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G.I Bill
Many Americans feared that after the war ended, the return of war veterans would disrupt the economy and create widespread unemployment. Therefore, the G.I bill or the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 provided veteran unemployment, education, and financial benefits after WWII to help them with their transition from a soldier to a civilian. The GI bill was one of the most successful federal programs in history by far. -
Iron Curtian
The Soviet Union ignored the promises they had made at the Yalta conference in 1945 and enforced authority and communist political system in East Europe. The Iron Curtain was Wilson Churchill's Cold War Term to describe to the division between West Europe and the Soviet's Eastern European nations. In addition, the US also wanted to cut off Eastern Europe from trade and contact. -
Truman Doctrine
President Truman announced that the worldwide spread of communism was like a "domino" that had to be contained around the globe. Therefore, the Truman Doctrine was created in hopes to confine communism by providing economic and military aid to any nations at risk of the communist take over. The doctrine effectively shifted U.S foreign policy away from its original stance of avoiding direct foreign conflicts. -
2nd Red Scare
As the Cold War erupted between the Soviet Union and U.S, another red scare was sparked. Many feared that the Soviet-controlled communist was penetrating the American Society. The "red" term often referred to communists because of their devotion to the soviet red flag.As a result, the Red scare questioned the loyalty of many federal employees across America. With that being said, the House Un-American Activities was created in 1939 to crackdown on disloyalty across America. -
Marshall Plan
Proposed by Secretary of State George C. Marshall post-WWII in efforts to provide US financial and technical aid to rebuild European nations. This plan would contribute to secure US foreign markets and block communism from spreading in Europe. Although the Marshall Plan was effective and brought Europe back prosperity, the tensions between the Soviets and US increased. -
Stalin Closes Border
In efforts to keep Germany fragile, Stalin occupied Germany and prevented all road and rail traffic from entering West Berlin.The Soviets intentions were to force the US to leave the city, but instead,the US implemented an embargo against all exported goods from Soviet controlled Germany.This blockade was considered as the tipping point in the Cold War. -
Berlin Airlift (West Berlin Supplies)
In response to Stalin's blockade, the US and Great Britain flew cargo planes to West Berlin with huge amounts of food and supplies. The Berlin Airlift successfully continued on for eleven months until the blockade was finally lifted. This event was considered the first major victory for the West in the Cold War. -
Fair Deal
The Fair Deal was President Truman's proposal to expand national health insurance, new civil rights legislation, federal aid to education, unemployment, wages, and housing. The fair deal was an economic extension to the New deal and repealed the Taft-Hartley Act. Due to opposition of congress, the deal only led to the Social Security Act of 1950 and the Housing Act of 1949. -
Albert Sabin
Albert Sabin is best known for the development of the oral live virus polio vaccine. Between 1963 and 1999, Sabin's vaccine replaced Salk and was effective in nearly eradicating polio. -
TV shows
Television in the 1950s revolved around sitcoms and game shows. Some popular shows were I love Lucy, Gunsmoke, and Father knows best. Furthermore, people began to switch from radios to TV for their news. -
McCarthyism
This Anticommunist hysteria was carried under Senator Joseph McCarthy, which alleged the loyalty of politicians, federal employees, and public figures. McCarthy waved a piece of paper and claimed that he had names of 205 communists on it. This “witch hunt” campaign ruined the lives and reputation of many. -
Bill Haley and the Comets
Bill Haley and the Comets were an American Rock and Roll Band that consisted of white musicians. They brought Rock and Roll to the American society and the rest of the world. Between 1954 and 1956, they charted nine singles in top 20. -
Dr. Jonas Salk
Polio is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus that attacks the nervous system and can result in paralysis. Since the disease was easily transmitted and not contained, epidemics erupted and affected thousands per year. After conducting research on viruses, Salk believed that a few strains of killed polio virus could immunize the patient without the risk of infection. Salk's vaccine will help a person's immune system create antibodies to resist future contact to polio. -
Brown V. Board of Education
The Brown V. Board of Education was a landmark supreme court case that cracked down on racial segregation in public schools. The court decision of this case overturned the Plessy V. Ferguson, which declared "separate but equal" in public facilities. As a result, the Brown V. Board of Education case decision announced "separate but equal" unconstitutional. -
