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G.I. Bill
servicemen’s readjustment act of 1944. Offers WWII vets low interest rates on houses and college tuition. They receive money to start business. It is still around today for veterans. -
Hiroshima
the US dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Known as Little Boy. 237,000 people were killed directly or indirectly due to the bomb’s effects. -
Iron Curtain
- Boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas at the end of WWII. The Soviet Union dominated Easter Europe where the curtain divided western and eastern.
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Period: to
Cold War
During World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union fought together as allies against the Axis powers -
Marshal Plan
- Federal rescue plan, allowed the US to help Europe after the war because there was a lot of damaged industry
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Fair Deal
Truman adds to the New Deal. Wanting to work on heal care, public housing, education, and public works. Minimum wages, electricity and telephone access. Forced to scale back because of Korea and anti-communist agenda. Which needed bi-partisan support. Truman’s success kept most of the New Deal intact -
Beat Generation
- They were the proto hippies, artist, novelist and poets. Reject American materialism and culture. Rejected home ownership, careers, marriage; individual freedom and pleasure such as drugs and sex. Inspires and lays foundation for war protests in the latter 1960s. beats borrow along from black communities, Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko influenced them
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Period: to
1950s
The 1950s was a decade of the Gregorian calendar that began on January 1, 1950, and ended on December 31, 1959 -
Little Richard
- Was a black musician who made the first rock and roll song “Rocket 88” although there were many white artists who ripped off his song and made covers to it by their name.
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Ike Turner
- Was a black musician who made the first rock and roll song “Rocket 88” although there were many white artists who ripped off his song and made covers to it by their name.
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Joseph McCarhy
- Reelected in 1952 and was chairman of the Senate’s committee. He had an anti-communistic investigation and question of suspected officials as well as known actors and actresses from Hollywood.
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Polio Vaccine
Dr. Jonas Salk
- Developed deactivated vaccine to combat disease. Oral vaccine made available in 1961. Eradicated Polio from the US by 1994 -
38th parallel established as a border
established as a boundary between north and south Korea after the 35-year rule of Japan on the peninsula. -
Period: to
Civil Rights
- There was a split to civil rights due to women looking forward to Feminism. Encouraged women to explore their sexuality, wait to get married before their looks started going away with age. Belly Friedman wrote “The Feminine Mistique” believed women could do everything men could. Movement focused on equal treatment, opportunity and pay.
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Brown v. Board of Education
- 7-year-old Linda Brown’s parents wanted her to go to a closer school, a white school Topeka, Kansas. NAACP lawyer Thurgood Marshall uses psychological evidence to win case. Since the Plessy v. Ferguson’s case separation but equal was not actually working. Now everything had to be completely integrated.
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Domino Theory
- Communism perceived as making territorial and psychological victories around the world. Theory from the late 40s and 50s on how to combat communism. President Eisenhower described it in 1954 as a row of dominoes; if one falls, the rest will too. US looked at Vietnam and SE Asia as dominoes; Vietnam was the first.
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TV Shows
- WWII showed TV’s introduction to the consumer market. By 1955 75% of American himes had a TV pictured black and white. People were entertained that way. Drive in theaters also became popular.
- WWII showed TV’s introduction to the consumer market. By 1955 75% of American himes had a TV pictured black and white. People were entertained that way. Drive in theaters also became popular.
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Elvis
- Made rock and roll a phenomenon; he was extremely poor, he adopts rhythm and blues from African Americans; meals it with gospel and country. He created his own sexually suggested dance style. He made an appearance on Ed Sullivan making him more popular
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Emmett Till Tragedy
Emmett travelled to Money, Mississippi from Chicago to visit relatives. 4 days later Carolyn’s husband, Roy Bryant & John Milam come to Emmett’s relative’s house; abduct him in the middle of the night with a gun. . Body was found bloated and unrecognizable 3 days later. ring on his finger was the only way they could identify him. Funeral was held in Chicago; open casket. Emmett’s mother wanted the world to see what the South had done -
Rosa Parks
December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks (43 years old seamstress) boards the back of the bus White man comes up anddemands her seat she refuses. Jo Ann Robinson (EnglishProfessor) heard of the arrest and made 35 K flyers told others to boycott the bus system in Montgomery.Its success convinced them to continue until something happened. Bus company needed black riders to stay in business -
Little Rock 9
- Septmber, 1957; White resist integration; segregation resists Brown v. Board for as long as they can. Moderates whites will do half-way measures such as parks, buses, libraries, but Little Rock decides to slowly integrate Central High School: actually meaning never. Governor Orval Farbus orders state troops to stop 9 black students from entering the high school.
