US history Flashcards
(128 cards)
1
Q
Operation Torch
A
Allied invasion of North Africa in 1942 to gain control over Axis forces.
2
Q
Operation Overlord
A
Code name for the Allied invasion of Normandy (D-Day) on June 6
3
Q
Battle of Britain
A
Air battle between Germany and Britain in 1940; first major defeat of Hitler’s forces.
4
Q
Battle of the Bulge
A
Last major German offensive in WWII
5
Q
Pearl Harbor
A
Japanese attack on U.S. naval base on Dec 7 1941; led to U.S. entry into WWII.
6
Q
Battle of Midway
A
Turning point in the Pacific; U.S. naval victory over Japan in 1942.
7
Q
Battle of the Coral Sea
A
Naval battle that stopped Japanese advance toward Australia in 1942.
8
Q
Battle of Iwo Jima
A
Fierce Pacific battle where U.S. captured a strategic island from Japan in 1945.
9
Q
Women in the military
A
Took on roles such as nurses
10
Q
Rosie the Riveter
A
Symbol of women working in factories during WWII.
11
Q
Allied invasion of Germany
A
Began in 1945 as Allies pushed from the west and Soviets from the east.
12
Q
Tuskegee Airmen
A
First African American fighter pilots in WWII; broke racial barriers.
13
Q
Manhattan Project
A
Secret U.S. project to develop atomic bombs.
14
Q
Navajo Code Talkers
A
Used their language to create an unbreakable code in the Pacific theater.
15
Q
Truman (why drop the bomb)
A
Believed it would quickly end war and save lives.
16
Q
Island Hopping
A
U.S. strategy of capturing key Pacific islands on the way to Japan.
17
Q
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
A
Cities targeted with atomic bombs in August 1945 ending WWII.
18
Q
➡️ Cities targeted with atomic bombs in August 1945
A
ending WWII.
19
Q
Executive Order 9066
A
Authorized internment of Japanese Americans during WWII.
20
Q
A
21
Q
What is the Red Scare?
A
Fear of communism spreading in the U.S., especially after WWII.
22
Q
What was the rivalry between the U.S. and U.S.S.R. during the Cold War?
A
Cold War superpower rivalry: capitalism vs. communism.
23
Q
What was the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)?
A
Investigated suspected communists, especially in Hollywood.
24
Q
Who was Joseph McCarthy and what is McCarthyism?
A
Senator who accused many of communism without evidence; led to paranoia.
25
What happened to Ethel and Julius Rosenberg?
Executed for allegedly passing atomic secrets to the Soviets.
26
What are fallout shelters?
Built by Americans fearing nuclear attacks.
27
What was the National Highway Act?
Funded construction of interstate highways for defense and transport.
28
What is containment?
U.S. policy to stop spread of communism.
29
What was the Marshall Plan?
Economic aid to rebuild Europe and prevent communist influence.
30
What is the domino theory?
Belief that if one country fell to communism, neighbors would follow.
31
What is the Truman Doctrine?
U.S. support for countries resisting communism (e.g., Greece, Turkey).
32
What is the Eisenhower Doctrine?
U.S. promise to protect Middle East nations from communism.
33
What was the Berlin Airlift?
U.S./British effort to supply West Berlin during Soviet blockade (1948–49).
34
What was the Arms Race?
Competition to build up nuclear weapons between U.S. and USSR.
35
What is Mutually Assured Destruction?
Belief that full-scale nuclear war would destroy both sides.
36
What was the Space Race?
U.S. and USSR competition in space exploration.
37
What is Sputnik?
First satellite in space, launched by the USSR in 1957.
38
What was the Berlin Wall?
Divided East and West Berlin; symbol of Cold War until 1989.
39
Who were the combatants in the Korean War?
North Korea (with China and USSR) vs. South Korea (with U.S./UN).
40
What is the 38th parallel?
Dividing line between North and South Korea.
41
What was the Bay of Pigs?
Failed U.S.-backed invasion of Cuba by anti-Castro exiles.
42
What was the Cuban Missile Crisis?
1962 standoff over Soviet missiles in Cuba; nearly led to nuclear war.
43
44
Who was Thurgood Marshall?