Emmet Till
After traveling to Money, Mississippi to visit his relatives, Emmett was accused of flirting and using vulgar language towards a white girl. Four days later, Carolyn's husband, Roy Bryant, and John Milam captured Emmett and forced him to strip at a nearby river. They then shot him after beating him up nearly to death and tied his body to a cotton gin fan and dumped his body in the river. Unfortunately, Carolyn recently admitted that it was all a lie and that Emmett did not do anything. -
Little Richard
Little Richard was one of the ones who laid the foundation for rock and roll in the 1950s with his charismatic and explosive records. His most famous songs are "Tutti Frutti," "Long tall Sally," and "Good Golly, Miss Molly." Richard's music style consisted of shouted vocals, falsettos, and piano-pounding tones. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
After Rosa parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger, the black community organized for a boycott of the city's bus system. As a result of the boycott, the bus company was immensely affected because most of its riders were black. Therefore, on December 20, 1956, the Montgomery bus boycotters won the federal case and SCOTUIS ruled that segregated buses were unconstitutional. -
Elvis Presley
Elvis was born into an extremely poor family and became a famous rock star who makes Rock & Roll a phenomenon during the 1950s. Elvis created his own sexual suggestive dance move that fawned many girls but offended millions of older Americans. He adopted rhythm and blue from the African Americans and merges it with gospel and country. In addition, he made appearances on TV shows and top charted records. -
Television
Television became widely popular during the 1950s, as they quickly replaced listening to radios, newspapers, and movies. The invention of TV's provided people entertainment and a new way to pass time. By 1965, around 75% American homes owned a black and white TV, which tripled the use of electricity during the era. In addition, TV's contributed to the consumer culture by allowing people to advertise and promote. -
Ike Turner
Ike Turner was born on November 5, 1931, in Clarksdale Mississippi. He is a songwriter, musician talent scout, and producer who grew up playing the blues. After marrying his wife Anna Mae Bullock, who was also a singer, they became the Ike and Tina Turner Revue. The duo broke records of R&B hits in the late 1960s and early 1970s. -
Little Rock 9 (Orval Faubus)
Nine brave black students bravely enrolled at an all-white Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. Thus on September 2, 1957, which was the first day of classes, Orval Faubus called out the state's National Guard to prevent the African American students entry to Central HS. The National Guards orders were "no niggers in the building." -
Little Rock 9 (Eisenhower's Intervention)
In response to Orval Fabus, who denied entry of nine African American students, Eisenhower sent thousands of Army paratroopers to Little Rock Central HS to protect the black students as the entered the school. Since the 1870s, Eisenhower's intervention was the first time that federal troops had been ordered to the South to protect African Americans rights. Throughout the school year, the soldiers remained at Little Rock. -
Sputnik
The Soviet Union successfully launched the first communication satellite called Sputnik. The satellite was 58 cm and weight about 83.6 kg. Hearing this news, the Americans panicked with fear that the Soviets were advancing in space exploration, leading the US to shift their spending on space programs and science education -
Sit In (Greensboro, North Carolina)
In Greensboro, North Carolina, four black college students came to an all-white lunch counter and ordered coffee and doughnuts. However, the clerk refused to serve them and the students remained in the seats after being asked to leave. The students returned back to the lunch counter every day and peacefully tolerated the mistreatment by the whites. Their passive resistance finally lifted the whites-only policy at Woolworth's and became a new tactic of the Civil Rights Movement. -
LSD
LSD is also known as lysergic acid diethylamide. It is a psychedelic drug derived from a chemical in rye fungus that is known for its psychological effects. This drug was actually common within the counterculture of the 1960s. -
Counterculture
Counterculture was an unorganized youth rebellion group who were against mainstream values, institutions, and behavior that focus on cultural radicalism rather than political activism. They rejected the status quo and norms of the American Society. The counterculture movement allowed people to express and explore their inner selves. -
Hippies
The Hippies were a group of rebellious young Americans who rejected American values during the 1960s. Rather than pursuing wealth and careers, they embraced plain living, authenticity, friendship, peace, and freedom. They were not narrowly political and was not interesting in attaining elected office, but in changing lifestyle -