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Sputnik
The world’s first artificial satellite. Size of beach ball. Caught the attention of the world. Thus on January 31, 1958 the US successfully launched Explorer I. -
Bay of Pigs
- A failed military invasion of Cuba undertaken by the CIA, President Kennedy had to take the blame for it due to the CIA wanting to overtake Castro. The invasion did not go well; there was a full scale invasion of Cuba thus Americans had to go home.
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Politics
(Nixon, Kennedy)
- Politicians invoked the power of TV, Richard Nixon and his “Checkers Speech”, -
Period: to
1960s
At the beginning of the 1960s, many Americans believed they were standing at the dawn of a golden age. On January 20, 1961, the handsome and charismatic John F. Kennedy became president of the United States. His confidence that, as one historian put it, “the government possessed big answers to big problems” seemed to set the tone for the rest of the decade. However, that golden age never materialized. On the contrary, by the end of the 1960s it seemed that the nation was falling apart. -
Peace Corps
Founded by president Kennedy; inspired young college graduates to work in poor countries; humanitarian projects -
Freedom Rides
- Whites and blacks travel on interstate buses together into Deep South. Challenging Southerners to violently clash with them, which forces the government to do something.
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New Frontier
- John F. Kennedy, was the youngest elected in American history wanted to raise the minimum wage, relieved overcrowded schools, believed in cutting taxes for businesses from 90%, wanted to increase spending to alleviate a downturn.
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Assassination of JFK
- Election of 1964; Kennedy campaigning for re-election bid. In Texas for fundraisers in Houston, San Antonio, Austin, & Dallas. Kennedy planned on travelling through downtown Dallas, he wanted the maximum exposure to crowns to generate excitement. He was in an open air motorcade. The route took him by the Texas School Book Deposit in Dealey Plaza, then Lee Harvey Oswald shot him in the head killing him
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Lee Harvey Oswald
- Ex-marine with communist sympathies, defected to USSR where he got married, then came back to the States with special permission with the Soviet Union. Supposedly the only shooter in the assassination.
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Great Society
- One of the greatest legislators of the 20th century. He was a crude person, more legislation pushed through than any other president except FDR. The Great Society promised education, good standard of living and beautification.
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Freedom Summer
- Summer 1964; Mississippi’s the new the target of desegregation. Which become the tuning point of the movement in the South; forces the Government to intervene. Gives experience to activist on the left and feminist. 3 civil rights workers went missing on the 1st day; 2 white and 1 black. There was a search area that covered 5 states. All 3 were found 6 weeks later shot in the head, buried in an earth dam. The black man was beaten worse than the two others with shattered bones.
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Daisy Girl Ad
- The serene scene gave away to the explosion of a nuclear bomb. Without ever mentioning Barry Goldwater’s name, the Johnson campaign had excited the fear that he was an extremist capable of igniting WWIII
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Hippies
- They rejected middle class values, renounced material possessions and used drugs. Hippies were about peace and living the moment without inhibition.
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Malcolm X
- Had converted to Islam after spending 6 years in prison. Malcolm thoughts Islam was religion for black people up until he went to Mecca. He disagreed with non-violent strategy of MLF & SNCC. Malcolm didn’t let whites help in his struggle for Civil Rights. Later on lets whites help in his organization, but Elijah Muhammad disagreed, thus he had Malcolm X gunned down in Harlem giving a speech February 1965
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Selma March
- March 7, 1965 also known as bloody Sunday. 600 marchers set out walking 50 miles to Montgomery for the right to vote as well as MLK. Country police waited at the end of Edmond Pettus Bridge in Selma for them with clubs and gas ordered to go back, protesters kneeled and prayed. White speculators cheered as blacks were beaten. TV cameras were there to see the violence.
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Voting Rights Act of 1965
- President John saw Selma on TV; announced the next day he would send a bill that gave equal voting rights to everyone. August 1965, Acts signed into law. Prohibits literacy tests, poll taxes, and other discriminatory laws. Used federal registrations to register voters; only if the state did not follow the 15th amendment. Department of Justice approving redistricting every 10 years. SCOTUS has picked apart provisions of the act in recent years.
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Dolores Huerta
- She was an activist for improving the Latino community. She fought alongside Chavez, she was a Co-founder of the UFW (United Farm Workers Union), she held strikes and non-violent resistance campaigns.
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Feminism
- There was a split to civil rights due to women looking forward to Feminism. Encouraged women to explore their sexuality, wait to get married before their looks started going away with age. Belly Friedman wrote “The Feminine Mistique” believed women could do everything men could. Movement focused on equal treatment, opportunity and pay.
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Warren Burger Supreme Court
- Nixon appoints Warren Burger as Chief Justice of SCOTUS, he wants Burger to scale back desegregation; but Burger goes ahead with integration.
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Apollo 11
- President JFK made it a national goal for May 25, 1961. Launched on July 16, 1969. Command Module Pilot Michael Collins and Lunar Module Pilot Edwin…. Landed the first two humans on the moon.
