Civil Rights Flashcards
What are the laws which apply to the whole of America called?
Federal laws
What are changes to the constitution called?
Ammendements
What are the three sections a law has to go through?
President (Executive)
Congress (Legislative)
Supreme Court (Judicial)
What is segregation?
Separating groups of people, usually by race
What are Jim Crow laws?
Laws enforcing segregation, named after a black character played by a white comedian
Where was racism more prevalent? Why?
The south. There were more black people. Moreover, in 1861 there was an American civil war when the south (Confederate) separated from North America just so they could keep slaves.
In 1896 Plessy vs ———— went to court. The idea of “separate but equal” came out and Jim Crow laws were made.
Ferguson
The 15th Amendment to the US constitution stated that all US citizens have the right to vote. Why did so few black Americans?
1) Violence - black voter intimidation
2) Literacy tests ( Black people were normally less educated but these were also unfair questions e.g. how many bubbles are there in a bar of soap)
3) Poll tax - flat tax (same for everyone therefore harder to pay for the poor)
Why did the civil rights movement grow in the 1950s?
Better education for black Americans
Migration
Southern cities grew giving more job opportunities
The Cold War - USA under scrutiny
Television
Second World War
New ideas
What is a boycott?
When you refuse to use a service if you believe it is doing something wrong
What is a picket?
To demonstrate outside a place you believe is doing something wrong
What is a sit in?
Sitting down somewhere and refusing to move
What is direct action?
Peaceful but active protetst
Opposition included..
KKK =
WASPS=
You had to be a wasp to be in the KKK. WASP is not an organisation
KKK= Ku Klux Klan
WASP = White Anglo - Saxon Protetsant
What did the NAACP focus on?
Legal changes through court cases.
Formed in 1909
Black and white members.
They provided evidence that facilities weren’t equal and did psychological studies to show how segregation made children feel inferior.
What did CORE focus on?
Public speaking.
Used non-violent direct protests.
Members were taught not to react.
What did Church Organisations focus on?
Non-violent direct action by also on forgiveness. However, churches became targets.
What did the RNCL focus on?
They campaigned against segregation and held annual civil rights rallies.
Who were the Dixie crats?
They were southern democrats who had strong views on segregation - against it.
Who was Linda Brown?
What did she have to do?
Linda Brown was a third grader in Topeka, Kansas. She had to walk one mile (20 blocks) to get to her black elementary school even though there was a white elementary school only 7 blocks away.
Chief justice warran stated that segregates schools are unconstitutional. However there was a problem, why?
He gave no deadline
Who were the Little Rock nine?
When?
They were 9 black students who tried to enrol at Little Rock high school, Arkensas.
3rd September 1957
Who was Orval Faubus and what did he do about the Little Rock 9?
He was the state governor for Arkansas.
He ordered the Arkansas state national guardsmen to block the students’ entry.
As he claimed they were threats of public disorder if the students were to enrol.
Then he closed all schools for 1 year to avoid desegregation
Which president stepped in to help the students at Little Rock?
Eisenhower this was called federal intervention