NAACP lawyer in Brown v. Board, first African American Supreme Court justice.
45
What did Rosa Parks do?
Refused to give up her bus seat; sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
46
Who was Martin Luther King, Jr.?
Leader of nonviolent protests; gave 'I Have a Dream' speech; Nobel Peace Prize winner.
47
Who was Medgar Evers?
Civil rights activist assassinated in Mississippi; worked to desegregate schools.
48
What was Stokely Carmichael known for?
Leader in SNCC; promoted 'Black Power' movement.
49
Who was Malcolm X?
Black Muslim leader who advocated for black nationalism and self-defense.
50
What were the Little Rock Nine?
First black students to integrate a white high school in Arkansas (1957).
51
What were the Greensboro Sit-ins?
Nonviolent protest at segregated lunch counters, sparked nationwide sit-ins.
52
What are boycotts?
Peaceful protest method; refusing to use segregated services (e.g., buses).
53
What were the Freedom Rides?
Interracial bus rides to protest segregated terminals in the South.
54
What was the March on Washington (1963)?
Civil rights rally where MLK gave his 'I Have a Dream' speech.
55
What was Freedom Summer (1964)?
Campaign to register African American voters in Mississippi.
56
What was Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)?
Supreme Court case that upheld 'separate but equal.'
57
What was Brown v. Board of Education (1954)?
Overturned Plessy v. Ferguson; declared segregation in schools unconstitutional.
58
What did the 24th Amendment do?
Banned poll taxes in federal elections.
59
What did the Civil Rights Act of 1964 accomplish?
Banned discrimination based on race, gender, religion in public places and jobs.
60
What did the Voting Rights Act of 1965 do?
Banned literacy tests and other voter suppression tactics.
61
What are Affirmative Action programs?
Policies to improve opportunities for historically marginalized groups.
62
Who was Jackie Robinson?
First African American to play Major League Baseball.
63
What happened to Emmett Till?
His brutal murder in 1955 helped spark the civil rights movement.
64
Who was James Meredith?
First African American to attend the University of Mississippi.
65
What is the Letter from Birmingham Jail?
MLK’s defense of nonviolent protest against unjust laws.
66
What is Black Power?
Movement promoting racial pride, economic empowerment, and self-defense.
67
Who was Ho Chi Minh?
Communist leader of North Vietnam.
68
Who was Ngo Dinh Diem?
Anti-communist leader of South Vietnam, backed by the U.S.
69
Who was Robert McNamara?
Secretary of Defense under JFK & LBJ; key Vietnam War architect.
70
Who was William Westmoreland?
U.S. commander in Vietnam; promoted increased troop levels.
71
Who was Henry Kissinger?
National Security Advisor & Secretary of State; negotiated Vietnam ceasefire.
72
What was the main goal of the U.S. in Vietnam?
U.S. aimed to stop the spread of communism (containment).
73
What was the Tonkin Gulf Resolution?
Gave LBJ authority to use force in Vietnam without declaring war.
74
What were the Pentagon Papers?
Leaked documents showing the U.S. government misled the public on Vietnam.
75
What is the War Powers Act (1973)?
Limited the president’s ability to commit troops without congressional approval.
76
What was the Ho Chi Minh Trail?
Supply route from North to South Vietnam through Laos & Cambodia.
77
What was Operation Rolling Thunder?
Massive U.S. bombing campaign over North Vietnam.
78
What is napalm?
Flammable chemical used in bombs; caused devastating fires.
79
What was the Tet Offensive (1968)?
Surprise Viet Cong attacks; turned U.S. public opinion against the war.
80
What was the My Lai Massacre?
U.S. soldiers killed hundreds of Vietnamese civilians; increased antiwar sentiment.
81
What does burning draft cards signify?
Protest against compulsory military service during Vietnam War.
82
Why did Johnson withdraw from the 1968 election?
LBJ chose not to run for re-election due to Vietnam backlash.
83
What was the 1968 Democratic National Convention known for?
Marked by anti-war protests and police violence in Chicago.
84
What is the 26th Amendment?
Lowered voting age from 21 to 18 (Vietnam-era response).
85
Who was Richard Nixon?