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LSD
- Strict new drug laws passed in the 70s hippies made heroine and LSD so popular.
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Period: to
1970s
Women, African Americans, Native Americans, gays and lesbians and other marginalized people continued their fight for equality, and many Americans joined the protest against the ongoing war in Vietnam.Famous for bell-bottoms and the rise of disco, but it was also an era of economic struggle, cultural change and technological innovation -
Roe v. Wade
- It has to deal with abortion and women protesting for legalized abortion for years. Most states totally outlawed it; sometimes allowed only for the life of the mother but it would only be for extreme cases; meaning she had to be dying. Norma McCorvey sued the state of Texas for her right to privacy, and sued under the name of Jane Roe. By the time that the case went up to SCOTUS she had already had the baby and given it up for adoption. Thus SCOTUS rules outlawing abortion is unconstitutional
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Herritage Foundation
- Promoted conservative policies; free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, values, strong national defense. It was a Non-profit lobbying group.
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Stagflation
- High unemployment and rising prices (unusual) Solving unemployment made inflation worse. Deficits rise, taxes decrease
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Beginnings of the Personal Computer
- Computers and other electronics revolutionize industry. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak change America forever with the Apple 1 computer. Bill Gates introduces a new operating system in 1980 to IBM for home computers.
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The New Right
- Collection of different conservative groups in on businesses, religious right, former Democrats, Neoconservatives. Many were angry over liberal policies such as welfare and busing. They wanted a smaller government, industrial jobs back, and the south now started voting Republican.
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Gerald Ford's Presidency
- He was a modest person in general. He used to be on the Warren Commission which dealt with the assassination of JFK. He pardons Nixon for all of his crimes and brings about a riot to himself. He adds to distrust to the people who already didn’t trust the government.
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Video Head System
- Developed by Victor Company of Japan (JVC) in the early 1970s, it was released in Japan in late 1976 and in the USA in early 1977. The television industry viewed videocassette recorders (VCRs) as having the power to disrupt their business, while television users viewed the VCR as the means to take control of their hobby
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Camp Davids Accords
- Treaty between Israel and Egypt, Israel withdraws from Sinai Peninsula, Gaza and West Bank. Israel stops settling West Bank but only for now. Palestinians promised their own government.
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Black Entertainment Television (BET)
Robert Johnson
- Firs black billionaire, Features music and stories from the African-American community. -
OPEC
(Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries)
- Begins raising prices on oil, Iranian Revoustion in 1979 furthers the crisis, by 1979 half of US gas pumps are out of gas. Places an oil embargo on the US for supporting Israel since the oil is from Sudan, Nixon convinces Israelis to give up some territories. -
Period: to
1980s
Many Americans embraced a new conservatism in social, economic and political life during the 1980s, characterized by the policies of President Ronald Reagan. -
Election of 1980
Jimmy Carter
- Democrat. Was incumbent. Haunted by a bad economy. Hostage crisis in Iran brought down his popularity down. Special force mishap in the desert seals his defeat. -
Election of 1980
Ronald Reagan
- Republican Former governor of Cali. He was a former actor in the 40s and 50. He testified before HUAC about communism, and Unites Conservative Coalition behind him -
Reaganomics
- Cut income and corporate taxes to spur economy an create better jobs; there was a reduction in welfare spending. Massively increased defense spending which was supposedly offset by new taxes from a booming economy.
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Iran Hostage Crisis
- US supported Shan of Iran- which was a major oil supplier. Also was a brutal dictator and anti-comminist. Ayatollah Khomeini leads Islamic revolution, although mistrusted the US. US gave amnesty to the Shah. 52 Americans taken hostage from American embassy in Tehran. A special force team was sent to rescue hostages. The Iraq (Saddam) invades Iran, Khomeini negotiates an end to it. The Hostages are released an end to it; making Carter look bad because the hostages were released on 1/20/1981
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A.I.D.S. Crisis
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, starts affecting thousands of homosexuals in 1981. Spreads to heterosexual community through blood transfusions. -
Music Television
- In MTV’s early days, its programming consisted of basic music videos that were introduced by VJs (video jockeys) and provided for free by record companies. By the late 1980s, MTV started airing non-video programming, geared toward teenagers and young adults
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Sandra Day O'Connor
- First female Supreme Court Justice. Reagan nominates her, a moderate who sided with the conservatives of the court. She sides with the liberal’s members later on, and retires in 2006 due to her husband’s declining health
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Sam Walton's Just-in-Time Inventory
- Created a chain of stores offering large variety of products at low prices; products arrive at the precise time in they are needed, computers track inventory. No need for large in-house stock.
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Reagan Doctrine
- US supports guerrilla groups fighting communist, no longer contain, but get rid of Communism.
