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US History: 2024-2025 > The Modern Era > Flashcards

The Modern Era Flashcards

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1
Q

What factors influenced the outcome of the 1968 Election?

A
  1. Assassination of Democratic candidate Robert Kennedy in June 1968.
  2. Riots at the Democratic National Convention in August 1968.
  3. American frustration over the ongoing war in Vietnam- prompting LBJ to not run for reelection.
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2
Q

What domestic achievements did President Nixon have before Watergate?

A
  • Creation of the EPA and celebration of first Earth Day.
  • Passage of Title IX.
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3
Q

What is the EPA?

A
  • The Environmental Protection Agency.
  • Government agency that oversees policies regarding threats to the environment (ex. pollution).
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4
Q

What is Title IX?

A
  • Addition to the Civil Rights Act that ensure that government funded schools and universities will not discriminate based on gender.
  • Created provisions for increased classroom and extracurricular activities for female students.
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5
Q

How did President Nixon’s foreign policy impact the Cold War?

A
  • Nixon promoted “detente”, encouraging eased relations with the communist world.
  • He made trips to China and the Soviet Union greatly improving the relationship of the US with those countries.
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6
Q

What is the SALT I Treaty?

A
  • Strategic Arms Limitation agreement between the US and Soviet Union.
  • Example of detente.
  • Created to help improve relations between the US and communist world.
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7
Q

How did US involvement in Vietnam change under Nixon?

A
  • Nixon promoted Vietnamization- which started to decrease US troop numbers in Vietnam.
  • Nixon approved American ground troops in Cambodia- which prompted unrest on college campuses.
  • Nixon promoted peace talks with North Vietnam.
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8
Q

What is Vietnamization?

A

Decreasing American involvement in Vietnam. Increasing responsibility of the war to South Vietnam.

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9
Q

What were the Paris Peace Accords?

A
  • The peace agreement between the US and North Vietnam- ending American military involvement in the Vietnam War.
  • Marked the first official defeat for the US military.
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10
Q

What is Vietnam Syndrome?

A

Frustration towards American military involvement in foreign conflicts that increased after the US defeat in Vietnam.

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11
Q

What happened during the Watergate Scandal?

A
  • During the 1972 Election year a group of burglars broke into Democratic Party offices after being paid by Nixon supporters.
  • The group was arrested and an investigation started- prompting President Nixon to become involved in a cover-up with involved attempting to block the investigation and paying hush money to those involved.
  • After he was reelected, The Washington Post. releases evidence exposing Nixon’s role in the cover-up.
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12
Q

Who was the Committee to Reelect the President?

A
  • CREEP
  • The group of Nixon supporters that helped organize the break-in at Democratic Party offices at the Watergate complex.
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13
Q

How did the Watergate Scandal impact Nixon’s presidency?

A
  • After investigators realized that Nixon did not help plan the break-in but DID help cover-up the connection to his campaign, he was facing criminal charges and impeachment.
  • To avoid being removed from office, Nixon became the first (and only) President to resign the office in August 1974.
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14
Q

Why did President Ford decide to pardon Nixon?

A
  • Ford thought it would help America move on from the Watergate scandal and focus on other important issues.
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15
Q

How did Americans feel about the government after Watergate and Vietnam?

A
  • There was extreme distrust and frustration toward politicians and the policies of the American government.
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16
Q

What challenges faced the US economy during the 1970s?

A
  • High unemployment.
  • High inflation.
  • Gas shortages/Energy Crisis.
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17
Q

What is stagflation?

A

Economic trend during the 1970s; involving high inflation, a stagnant (slow) economy, and high unemployment.

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18
Q

What factors helped President Carter win in 1976?

A
  • He was a simple, kind, honest, and religious man.
  • Anger at the Republican Party after the drama of Watergate and the pardon.
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19
Q

What was the importance of the Iranian Hostage Crisis?

A
  • After a 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, Carter attempted to support their ousted leader prompting protests in the capital.
  • Dozens of Americans were taken hostage during these protests and held for over a year.
  • Carter’s inability to get the hostages free before the 1980 election influenced his defeat.
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20
Q

Why and how did the US intervene in the Soviet Afghan War?

A
  • Why? the US wanted to prevent the Soviets from strengthening Communism in Afghanistan
  • How’s? The US sent money and weapons to the fighters facing the Soviets; the US adopted economic sanctions against the Soviets; the US boycotted the 1980 Summer Olympics.
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21
Q

Who was the Mujahideen?

A
  • Group of Islamic freedom fighters who fought against the Soviets during the Soviet Afghan War from 1979 to 1989.
  • The US supported them.
  • A young Osama bin Laden was a member of this group.
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22
Q

What factors influenced the Election of 1980?

A
  • Struggling economy
  • Ongoing Iranian Hostage Crisis
  • Belief that Jimmy Carter was a weak leader
  • Reagan’s strong public speaking skills as a former actor.
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23
Q

What changes did President Reagan want to adopt to address challenges within the economy?

