1950's Weiss Test

President Eisenhower towards Integration:

Dwight D. Eisenhower didn’t strongly push for integration at first, but he believed in following the law and eventually took action when it was necessary.

Eisenhower’s use of The National Guard in Little Rock:

During the Little Rock crisis, Eisenhower sent federal troops to protect black students and enforce school integration when Arkansas refused to follow the law.

The Beatniks

A group of young mainly white artists who dressed in black and wore berets, sunglasses, and put forth ideas that contributed to the nation’s youth. The ideas usually spoke about rebellion.

Federal Highway Act

To provide easy transportation for military forces in case of an attack. Added 40,000 miles of highway throughout America.

Rosa Parks contribution to the Civil Rights Movement:

She refused to relinquish her seat on a bus in Montgomery

The Eisenhower/Nixon campaign’s attack on Adlai Stevenson:

Eisenhower and Nixon criticized Adlai Stevenson as being weak and too intellectual, trying to make him seem out of touch with everyday Americans.

Martin Luther King and The Montgomery Bus Boycott:

Non violent direct action led by Martin Luther King and started by Rosa Parks.

Television’s impact on Politics:

Threaten role of political parties, apply show business to political message, allow politicians to address voters directly, short slogans and sound bites.

Harry S. Truman in 1952:

Faced widespread dissatisfaction with his presidency.

Dr. Jonas Salk and his impact on the medical society.

Stalk created the first successful polio vaccine, which saved millions of lives and helped nearly eliminate the disease.

Bill Levitt and his impact on society:

Idea to build affordable homes in which many similar people would raise their families. All of the homes were comparable and their suburbs began to symbolize the American Dream.

Adlai Stevenson in 1952 and 1956:

Democrats nominated the governor of Illinois, Adlai Stevenson for presidents. Stevenson was a well respected politician (1952). Stevenson ran for president again as the Democratic candidate, but lost to Eisenhower for the second time. (1956).

Richard Nixon:

Eisenhower selected his vice president running mate, a young senator from California named Richard Nixon. Gained fame from supporting Joe McCarthy on his desire towards communism.

Elvis Presley:

From Memphis and was titled “The King of Rock-n-Roll”.

Allen Ginsburg:

Was successful with his poem “Howl” which blasted modern day American life.

Jack Kerouac: 

One of the most famous “Beat Writers” and wrote the novel “On the Road” which was about a group of friends driving across the country.

Thurgood Marshall:

He was the attorney who fought in court during the Brown vs Board of Ed case.

Ray Kroc:

Bought McDonald’s and began opening the restaurant throughout the country.

The Checkers Speech:

Won praise from the public and allowed Nixon to stay on ticket.

The Baby Boom:

Returning war veterans, finances rising, and popular cultures glorifying large families.

Methods used by African Americans in order to overturn Jim Crow Laws:

Economic boycotts, legal attack, segregation in the courts, mobilizing black churches on behalf of black rights, tactics of Ghandi.

The SNCC:

Founded in April 1960 by young people who emerged as leaders of the sit-in protest movements initiated on February 1 of that year by four black college students in Greensboro, North Carolina. Outgrowth of the ‘sit in’ movement.

JFK on Integration at the outset of his presidency:

JFK was careful at first pushing integration because he didn’t want to upset Southern politicians, but he still supported civil rights and slowly started taking action.

The Landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964:

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 made segregation illegal in public places and banned discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion, or national origin, which was a huge step toward equality.

The 24th Amendment:

Outlawing the poll taxes.

Voting Rights Act of 1965:

White southerners began courting black voters. This landmark piece of federal legislation in the United States that prohibits racial discrimination in voting. It was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson during the height of the Civil Rights Movements on August 6, 1965.

Chief goal of the Black Civil Rights Movement:

The main goal was to end segregation and discrimination and gain equal rights and opportunities under the law for Black Americans.

Dynamic Conservatism:

Eisenhower’s presidency referred to the nation of “dynamic conservatism” which meant balancing conservatism with some activism.

Eisenhower and Social Security:

He accepted the principal and extended the benefits.

The Bracero Program:

Legally imported Mexican farm workers to the U.S.