American History B

Exam Review

WWII

• Why was it unconstitutional to intern

Japanese Americans during WWII?

WWII

• They were not given a trial; due process

• They had committed no crime

• The act was based on discrimination

WWII

• How did WWII impact American society?

WWII

• Strongest military

• Strongest economy

• Leader of democracy

• Leader in Cold War

WWII

• Why did the US, USSR, and Britain become

allies during WWII?

WWII

• Although they political and economic

differences, they saw Hitler as a bigger

threat.

• They wanted to defeat a common enemy.

WWII

• Why did the US try to defeat Germany first

in WWII?

WWII

• The US had cultural ties to Europe.

• Hitler was seen as a bigger threat.

WWII

• What event finally brought the US into

WWII?

WWII

• Bombing of Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.

WWII

• Why did the Allies win WWII?

WWII

• They had more soldiers, more food, more

weapons, and more resources to win the

war.

• Most of the resources were provided by the

US.

WWII

• Who were the Allies?

• Who were the Axis Powers?

WWII

• Allies

– US

– Britain

– USSR

– (France was occupied

by Germany)

• Axis Powers

– Germany

– Italy

– Japan

WWII

• What is total war?

WWII

• War that changes and influences civilian

life

– War time production; no consumer goods

– Warfare that attacks civilians

Post - WWII

• Why did Eisenhower authorize the

Interstate Highway Act?

Post - WWII

• He wanted highways to transport nuclear

weapons.

• It was the largest, government-sponsored,

work program in the nations history.

WWII

• Why was America prosperous / wealthy

after WWII?

WWII

• There was a demand for consumer goods

and …

• Americans had large savings from working

in the war industry.

• US was the largest exporter in the world

Modern Presidents

• What was Johnson trying to accomplish

with his Great Society programs?

Modern Presidents

• He wanted to eliminate poverty and provide

equal opportunities for poor people

Civil Rights

• What did Ceasar Chavez accomplish?

Civil Rights

• He brought unions to farm workers

• He used boycotts

• He improved wages and working conditions

Civil Rights

• What was the catalyst(s) that started

concern for our environment?

Civil Rights

• Silent Spring by Rachel Carson – book

about pesticides killing more than just bugs

• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

created by the government

Modern Presidency

• What’s the big deal about Watergate?

• Why care?

Modern Presidency

• Americans lost trust in the government

because Nixon covered up a crime

• The President tried to cover up a deceitful

action – he broke many laws

Modern Presidency

• What is a major accomplishment of Jimmy

Carter?

Modern Presidency

• He was the first to get a peace treaty signed

in the Middle East

Modern Presidency

• What are some criticisms of President Ford?

Modern Presidency

• He pardoned Nixon

• He made a clemency program for draft

dodgers of Vietnam

• Many saw these actions as unfair to the rest

Modern Presidency

• For what reasons do people like Ronald

Reagan?

Modern Presidency

• He built up our national defense

• He is credited for ending the Cold War

• He built confidence in the economy during

a time of stagflation

Modern Presidency

• Why might people criticize Reagan?

Modern Presidency

• Iran-Contra Affair – he may have lied or at least had no knowledge that our government was selling weapons for profit, and giving the profits in exchange for hostages

• Both of these things are against American policy; especially the part about telling the truth

Modern Presidency

• What is an accomplishment and a criticism

of the first President Bush (George H.W.

Bush)?

Modern Presidency

• He led the victory in the Gulf War

• Our economy went into a recession and it

did not recover while he was president

Modern Presidency

• What is an accomplishment and a criticism

of the second President Bush (George W.

Bush)?

Modern Presidency

• He had great leadership during the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

• His invasion of Iraq was questioned along with the growing national deficit

• He spent a lot of money – especially for a republican

Modern Presidency

• What were some accomplishments and

criticisms of President Clinton’s terms?

Modern Presidency

• We experienced national prosperity –everyone had jobs and things were cheap

• He put a surplus in the budget

• He was not faithful to his wife

• The republicans tried to “pin” him to many various scandals (Whitewater, Travel, Monica, etc)

Civil Rights

• What precedent did the Plessy V. Ferguson

set?

Civil Rights

• Anything can be separate as long as its

equal.

Civil Rights

• What are Jim Crow laws?

Civil Rights

• Laws in the South to segregate by race

• Eventually found to be unconstitutional

Civil Rights

• What is important about Emmett Till?

Civil Rights

• His murder was one catalyst to the civil

rights movement.

Civil Rights

• Why is the Montgomery Bus Boycott

important?

Civil Rights

• It was the first non-violent protest of the

movement

• It worked!!!

