-
Legislation providing World War II veterans with educational benefits, housing loans, and other support.
-
U.S. policy to contain Soviet influence by offering political, military, and economic assistance to countries resisting communism.
-
A prolonged period of political and military tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies.
-
The accelerating integration of economies, cultures, and politics worldwide following World War II.
-
A law that limited the power and activities of labor unions in the postwar period.
-
A dramatic rise in birth rates in the U.S. following World War II.
-
A period marked by heightened fears of communist influence and widespread suspicion in American society.
-
A U.S. initiative that provided substantial economic aid to rebuild Western European economies after World War II.
-
The formation of a military alliance among North American and European nations aimed at countering Soviet expansion.
-
A conflict between North and South Korea that drew in U.S. and international military intervention.
-
A cultural movement among young people that embraced nonconformity, artistic expression, and a critique of mainstream values.
-
The beginning of significant population and economic growth in the southern U.S. states.
-
The development of planned suburban communities that symbolized postwar housing expansion in America.
-
A covert operation by the U.S. and Britain to overthrow Iran’s democratically elected Prime Minister, Mohammad Mossadegh.
-
A landmark Supreme Court decision declaring racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional.
-
A protest against segregated seating on public buses in Alabama that became a milestone in the Civil Rights Movement.
-
Legislation that funded the construction of a nationwide system of highways, transforming American transportation.
-
The Soviet Union’s launch of the first artificial satellite, sparking the U.S.–Soviet space race.
-
A student activist organization that called for social change and challenged U.S. government policies.
-
A series of nonviolent protests by students and activists challenging segregated public spaces.
-
A broad cultural movement that rejected conventional social norms, promoting alternative lifestyles and radical politics.
-
President Eisenhower’s final address in which he warned of the potential dangers of the military-industrial complex.
-
A U.S. military strategy aimed at developing a range of responses to communist aggression, rather than relying solely on nuclear deterrence.
-
Rachel Carson’s influential book that raised public awareness about the environmental hazards of pesticides.
-
A tense 13-day standoff between the U.S. and the Soviet Union over Soviet ballistic missiles in Cuba.
-
A massive civil rights demonstration in Washington, D.C., highlighted by Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
-
Betty Friedan’s book that challenged traditional roles for women and helped spark the second-wave feminist movement.
-
Landmark legislation outlawing discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
-
Congressional authorization that allowed President Johnson to escalate U.S. military involvement in Vietnam.
-
President Lyndon B. Johnson’s set of domestic programs aimed at eliminating poverty and racial injustice.
-
An influential civil rights leader known for his advocacy for Black empowerment and critique of systemic racism
-
Federal legislation designed to overcome legal barriers preventing African Americans from exercising their right to vote.
-
A law that abolished earlier quota systems, reshaping U.S. immigration policy.
-
A political organization that promoted Black self-defense and community programs in response to racial injustice.
-
A turbulent U.S. presidential election conducted against the backdrop of the Vietnam War and widespread social unrest.
-
A major military campaign during the Vietnam War that shifted American public opinion by exposing the war’s harsh realities.
-
A spontaneous uprising by LGBTQ+ patrons against police harassment that marked a turning point in the gay rights movement.
-
A U.S. policy aimed at gradually transferring combat responsibilities in Vietnam to South Vietnamese forces.
-
A period of relaxed tensions and improved diplomatic relations between the United States and the Soviet Union.
-
Refers to the shootings at Kent State University, where National Guardsmen killed four students protesting the Vietnam War.
-
A top-secret government study of U.S. involvement in Vietnam that was leaked, revealing government deception.
-
A proposed constitutional amendment to guarantee equal legal rights regardless of sex, which ultimately was not ratified.
-
A political scandal stemming from a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters and a subsequent cover-up that led to President Nixon’s resignation.
-
Legislation intended to check the president’s ability to commit the U.S. to armed conflict without Congressional approval.
-
While the EPA was established in 1970, the early 1970s saw its rise as the key federal agency regulating environmental issues.
-
A Supreme Court decision that established a woman’s legal right to an abortion under certain conditions.
-
An economic condition characterized by slow growth, high unemployment, and high inflation during the 1970s and early 1980s.
-
Legislation that empowered Native American tribes to have greater control over their own affairs and governance.
-
A Supreme Court case that addressed affirmative action in higher education, ruling that racial quotas were unconstitutional but that race could be one factor in admissions.
-
The economic policies of President Reagan focused on tax cuts, deregulation, and reduced government spending to spur economic growth.
-
A political scandal in which senior U.S. officials secretly facilitated arms sales to Iran and diverted the proceeds to support Contra rebels in Nicaragua.
-
The dissolution of the Soviet Union into independent republics, marking the end of the Cold War.
-
A U.S.-led coalition effort to expel Iraqi forces from Kuwait following Iraq’s invasion.
-
A trade pact that created a free trade zone among the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
-
A legislative agenda promoted by Republicans that helped reshape U.S. politics during the mid-1990s.
-
A period of rapid growth in technology and internet-based companies, leading to soaring market valuations.
-
A Supreme Court decision that effectively resolved the disputed 2000 presidential election in favor of George W. Bush.
-
Terrorist attacks on U.S. landmarks that resulted in nearly 3,000 deaths and dramatically reshaped American foreign and domestic policy.
-
The conflict begun by the U.S. to remove the Taliban from power and eliminate al-Qaeda safe havens following 9/11.
-
A global military and political campaign initiated in response to the 9/11 attacks, aimed at dismantling terrorist networks.
-
A military campaign led by the United States that began with the invasion of Iraq and resulted in long-term regional instability.
-
A severe global economic downturn sparked by the collapse of the housing market and financial institutions.
-
The Affordable Care Act, a sweeping reform of the U.S. healthcare system designed to expand coverage and reduce costs.
-
A wave of pro-democracy protests and uprisings across the Arab world that challenged longstanding authoritarian regimes.
-
The U.S. operation that led to the killing of the al-Qaeda leader responsible for the 9/11 attacks.
-
A conservative political movement that emerged to advocate for reduced government spending, lower taxes, and limited government intervention.
-
A Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, affirming marriage equality.
-
A global public health crisis caused by the novel coronavirus, leading to widespread illness, economic disruption, and changes in daily life.