The Student Movement Flashcards
Describe how education motivated the student movement.
- Many wanted a greater say in their own education. They wanted to take part in running the universities and in bringing an end to college rules and restrictions imposed upon them.
- In addition, student societies tried to expose racism in their own colleges.
What effect did ML King have on the student movement?
ML King’s methods proved inspirational and many white students supported the freedom marches, freedom rides and the sit-ins of the early and mid-1960s.
What was pop music in the 1960s was an expression of ?
The emerging youth culture and protest against important issues of the day. Bob Dylan’s protest songs such as ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’ covered the themes of the changing times, nuclear war, racism and the hypocrisy of waging war.
How were students heavily involved in the civil rights movement?
They were part of organisations such as the SNCC and CORE and, by the mid-1960s, were ready to use this experience to campaign for greater rights for themselves.
Describe the SDS.
Students for a Democratic Society - set up in 1959 by Tom Hayden to give students a greater say in how courses and universities were run.
What did the SDS denounce?
The SDS denounced the Cold War and adopted a position of ‘anti-anti Communism’, demanding controlled disarmament to avoid the possibility of a nuclear war.
How far did the SDS span?
It eventually formed groups in 150 colleges and universities and had 100,000 members by the end of the 1960s.
When did the SDS first achieve national prominence?
1964 - it organised a sit-in against a ban on political activities at the University of California at Berkley.
When did membership for the SDS greatly increase?
In 1966 when Johnson abolished student draft deferments, which had allowed some men to delay their call up for the armed forces.
Give some examples of the SDS’s protest against Vietnam.
- staging draft card burnings
- harassing campus recruiters for the CIA
- occupying buildings in universities and destroying draft card records.
What happened at the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago?
SDS protestors, organised by Tom Hayden, created a riot in order to destroy the election chances of the pro-war candidate, Hubert Humphrey.
Who were the Chicago 7?
Hayden and 6 others who were arrested and convicted of crossing state lines to incite a riot during the 1968 Democratic Convention.
How had the student movement changed during the later 1960s?
The student movement became more radical e.g. the ‘Weathermen’ began to support violence to achieve their aims. They bombed army recruitment centres and government buildings.
What effect did the Vietnam war have on the student movement?
Opposition to the Vietnam war united the student movement. Opposition grew due the increasing US death toll and the tactics employed by the US.
When did the anti-war protests reach their peak?
During 1968-70. In the first half of 1968, there were over 100 demonstrations against the war, involving 400,000 students.
What happened at Kent State University Ohio in 1970?
4 people killed and 11 injured in a peaceful protest against the bombing of Cambodia. 2 million students went on strike in protest against this action
Describe the overall impact of the student movement upon Vietnam.
- Although the SDS and student protests did not bring an end to the war in Vietnam, there is no doubt that they helped to force a shift in government policy and make the withdrawal from Vietnam much more likely.
- They certainly influenced President Johnson’s decision not to seek re-election in 1968.
Describe the overall impact of the student movement upon race relations.
They provided a greater publicity for the racism still prevalent in US society. The support of many white students for black civil rights strengthened the whole movement and showed that most American youths would no longer tolerate discrimination and segregation.
