Cold War Peaceful Co-Existence and Decade of Change.
Concept
GI Bill
U.S. gives veterans money to obtain an education and jobs
Communism
Economic system. Founded by Karl Marx – also called Marxism. All property is held in common by the People – shared. No God, only the state.
NATO
North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Alliance of western capitalist democracies, including US and Great Britain.
Warsaw Pact
Alliance of Eastern communist dictatorships, including USSR and East Germany.
Iron Curtain
The division down the center of Europe between capitalist and communist nations.
The Truman Doctrine
US will use force to contain expansion of communism.
Domino Theory
If one country falls to communism, nearby countries will soon fall to communism.
The Berlin Airlift.
Soviet Union closes off Berlin. U.S. responds by flying food into capitalist sector of Berlin.
Truman's Civil Rights Commission (1948)
Desegregates the military.
Taft-Hartley Act (1947).
Republicans control Congress and decrease power of Unions. No more closed shops. No more sympathy strikes. Right to work laws (allowing workers NOT to join a union and get a job).
Brown v. Board of Education (1954).
Separate but equal unlawful in public schools.
Montgomery Bus Boycott (1954-55).
Rosa Parks arrested for refusing to move to back of bus. African-Americans boycott buses. MLK organizes a bus boycott. Supreme Court outlaws segregation on buses.
Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.
Black civil rights leader who favored non-violent resistance to racism. Assassinated.
Little Rock (1957)
U. S. army forces integration of public school
The Red Scare/McCarthyism
U. S. Senator Joseph McCarthy leads a domestic witch hunt for communists (Reds). Communists were called traitors and fired. Results: American people fear Communist enemy and support the partnership between government and business.
The Korean War (1950-53).
Korea split into North (communist) and South (capitalist). Civil war, backed by superpowers (US vs. Communist China). US fights a 'limited war' to contain expansion of communism (No nuclear weapons, only $, military advisors, and a few troops. Result: stalemate; Korea remains split today.
The Alliance for Progress (1961).
Pres. Kennedy gives $$ to capitalist governments in Latin America.
The Bay of Pigs (1962).
U.S.-backed overthrow of Castro fails.
The Cuban Missile Crisis (1963).
U.S. discovers USSR nuclear missiles in Cuba and threatens war if not removed. USSR backs down.
Sputnik
Soviet Union sends satellite into space, starting 'the Race for Space.'
The Vietnam War
Like Korea, Vietnam splits into North (Communist) and South(capitalist). US backs south, kills many civilians, and leaves in defeat and disgrace.
Malcolm X
Black civil rights leader. Rejected integration and non-violence. Favored improving conditions for blacks "By any means necessary." Assassinated.
MLK Letter from Birmingham Jail (1963).
Explains his program of non-violence resistance to segregation.
March on Washington (1963)
To pressure Congress to pass a civil rights bill.
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Forbids racial discrimination regarding the use of federal funds in public facilities.
Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Forbids racial discrimination in voting.
The Great Society
Name for LBJ’s domestic program. Guns and Butter. Guns = Increased military spending to retaliate against USSR. Butter = Welfare (AFDC), Medicare (medical care for old people), and Medicaid (medical care for the poor).
Unit 15. Contemporary Times.
Description
War Powers Act
Congress believed President L. Johnson exceeded his powers by sending troops to Vietnam. So the War Powers Act states: the President must inform Congress within 48 hours of reasons for sending troops to a foreign country; and the President MUST withdraw troops within 60 days in Congress does NOT approve the action.
Watergate
President Nixon authorized break-in to democratic headquarters during 1972 election. He refused to hand over tapes of his conversations in the Oval Office to Congress, citing Executive Privilege (protects working papers, discussions, and internal memoranda within the Executive branch are private). Result: In U.S. v. Nixon, the Supreme Court decides that Executive Privilege does NOT extend to covering up crimes. President Nixon resigned, rather than face impeachment; and was pardoned by Pres. Ford.
Roe v. Wade (1973)
Facts. Texas woman sought an abortion. Arguments: Pro-Choice. A fetus is NOT a child. A woman may obtain an abortion based on her right to privacy. Pro-Life. A fetus IS a child. A woman may NOT obtain an abortion based on the state’s obligation to protect life. Decision: Trimester System -- a woman may obtain an abortion in the first three months of pregnancy. The state may impose minor restrictions in the second three months, and greater restrictions in the final three months. Today: a women may obtain an abortion BEFORE the fetus is viable, or in the case of rape or incest or threat to the life of the mother (Casey).