• Boycott

• Brought first com seating and more jobs to

black on the bus line

Civil Rights

• What was the purpose of the March on

Washington in 1963?

• (Why did king give his “I have a dream”

speech?)

• They are the same question.

Civil Rights

• They wanted Congress to pass new laws:

– Civil Rights Act of 1964

– Voting Rights Act of 1965

Civil Rights

• What did Malcolm X encourage African

Americans to do early in his career?

Civil Rights

• Remove themselves from people who hold

them back – white people

• Separation

• Black Power – be proud of who you are and

stand up for yourself

Civil Rights

• Why were their race riots in Northern cities,

more than Southern cities?

Civil Rights

• There was racial prejudice and

discrimination in the North

• De facto segregation created a hidden

problem of racial tension

Civil Rights

• What is Affirmative Action?

Civil Rights

• An attempt to speed up equality by finding

qualified minorities for

– EDUCATION

– JOBS

Civil Rights

• What did the Civil Rights Act of 1964 do?

Civil Rights

• Said you cannot discriminate based on race,

sex, religion, or nationality

• Similar to 14th Amendment but more

specific about who you can’t “wrong”

Middle East

• Why is the US involved in the Middle East?

• (Don’t we have enough to do?)

Middle East

• By supporting Israel we can have a political

presence in the Middle East

• Defense against terrorism

• Large oil supply there ☺, right?

Middle East

• Why is it so hard to bring peace?

Middle East

1. The problem is complicated.

2. People want revenge for their loved ones.

3. It includes a fight over land, politics,

religion, ethnicity, and many more things.

4. People assassinate the leaders that sign

peace treaties. Would you want to sign

one?

WWII

• Why did Truman drop the atomic bomb?

WWII

• To end the war quickly.

• To save American lives.

• Remember the no-surrender policy if the

Japanese.

WWII

• What is important about the baby boom

generation?

WWII

• This is the LARGEST group in the US.

• This group has a lot of power because they

are so big.

• They drive political, economic and social

trends.

• Baby food, the Mustang, the Minivan, were

created to meet their consumer needs.

Civil Rights

• What did the Voting Rights Act do?

Civil Rights

• It made possible to get around Jim Crow

laws in the South to register black voters.

• It worked!!!

• More political power was given to blacks. It

was a major victory in the civil rights

movement.

Modern Presidency

• What does it mean to be impeached?

• Does it mean you are fired?

Modern Presidency

• To be impeached means you go on trial

before a grand jury. If you lie in front of

them you are fired. They can find you guilty

or not guilty.

• If you are found not guilty, you do not loose

your job.

Vietnam

• Which president is most closely associated

with American escalation in Vietnam?

Vietnam

• Johnson

Vietnam

• What was the opportunity cost of Johnson’s

escalation in Vietnam?

Vietnam

• It took valuable resources (money) away

from his Great Society programs.

Cold War

• What is the domino theory?

Cold War

• The belief that if one country in SE Asia fell

to communism, the rest would become

communist.

• The US felt pressure to stop even one more

country from falling to communism.

Vietnam

• What was Vietnamization?

Vietnam

• Plan to train the South Vietnamese to fight

for themselves and bring American troops

home.

Vietnam

• Which president created the idea of

Vietnamization?

Vietnam

• Nixon

• Part of the Nixon Doctrine to help countries

that agree to help themselves

Vietnam

• What is the youth counterculture?

Vietnam

• Youth initially started to challenge the

government on the Vietnam conflict.

• Eventually this group challenged everything

“establishment,” the norm, including

fashion, jobs, work ethic, healthy living,

education, music,….. You name it

Vietnam

• Why did people protest Vietnam conflict?

Vietnam

• They questioned the purpose.

• They questioned the government’s

truthfulness.

• They questioned the morality of war.

• (It was the first was televised.)

Vietnam

• What was the significance of the Tet

Offensive?

Vietnam

• Although the US won the battle, Americans

lost support for the war.

• They wondered why it took so long to win a

battle when the government had been

reporting the US was doing well.

Vietnam

• What is the War Powers Act?

• Its purpose?

Vietnam

• It limits oversees troops to 90 days without

a declaration of war.

• This prevents a president of engaging in

was without Congress’ approval.

• This happened in Vietnam (Tonkin Gulf

Resolution).

• It’s a legacy of Vietnam.

Vietnam

• What is a draft deferment?

Vietnam

• Men going to college could get out of the

military draft.

Vietnam

• Why was the draft considered unfair?

Vietnam

• People who could not afford college could

not get a deferment.

• Selective service drafted more minorities

and poor people than is represented in the

US population.

Cold War

• Why were some Americans worried when

Sputnik was launched?

