History - Topic 3 USA 1954-75

Question 1

Describe the significance of the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court case.

Answer 1

It declared that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, overturning Plessy v. Ferguson and setting a precedent for desegregation.

Question 2

Define the Montgomery Bus Boycott and its impact.

Answer 2

A protest from 1955 to 1956 where African Americans in Montgomery, Alabama, boycotted public buses to fight against segregated seating, led by Martin Luther King Jr.

Question 3

How did the Civil Rights Act of 1964 change public life in America?

Answer 3

It outlawed segregation in public places and banned employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

Question 4

Explain the achievements of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Answer 4

It banned racial discrimination in voting practices, removing barriers like literacy tests and poll taxes that prevented African Americans from voting.

Question 5

Describe the Selma to Montgomery March and its significance.

Answer 5

A series of marches in 1965 to protest voting rights suppression; it became a pivotal moment leading to the Voting Rights Act.

Question 6

What was the outcome of the Loving v. Virginia Supreme Court case in 1967?

Answer 6

It struck down laws banning interracial marriage, ruling that such laws violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

Question 7

Define the Fair Housing Act of 1968 and its importance.

Answer 7

It prohibited discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of housing based on race, religion, national origin, and later, gender and disability.

Question 8

How did Freedom Summer in 1964 aim to impact voter registration?

Answer 8

It was a campaign to register African American voters in Mississippi, marked by violence and the murder of three civil rights workers.

Question 9

Describe the role of Martin Luther King Jr. in the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Answer 9

He led the boycott, which was a significant protest against segregated seating on public buses.

Question 10

Describe the significance of Martin Luther King Jr. in the Civil Rights Movement.

Answer 10

He was a leader who advocated for nonviolent resistance and delivered the famous ‘I Have a Dream’ speech.

Question 11

Define the impact of Rosa Parks’ actions in 1955.

Answer 11

Her refusal to give up her bus seat sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a pivotal event in the Civil Rights Movement.

Question 12

How did Malcolm X’s views evolve during his activism?

Answer 12

Initially advocating for Black empowerment and self-defense as a member of the Nation of Islam, he adopted a broader perspective after his pilgrimage to Mecca.

Question 13

Explain the significance of Medgar Evers’ assassination in 1963.

Answer 13

His murder highlighted the dangers faced by civil rights activists and underscored the violent resistance to the movement.

Question 14

What was Thurgood Marshall’s contribution to civil rights and the judiciary?

Answer 14

He argued the Brown v. Board of Education case and later became the first African American Supreme Court Justice.

Question 15

Identify John Lewis’ role in the Civil Rights Movement.

Answer 15

He was a leader of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and a key figure in the Selma March, later serving in the U.S. Congress.

Question 16

Describe Ella Baker’s approach to civil rights activism.

Answer 16

She advocated for grassroots organizing and youth leadership, helping to found the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC).

Question 17

Explain the role of the NAACP in the Civil Rights Movement.

Answer 17

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People used legal challenges to fight segregation and discrimination.

Question 18

How did the actions of civil rights leaders influence public perception of racial equality?

Answer 18

Their advocacy and activism brought national attention to issues of segregation and discrimination, fostering a greater awareness and push for change.

Question 19

Describe the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).

Answer 19

An organization founded in 1957 by Martin Luther King Jr. and other ministers to coordinate nonviolent civil rights activities.

Question 20

Define the role of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC).

Answer 20

A group founded by young activists in 1960 that played a major role in sit-ins, Freedom Rides, and voter registration drives.

Question 21

How did the Black Panther Party aim to support Black communities?

Answer 21

A militant group founded in 1966 that aimed to protect Black communities and advocated for self-defense, community programs, and Black empowerment.

Question 22

What was the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) known for?

Answer 22

An organization that used nonviolent protests to challenge segregation, instrumental in the Freedom Rides and the March on Washington.

Question 23

Explain the significance of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963.

Answer 23

It drew over 250,000 people advocating for civil and economic rights, where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech.

Question 24

Describe the Freedom Rides of 1961.

Answer 24

Integrated bus rides through the South to challenge segregated bus terminals, met with violent resistance but led to enforcement of desegregation laws.

Question 25

What were sit-ins, and where did the first major one take place?

Answer 25

Nonviolent protests where African Americans sat at segregated lunch counters; the first major one was at a Woolworth’s in Greensboro, North Carolina, in 1960.

Question 26

How did the Birmingham Campaign in 1963 impact public awareness?

Answer 26

A series of protests in Birmingham, Alabama, that drew national attention to the brutal tactics used against protesters, including children.

Question 27

What was the main goal of the civil rights protests during the 1960s?

Answer 27

To challenge segregation and advocate for civil and economic rights for African Americans.

Question 28

Describe Bloody Sunday.

Answer 28

The first attempted Selma march on March 7, 1965, where state troopers violently attacked marchers, leading to national outrage.

Question 29

Define the Poor People’s Campaign.

Answer 29

A movement led by Martin Luther King Jr. and the SCLC to address economic inequality, culminating in a protest camp on the National Mall in 1968.

Question 30

How did White Citizens’ Councils function during the civil rights movement?

Answer 30

Groups formed in the South to oppose desegregation and maintain white supremacy through economic and social pressure.

Question 31

Explain the role of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) during the civil rights era.

Answer 31

The KKK engaged in violent actions to intimidate civil rights activists and maintain segregation.

Question 32

What was the strategy of massive resistance?

Answer 32

A strategy by Southern states to resist desegregation, including closing public schools and other institutions rather than integrating them.

Question 33

Describe the purpose of Freedom Schools.

Answer 33

Alternative schools set up during the Freedom Summer to teach African American history and literacy to African American students.

Question 34

What did the Black Power movement advocate for?

Answer 34

A movement advocating for racial pride, economic empowerment, and the creation of Black political and cultural institutions.

Question 35

Define affirmative action.

Answer 35

Policies that seek to increase opportunities for historically marginalized groups in areas like employment and education.

Question 36

What was the significance of Baker v. Carr (1962)?

Answer 36

This case established the principle of ‘one person, one vote,’ ensuring fair representation by addressing gerrymandering that disenfranchised Black voters.

Question 37

Describe the conclusion of the Kerner Commission Report of 1968.

Answer 37

It stated that the U.S. was moving toward two societies, ‘one black, one white—separate and unequal,’ attributing civil unrest to systemic racism and poverty.

Question 38

Define the significance of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

Answer 38

Created by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, it enforces laws against workplace discrimination.

Question 39

How did Emmett Till’s murder impact the Civil Rights Movement?

Answer 39

His death galvanized the Civil Rights Movement, highlighting the extreme racial violence faced by African Americans.

Question 40

Explain the role of the FBI under J. Edgar Hoover during the Civil Rights Movement.

Answer 40

Hoover directed efforts to surveil and disrupt civil rights groups, often targeting leaders like Martin Luther King Jr.