50s
What was McCarthyism?
- A period in the 1950s when Senator Joseph McCarthy accused many Americans of being communists or communist sympathizers, often without evidence.
- Led to a widespread fear of communism and caused many people to lose their jobs or face public humiliation
What was the purpose of the Medicare program, introduced as part of the Great Society?
to provide healthcare for the elderly
Which President is credited with first normalizing relations with China?
Nixon
Which U.S. president was elected in 1980 and implemented significant tax cuts?
Ronald Reagan
Which terrorist group was responsible for the attack on New York City on September 11, 2001?
Al-Qaeda
The 1954 Supreme Court case _____________________ overturned the earlier precedent of ____________________ set by the 1896 case __________________________. This resulted in the integration of public schools.
Brown v. Board of Education, "separate but equal," and Plessy v. Ferguson
Which law, passed under Johnson’s Great Society, aimed to end discrimination in public places and employment?
The Civil Rights Act of 1964
What was the primary reason for the U.S. embassy in Tehran, Iran being stormed in 1979?
The U.S. had allowed the exiled Shah of Iran asylum in the U.S.
What 1983 U.S. initiative under Reagan aimed to develop a system to protect the country from nuclear missiles?
The Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI)
What was the significant economic achievement during Bill Clinton’s presidency?
A balanced federal budget and a budget surplus
Name that war:
- Communists invaded from the North
- Lasted from 1950-1953
- Resulted in a lasting division of the country
The Korean War
Explain the causes and effects of the Bay of Pigs Invasion.
Causes: The Bay of Pigs Invasion was caused by U.S. fears of communism spreading in the Western Hemisphere after the Cuban Revolution.
Effects: The invasion failed disastrously, with Cuban forces quickly defeating the exiles. It embarrassed the U.S. government, damaged its credibility, and strengthened Castro’s position in Cuba. It also pushed Cuba closer to the Soviet Union, contributing to the tensions that led to the Cuban Missile Crisis.
President Nixon's pledged to end the Vietnam War through "Vietnamization." What does that mean?
Nixon wanted to remove US troops from Vietnam and turn the fighting over to the South Vietnamese.
This amendment, passed in the 1980s, prohibited U.S. aid to the Nicaraguan Contras.
The Boland Amendment
What were key arguments for and against the USA PATRIOT Act?
For: increased government surveillance would help the government prevent future terrorist attacks
Against: It violates Americans' civil liberties by allowing warrantless searches
How did the Marshall Plan benefit the U.S. economy?
Recovery of Western Europe increased demand for U.S. goods.
How did the use of television and photographs from the Vietnam war impact the war effort in the United States?
support for the war decreased
Name three major events that occurred in the year 1968. *Ones that we studied.
Dr. King's assassination
Robert F. Kennedy's assassination
The Tet Offense
Chaos outside of the Democratic National Convention
Explain the concept of "trickle-down economics."
It is the theory that tax cuts and benefits for businesses and wealthy individuals will lead to economic growth, which will eventually benefit all levels of society by creating jobs and increasing pay for workers.
List one accomplishment and one criticism of Barack Obama's presidency
Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”)
Killing of Osama bin Laden
DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals)
Drone Warfare and Civilian Casualties
Handling of the Syrian Civil War
Bailing out big banks
Mass Surveillance and the NSA Scandal
What actions did the US government take in response to the launching of Sputnik in 1957?
- Increased funding for STEM education with the National Defense Education Act
- Increased funding for university research
- Creation of NASA
Who joined Cesar Chavez to help to improve working conditions for migrant farm workers when they organized the National Farm Workers Association in 1962?
Delores Huerta
Explain why the US had an energy crisis in the 70s.
In the 1970s, the U.S. faced an energy crisis when OPEC imposed an oil embargo in 1973, protesting U.S. support for Israel. This caused oil shortages, gas lines, and high prices, a strain on the economy.
Describe the Iran-Contra Affair.
The Iran-Contra Affair was a scandal in the 1980s where U.S. officials secretly sold arms to Iran and used the profits to fund Nicaraguan Contra rebels, violating the Boland Amendment.
During the 1980s and 1990s, the ______________ was developed as a conglomeration of computer networks from around the world.
internet