Cold War

• It was evidence that the USSR was leading

the space race.

Cold War

• What is McCarthyism?

Cold War

• The US government tried to rid any

employees who had connections to

communism.

• Based on the fear that communist spies

would take over the US.

• Today its considered unconstitutional.

Cold War

• What organization was created to be the

world referee and promote world peace?

Cold War

• United Nations

Cold War

• Why was the space race a significant part of

the Cold War?

Cold War

• Advances in space technology could help

with developing weapons and spying.

Cold War

• What was America’s goal in the Cold War?

Cold War

• Keep communism from spreading.

Cold War

• What is the cold war?

Cold War

• A bad relationship between US and USSR

• Based on political differences (communism

vs. democracy)

• Proxy wars were fought

Cold War

• What happened at the Cuban Missile Crisis?

Cold War

• USSR tried to arm Cuba with nuclear

weapons

• American surrounded Cuba in a blockade,

preventing this from happening

• We came dangerously close to nuclear war.

Cold War

• Why did President Truman fire General

MacArthur, a war hero?

Cold War

• MacArthur clearly disobeyed Truman’s

orders in Korean War.

Cold War

• What core democratic value is demonstrated

when Truman fired MacArthur?

Cold War

• Civilian Control of the Military

Cold War

• What is important about the Berlin Airlift?

Cold War

• American successful prevented communism

from taking over West Berlin by flying in

supplies.

• It’s a Cold War victory for the US.

Cold War

• How did the US respond as communism

spread in Asia, and the USSR built their

own atomic bomb?

Cold War

• They became more fearful communism

would spread to the US.

Cold War

• How were Americans’ rights violated

during the Cold War?

Cold War

• They could not talk about communism…

• …have friends that were communist

• …they could not take the 5th Amendment

• Many people went to jail for their political

beliefs or SUSPECTED political beliefs.

Cold War

• What is détente?

Cold War

• Nixon’s policy to talk about differences

rather than fight over differences.

• Thaw in Cold War.

Cold War

• What is significant about Nixon “making

friends” with China?

Cold War

• Peaceful coexistence

• It showed the US could be friends with a

communist country.

Cold War

• How does the Korean War demonstrate

limited war?

Cold War

• The US had nukes but choose not to use

them.

• The US could win the war with lesser force.

Civil Rights

• What is important about Betty Friedan and

her book The Feminine Mystique?

Civil Rights

• She encouraged women to question their

role.

• She started the women’s movement.

Holocaust

• EXPLAIN Hitler’s strategy to identify,

isolate, and exterminate?

Holocaust –

must explain these things

• Identify – Star of David, Jewish names, Nuremberg Laws

• Isolate – moving to ghettos and concentration camps

• Exterminate – systematically murder Jews with guns, labor, or gas chambers

WWII

• How did American civilians contribute to

the war effort?

WWII

• Be able to explain

– Rationing

– War industry, jobs

– War bonds

– Victory gardens, canning

– Recycling

– Not talking about details of war

– Other?

Cold War

• How did the US try to contain communism:

– Economically?

– Politically?

– Militarily?

Cold War

• BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN:

– Economically – Marshall Plan or other

– Politically – NATO, Propaganda, or other

– Militarily – any proxy war, Berlin Airlift,

nuclear arms race, Cuban Missile Crisis

Civil Rights

• What has led to modern de facto

segregation?

• No lists; you must explain

Civil Rights

• Explain any of the following:

– G.I. Bill

– Re-lining

– White Flight

• List one positive and one negative feature of

the G.I. Bill.

• Positive – Gave loans to vets for white vets,

and paid for education.

• Negative – did not give home loans to

African Americans who performed the same

service (in a segregated military);

contributed to de facto segregation

Civil Rights

• Explain the methods used by each group:

– SCLC (King)

– NAACP

– Black Panthers

– Malcolm X

Civil Rights

• You must explain:

– SCLC (King) – non-violent protest; marches and boycotts

– NAACP - lawsuits

– Black Panthers – local control, breakfast programs, include whites; stand up to police violently if they pick on you

– Malcolm X – pride, separation, speeches, inclusion of whites eventually

How has TV impacted history?

• Has it ever!

TV

• Vietnam – brought war into living room; decreased American support

• Civil Rights – saw brutality against protestors; movement gained sympathy from most Americans

• Presidents – watching every move you make; don’t lie to us or do anything wrong; we hold you to a higher standard, fair or not

Essay: 5 Paragraph

• All I can tell you is:

– Think about the ways history ripples out to

affect our current generation.

– How does knowing our history affect our

knowledge of what’s going on today?