An Era of Change Flashcards
Identify the key developments that led to the emergence of the Civil Rights Movement.
- After World War II, Black Americans were frustrated that their contributions to the war (such as the Double V Campaign) did not improve their conditions.
- The Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education and murder of Emmett Till, led to significant growth within the movement to ensure changes would occur.
Who was Emmett Till?
- Chicago teenager who was murdered by two white men in Mississippi in 1955.
- National media coverage of his death greatly contributed to the early growth of the Civil Rights Movement.
What was the significance of the Brown v. Board of Education case?
- 1954 Supreme Court case brought by the NAACP to challenge segregation in the American schools, previously permitted by the Plessy v. Ferguson “separate but equal” rule.
- The unanimous decision in this case helped spark the trend towards eliminating segregation in the US.
Identify the goals Civil Rights leaders wanted to achieve during the early years of the Civil Rights Movement.
Early in the Civil Rights Movement, civil rights leaders were primarily focused on:
* Ending segregation in all forms.
* Eliminating the threat of racial violence.
Identify key events that shaped the early years of the Civil Rights Movement.
- Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955-1956)
- Little Rock Crisis (1957)
- Sit In Movement (1960)
What happened during the Little Rock Crisis?
- A group of students (the Little Rock Nine) were attempting to integrate Little Rock Central HS in Arkansas; only to be met with angry white mobs and death threats.
- President Eisenhower was forced to send troops to escort and protect the students throughout the school year.
What happened during the Montgomery Bus Boycott?
- After Rosa Parks was arrested for disobeying segregation rules in Montgomery, AL, civil rights leaders organized a boycott of local bus systems.
- The boycott lasted 381 days, before the city ended its segregation rules.
What happened during the Sit-In Movement?
- Starting in Greensboro, NC, a group of four college students peacefully protested segregation rules at their local lunch counters.
- The students were brutally attacked– but inspired students at other universities to challenge segregation rules in their own communities.
Describe the role the NAACP, SCLC, and SNCC played in the Civil Rights Movement.
NAACP: Largest and oldest civil rights organization in the US; focused on ending segregation by legal challenges in the courts.
SCLC: MLK’s organization that organization nonviolent protests across the country.
SNCC: Student led organization started as a reuslt of the sit-in movement; also organized peaceful protests to encourage positive changes.
How did the following individuals participate in the Civil Rights Movement?
* James Lawson
* John Lewis
* Diane Nash
James Lawson: Nonviolent activist that helped train students within the sit-in movement out of Nashville, TN.
John Lewis: Prominent activist who helped lead the SNCC and participated in many major nonviolent civil rights protests; youngest speaker at the March on Washington.
Diane Nash: Another student leader that was active within the civil rights movement; among the most prominent young female activists in the movement.
Explain how Martin Luther King Jr’s ideas and philosophies shaped the Civil Rights Movement.
Martin Luther King Jr. shaped his activism around two core ideas:
* Civil Disobedience: Identifying unfair laws within society- and disobeying those laws; such as organizing a sit-in to protest segregation.
* Non-Violence: Executing such protests peacefully; even when attacked.
Describe how southern officials and society responded to the Civil Rights Movement.
- Southern officials encouraged “massive retaliation” toward the civil rights movement; many law enforcement officers and politicians attacked and blocked the efforts of civil rights activists.
- Average citizens also resisted change, white mobs gathered at schools, the KKK attacked activists, and lynchings continued to target Black Americans.
Describe the role young people played in the Civil Rights Movement.
- Many young people were incredibly active within the movement integrating schools and participating in protests- like the sit-in movement and the Birmingham Campaign.
- Students, like John Lewis and Diane Nash, were active in forming the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)
Describe the historical significance of the Freedom Rides.
- A series of nonviolent civil rights protests against segregation along interstate transportation routes over the course of several months in 1961.
- The Freedom Riders were violently attacked by the KKK and law enforcement along the way- with one of their busses being firebombed in Alabama- before the Freedom Riders were arrested for “disturbing the peace” in Mississippi.
