Cold War Tensions
This 1962 event brought the U.S. and USSR to the brink of nuclear war over missiles in the Caribbean.
Cuban Missile Crisis
This landmark law prohibited discrimination in places of public accommodation based on race, color, religion, or national origin.
Civil Rights Act of 1964
This scandal involving a break-in at the DNC headquarters led to Nixon’s resignation.
Watergate
This economic theory suggests cutting taxes for the wealthy will stimulate investment and growth.
Supply side/Reaganomics
This 1968 North Vietnamese offensive turned American public opinion sharply against the war.
Tet Offensive
This 1964 resolution gave LBJ a "blank check" to escalate military involvement in Vietnam.
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
The law that abolished literacy tests and authorized federal oversight of elections.
This 444-day crisis began in 1979 after the Shah was overthrown in a Middle Eastern nation.
Iranian Hostage Crisis
Reagan's proposed space-based missile defense system, nicknamed "Star Wars."
SDI (strategic defense initiative)
The leader of the Soviet Union who worked alongside Reagan to reform the Soviet Union/led an end to the Cold War
Gorbachev
Nixon's policy of relaxing Cold War tensions with the Soviet Union and China.
Detente
This landmark 1973 Supreme Court case legalized abortion nationwide based on a right to privacy. Was recently overturned in the Dobbs. V Jackson case
Roe v. Wade
Explain the term stagflation
Slow, sluggish economy, mixed with inflation, stagnant wages and high unemployment.
This scandal involved the secret sale of weapons to Iran to fund anti-communist rebels in Nicaragua.
Iran-Contra Scandal
The 1969 riot at this NYC inn is considered the start of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.
Stonewall Riots
Explain how the War Powers Act (197) was a turning point in the constitutional struggle between the Legislative and Executive branches.
Made it so Presidents had to notify Congress within 60 days of using military force, so they can't just unilaterally get the U.S. involved in military conflict
Explain three areas of LBJs Great Society Program which he tried to reform
--Civil Rights
--Healthcare (Medicare/medicaid)
--poverty (food stamps, OEO)
--education (head start)
Explain how there became a "credibility gap" and a permanent shift in how Americans viewed federal authority/government during the time:
JFK assassination, Vietnam War/Pentagon Papers, Watergate all contributed to growing mistrust/resentment toward the Government
How did the Moral Majority influence the platform of the Republican Party leading into the 1980 election?
Pro Life argument became a focal point of Conservative politics
The name for the group of conservative Christians who became a powerful political force in the 80s.
Moral Majority
How did the policy of Détente represent a fundamental shift in Cold War strategy compared to the previous policy of Brinkmanship?
Brinkmanship relied on the threat of "massive retaliation" (nuclear war) to keep peace; Détente used diplomacy, trade, and treaties (like SALT) to de-escalate and "thaw" the relationship
Compare LBJ’s Great Society to FDR’s New Deal. In what fundamental ways were they different?
FDR New Deal aimed at fixing/reforming economics (TVA, SSA, FDIC, etc.)
Great Society was more aimed at racial/social injustice (Medicare, head start, etc.)
Explain the "Southern Strategy" and how it successfully flipped a specific demographic from the "New Deal Coalition" to the Republican Party.
Nixon tried to appeal to the silent majority and law and order wing of Republicans. Most of them were in the South, which flipped the basis of Democratic support from the South to the North
Why did there become a rise of Conservatism in the 1980s (3 reasons)
Democrats of the 60s became more focused on social issues (backlash to that)
New Deal coalition of Democrats started to dissipate
Failure economically/stagflation of the 70s
Rise of the Religious Right
Peace through strength (foreign policy frustrations)
Contrast the "First Wave" feminism with the "Second Wave" feminism of the 70s. What was the shift in their primary goals?
Suffrage--------> equal pay, body autonomy, workplace rights