A
  • Large tax cuts for the wealthy.
  • Decrease the influence of labor unions.
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24
Q

What is Reaganomics?

A
  • Reagan’s plan to address ongoing challenges in the American economy
  • Focused on large tax cuts for the rich– to encourage increased spending .
25
Q

What changes did President Reagan want to adopt in the American military spending?

A
  • Reagan wanted to significantly increase American military spending, to demonstrate our superiority over the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
26
Q

What was the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI)?

A
  • Reagan Era military idea that proposed creating a space-based nuclear missile defense system.
  • The extremely expensive program was ridiculed by Reagan’s critics- and nicknamed the “Star Wars” program.
27
Q

What controversy surrounded the Iran Contra Scandal during the Reagan Administration?

A

*During the Iran-Iraq War, the US was giving weapons to Iraq and selling weapons to Iran.
* The US funneled money from the weapon sales with Iran to illegally support the terrorists (the Contras) in Nicaragua.

28
Q

How did the relationship between the US and Soviet Union change during Reagan’s presidency?

A
  • At first Reagan was incredibly hateful toward the Soviet Union, calling them the “Evil Empire”– and significantly increased US military spending, making things very tense.
  • However, after Gorbachev came to power in the Soviet Union, the relationship greatly improved between the countries.
29
Q

Who is Mikhail Gorbachev?

A
  • Soviet leader that came to power in 1985.
  • Promoted reforms in the Soviet Union that made the government more open and honest; while decreasing its communist principles of control over the economy.
  • His reforms helped lead to the end of the Cold War.
30
Q

What factors led to the end of the Cold War?

A
  • Economic challenges and food shortages in many communist countries as military spending went up.
  • Protests against communist governments throughout Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union resulted in many peaceful revolutions.
  • Attitude of reform encouraged by younger leaders in communist countries (like Gorbachev).
31
Q

What was the significance of the destruction of the Berlin Wall in 1989?

A
  • It helped lead to the peaceful decline of the communist government in East Germany; and the reunification of West and East Germany.
  • Widely televised it encouraged peaceful protests in many other communist nations– and symbolized the beginning of the end for the Cold War.
32
Q

What caused the collapse of the Soviet Union between 1990-1991?

A
  • Several portions of the Soviet Union that were once independent (like Ukraine) declared their independence from the Soviet Union.
  • Once these portions had all moved to be independent, the Soviet government was dissolved- and Russia was reestablished alongside its new independent neighbors.
33
Q

How did the political map change after the end of the Cold War?

A
  • Communism disappeared from Eastern Europe.
  • Germany reunified.
  • Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia broke up into multiple countries.
  • Only 5 communist nations survived (such as China, Cuba, and North Korea).
34
Q

What factors helped allow for the growth of modern technology during the 1980s?

A
  • Emergence of new innovators like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates; with companies like Apple and Microsoft.
  • Access to smaller and more affordable microchips.
  • Efforts to make computers and other new technologies more user friendly.
35
Q

How did the emergence of modern technology during the 1980s impact American society?

A
  • Increased ownership of computers.
  • Continued development of new ideas like cell phones and the internet into the 1990s.
  • Made life at home, school, and work easier.
36
Q

How did American foreign policy change following the end of the Cold War?

A
  • The US became involved in humanitarian and peacekeeping operations (ex. Bosnian Civil War, genocide in Kosovo, Somali Civil War).
  • Increased attention to conflicts in the Middle East. (ex. Persian Gulf War).
  • 25% decrease in military spending
37
Q

What caused the US to enter the Persian Gulf War?

A
  • Iraq invaded neighboring Kuwait, an American ally through the oil trade.
  • The US wanted to protect American oil interests in the region; especially in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
38
Q

What was Operation Desert Storm?

A
  • The American military operation during the Persian Gulf War.
  • Aimed to force Iraq out of Kuwait after their 1990 invasion.
39
Q

Who was Saddam Hussein?

A
  • Leader of Iraq that ordered the invasion of Kuwait in 1990. (George HW Bush era)
  • Overthrown by the US military in 2003. (George W Bush era)
40
Q

What was the outcome and impact of the Persian Gulf War?

A

*Outcome: The Persian Gulf War resulted in a US victory- forcing Iraq out of Kuwait- but leaving Hussein in power.
* Impact: George HW Bush had 90% approval rating after this victory; Iraq detonated explosives in Kuwaiti oil wells causing a MASSIVE oil spill in the Persian Gulf.

41
Q

What caused the Waco Siege?

A
  • The FBI and ATF received reports that residents of the Branch Davidian compound near Waco, TX were stockpiling military grade weapons and committing child abuse.
  • When government officials arrived at the compound a shootout erupted leading to a 51-day standoff; which eventually ended with a fire that killed dozens of Branch Davidian (including many children).
42
Q

What was the effect of the Waco Siege?