Describe the historical significance of the Birmingham Campaign
- One of the largest nonviolent campaigns organized by MLK Jr.; including boycotts and marches to protest segregation and racial violence in Birmingham, AL.
- Law enforcement brutally attacked protesters using fire hoses and police dogs– young children were arrested for their involvement in this nonviolent protest.
Describe the historical significance of the March on Washington.
- Largest peaceful protest during the Civil Rights Movement to encourage the government to pass legislation; featuring MLK Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
- Despite initial concerns that the protest would face resistance- as other events had experienced- the event was overwhelmingly peaceful and celebratory.
Evaluate the impact the media had on the way Americans learned about and viewed the Civil Rights Movement
- Media coverage of the violence targeting peaceful protesters increased public awareness of the Civil Rights Movement.
- Images of Emmett Till and other vioent acts targeting Black Americans led to increased support for the movement.
Explain how President Kennedy and the federal government changed their response to the Civil Rights Movement from 1960 to 1963.
- Despite early reluctance to support the movement while he dealt with foreign policy issues– JFK increased his support of the movement over time.
- JFK sent troops to protect protesters, gave the first tv address about civil rights by a US president, promoted the passage of legislation by Congress to address civil rights.
What was the Civil Rights Act of 1964?
- Comprehensive civil rights legislation originally suggested by President Kennedy, but signed by President Johnson after JFK’s assassination.
- Provided federal government measures to bring an end to segregation and encouraged improved civil rights in the United States.
Describe how and why Civil Rights activists worked to secure Black voting rights during the Civil Rights Movement.
How: Civil rights leaders organized voter registration drives and nonviolent marches (like the Freedom Summer and Selma Campaign) to encourage the elimination of voting restrictions for Black Americans.
Why: Many Black Americans 15th Amendent rights were limited by state laws- such as poll taxes, literacy tests, and the Grandfather Clause- or threats of violence.
What was the historical significance of the Voting Rights Act of 1965?
- Federal legislation that addressed the issue of voting restrictions in the United States.
- Proposed and signed by President Johnson; this policy ended the use of literacy tests and required federal oversite in locations known to restrict Black voters– this led to a significant increase in Black voting immediately.
Explain how and why the Civil Rights Movement changed during the late 1960s.
How: Many new leaders and new ideas within the movement (such as: self-defense when attacked and the Black Power Movement)
Why: Many young civil rights leaders felt that MLK Jr’s ideas of nonviolence were ineffective and too slow. They were tired of being attacked and not being able to protect themselves.
Identify key figures who helped shape the Civil Rights Movement during the second half of the 1960s.
- Malcolm X
- Stokely Charmichael
- Black Panther Party
Describe how Martin Luther King Jr’s death impacted the Civil Rights Movement.
- After Martin Luther King Jr’s death in April 1968, some Americans remained dedicated to his nonviolence cause in honor of him– however, many cities erupted in riots due to their anger about his death.
- The nonviolent movement significantly struggled to continue following King’s death.
Identify the key developments that shaped the Space Race during the 1950s and 1960s.
- The space race started with the Soviet launch of Sputnik in 1957- which prompted the US to form NASA in 1958.
- From there the US and Soviet Union competed to send animals and humans into outer space- with a goal of making it to the moon.
What was Sputnik?
First Soviet satellite to successfully orbit Earth; started the Space Race and created fear within the United States as the Soviets took an early lead in this Cold War competition.
What is NASA?
- American federal government organization that funds and operates the US space program.
- Established by Congress and President Eisenhower in 1958.
Describe how the Space Race contributed to Cold War tensions during the 1950s and 1960s.
- Throughout the Cold War the US and Soviet Union both increased their military and technology budgets to defeat their enemy.
- The US greatly increased NASA and education budgets (especially in math and science) to support this goal.
- Both countries experienced loss of life along the way before the US eventually landed its Apollo 11 mission on the moon in 1969, “winning” the Space Race.
Who were the following Cold War figures?
* Nikita Khrushchev
* Fidel Castro
Khrushchev: Soviet Premier that took over after Joseph Stalin’s death in 1953. Attempted to assert communist prestige in Berlin and Cuba- espeically during Kennedy’s presidency.