New Frontier
The New Frontier was a domestic program proposed by the Kennedy administration. It strived to jumpstart the economy and trigger social progress. Kennedy was the youngest President to ever be elected and promised he would get the country moving again and be more aggressive than Eisenhower. He aimed to revitalize the ecnomy, enact legislation in education, health care, and civil rights -
Peace Corps
The Peace Corps was created by President John F. Kennedy to recruit young American volunteers who would provide educational and technical service to developing nations. The agency helped promote world peace and friendship to foreign nations. When Kennedy signed the legislation, his three goals were "to help people of intersted countries in meeting their need for trained men and women, promote better understanding of American on the part of peoples served" and vice versa. -
Freedom Riders
A group of black and white Civil Rights activists launced freedom rides, which was a bus trip that traveled through the south to protest and test federal court rulings of segragation on buses, trains, and terminals. With the help of freedom riders, the Interstate Commerce Commision was created in September 1961 ordering for the integration of all interstate transporation facilties. -
Naval Quarantine
After discovering the Soviet-installed missiles in Cuba, Kennedy declared for a naval quarantine of Cuba to prevent Soviet ships from shipping goods and weapons to islands. The US made it clear that they will not tolerate the missile sites in their current positions and will not hesitate to retaliate. On November 20, 1962, the US finally ended the quatintine. -
Feminism
Many women began to split from the Civil Rights movement and shifted their attention towards Feminism. The movement aimed at equal treatment, opportunity, and pay for all sexes.They campaigned for women to have the same rights as men in regards to economic and political matters. -
Assassination of JFK
As John F. Kennedy, Jacqueline Kennedy, and the Texas governor and his wife were on their way to a political outing, they came across a huge enthusiastic crowd and waved. As they passed the Texas School Bank Depository Building at 12:30 pm, three gunshots from the 6th floor was fired at the President's neck and head. Supposedly, Lee Harvey was responsible for these shots and the President was pronounced dead at 1:00 pm at Dallas Parkland Hospital at age 46. -
Lee Harvey Oswald
Lee Harvey Oswald was defected to the Soviet Union and became interested in Communism when he was in the 9th grade. Oswald worked at the Texas School Book Depository and on November 22, 1963, he wrapped his rifle in a paper and took it with him to work. On the same say, President Kennedy was fatally shot and Oswald was found escaping from the building. Oswald allegedly shot the president and was never able to explain his motive because he was killed by Jack Ruby 2 days after. -
Jack Ruby
Jack Ruby is a 54-year-old Dallas nightclub operator who spontaneously shot Lee Harvey Oswald. Two days prior, President Kennedy was shot as he was on his way to Dallas, and Oswald was the person who was accused of the assassination. As Oswald was being transferred from the city jail to the county jail, Ruby stepped out of the crowd and shot him down. Ruby was convicted of murder and said that he acted out of grief from President Kennedy's death. -
Daisy Girl Ad
The Daisy girl was an extremely controversial ad by President Johnson's campaign. The ad consisted of a 3-year-old girl in a dainty dress as she plucked daisy petals in the sun field. As she was counting down, her words were undermined by a mission control countdown followed by a nuclear eruption. The message of the ad portrayed that Presidential candidate Barry Goldwater was a genocidal manic and the election was an easy victory for Johnson. -
Voting Rights Act 1965
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was signed into law by President Johnson. This legislation ensured that all Americans were allowed to vote and overcame the barriers that prevented African Americans from having the right to vote. The act put an end to literacy tests, poll taxes, and other restrictions against voting rights. This empowered African American voters and gave them a say in political issues. -
Watts Riots
In a predominantly largest black ghetto of Los Angeles Watts, racial tensions erupted when two white police officers arrested a black man for supposedly drunk driving. As residents of the area watched the arrested, they became furious because they believed that this was another incident influenced by racial abuse. They were tired of the economic and political exclusions, so they began to burn stores and violently beat whites over a range of 50 square miles. -
My Lai Massacre
A group of American military soldiers violently raided a small village in South Vietnam and killed about 500 civilians. After the attempt cover up of the massacre was revealed, a wave of international outrage was sparked. After an investigation, in 1970, only one out of 14 officers was convicted for the brutality of My Lai. -
