Unit 9 Lesson 5: Social Change in the 1950s Flashcards
Women were often frustrated by de facto male superiority in the workplace. Many of them began to embrace
feminism
. The commission’s recommendations, along with additional conclusions from various state investigations, helped pave the way for the
Equal Pay Act. Passed in 1963
In 1961, President Kennedy created the President’s Commission on the Status of Women. who led it
Eleanor Roosevelt led the commission until her death in 1962.
Equal Pay Act. Passed in 1963
this act mandates that—in most cases—women and men working in basically the same job must be paid equally.
result of the President’s Commission on the Status of Women
The commission’s findings showed that women faced widespread discrimination at work.
feminism
the idea that women and men should be treated equally in all areas of public life.
women protrests in th 1960s
The protest movements of the 1960s inspired many white and middle-class women to create their own organized movement for greater rights and power. Many were older married women who found the traditional roles of housewife and mother unfulfilling.
Impact of The Feminine Mystique
In 1963, writer and feminist Betty Friedan published The Feminine Mystique. Friedan’s book was a best seller. It struck a note with many women who agreed that homemaking in the suburbs sapped them of their individualism and left them unsatisfied.
In 1966, the National Organization for Women (NOW) (created by Friedan) formed and proceeded to set an agenda for the feminist movement. What were its key goals
The key goal was to make possible women’s participation in all aspects of American life and to gain for them all the rights enjoyed by men. Among other specific goals was the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment, which has yet to be ratified.
As women in the 1960s challenged traditional ideas of the roles they should play in society, they also challenged traditional beliefs about how they should present themselves. How did women begin to dress
Many women embraced new less-restrictive clothing styles that represented youth and changing attitudes. They began dressing more casually, wearing slacks more often than before and in places where they had not usually worn them, such as at work or while shopping. Bell-bottoms, worn jeans, and unisex clothes found wide popularity.
Earl Warren was the Chief Justice of the United States from 1953 to 1969. This period of the Supreme Court is often referred to as
“The Warren Court.”
What did the Warren Court address
The Warren Court addressed voting rights, free speech, due process, and civil rights in several decisions that had profound effects on American life.
process
The idea that laws must treat people equally and that the justice system must follow proper procedures and rules
Mapp v. Ohio
In Mapp v. Ohio, the Court ruled that evidence seized in violation of the Fourth Amendment, which protects individuals against unreasonable searches and seizures, cannot be used as evidence against a defendant in a state court. The Mapp ruling provided additional constitutional protections for citizens by prohibiting unlawfully obtained evidence in all courts.
Gideon v. Wainwright 1966, how did the case reach the sumpere court
Gideon was accused of committing a felony. He did not have the money to pay for an attorney, so he asked the court to provide one. The judge refused. While in prison, Gideon asked the Florida Supreme Court to hear his case, but it denied his request. Finally, Gideon wrote a letter to the U.S. Supreme Court asking for it to hear his case.
Outcome of the Gideon v. Wainwright
t. Finally, Gideon wrote a letter to the U.S. Supreme Court asking for it to hear his case. The Court agreed and eventually ruled in Gideon’s favor, establishing that the Sixth Amendment requires that criminal defendants who cannot afford an attorney must be provided an attorney free of charge.
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Why did the judge in Gideon’s original trial refuse to appoint an attorney to defend him?
The judge ruled that state law only required that poor defendants be appointed an attorney if they were accused of a capital crime.
Why did the Warren Court find in Gideon’s favor?
The ruling states that “lawyers in criminal courts are necessities, not luxuries” and that states are bound by the U.S. Constitution, no matter what their state law might state.
Engle v. Vitale (1962)
, Engle v. Vitale (1962) addressed the issue of school sponsored prayer. The court found that school-sponsored prayer violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.
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Loving v. Virginia (1967)
In this case, the court used the Due Process and Equal Protection clauses of the 14th Amendment to overturn state bans on interracial marriage. The court found that these bans could only be justified by “invidious racial discrimination,” and that there was no other compelling government interest for these laws. The court emphasized that marriage is a fundamental right and could not be limited by the state in this way.
What was the 1966 Miranda v. Arizona
Miranda was a Mexican immigrant living in Phoenix, Arizona, who was accused of kidnapping and rape. He was arrested and questioned by the police after he was identified in a lineup. Following several hours of interrogation, Miranda confessed to the crimes. However, the police never notified Miranda about his Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination or his Sixth Amendment right to have counsel. Miranda was eventually convicted and sentenced to 20 to 30 years in prison on each count. Upon appeal, the Arizona Supreme Court upheld the conviction.
What was the outcome of the Miranda v. Arizona
Miranda then appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled in his favor. The Warren Court decision formed the basis of what would become known as the Miranda Warning: A set of statements all police officers must read to detainees upon arrest, informing them of their rights under the U.S. Constitution.
What was the 1969 case Tinker v. Des Moines.
s. Several students wore black armbands to school as a silent protest against the Vietnam War. School officials had warned the students against such a protest, and when the students carried out their plans, they were suspended. The students’ parents sued the school for violating their children’s right to free speech.
Outcome of the Tinker v. Des Moines
The case eventually reached the Supreme Court, which ruled 7–2 in the students’ favor. The Court upheld young people’s fundamental right to freely express themselves while also stating that “school officials do not possess absolute authority over their students.” Tinker continues to be an important ruling on the right to free speech and freedom of expression.
Beginning in the mid-1960s, many young people came to embrace a new wave of cultural dissent—the
counterculture
What was the counterculture all about
The counterculture offered an alternative to the perceived blandness and uniformity of American middle-class life.
Events around the world and in the United States made Americans more aware of environmental crises and the threat to life on Earth.
For example, the U.S. military continued to test hydrogen bombs on the Bikini atoll in the Pacific Ocean. Closer to home, oil spills and the reckless use of agricultural chemicals raised alarm bells.
Music, especially folk and rock, occupied an important place in the counterculture.
Folk musicians, such as Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, and Joan Baez, wrote and performed songs that promoted peace and change. By the mid-60s, however, amplified rock music overtook folk.
What did members of counterculture do
Members of the counterculture rebelled against patriarchal family structures, self-discipline, unquestioning patriotism, consumerism, and materialism.
The beginning of the modern environmental movement was sparked by the publication of Silent Spring by Rachel Carson in 1962.
Carson was a former U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist whose book created widespread public concern over the dangers of increased pesticide use and the need to regulate these kinds of chemicals.
Lake Erie and the nearby Cuyahoga River
. Decades of industrialization had left Lake Erie and the nearby Cuyahoga River, which flowed through Cleveland, Ohio, so polluted that in 1969 an oil slick on the Cuyahoga burst into flames. The fire destroyed two railroad bridges and caused thousands of dollars in property damage. The disaster was a wake-up call, and the media coverage fed the growing environmentalism movement in the country.
In late January 1969, an oil platform six miles off the California coast had a blowout. Roughly 200,000 gallons of crude oil leaked into the Pacific Ocean during the 11 days it took to control the leak. The slick spread to cover 800 square miles. Seals, dolphins, and many varieties of seabirds were victims of the spill. Impact of this event
In the aftermath, local environmental activists pushed for reforms, which eventually led to the passage of tougher offshore drilling regulations. The following spring, the United States celebrated the first Earth Day. A new federal agency, the Environmental Protection Agency, was created to address these growing issues.
