Social Reform and Transition Quiz

Question 1

What was the purpose of President Johnson’s Great Society program?

Answer 1

+ To address the high rate of poverty in American society- by creating government programs to improve the opportunities and daily experiences of less fortunate Americans.

Question 2

What key programs and policies were developed within the Great Society program?

Answer 2

• Job Corps
• Medicare
• Medicaid
• Civil Rights Act
• Voting Rights Act
• War on Poverty
• Scholarships, Grants, Work Study for College Students
• Headstart
• Corporation of Public Broadcasting
• Wilderness Act
• Clean Air Act
• Clean Waters Act
• Indian Bill of Rights
• Fair Housing Act
• School Breakfasts

Question 3

What was the War on Poverty?

Answer 3

President Johnson’s mission to use federal government intervention to eliminate poverty in America over the course of his presidency.

Question 4

How impactful was the Johnson’s Great Society package of programs and policies?

Answer 4

• The Great Society is given credit for helping greatly reduce the poverty rate in America.
• Many Great Society programs continue to exist today.

Question 5

How did the Civil Rights Movement impact other groups of Americans to work for societal change during the 1960s?

Answer 5

• Because the Civil Rights Movement was able to convince the government to pass actual legislation to help Black Americans, it inspired other groups to organize similar movements.
• The Civil Rights Movement provided a model for the ideas and actions within other movement, for example: the use of nonviolent protests, marches, and boycotts.

Question 6

What was the NAACP?

Answer 6

• The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
• Group that promoted the prohibition of racial segregation in schools and other aspects of public life.
• Inspired many other social reform groups.

Question 7

Who was Cesar Chavez?

Answer 7

• Founder of the United Farm Workers (UFW)
• Organized nonviolent protests, marches and boycotts within the Mexican migrant farm worker community to promote positive change.

Question 8

What was the UFW?

Answer 8

• the United Farm Workers.
• Group that protested for improved conditions for migrant workers.

Question 9

What was the AIM?

Answer 9

• The American Indian Movement
• Group that protested for the recognition of the rights of American Indians.

Question 10

Who was Betty Friedan?

Answer 10

• Author of the 1950s book The Feminine Mystique and co-founder of the National Organization of Women.
• Her book explained the daily frustrations of American women- greatly inspired the emergence of the Women’s Liberation Movement.

Question 11

What was NOW?

Answer 11

• The National Organization for Women
• Group that protested for the fair treatment of women in the workplace.
• Encouraged the creation of the Title IX Amendments to the Civil Rights Act and creation of the Equal Rights Amendment.

Question 12

What was Silent Spring?

Answer 12

• Book written by Rachel Carson that highlighted the dangers facing the environment and the American public.
• Her book greatly influenced Johnson’s Great Society legislation and the formation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by President Nixon.

Question 13

How did increased calls for social reform contribute to tensions among the American public during the 1960s?

Answer 13

• While many people believed that many changes and improvements were needed in society– other Americans were uncomfortable with the rate of change and proposed changes.
• Tensions were especially high between young Americans (who wanted changes) and older American (who were often opposed to changes).

Question 14

How and why were young people involved in the call for social reform during the 1960s?

Answer 14

• How: Young people were very active in all major social reform movements as well as the large antiwar movement where young people protested the Vietnam War draft.
• Why: Many young people wanted to see major improvements in society and an end to the war– since they could not vote until age 21 at this time– protesting was the main way they fought for changes.

Question 15

How did American culture change in response to the tensions witnessed during the 1960s?

Answer 15

• Many young people became very active in social reform movements- especially protesting the draft and the fact they could not vote until age 21.
• Popular culture reflected the way many young people separated themselves from mainstream society- with the emergence of the “counterculture”.

Question 16

What was counterculture?

Answer 16

• Lifestyle adopted by many young people who were frustrated with the ways of mainstream society.
• Led to the emergence of boundary pushing music, fashion, and art; as well as the hippie lifestyle.