Death of MLK
MLK is a baptist minister who led the civil rights movements using influential words and nonviolent tactics. As king stood on the 2nd-floor balcony of the Loraine Motel, he was fatally shot in the neck and was rushed to the hospital and was pronounced dead an hour later. His death created a widespread distress and mourning across the world. -
Stagflation
The term stagflation was used during Nixon's presidency to describe the outbreaking of economic growth, rising inflation, and high unemployment all taking place at the same time. Three causes of stagflation were the amount of money the Johnson administration had financed without a tax increase, the U.S companies emerging international competition, the dependency of the US on the automobile industry and fossil fuels, and the flood of new workers. -
Equal Rights Amendment
The purpose of the Equal Rights Amendment was to guarantee equal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex. It aimed to end the line between men and women in terms of economic and political opportunities. The amendment states "Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex." -
Watergate
On June 17, 1972, Burglars were connected to Presidents Nixon's reelection campaign and was arrested for attempting to wiretap phones and steal secret documents in the Watergate building in Washingon, DC. Although it is unsure if Nixon knew about the Watergate robbery before it occurred, he attempted to cover up the situation by destroying evidence and fired staff members to prevent FBI investigation. Nixon's scandal caused many Americans to question the leadership of their country. -
Title IX
The purpose of the Title IX was to reject discrimination based on sex in regards to educational programs and promote gender equality. The federal law states "No person in the US shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participating in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance." -
Roe V. Wade
The Supreme court in 1973 of Roe V. Wade decision cracked down on state laws the forbid abortion during the first trimester.The court ruled that women have the right to choose concerning their bodies since pregnancy necessarily affects a women's health. The case decisions received a number of backlashes, especially from Roman Catholics. -
Endangered Species Act
The Endangered Species Act provides for the conservation of species that are endangered and the habitiat in which they depend on. The ESA provides protection for animals/plants by prohibiting the taking, possession, sale, and transport of those species. -
Nixon's resignation
After Nixon's Watergate affair scandal and impeachment proceedings underway, he became the first president to resign. As the 37th president of the United States, Nixon ended his term and began his journey in San Clemente California with his family. Taking his position, Vice President Gerald R. Ford became the 38th president of the U.S and asked American citizens to pardon the crimes that Nixon has caused. -
Camp David Accords
Camp David Accords was a peace agreement between President Carter and prime Minister Menachem Begin of Israel and President Anwar Sadat of Egypt. This was the first time the Egypt had recognize the existence of Israel. The agreement created a "framework for peace" rather than a true settle of differences.In addition, In 1981, Sadat was accused as a traitor from Arab nations and was assassinated by Islamic extremist. -
Three Mile Island
The Three Mile Island was an accident caused by a nuclear meltdown of a generating plant near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania It was a mechanical and human error that resulted in noble gas releases and radiation exposure. This was the most significant accidents in US nuclear power plant history that brought public fear, which led to an immediate shutdown of several plants. -
Iran Hostage Crisis
The event occurred when a group of Iranian students took more than 60 American hostages at U.S Embassy in Tehran. The motive of this action was President Jimmy Carter's choice to allow Iran's Shah to come to the US for cancer treatment. The hostages suffered through inadequate food and medical attention as they were blindfolded. -
Election of 1980
The Election of 1980 was between republican Ronald Reagon and Democrat Jimmy Carter. Reagon was a former governor of California who testified before the HUAC about communism. Jimmy Carter, on the other hand, was haunted by a bad economy, One of them being the Iran crisis, which lowered his popularity. Furthermore, Reagon took the victory with 489 electoral votes to 49 for Carter. In terms of popular vote, Reagon had 44 million to Carter's 35 million. -
Reagan Presidency
Ronald Reagan was the 40th president of the Unites States who grew up in small-town in Illinois. He served for two terms and cut taxes, increased defense spending, and negotiated for a reduction of nuclear arms with the Soviets during his presidency. After surviving an assassination attempt, he died at 93 years olf due to Alzheimer's. -
