1963-72, Student Protest

Question 1

Students for A Democratic Society

Answer 1

University of Michigan (1960) by Tom Hayden
Many members had been part of rad civil rights groups e.g SNCC
Argued society should provide a good life for all people
Liberate poor, ethinic minorities, all enslaved by conformity, and peaceful foreign policy

Question 2

Berkeley’s Free Speech Movement

Foundation

Answer 2

New Left student group, University of California, Berkeley
October 1964, authorities banned handing out political leaflets
So students established Free Speech Movement to fight this

Question 3

Berkeley’s Free Speech Movement

Actions

Answer 3

SDS occupied university building until police ejected them + made 800 arrests
Students gained support from staff, so university backed down
Triggered nationwide student protests, criticism of unis as bureaucratic and excessively regulatory

Question 4

Anti War Movement

Context

Answer 4

Vietnam War lead to more students in anti-war activism
1968 - 500,000 US soldiers in Vietnam
Fear of the draft motivated some protests, some opposed the American bombing + believed Vietnamese should decide their own form of government

Question 5

Anti War Movement

SDS - March

Answer 5

April 1965 - first mass anti-war rally in Washington DC
25,000 people, but did nothing to halt Johnson’s escalation of war

Question 6

Anti-War Movement

SDS - Teach In

Answer 6

1965 - SDS organised teach-in at Uni of Michigan
Lectures cancelled, staff and students met to debate the war
Spread to campuses across America: Chicago, Pennslvania, Columbia (NY)
Gained respectability

Question 7

Anti War Movement

Stop the Draft Week

Answer 7

1967 - National Mobilization Committee to End the War organised demonstration in Washington, over 100,000 attending
2,000 police attacked protestors, demonstrators retaliated with cans, bottles, ball bearing etc
Draft cards publicly burned

Question 8

Columbia University Protests

Context

Answer 8

1968 - University of Columbia, New York City
Students opposed involvement in weapons research + plans to construct a gym in public park

Question 9

Columbia University Protests

Gym Protests

Answer 9

Harlem population would use gym, but through separate doors
Students interpreted as segregationist, called** ‘Gym Crow’**
Protests, 1,000 of 17,000 students participated

Question 10

Anti War Movement

Impact

Answer 10

Failed to persuade American people
1968 - 56% of Americans self-described as ‘hawks’ (28% doves)
US gov unmoved, committed more troops
US media supported war (up to 1969), criticised protestors, labelled as hippies