Castro: Communist leader of Cuba that came to power in 1959 after overthrowing a pro-American government. The US attempted to overthrow him (for a first time) in 1961.
Explain why the Berlin Wall was built in 1961.
- The Berlin Wall was built around West Berlin to prevent East German residents from continuing to escape into West Berlin.
- At the time a refugee crisis was occurring because West Germany/Berlin were in much better condition and had more freedoms than East Germany/Berlin.
Explain the purpose and outcome of the Bay of Pigs Invasion.
Purpose: CIA backed invasion of Cuba that aimed to overthrow Castro’s communist government in 1961.
Outcome: Massive failure for the US after 1200 of 1500 invaders were caputred or killed; greatly increased tensions between the US and communist nations.
Describe the causes of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
- The Soviets placed nuclear missiles in Cuba- capable of reaching the US.
- This was done in response to the US putting missiles in Turkey (near Soviets) and the US’ recent attempt to overthrow Castro (Bay of Pigs)
Describe the effects of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
- Closest the US and Soviets came to nuclear war, thankfully this was avoided after JFK put in place a “Naval Quarantine” to prevent more missiles from reaching Cuba.
- Both the US and Soviets removed their missiles from Turkey and Cuba.
- The Moscow Washington Hotline and Nuclear Test Ban Treaty were established to improved relations between the countries.
Who were the following Cold War figures?
* Ngo Dinh DIem
* Viet Cong
Ngo Dinh Diem: American backed leader of South Vietnam. He was incredibly popular in South Vietnam due to his aggressive policies- such as cancelling a nationwide election to reunify the nation in 1956.
Viet Cong: Communist revolutionary group that emerged in South Vietnam, opposing Ngo Dinh Diem.
Explain how the crisis in Vietnam worsened during the late 1950s and early 1960s.
- After Diem cancelled the 1956 election, opposition to his leadership increased
- His most significant opponents were the Viet Cong and the Buddhist population.
- Buddhist monks protested Diem by “self-immolating” in the street during the Buddhist Crisis.
Describe how President Kennedy expanded American involvement in Vietnam during the 1960s.
- As opposition increased Kennedy sent more military advisors to Vietnam to try to calm the situation.
- However, as the Buddhist Crisis worsened, Kennedy approved the CIA to support an overthrow of Diem– which resulted in Diem’s death.
Explain the significance of the Gulf of Tonkin Incident
- When LBJ became president he became concerned about the threat of communism expanding in Vietnam- and decided to increase US military presence in the area.
- Two American ships (USS Maddox and Turner Joy) reported being fired upon by North Vietnamese vessels in the Gulf of Tonkin in August 1964.
Explain the effects of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution.
- After the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, Congress created the Gulf of Tonkiin Resolution- that allowed the President to increase American involvement in Vietnam without their further action.
- This policy allowed LBJ to greatly increase US involvement in the Vietnam War.
Describe how President Johnson expanded American involvement in Vietnam during the 1960s.
- After the McNamara-Taylor Report, President Johnson increased the US role in Vietnam.
- This started with increased military advisors and locating ships in the Gulf of Tonkin.
- After the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, Johnson approved Operation Rolling Thunder- the first large-scale American operation against North Vietnam- ushering in a period of growing US military numbers in the Vietnam War.
Describe how American attitudes toward the Vietnam War changed during the late 1960s.
- As the US became more involved in Vietnam, awareness and opposition to the war increased, especailly among young people.
- Two key events that led to this increased opposition were the Tet Offensive and the My Lai Massacre.
What was the Tet Offensive?
- Coordinated attack by communsit North Vietnam and the Viet Cong against key targets in South Vietnam.
- The operation was executed during an important regional holiday, catching the S. Vietnamese and US off-guard; nearly resulted in a major defeat for the US– leading to growing opposition.
What was the My Lai Massacre?
- Massacre committed by American military members in Vietnam, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of women, children, and elderly.
- When made public, this incident (and its cover-up) led more Americans to oppose the Vietnam War.