Space shuttle program
The first NASA space shuttle was launched on April 12, 1981. The space shuttle received great achievements and endured through 30 years of missions. It took satellites to space allowing them to orbit the Earth. The spacecraft were designed to carry 7 astronauts at a time. -
AIDS Crisis
The new disease that erupted in the 80's was called AIDS, which stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Initially, gay men and intravenous drug users were reported to have a high risk of having AIDS. However, AIDS is transmitted through via bodily fluid of an infected person that can result in fatigue, a combination of different infections, and possibly death. -
Reaganomics
The term Reaganomics refers to President Reagan's supply-side economic policy of combine tax reduction, decrease government spendings, promote unrestricted business activity, and a balanced budget. Reaganomics believed that stagflation occurred due to an excessive amount of taxes and that the cut of taxes can stimulate ecnomic growth. -
Music Television
MTV revolutionized the music industry and became a huge influence of popular. MTV became a promotional vehicle that promoted the careers of performers including Michael Jackson, Madone, and more. They also airing content geared towards teenagers and young adults such as the Real World reality series. -
Sandra Day O' Connor
Sandra Day O' Connor was the first female to serve the Supreme court Justice who was appointed by Ronald Reagon. She was a moderate conservative who sided with the conservatives of the court, but later sides with the liberals. Due to her husband's Alzheimers disease, she retired in 2006. Connor was presented with the Presdiential Medal of freedom by President Obama. -
Strategic Defense Initiative
The Strategic Defense Initiative, also known as Star Wars was proposed under Reagan's administration and aimed to protect the US against missile attacks, especially from the Soviets. This defense was US response to possible nuclear attacks and required extremely advanced technology. It was nicknamed Star Wars because of its abstract ideas of lasers, which was capable of destroying enemy missiles in outer space -
Reagan Doctrine
The Reagan doctrine included the key concepts of President Reagans foreign policy and laid the foundation of his administration's support of freedom fighters. It provided financial and military support for anti-communist fighters through Africa, Asian, and latin American in effort to roll back communism. -
Iran Contra Affair
The Iran-Contra Affair took place during the Reagon Administration. Scandals were uncovered after investigations revealed that the US have been supplying weapons to Iran. They supposedly used the sale profits to finance the Contras in Nicaragua. -
Challanger Explosion
Prior to the liftoff, the weather was cold, the superiors ignored the warnings that the shuttles solid boosters were vulnerable to failure at low temperatures and launched the Challenger anyways. After 73 seconds of takeoff, The US orbiter Challenger broke up into flaming smoke and took the lives of seven astronauts aboard.anyways. This incident took the NASA program into turmoil -
George H.W Bush
George H.W Bush was sworn into office as the 41st president of the US on January 20, 1989. Bush campaign promised for a kinder nation and emphasize the need to deal with the federal budget deficit. He served for two terms and launched military operations against Panama and Iraq during his presidency. -
Persian Gulf War
On August 2nd, 1990, Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein ordered for the invasion of Kuwait. Thus, the Arab powers called the US and other Western nations to intervene. A war was waged led by the US against Iraq in response to the invasion of Kuwait -
Rodney King Incident
Rodney King was involved in an incident that took place in Los Angeles when the police caught him after a high speed chase. King was brutally beaten up by the policemen and a bystander named George Holliday happened to get it all on tape. After viewing the footage of LAPD officers harassment and witnesses, watching without taking action, the black community was outraged by the brutality and social inequalities. After 3 months of trial, the officers were acquitted. -
Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton served as the 42nd president of the United States from1993 to 2001. He was impeached for perjury and obstruction of justice from the Lewinsky scandal. He was a democrat and was the first baby boomer generation president. -
World Trade Center Attack 1993
On February 26, 1993, a small group of terrorist exploded approximately 1,200 pounds of bombs in a rental van in the World Trade Center's underground parking garage. The explosion killed 6 people and injured over 1,000 civilians. The attack was planned and directed by Ramzi Yousef who was sentenced to life in prison plus 240 years. -
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is an American talk show host, actress, producers, and philanthropist. She created the well- known talk show that focuses on daily issues and trends. Winfrey was born into poverty and is now the richest women in the world. In 2008, Winfrey showed her support for President Obama. -
