Social studies final review

Question 1

What is a scapegoat?

Answer 1

Someone blamed for problems they didn’t cause.

Often used in social and political contexts to divert blame.

Question 2

Define appeasement in a historical context.

Answer 2

Giving in to avoid conflict (used with Hitler before WWII).

This policy is often criticized for enabling further aggression.

Question 3

What does blitzkrieg mean?

Answer 3

Fast, surprise military attacks (‘lightning war’).

A tactic used effectively by Germany in WWII.

Question 4

What are rations?

Answer 4

Limited food and supplies during war.

Essential for managing resources in wartime.

Question 5

What was the War Production Board?

Answer 5

U.S. group that made sure factories made war materials in WWII.

Played a crucial role in mobilizing the economy for war.

Question 6

What were concentration camps?

Answer 6

Nazi prisons for Jews and others during the Holocaust.

Sites of mass atrocities and human rights violations.

Question 7

What were the Nuremberg Trials?

Answer 7

Trials that punished Nazi leaders after WWII.

Established precedents for international law and war crimes.

Question 8

What is the Cold War?

Answer 8

Tension (not fighting) between the U.S. and Soviet Union after WWII.

Characterized by political and military rivalry.

Question 9

Define satellite nation.

Answer 9

A country controlled by the Soviet Union.

These nations were often in Eastern Europe during the Cold War.

Question 10

What does the term Iron Curtain refer to?

Answer 10

Invisible divide between communist East and democratic West Europe.

Symbolized the ideological conflict of the Cold War.

Question 11

What was the Truman Doctrine?

Answer 11

U.S. plan to help countries fight communism.

A significant element of U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War.

Question 12

What was the Marshall Plan?

Answer 12

U.S. gave money to help Europe rebuild after WWII.

Aimed to prevent the spread of communism by stabilizing economies.

Question 13

What was the Berlin Airlift?

Answer 13

U.S. flew supplies into West Berlin after a Soviet blockade.

A major event demonstrating U.S. commitment to containing communism.

Question 14

Define the Warsaw Pact.

Answer 14

Military alliance of Soviet and Eastern European countries.

Formed in response to NATO.

Question 15

What is NATO?

Answer 15

U.S.-led military alliance of Western countries.

Established to counter Soviet military power.

Question 16

What is the purpose of the United Nations?

Answer 16

World group formed to keep peace after WWII.

Aims to promote international cooperation and prevent conflict.

Question 17

What does DMZ stand for?

Answer 17

Demilitarized Zone.

An area with no military presence, such as between North and South Korea.

Question 18

What is McCarthyism?

Answer 18

Accusing people of being communists without proof.

Associated with Senator Joseph McCarthy’s anti-communist pursuits.

Question 19

What does censure mean?

Answer 19

A strong formal disapproval.

Often used in political contexts to reprimand officials.

Question 20

Define civil disobedience.

Answer 20

Peaceful protest against unfair laws.

A key strategy in the Civil Rights Movement.

Question 21

What is affirmative action?

Answer 21

Programs to help minorities get jobs and education.

Aimed at addressing historical inequalities.

Question 22

What are exiles?

Answer 22

People forced to leave their home country.

Often due to political persecution or conflict.

Question 23

Define guerillas.

Answer 23

Small groups that fight using surprise attacks.

Commonly employed in asymmetric warfare.

Question 24

What was the Civil Rights Movement?

Answer 24

Fight for equal rights for African Americans.

A significant social movement in the 1950s and 1960s.

Question 25

Why did the United States enter World War II?

Answer 25

Because Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. ## Footnote This event marked a turning point in U.S. foreign policy.

Question 26

What was the D-Day Invasion?

Answer 26

On June 6, 1944, Allied forces landed in Normandy, France to free Europe from Nazi control. ## Footnote A critical operation in the liberation of Western Europe.

Question 27

What was the Lend-Lease Act?

Answer 27

A law letting the U.S. send weapons to countries fighting the Axis powers before the U.S. joined WWII. ## Footnote Helped bolster the Allies prior to direct U.S. involvement.

Question 28

Where was the first detonation of a nuclear bomb?

