemicals that altered the
environment. Her work eventually compelled congress to prohibit the use of
DDT. The growing environmental protested led to the start of Earth Day. On April
22, 1970 20 million Americans took part in Earth Day, led by Wisconsin Senator
Gaylord Nelson. This became a yearly event and attracted many civil rights
leaders support leading to legislation. President Nixon supported cleaning up the
environment and urged Congress to pass aggressive legislation. Congress created
the Environmental Protection Agency or EPA to protect the entire "ecological
chain." The EPA sought to limit pollutants and to limit risk to Americans
health...such as cancer. The Clean Air Act 1970 combated air pollution created by
factories or automobiles. The Clean Water Act 1973 sought to limit factory and
industrial pollution in water. The Endangered Species Act 1973 promoted the
protection of endangered plants and animals. President Gerald Ford followed
Richard Nixon's environmental plans and created the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission to ensure nuclear materials were handled safely.
Environmental Setbacks occurred reinforcing public concerns. In 1978, a resident
of the Love Canal in upstate New York, hung a sign "Give me liberty. I've already
got death." This sign referred to the community having abnormally high birth
defects and cancer. The news reporters and the EPA investigated and noted that
thousands of tons of toxic chemicals had been dumping into the ground for
decades. The Love Canal contamination prompted Congress to establish a
SUPREFUND in 1980. Shortly after the Love Canal incident, there was a meltdown
at Three Mile Island in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. A reactor malfunctioned and
the system started melting. The governor declared a state of emergency and
threatened to shut the plant down. The plant managers contained the incident.
President Jimmy Carter and his wife, personally went to inspect that the factory
was indeed managed the nuclear meltdown and that the community and
environment was safe. The 1970's caused a huge division in how American's felt
the government should manage or not manage the environment.
President Nixon Policies and the Watergate Scandal
President Nixon focused on middle America or the Silent Majority. When Nixon
started his presidency he started expanding the governments role. He created
new agencies such as OSHA and DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency). He signed the
Clean Air Act. Nixon struggled with a troublesome economy. His economist
termed a new word to address the weak economy....stagflation which describes a
stagnant economy and inflationary prices act.ing together. Stagflation was
caused by the expansion of the federal budget due to the Vietnam War, rising
foreign competition for businesses, and the rapid increase in the price of oil.
During 1973, the Arab nations and Israel were at war. OPEC or Organization of
Petroleum Exporting Countries formed to regulate the price and the supply of oil.
They also placed an embargo on the United States creating a major issue since we
imported 1/3rd of our energy.
This caused oil prices to skyrocket 400% and caused gas lines to be the norm due
to the fear of a shortage. Nixon responded by placing a 90 day freeze on all wages
and prices.
Nixon sought to attract the southern vote. His southern strategy promoted him
to oppose mandated student busing to schools outside their neighborhoods to
achieve a greater racial balance. He proposed a Philadelphia plan promoting civil
rights through affirmative action that required labor unions and federal
contractors to submit coals and timetables for hiring minorities.
The Watergate Scandal breaks down the Nixon administration. The Democratic
Party National Headquarters had an office building in Washington DC. This office
building was burglarized by the “plumbers” who were paid with funds to re-elect
Nixon Campaign. The trial was televised and charged that the Nixon
Administration had been involved with the break-in and had taken part in a coverup operation. Two Washington Post journalist, Woodward and Bernstein
investigated the break-in and were basically responsible for Nixon’s resignation.
Nixon proclaimed his innocence but due to evidence surfacing he resigned. He
stated "I am not a crook." The Senate Watergate Committee investigated and
Nixon is indicted as a co-conspirator in March of 1974. July 1974 the Supreme
Court ruled that Nixon must turn over all White House recordings (tapes) and
Nixon claims executive privilege. This simply meant that the President had the
right to keep some information confidential. The United States vs. Nixon tried
the case and the Supreme Court disagreed with Nixon and ordered him to turn
over the tapes. The House Judiciary Committee recommends impeachment (to
bring about formal charges) proceedings. August 8, 1974, Nixon becomes the
first US President to resign from the office. The Watergate Scandal and alleged
charges of a corruption scandal caused Vice President Spiro Agnew to resign from
office in 1973. According to the 25th Amendment which addresses presidential
succession, Nixon appointed Gerald Ford as his new Vice President of the USA.