Don't Ask, Don't Tell
The Don't Ask, Don't tell is the US policy on military service by gays, lesbians, and bisexuals members. The law prohibited qualified gay Americans from serving in the army and sent a message that discrimination was okay. However, on September 20, 2011, the DADT was repealed. -
North American Free Trade Agreement
The NAFTA created the world's largest free trade zones by eliminating trade barriers. It was signed by the U.S, Canada, and Mexico, and allowed them to trade more easily, reduce tariffs, and create a common market. The NAFTA laid the foundation for economic growth and prosperity of North America. -
Lewinsky Affair
Bill Clinton was engaged in a sexual affair with 22-year-old Monica Lewinsky. After the scandal surfaced, Bill forced her to lie about their relationship and denies the relationship under oath. However, on August 17, he admitted to having an intimate contact with Lewinsky on TV. The Starr report began impeachment inquiries of the President for perjury, obstruction of justice, witness tampering, and abuse of atuhoirty. -
Defense of Marriage Act
The Defense of Marriage Act defined marriage as a unity between only one man and one woman. It allowed states to refuse the recognition of same sex couples who are legally married under their state. DOMA was ruled constitutional by the US supreme court -
9/11 Attacks
The 9/11 attack involved 19 Islamic extremist militants of al-Qaeda who hijacked 4 planes and planned suicide attacks at the World Trade Center in NYC, Pentagon, and a field in Pennsylvania. The attack caused over 3,000 deaths including civilians, officers, firefighters, and everyone on board. Founder of al Qaeda Osama Bin Laden was the terrorist who is responsible for this tragedy that changed American lives forever. -
War On Terror
As a response to the attacks of 9/11, President George W. Bush launched a global crusade to root out anti-western and anti-American Islamist terrorist. He basically declared "either you are with us or you are with the terorist." A wave of patriotism wiped across the country and "Unitd We Stand" became the motto for who sought to rebuild America from the destruction of the towers. -
Patriot Act
The USA Patriot act stood for "Uniting and Strengthening American by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act." The legislation was sign into law by President George W. Bush. The act permitted government authorities to eavesdrop confidential conversations between prison inmates and their lawyers and allowed suspected terrorists be tried in secret courts. The Patriot act was sparked by the War on Terror and aimed to improve counter Terrorism force. -
No Child Left Behind Education Act
The No Child Left Behind was signed into law by President George W. Bush. The act aimed to close the achievement gap between poor and minority students and their more advantaged peers. It was the reauthorization o the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The act held schools responsible for the students academic progress -
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf coast of the US and sustaind winds of 100-140 miles per hour. The raging storm surge overwhelmed cities levees and drainage canals, leaving 80% of the city under an amount water. The damage that the Hurricane was catastrophic as thousands of famiies lost their homes. Hurrican Katrina approximately caused more than $100 billion worth of damage and reparation. -
The Great Recession
The Great Recession was known as a huge economic downturn of the economy triggered by the collapse of the housing market and financial institutions holding unpaid mortgages. As a result, 9 million Americans lost their jobs -
Housing Bubble
Housing Bubble was the rapid increase of house values followed by a sharp decline in their value. It left a huge impact on mortgage markets, home builders, real estates, etc. -
Barack Obama
The Election of 2008 was between Democratic Party Barack Obama and Republican Party John McCain. Obama won with 365 electoral votes to McCain's 173 votes. He served as the 44th president and was the first African American to ever serve the United States. He signed many landmark bills but his main reforms were the Obamacare. Obama won the reelection against Mitt Romney and was sworn in for a second term in 2013. He served the US for 8 years and recently ended his term. -
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was signed by President Obama. The act was a response to the economic crisis of US and aimed to save existing jobs while creating new ones as quickly as possible. It was created to provide temporary relief programs to the people that were affected by the recession. -
Affordable Care Act (ACA) "Obamacare"
The Affordable Care Act was enacted and signed by President Obama on Marsh 23, 2010. It aimed to make health insurance more affordable and accessible for everyone regardless of income. It was largely criticized by Republicans