Answer 28

Hiroshima, Japan (Aug. 6, 1945). Second was Nagasaki (Aug. 9, 1945). ## Footnote These bombings led to Japan's surrender and the end of WWII.

Question 29

Who was Fidel Castro?

Answer 29

Communist leader of Cuba after 1959. ## Footnote His regime was a focal point of U.S.-Cuban relations during the Cold War.

Question 30

What was the Montgomery Bus Boycott?

Answer 30

African Americans stopped riding buses in Montgomery, Alabama, to protest segregation (1955-1956), led by Martin Luther King Jr. ## Footnote A pivotal event in the Civil Rights Movement.

Question 31

What did the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution do?

Answer 31

Gave President Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) power to use force in Vietnam without a formal declaration of war. ## Footnote Marked the escalation of U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

Question 32

What was the result of the Vietnam War?

Answer 32

The U.S. withdrew, and North Vietnam won. Vietnam became a united communist country. ## Footnote Significant impact on U.S. foreign policy and military strategy.

Question 33

What was the impact of the Bay of Pigs Invasion?

Answer 33

A failed U.S.-backed invasion of Cuba in 1961; embarrassed the U.S. and strengthened Castro. ## Footnote Highlighted the challenges of U.S. foreign intervention.

Question 34

What was the Cuban Missile Crisis?

Answer 34

In 1962, the U.S. discovered Soviet missiles in Cuba. After a tense standoff, the Soviets removed them. ## Footnote Brought the world close to nuclear war.

Question 35

Who was LBJ (Lyndon B. Johnson)?

Answer 35

U.S. President who passed civil rights laws and escalated the Vietnam War. ## Footnote His presidency was marked by significant social legislation.

Question 36

What were the chief nations of the Allied Powers?

Answer 36

U.S., Britain, Soviet Union, France. ## Footnote These nations worked together to defeat the Axis Powers in WWII.

Question 37

What were the chief nations of the Axis Powers?

Answer 37

Germany, Italy, Japan. ## Footnote These nations fought against the Allies in WWII.

Question 38

Why did Congress enact the Neutrality Acts?

Answer 38

To keep the U.S. out of foreign wars in the 1930s. ## Footnote A reflection of isolationist sentiment before WWII.

Question 39

What was Truman's policy of containment?

Answer 39

Stopping the spread of communism around the world. ## Footnote A cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War.

Question 40

What is the significance of the 38th parallel in Korea?

Answer 40

Divided North Korea (communist) and South Korea (democratic); still the border today. ## Footnote A lasting legacy of the Korean War.

Question 41

What was the purpose of the United Nations?

Answer 41

To promote world peace, cooperation, and human rights. ## Footnote Established after WWII to prevent further global conflicts.

Question 42

What was the Battle of Midway and its importance?

Answer 42

1942 battle where the U.S. defeated Japan; it turned the tide in the Pacific in WWII. ## Footnote A significant strategic victory for the Allies.

Question 43

What is the domino theory in U.S. foreign policy?

Answer 43

Belief that if one country became communist, others nearby would too. ## Footnote Influenced U.S. intervention in Vietnam and elsewhere.

Question 44

What was the result of the Korean War?

Answer 44

Ended in a stalemate; Korea remained divided at the 38th parallel. ## Footnote A significant conflict of the Cold War era.

Question 45

What was the impact of the Civil Rights Act of 1964?

Answer 45

Banned segregation and discrimination in jobs, schools, and public places. ## Footnote A landmark achievement in the Civil Rights Movement.

Question 46

What was the impact of the Tet Offensive?

Answer 46

Surprise attack by North Vietnam in 1968 that made Americans doubt the war could be won. ## Footnote A turning point in public opinion about the Vietnam War.

Question 47

What was the Counterculture Movement?

Answer 47

A youth movement in the 1960s that rejected traditional values and protested war, racism, and inequality. ## Footnote Characterized by its embrace of alternative lifestyles.

Question 48

How did the first televised debate affect the 1960 election?

Answer 48

Helped John F. Kennedy win; he looked confident on TV, while Nixon looked nervous. ## Footnote A pivotal moment in political campaigning.