Cold War and Civil Rights Flashcards
(10 cards)
What is Containment?
U.S. policy to stop the spread of communism by providing political, military, and economic support to countries resisting Soviet influence.
What was the Truman Doctrine?
1947 policy promising U.S. aid to countries threatened by communism, especially Greece and Turkey, marking the start of containment.
What was the significance of Brown v. Board of Education (1954)?
Supreme Court case that declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional, overturning ‘separate but equal.’
What was the Cuban Missile Crisis?
1962 confrontation between the U.S. and USSR over Soviet missiles in Cuba; closest the Cold War came to nuclear war.
What is the Civil Rights Act of 1964?
Landmark law outlawing discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in public places and employment.
What was the Montgomery Bus Boycott?
1955-56 protest sparked by Rosa Parks’ arrest; African Americans refused to ride buses in Montgomery to fight segregation.
What is NATO (North Atlantic
Treaty Organization)?
Military alliance formed in 1949 between the U.S., Canada, and Western European nations to counter Soviet aggression.
What is the Voting Rights Act of 1965?
Law that banned literacy tests and other barriers preventing African Americans from voting.
What is the Domino Theory?
Belief that if one country fell to communism, neighboring countries would follow, used to justify U.S. involvement in Vietnam.
Who was Martin Luther King Jr.?
Civil rights leader who advocated nonviolent protest and delivered the famous ‘I Have a Dream’ speech during the 1963 March on Washington.
