Unit 8 Study Guide

What sorts of laws and limitations are called Jim Crow?

Racist laws such as segregation and voter suppression – aimed at Black Americans

What supreme court case (1896) served as the legal foundation of Jim Crow?

Plessy v Ferguson

Who was the “Warren Court?” what was different about them?

The Supreme Court under Earl Warren. More liberal and more activist than previous supreme courts.

What arguments were used in Brown v Board to explain that segregation violated the 14th amendment?

That segregation harmed student’s self esteem, lowered the quality of education, and suggested inherent racial inferiority

What was the south’s reaction to Brown v Board?

Strong resistance. Refused to comply

Who are the Little Rock Nine and Ruby Bridges?

They are all children who courageously integrated schools in the face of harsh white backlash

What role did Emmett Till play in the Civil Rights movement?

His brutal murder helped spark the civil rights movement

What role did Rosa Parks play in the Civil Rights movement?

Her refusal to give up her seat to a white man sparked the Montgomery bus boycott, which helped start the Civil Rights Movement.

What were the Freedom Rides?

Groups of integrated interstate busses driving through the South to force the South to desegregate interstate travel.

What happened in the Birmingham Campaign?

The police commissioner decided to crack down and arrested almost every protestor. When high schoolers joined the protest, the police turned fire hoses and attack dogs on them. The shocking images turned many against segregation.

Under Martin Luther King’s leadership, what were the main strategies of the Civil Rights Movement?

Nonviolence, Direct Action, Rally White Liberal Support

How did Malcolm X disagree with Martin Luther King?

Did not think black people should be trying to integrate into society. Didn’t believe in strict nonviolence

What new beliefs were introduced during the Black Power phase of the Civil Rights Movement?

Black Nationalism, Socialism

Why had so many Black Americans grown frustrated with America’s progress towards civil rights by 1965?

It was not alleviating economic conditions. It had barely touched the de facto racist policies of cities in the North and West, only focused on the South.

What happened to MLK? What happened to Malcolm X?

Both were assassinated.

What is the difference between first and second wave feminism? Which one is also called the “Women’s Liberation Movement?”

The Women’s Liberation Movement, or second wave feminism, is all about social and economic improvements for women—about female empowerment. The older first wave was about voting.

In the Feminine Mystique, Betty Friedan said that most American women were forced to be _______.
How did they feel about it?

Housewives—and they felt unsatisfied.

The chief goal of the Women’s Liberation Movement was summarized in the saying “The personal is political.” What was that goal?

To improve the personal life of each woman—to give her more choice and control and
agency.

How did the Sexual Revolution aid the goals of the Women’s Liberation Movement?

It generally liberalized American views on sex and relationships

What changes had occurred in American social expectations by the end of the movement?

Women no longer expected to leave work after marriage, women no longer expected to be subordinate to men in relationship, women no longer expected to be escorted everywhere by
men.

Why did many women turn against feminism?

A lot of women who were housewives or mothers or otherwise more conservative did not feel like it represented them. They felt like it was attacking them and that they did not have a place in the movement.

What was the Equal Rights Amendment? What happened to it?

The ERA was intended to grant equal rights, regardless of gender, in the constitution. It passed both houses, was signed by the president, but failed ratification by just 3 states. It ran out of time in 1979

What policies was America employing to reduce the numbers of Native Americans before 1970?

Forced or coerced sterilization, forced assimilation (boarding schools), removing children from the home, and tribal termination

What was the scale of sterilization and child removal among Native Americans?

About 40% of Native American women sterilized, 25-38% of children removed from homes

What specific actions were undertaken by the Red Power Movement?

Protests and occupations—Trail of Broken Treaties, Occupation of Alcatraz, Occupation of Wounded Knee

How successful was the movement?

Extremely. All of the policies of reducing Native American populations were ended, tribal
sovereignty became the basis of Indian Law.

What challenges still face Native Americans?

Still critically underserved, low economic opportunity, low educational attainment, etc.

What two laws were put in place because of the Red Power Movement?

Indian Child Welfare Act, Indian Self Determination and Education Assistance Act

What problems were the LGBTQ+ community facing?

Being homosexual was illegal, any kind of crossdressing or intersexuality was also often illegal. Was socially very frowned upon

What is a Sodomy Law? When was the last one abolished?

A sodomy law bans “deviant” sexual acts—always including homosexuality. Last ones abolished by Lawrence v Texas in 2003

What happened at Stonewall?

A huge riot and protest was sparked after a particularly bad raid at the Stonewall Inn—a gay bar in New York.

Why is Coming Out important to the Gay Liberation Movement?

It helped to show Americans that they knew gay people and that gay people were not some strange group of “deviants” but just regular folk living all over the country.

What problems were facing Spanish-Speaking Americans?

Lack of access to education or government services—which were only offered in English. Many worked in the farm industry as laborers, which are often dramatically underpaid.

What is a Chicano?

An identity of mixed Spanish and Indian descent. Mostly from Mexico these days but in the 1960s there was an attempt to unite all American Spanish-Speakers under this identity.

What did the Chicano Movement achieve?

Forced government to legalize and offer bilingual education. Helped bring attention to and alleviate farm labor conditions.

Why did the Chicano identity fail to unite all Spanish-speakers?

Many non-Mexican Spanish-speakers did not feel like the movement represented them. It was also very masculine and many women also struggled with the identity.

What conditions did Americans with Disabilities face?

No accommodations, terrible treatment by medical industry

What did the Disability Rights Movement Achieve? (What law?)

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Also got accommodations in public spaces like courthouses, schools, etc.

What problems faced the Asian-American community?

Total ignorance of culture and struggles. Portrayal as the “Model Minority.”

What did the Asian-American community achieve?

Some better recognition. American remembrance of the Japanese Concentration Camps in WW2—even reparations paid in 1988