1. Changing Societies Main Idea Reading Focus
The Cold War brought tremendous economic and social change to North America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union.
Reading Focus
What were the major social changes taking place in North America after World War II?
How did Western Europe recover economically in the postwar era?
How did Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union change after World War II?

2. Civil Rights Groundwork for Future
1954, U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education segregation of public schools had to end
Next came civil rights campaign led by Martin Luther King Jr., James Farmer, Malcolm X, other activists, organizations
Groundwork for Future
Civil rights movement achieved some major reforms
1964, Congress passed Civil Rights Voting Act, followed by Voting Rights Act the next year
Laws knocked down longstanding barriers for equality for African Americans
Did not end racism, laid groundwork for future progress

3. What postwar changes took place in North America?
Summarize
What postwar changes took place in North America?
Answer(s): economic boom; veterans bought homes and consumer goods, went to college; the civil rights, feminist, and counterculture movements

4. Western Europe Economic Growth Influx of Immigrants
Western Europe faced challenging future after World War II
At end of war, much of Western Europe lay in ruins
Property, farmland destroyed; national economies collapsed; millions displaced from homes; seemed on brink of chaos
Chaos did not come, thanks in large part to Marshall Plan
With American aid, Western Europe’s factories produced more in 1950s than before war
West Germany became major economic power
Growth strong in other countries
Economic Growth
Availability of jobs attracted immigrants from former colonies
Created strain as Europeans struggled to adapt to newcomers, their cultures
Influx of Immigrants

5. Describe the economic recovery in Western Europe after World War II.
Find the Main Idea
Describe the economic recovery in Western Europe after World War II.
Answer(s): uneven, some countries recovered quickly with the Marshall Plan; others lagged; generally high standard of living

6. Glasnost and Perestroika
Soviet Economy Faltered
Soviet economy performed well after war, began to falter in 1960s
By 1980s, Soviet Union faced crisis; command economy system inefficient
Production goals with little regard for wants, needs of marketplace
Gorbachev
Goals stressed heavy industry, neglecting needed consumer goods
As result most sectors of Soviet economy ceased to grow
1985, Mikhail Gorbachev came to power, saw need for change
New Concepts
Proposed two radical concepts—glasnost, perestroika
Glasnost, “openness,” willingness to discuss Soviet problems openly
Perestroika, “restructuring,” reform of Soviet economic, political system

7. What changes took place in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe after
Summarize
What changes took place in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe after
World War II?
Answer(s): Khrushchev tried to "de-Stalinize" and loosen political restrictions, revolts after Stalin's death, Solidarity, Gorbachev introduced reforms, glasnost and perestroika