Watergate left a lasting impact on the USA. Richard Nixon damaged the
presidential reputation and caused the American people to doubt the
government. Watergate also demonstrated "no person is above the law." "Our
great republic is a government of laws and not of men." Numerous reforms were
passed Post-Watergate to improve the role of the government. They are (1)
Federal Elections Campaign Acts Amendments 1974-- this set limits on campaign
contributions and created the Federal Election Commission to enforce laws;
(2) Freedom of Information Act Amendments 1974--which penalized
government officials that withheld documents illegally, (3) Government in the
Sunshine Act 1976-which opened meetings of many government agencies to the
public. By 1977, all states had passed the Sunshine Laws. (4) Ethics in
Government Act of 1978--required federal disclosure of financial information for
public officials.
THE FORD AND CARTER YEARS
Historian Peter Carroll published a history of the 1970's entitled It Seemed Like
Nothing Happened. Even though the decade seemed uneventful when compared
to the 1960s...it was very eventful. The 1970s witnessed significant social,
economic and cultural changes. President Gerald Ford was the "unelected"
president. He stepped up in a delicate situation and became president after
Richard Nixon resigned. One of the first things Gerald Ford did was pardon
Richard Nixon. To pardon is to drop criminal charges against someone. Ford
pardoned Nixon in an effort to heal the nation but instead his critics accused him
of "having a secret deal" with Nixon. When Ford pardoned Nixon he ruined his
chance in the next election. In the next election in 1976 a Washington outsider
and southerner becomes President of the United States.....Jimmy Carter from
Georgia. Jimmy Carter was a Christian fundamentalist--meant he believed in a
strict interpretation of the Bible. Christian groups started increasing their
influence in politics during the late 1970's. Carter portrays himself as the
"people's president." He went to local town meetings, carried his own suitcase
and dressed in casual clothes. Jimmy Carter one day after elected granted
amnesty to people who had avoided the draft and fled the county. Amnesty
WAR POWERS ACT
Panama Canal Treaty of 1977- when Carter signed a treaty with Panama that
stated the US would return the
canal to them in 1999; we kept our promise
Hostages in Iran- Iranians took 52 Americans hostage in Tehran, Iran in retaliation
for the US providing medical care to the Shah of Iran; Carter was not able to free
them but they were released moments after Reagan was sworn in as president
The Reagan Years
Reaganomics/trickle down theory- theory that tax cuts to the wealthiest
Americans would encourage them to reinvest their savings into their businesses,
which would allow benefits to “trickle down” to average Americans in the form of
jobs and/or better wages
Strategic Defense Initiative- “Star Wars”; Reagan spent billions on this project that
hoped to protect the US in case of a nuclear attack; it never worked
Beirut, Lebanon- 241 American marines were killed by terrorists when a truck
loaded with explosives rammed into marine barracks
Downfall of Communism- Berlin Wall falls in 1989 and Soviet bloc countries
declare independence in 1991
Persian Gulf War- fought to keep Saddam Hussein out of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia
NAFTA- North American Free Trade Agreement signed by the US, Canada, and
Mexico
Apartheid- racial segregation/white supremacy; apartheid ended in South Africa
and Nelson Mandela was released from prison
5. Jimmy Carter’s Presidency
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Barbara Jordan
Camp David Accords
Recognition of China
Deregulation
Three Mile Island
1980 Election
Shuttle Diplomacy
Panama Canal Decision
Iran Hostage Crisis
Energy Crisis
Affirmative Action
6. Ronald Reagan’s Presidency (1980-1992)
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Reagan’s Conservatism
Televangelists
Tax cuts
Strategic Defense Initiative
AIDS
S & L Scandal
INF Treaty
Entitlements
Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty
New Right Coalition
Supply-side Economics
New Federalism
1984 Olympic games
Sandra Day O’Conner
Iran-Contra Affair
The Cold War ends
1988 Election
____________________________________________________
THE MODERN ERA VOCABULARY CHART
Vocabulary Activity
TERM
DEFINITION
STRATEGIC
ARMS
LIMITATION
TALKS
which led to 2
agreements
that were
signed by the
WHO WAS SO WHAT
PRESIDENT
RICHARD
They discussed ways to develop an adequate
NIXON
deterrent to “all out” war. They developed a treaty
limiting the deployment of antiballistic missile
systems and to limit the number of offensive
26TH
AMENDMENT
US & USSR. The
issue was there
needed to be a
balance in
terror, in other
words, each
nation needed
to recognize the
capability of
the other
nation to
destroy the
other.