Resigned after Watergate scandal; only U.S. president to resign.
86
Who were Woodward & Bernstein?
Washington Post reporters who investigated Watergate.
87
Who was Gerald Ford?
Became president after Nixon; pardoned Nixon.
88
Who was Jimmy Carter?
President known for human rights focus; handled Iran Hostage Crisis.
89
What was the Watergate scandal?
Nixon administration’s break-in at DNC HQ; led to cover-up and resignation.
90
What was Three Mile Island?
Partial meltdown of a nuclear reactor in Pennsylvania (1979).
91
What were the Camp David Accords (1978)?
Peace agreement between Egypt and Israel, brokered by Carter.
92
What are SALT I and SALT II?
U.S.-Soviet agreements to limit nuclear weapons during Cold War.
93
What is the National Organization for Women (NOW)?
Advocated for women’s rights and gender equality.
94
What was Roe v. Wade (1973)?
Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion nationwide.
95
Who was Ronald Reagan?
Conservative president; promoted tax cuts, strong military.
96
Who was Sandra Day O’Connor?
First woman appointed to U.S. Supreme Court.
97
Who was George H. W. Bush?
President during end of Cold War and Gulf War.
98
Who is Clarence Thomas?
Conservative Supreme Court justice; controversial confirmation.
99
Who was Bill Clinton?
Democrat president; impeached over Monica Lewinsky scandal.
100
What were federal spending priorities under Reagan?
Reagan cut welfare, boosted defense spending.
101
What was the 'Evil Empire' speech?
Reagan’s term for the Soviet Union.
102
What is the debate between Liberal and Conservative viewpoints?
Ongoing debate over government size, social issues, taxes.
103
What is the Brady Bill?
Required background checks for gun purchases.
104
What is the Family Medical Leave Act?
Allowed unpaid leave for medical or family reasons.
105
What was the Iran-Contra Scandal?
Reagan officials secretly sold arms to Iran and funded Nicaraguan rebels.
106
What marked the end of the Cold War?
Collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991; U.S. emerged as sole superpower.
107
What was the Persian Gulf War / Operation Desert Storm?
U.S.-led coalition forced Iraq out of Kuwait (1991).
108
What was the 'Tear Down This Wall' Speech?
Reagan’s 1987 call for Gorbachev to dismantle the Berlin Wall.
109
What was the 2000 Election / Bush v. Gore?
Contested election decided by Supreme Court; Bush won.
110
Who was George W. Bush?
President during 9/11 and wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
111
Who was Osama Bin Laden?
Al-Qaeda leader behind 9/11; killed in 2011.
112
Who was Barack Obama?
First African American president; passed the Affordable Care Act.
113
Who was Donald Trump?
President known for populism; impeached twice.
114
Who is Joseph Biden?
President elected in 2020; handled COVID-19 response.
115
What is the Taliban?
Islamic group that regained control of Afghanistan in 2021.
116
What is Al Qaeda?
Terrorist organization behind 9/11.
117
What is the Dept. of Homeland Security?
Created after 9/11 to coordinate national security.
118
What is the USA PATRIOT Act?
Expanded surveillance powers after 9/11 to fight terrorism.
119
What is the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)?
Health care reform to expand insurance coverage.
120
What was the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health (2022) case?
Overturned Roe v. Wade, ending federal abortion protections.
121
What impact did social media have?
Transformed communication, politics, and misinformation.
122
What happened on September 11, 2001 (9/11)?
Terrorist attacks on U.S. soil that killed ~3,000 people.
123
What was the War in Afghanistan?
Longest U.S. war; ended in 2021 with U.S. withdrawal.
124
What was the Financial Crisis of 2008/2009?
Major global recession caused by housing market collapse.
125
What was significant about the election of Obama?
Historic 2008 victory; symbolized progress in race relations.
126
What happened during the death of Bin Laden?
U.S. Navy SEALs killed him in 2011 in Pakistan.
127
What was the COVID-19 Pandemic?
Global health crisis that began in 2020; massive political and social impact.
128
What was the Assault on Capitol (Jan. 6, 2021)?
Pro-Trump mob stormed U.S. Capitol to overturn election results.