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Challenger Explosion
the American shuttle orbiter Challenger broke up 73 seconds after liftoff, bringing a devastating end to the spacecraft’s 10th mission. The disaster claimed the lives of all seven astronauts aboard. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
- Was a physical and ideological barrier divided Berlin from 1961 to 1989. When the wall was finally torn down as a symbol of the fall of the repressive East German communist government. Germans were the ones who tore it down by using sledgehammers, pickaxes, and other tools
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Period: to
1990s
Culturally, the 1990s are characterized by the rise of multiculturalism and alternative media -
Internet
- Starts off as military base in the 60s to exchange data. In the 80s supercomputers allow communication on college campuses. In tens of millions of homes by the late 1990s.
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Rodney King Incident
- Rodney King (African-American) chased 78 miles in his car by LA police. Chase ends with him being beaten which is caught on tape. Riots take place for 4 days, Asian shops looted by black and Latino residents. Angry for Asians not hiring people of color.
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Election of 1992
Bill Clinton
- Democrat, govermor of Arkansas, An unknown running for Presiden, he was charismatic and understanding. Wins by 43% of the vote -
Election of 1992
George H.W. Bush
- Republican, Large deficits and down turning economy, popular due to the Persian Gulf War -
Election of 1992
Ross Perot
- Was a third party, Independent, successful businessman, took votes away from Bush. -
North American Free Trade Agreement
- 1993; Encompasses Mexico, US, and Canada. Knocks down trade barriers, rules put in place for several industries; ag and technology. Americans lose many jobs from NAFTA. It stopped Mecican knock-off products
- 1993; Encompasses Mexico, US, and Canada. Knocks down trade barriers, rules put in place for several industries; ag and technology. Americans lose many jobs from NAFTA. It stopped Mecican knock-off products
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Health Care Reform
- Clinton wants longtime liberal goal of nationalized healthcare; has been almost a 100-year goal, he gives the task to his wife: Hillary Clinton. Republicans put out media blitz. They called it socialized medicine.
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Don't Ask, Don't Tell Policy
- Clinton’s new policy of allowing gays in the military; they didn’t tell anyone about is they could enter the military as long as no one knew. The old policy forbade from gays being allowed in.
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Lewinsky Affair
- Special prosecutor (Kenneth Star) got ahold of the affair from a Linda Tripp, since Monica told her everything in confidence. The media gets a hold of the story but Clinton denies the whole thing. He testifies to Starr that he did nothing wrong. He was impeached by the house of Representatives, since he lied under oath, obstruction of justie. The charger didn’t get the 2/3 vote that it needed to remove him completely from office. date below is when it came out to court
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Election of 2000
Al Gore
- Democrat; Clinton’s VP, he was an environmentalist and wanted to save the new government surplus for Social security; making a Baby Boomer retirement -
Election of 2000
George W. Bush
- Republican; he was the governor of Texas, he had Ownership Society. -
Election of 2000
Bush v. Gore (SCOTUS case)
- Florida could not decide the last vote. Florida then announces that Bush won the state and Gore takes it to SCOTUS. Then they decide 5-4 that Bush won; judges couldn’t be told how to count votes then found out that -
Period: to
Contemporary
The growth of the Internet contributed to globalization during the decade, which allowed faster communication among people around the world. Gregorian calendar that began on January 1, 2000, and ended on December 31, 2009. -
PATRIOT ACT
- Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism. Security concerns lead to new federal legislation. Law enforcement and intelligence agencies allowed to conduct wide-sweeping searches and surveillance
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9/11 Attacks
- 19 al-Qaeda hijackers boarded 4 planes, they turn corse and 2 of them hit the World Trade Center buildings, 1 hit the Pentagon, and the last one couldn’t find the White House witch the last plane was heading to. 2,973 died from all of the attacks. President Bush demands Afhganistan Tailban turn over al-Qaeda terrorists
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No Child Left Behind Education Act
- Reports of declining school across the country; Bush sends bill through Congress. Revamps standards and linking federal funding to student performance on standardized test
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Hurricane Katrina Disaster
- The disaster in New Orleans adds to unpopularity of Bush. Levee system had failed to hold due to huge storm, ending up with 80% of New Orleans flooded.
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Election of 2008
Barack Obama
- Democrat; First term senator from Illinois, he is against the war in Iraq. Beats out Hillary Clinton; had a nasty campaign. -
Sonya Sotomayor
First Hispanic SCOTUS judge
- Obama nominates Sonia Sotomayor as first Hispanic Justice, also nominated Elena Kagan and Merrick Garland. -
Affordable Care Act (ACA)
"Obamacare"
- Obama gets passed reform for private health insurance, everyone required to have insurance or pay a fine. Many liberals were upset it’s not a single-payer system like Europe.