This lowered
RICHARD
the voting age
NIXON
from 21 to 18.
This was a
result of the cry
“I can fight for
my country but
I can’t vote.”
The average
age of a
Vietnam soldier
was 19.
WAR POWERS . The War Powers
ACT
Act set a 60 day
limit on
Presidential
deployment of
troops overseas.
Troops could
only stay more
than 60 days if
they were in
danger—
maximum
amount was 90
days—in other
words, troops
could not be
deployed for
more than 60
days with the
approval of
Congress.
THE SUNSHINE These laws
RICHARD
NIXON
GERALD
weapons.
INCREASED THE VOTING POOL AND GAVE YOUNG
PEOPLE A POLITICAL VOICE
This act gave Congress the sole power to declare war.
The entire Vietnam Conflict—Congress did not
declare war—it was a “presidential war.
HIGHER LEVEL OF ACCOUNTABILITY OF GOVT
LAWS
made records
of over 50
agencies public
record for
anyone to view.
FORD
AGENCIES.....RECORDS VIEWABLE BY THE GENERAL
PUBLIC
MINORITY
RIGHTS
MOVEMENT
He removed
homosexuality
off the mental
illness list
(removed ban).
The Indian Self
Determination
Act was passed.
The Bilingual
education Act
was passed to
teach Hispanics
in their own
language.
This turned over
control of the
Panama Canal
back over to
Panama 99
years after the
opening of the
canal.
50 American
diplomatic
personnel
were taken
hostage in Iran.
In 1979 Islamic
Fundamentals
led by
Ayatollah
Khomeini
overthrew a
dictatorship,
stopped oil
production
causing a
worldwide
shortage,
JIMMY
CARTER
Homosexuality became a lifestyle choice not an
illness. The alternative lifestyle movement grew.
Native Americans had control over the education,
courts etc. on reservations. Education was expanded
to include non-English speaking children.
JIMMY
CARTER
USA had less control in Latin America
JIMMY
CARTER
HIGHLIGHTED MIDDLE EASTERN TENSIONS TOWARD
AMERICAN INVOLVMENT IN THE MIDDLE EAST
PANAMA
CANAL TREATY
IRANIAN
HOSTAGE
CRISIS
seized the US
Embassy in
Tehran and
captured over
50 US POWs.
Carter applied
pressure but
they were not
released until
Ronald Reagan
came into
office.
PALESTINIAN
LIBERATION
ORGANIZATION
(PLO)
Lebanon, Israel
& PLO--- In
1982, Israel
invaded
Lebanon to
stop the PLO
(Palestine
Liberation
Organization)
terrorist
attacks. The
USA sent aid to
PLO to get
them to safe
haven and to
“stop” the Civil
War. Arab
suicide
bombers
attacked the US
Embassy in
Beirut and
killed 63
people—
Americans
were pulled out
of the area.