Camp David Peace Accords
Problem: Arabs and Israelis at war ever since the creation of Israel (1948) and the displacement of Palestinians. Wars made things worse (ex. 1967 War, Yom Kippur War). Breakthrough: Sadat of Egypt flew to Israel and recognized the state of Israel in return for Israeli withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula (1978). Results: Sadat killed (1981); and Arab/Israeli Conflict continues.
Affirmative Action
Background: white males have discriminated against minorities. Result: preferences to African-Americans, women, and other minorities, for jobs and educational opportunities. Quotas outlawed (Bakke). Today: many states eliminating the program as racist and sexist.
New Federalism
Definition of Federalism: a union of states under a central government, with each having rights. New Federalism seeks to reverse the New Deal and The Great Society. Why: Because the people, not the federal government, are better able to take care of their needs. Results: Responsibility for domestic social programs transferred from federal government to the states; and Democrats limited the program, so the government borrowed and spent, creating a huge deficit.
Supply-side Economics
Theory: Lower taxes and less government spending increases profits, which will trickle down to everyone. RR: "Government is not the solution to the problem; government is the problem." Practice: Lower taxes, increased spending, increased borrowing. Result: The rich got richer than ever; spending continued, especially on defense; and the national debt went through the ceiling. Legacy: Stock market crash of 1987, failure of banking system, corporate downsizing, welfare rollback.
The Fall of European Communism
USSR loses power for two reasons: U.S. builds arms and USSR cannot keep up; and satellite Communist governments collapse (Poland, Czech., Yugo., Rumania, East Germany).
Gorbachev
Leader of USSR who introduces democratic reforms.
Perestroika
Economic restructuring, adopting some capitalist practices.
Glasnost
Political freedom.
The Unification of Germany
After the fall of communism, East Germany (communist) and West Germany (capitalist), formerly split by the Berlin Wall, knock down the Wall and reunite.
Gulf War
Saddam Hussein, built up by the U.S., invaded its neighbor, Kuwait. Purpose: Iraq sought greater oil reserves. U.S. Pres. Bush said Iraq sought to control the entire Mideast oil supply. Results: Operation Desert Storm (100 hour war. U.S. + UN forces. Kuwait freed. Iraq defeated. Hussein retained power. Kurds massacred). Today: sanctions, no-fly zone, and chemical weapons inspectors.
Health Care Reform
Reasons: High cost of health care; and many people have NO health care. Clinton Proposal: National Health Care – everyone pays in, and everyone is covered. Result: Conservative Congress rejected idea, and proposed HMO (Health Maintenance Organizations that contract for medical services at lower fees and prices.
Immigration
Law: Immigration Act of 1990 increases immigration to U.S. Previous limits were unrealistically low. Result: Today’s immigrants are largely Asian or Hispanic. Nativists object to the presence of foreigners. Arguments: Pro: immigrants are a source of cheap labor; the U.S. is a nation of immigrants. Con: immigrants take American jobs, or are a financial burden to the state (welfare and education costs). Result: Proposition 187 (1994). State services to illegal immigrants severely limited.
The Contract with America
A 1994 election promise by Conservative Republicans (Newt Gingrich). Features: End Welfare; Balance the Budget; and Term limits. Results: Welfare reformed; Budget balanced; and Term limits declared unconstitutional.
Welfare Reform
Background: Great Society Programs establish “War on Poverty.” Actions: Conservative Republicans in Congress declare welfare immoral; and Congress transfers responsibility for aid to poor from the federal government to the states. Result: Most states limit welfare to five years – Ending Welfare as we know it.
Bosnia
After the fall of European communism, ethnic groups attack one another, due to the absence of a strong force to keep them in check.
Balancing the Budget
First significant deficit: Kennedy reduces taxes to stimulate economic growth (1960’s). Vietnam War and Great Society programs increased budget deficits (1960’s). Defense spending continues budget deficits (1970’s). Supply-side economics produces largest budget deficits (1980’s). Huge cuts in government balance budget (1990’s).
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