Explain the impact the American media had on public opinion of the Vietnam War.
- The Vietnam War was the first war in US history that received significant TV coverage- including reports of death tolls, expenses, and battlefield footage.
- This coverage, especially by trusted news anchors like Walter Cronkite, caused more Americans to question whether the US should be fighting in Vietnam.
Explain the purpose of President Johnson’s Great Society program.
Promote improvements to American society and show the superiority of the US during the Cold War by:
* Reducing racial injustice
* Improving education
* Enhancing healthcare
* Upgrading urban areas
* Conserving the environment and nature
* Eliminating poverty
Identify key Great Society programs and policies for:
- Reducing racial injustice
- Improving education
- Enhancing healthcare
- Upgrading urban areas
- Conserving the environment and nature
- Eliminating poverty
- Reducing racial injustice: Voting Rights Act and Civil Rights Act, Indian Bill of Rights
- Improving Education: Headstart, Free School Lunch/Breakfast, Corporation for Public Broadcasting
- Enhancing Healthcare: Medicaid and Medicare
- Upgrading Urban Areas: Section 8 Housing, Mass Transit
- Conserving the environment and nature: Water Quality Act, Wilderness Act
- Eliminating Poverty: War on Poverty
Evaluate the impact of the Great Society program.
- The size of the American federal government greatly increased, alongside the government budget.
- Largest decrease in poverty rate of any American president.
- Significant improvements in many areas civil rights, environmental reform, education and healthcare access.
Describe how the Civil Rights Movement led other marginalized groups to work for societal
change during the 1960s and 70s.
- The civil rights movement ability to inspire federal legislation to get passed encouraged other groups to organize for changes.
- Many of these groups followed the nonviolent model demonstrated by MLK Jr; organizing boycotts, peaceful protests, and marches.
Identify how the following groups demanded social change:
- NAACP
- United Farm Workers
- American Indian Movement
- National Organization for Women
- NAACP: promoted an end to segregation and other civil rights issues impacting Black Americans.
- UFW: Promoted improvements for Latino American migrant farm workers.
- AIM: Promoted protections for Native American land rights.
- NOW: Promoted greater gender equality in the United States
Identify how the following people demanded social change:
- Cesar Chavez
- Betty Friedan
- Rachel Carson
- Cesar Chavez: leader within the Latino Rights Movement; founder of the UFW.
- Betty Friedan: Author of the Feminine Mystique; which highlighted the frustrations of American women; sparked the Women’s Liberation Movement
- Rachel Carson: Author of Silent Spring; which highlighted the dangerous use of pesticides and other environmental threats; sparked the Environmental Movement.
Explain what caused increased calls for environmental reform during the 1960s and 70s.
- The US was experiencing severe water and air pollution– the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland even erupted in flames multiple times due to pollution.
- The book Silent Spring warned many Americans of other environmental threats- like dangerous pesticide use- that sparked the desire for reform.
Describe how the increased calls for social reform contributed to tensions among the American public during the 1960s.
- Not all Americans agreed about the need for changes in American society, which divided the country.
- Most notably, the Anti-Vietnam War Movement divided those who supported the war (often older more conservative Americans) from those who opposed the war (often younger more liberal Americans).
- Culturally, this difference of opinion was referred to as the “Generation Gap”
Explain how and why young people were involved in the call for social reform during the 1960s.
How: Young people were among the most active in many social reform movements (like the Civil Rights and Environmental Movements) as well the Anti-War Movement.
Why:
* Because the voting age remained 21 at the time, protesting was one of the only ways young people could voice their opinion.
* Meanwhile, they could be drafted at age 18– leading some to be drafted to fight in a war they disagreed with– or to witness their young friends and family killed in the war.
Describe how American popular culture changed in response to the tensions witnessed during the 1960s.
- Popular culture reflected the changes attitudes of the era, most notably through the counterculture movement- which rejected conformity.
- This was demonstrated through music, fashion, and more during the era. (Ex. Woodstock Music and Arts Festival).
- This contributed to a growing “Generation Gap” between young and old Americans.