A
  • Many antigovernment extremists believed that the federal government was too aggressive at Waco- and caused many innocent deaths.
  • Afterward these people want revenge against the government.
43
Q

Why and how did the threat of domestic terrorism increase during the 1990s?

A
  • Why: Many antigovernment extremists wanted to get revenge on the government after incidents like the Waco Siege.
  • How: In 1995, two American citizens (Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols) planned and executed a bombing at a Federal Building in Oklahoma City– the deadliest domestic terrorist attack in US history.
44
Q

How did American policy decisions during earlier decades impact the growth of global terrorism near the start of the 21st century?

A
  • the US government’s support of Israel in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinean conflict- angered many in the Middle East.
  • Ongoing US involvement in the Middle Eastern oil business was viewed as American imperialism.
  • US involvement and behavior during the Persian Gulf War, Iran-Iraq War, and Soviet Again War was also viewed as unnecessary involvement in the region by some people in the Middle East.
45
Q

What is Al Qaeda?

A
  • Islamic fundamentalist terrorist organization formed in 1988.
  • Responsible for multiple terrorist attacks against the US– including the 9/11 Attacks.
46
Q

Who was Osama Bin Laden?

A
  • Saudi born leader of the Al Qaeda terrorist organization.
  • Connected to multiple terrorist attacks against the US before he was located and killed by the US military in 2011.
47
Q

What key events demonstrate the growing threat of global terrorism near the start of the 21st century?

A
  • 1993: Al Qaeda bombed the World Trade Center.
  • 1998: Al Qaeda bombed two US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.
  • 2000: Al Qaeda bombed the USS Cole off the coast of Yemen.
48
Q

How were Al Qaeda and the Taliban connected before 9/11?

A
  • After being kicked out of Saudi Arabia and Sudan- Bin Laden relocated to Afghanistan just as the Taliban government took control of the country.
  • The Taliban government helped fund Al Qaeda training centers while Bin Laden planned the September 11th Attacks.
49
Q

How did the September 11th Attacks physically impact the US?

A
  • Deadliest terrorist attack in world history; killing nearly 4,000 people; including many airplane passengers, flight crews, business and government employees, and first responders.
  • Billions of dollars of damages in NYC and DC; after the WTC and Pentagon attacks.
50
Q

How did the September 11th Attacks emotionally impact the US?

A
  • The 9/11 attacks unfolded on live television- spreading widespread trauma.
  • While some Americans were upset that more wasn’t done to prevent the attack, American patriotism soared after the attack.
51
Q

What was Flight 93?

A
  • One of the four airplanes hijacked on September 11, 2001.
  • After hearing from family members about the attacks, passengers fought back against their hijackers- ultimately leading to the plane crashing in a rural area near Pittsburgh.
  • All passengers were killed- however, the plane did not hit its likely target in DC- saving many lives.
52
Q

How did the US government change after the 9/11 Attacks?

A
  • Airport security was enhanced with the creation of TSA.
  • The Department of Homeland Security was formed.
  • The USA PATRIOT Act. was passed.
53
Q

What is the Department of Homeland Security?

A
  • US cabinet department created to house the CIA, FBI, NSA, TSA, and immigrations services after 9/11.
  • Created to improve communication and collaboration among these agencies.
54
Q

What is the USA PATRIOT Act?

A
  • Policy passed after 9/11 to enhance the government’s ability to maintain surveillance of its citizens (especially their digital devices) to protect national security.
  • Faced many criticisms over infringing upon citizen privacy.
55
Q

Why did the US invade Afghanistan and Iraq starting in 2001 and 2003?

A
  • Afghanistan: The US wanted to topple the Taliban government that funded Osama Bin Laden before the 9/11 attacks.
  • Iraq: The Bush Administration believe Iraq posed a future threat based on rumors they had WMDs (weapons of mass destruction).
56
Q

What was Operation Enduring Freedom?

A
  • The initial US military operation in Afghanistan that started weeks after 9/11.
  • Focused on trying to topple the Taliban government and search for Osama Bin Laden.
57
Q

What is the “Axis of Evil”?

A

Phrase used by President George W. Bush after 9/11 to refer to countries he believed posed the greatest danger to the US in the future: Iran, Iraq, and North Korea.

58
Q

What important challenges has the US faced in the modern era?

A
  • Instability in Afghanistan and Iraq following long periods of war in those countries; the Taliban returned to power.
  • The emergence of new terrorist threats- like ISIS.
  • Supporting Ukraine during its ongoing war with Russia.
  • Concerns about future military or economic threats from communist nations- such as North Korea and China. (ex. Congressional ban on Tik Tok over security concerns).
  • US financial aid in ongoing Israeli Palestinian conflict has caused protests in the US and resulted in reports of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia in the US.

US History: 2024-2025 (10 decks)

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