The Story of the Times: 1946-Present

The Story of the Times: 1946-Present

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1. Who emerged as the most powerful nation on Earth at the end of World War 2?

2. In what year was the United Nations created? What was it meant to prevent?

3. Who became engaged in a Cold War at the end of World War 2?

4. Which war did the United States become involved in 1950?

5. (Analyze Cause and Effect) Look at the baseball card on the top of page 868. Astonishing as it may seem today, African Americans could not play baseball in the major leagues until Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947. How might Robinson have paved the way for African Americans in other sports and other occupations?

6. (Contrast) Look at the car at the bottom of page 868. Automobiles like this 1958 Oldsmobile would change a great deal about the United States. The Interstate Highway Act of 1956, for example, set plans in motion for a 41,000-mile national network of roadways. What benefits do highways provide commuters that local roads do not?

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7. Which country launched Sputnik near the end of the 1950's? What was Sputnik?

8. In what year was the assassination of John F. Kennedy?

9. In what year was segregation in the public schools outlawed?

10. In what year was the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.?

11. Which U.S. President was forced to resign in 1974 due to the Watergate scandal?

12. (Draw a Conclusion) Look at the graph at the top of page 869. Before 1950, television was a novelty. By the end of the decade, however, television sets were a common feature in American households. What factors may have influenced the steady rise in television ownership?

13. (Make a Connection) Look at the picture at the bottom of page 869. The Beatles - an enormously successful British rock band - took over the American music scene in 1964. They created a sensation wherever they appeared. What role does television play in creating celebrities?

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14. Who wrote The Feminine Mystique?

15. Which three presidents followed Jimmy Carter?

16. (Analyze Cause and Effect) Look at the photograph at the top of page 870. On October 5, 1957, the Soviet Union launched the worlds first artificial satellite. The satellite, called Sputnik I, orbited the Earth once every hour and 35 minutes. The following year, the Congress National Defense Education Act of 1958 was passed, endorsing reforms in education. Why would the Soviet Union's success lead to changes in science and math education in American schools?

17. (Make an Inference) Look at the picture at the bottom of page 870. The American Indian Movement (AIM) was formed in 1968 to address Native American rights. One goal of Native American activists has been to force the government to honor treaties made in the 1800's. In this photograph, AIM leader Dennis Banks leads a protest at Mount Rushmore, South Dakota. Why were so many treaties made and then broken?

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18. (Interpret a Graph) Look at the graph at the top of page 871. Between 1950 and 1975, women's incomes continued to lag behind men's earnings, partly because many low-paying fields such as nursing and teaching were traditionally considered "women's work." Did the gap increase or decrease between 1950 and 1975?

19. (Make an Inference) Look at the photograph at the bottom of page 871. In May 1973, Senate committee hearings nearly a year after a break-in at the Democratic party headquarters revealed that Nixon and several close advisers had been involved in trying to cover up the truth about the burglary. How would such an incident shake the public's faith in government?

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20. (Interpret a Graph) Look at the graph at the top of page 872. The rapidly growing federal budget deficit worried many Americans in the 1980's and early 1990's. (a) What was the budget deficit in 1980? (b) During which two-year period did the budget decrease?

21. (Draw a Conclusion) Look at the picture at the bottom of page 872. The creation of Israel in 1948 led to tension between Israel and surrounding Arab states. In 1993, Israel and the PLO stunned the world by signing a peace agreement. Here, President Clinton watches as Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin shakes hands with PLO leader Yassir Arafat. Considering the Middle East's large supplies of oil as well as other factors, why do you think the United States maintains an in interest in peace in the region?

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22. (Make a Judgement) Look at the picture at the top of page 873. Introduced to the American public in the 1990's, the Internet has radically changed the way we live, study, and work. Why are some people finding the Internet a cause for concern?