RONALD
REAGAN
Arab suicide bombers attacked the US Embassy in
Beirut and killed 63 people—Americans were pulled
out of the area.
IMMIGRATION
REFORM ACT
This was passed
to make it
illegal to hire
illegal
RONALD
REAGAN
Protected American jobs
SANDRA DAY
O'CONNER
CLARENCE
THOMAS
REAGANOMICS
OR SUPPLY
SIDE
ECONOMICS
TIANMEN
SQUARE
PROTEST
PERSIAN GULF
WAR
immigrants or
aliens.
First woman
justice in the
Supreme Court
appointed in
1991 to the
Supreme Court
of the USA
1st black since
Thurgood
Marshall
Rest on the
assumption
that if taxes are
reduced,
people will
work more and
have money to
spend, causing
the economy to
grow.
College
students
protested
communism in
China in hopes
that a protest
would cause
communism to
fall
in 1990 Saddam
Hussein
invaded Kuwait
which
challenged the
Bush New
World Order
Plan for peace.
The invasion of
Kuwait
threatened
western oil
sources. Bush
won
congressional
RONALD
REAGAN
Victory for the women's' rights movement
RONALD
REAGAN
Verification that civil rights progress was occurring in
the (judicial branch ) government
Equal opportunity
RONALD
REAGAN
The government will collect more taxes
GEORGE
H. W.
BUSH
Bush condemned the action and suspended arms
sales to China.
GEORGE
H. W.
BUSH
GROWING TENSIONS AND INVOLVEMENT IN THE
Middle East over the oil and gas industry
approval to
attack Iraq with
United Nations
support. The
United Nations
placed an
embargo on
Iraq for “acts of
aggression.” In
January 1991
Operation
Desert Storm
started and
over ½ million
Americans
joined military
units with 28
nations to stop
Hussein. 5
weeks of air
strikes and
ground troops
brought Iraq to
defeat.
SADDAM
HUSSEIN
FAMILY
MEDICAL LEAVE
ACT
Iraq's ruthless
dictator that
invades Kuwait
in order to
control 20% of
the world's oil
reserves. He
caused Persian
Gulf War.
This act
guaranteed full
time employees
12 workweeks
of unpaid leave
each year for
the birth and
health care of a
newborn child,
to recover from
a serious illness,
or to care for an
immediate
family member
George H.
W. Bush
Bush demonstrated that he would not tolerate Iraq's
aggression against its neighbor. He created an
international coalition to attack. Operation Desert
Storm was the name America gave the troop.
BILL
CLINTON
Greater power was given to the
employee....employee rights and protections
OKLAHOMA
CITY BOMBING
CONTRACT
WITH AMERICA
GENERAL
AGREEMENT
ON TARIFFS
AND TRADE
(GATT)
WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATION
(WTO)
with one.
Bombing in
April 1995 that
killed 165
people and
injured over 800
more. This was
a domestic act
of terrorism.
Newt Gingrich's
plan to attack
big government.
This called for
congressional
term limits,
budget
amendment to
the US
Constitution,
large tax cuts,
increased
defense
spending,
welfare reform
and anticrime
legislation.
270 free trade
agreements
with foreign
nations
BILL
CLINTON
New laws were passed with stiffer penalties for
terrorist acts in America or against Americans.
Ronald
Reagan
Led to a government shut down due to war between
Clinton and Gingrich. White House staff was sent
home....Lewinsky affair took place...led to
impeachment.
BILL
CLINTON
MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS, INCREASED
IMPORTS AND EXPORTS, favorable balance of trade
Economic globalization
WTO REPLACED BILL
GATT..expanded CLINTON
the
organizations
authority to
negotiate free
trade
agreements ,
settle disputes
and enforce
compliance with
them.
Economic globalization. Clinton recommended a
World Bank .
This promoted free trade with nations and not
economic sanctions due to disputes.