11. The Affluent Society 1950s

Who was Emmett Till and why did he become a national symbol in 1955? (A) A civil rights lawyer murdered in Alabama (B) A 14-year-old boy brutally lynched in Mississippi after a false accusation (C) A Freedom Rider killed during protests (D) A WWII veteran attacked for voting)

(B) A 14-year-old boy brutally lynched in Mississippi after a false accusation

What was the major outcome of the Emmett Till trial? (A) Conviction of both killers (B) Hung jury (C) Acquittal by an all-white jury and later confession by the killers (D) Federal retrial and conviction)

(C) Acquittal by an all-white jury and later confession by the killers

What triggered the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955? (A) Brown v. Board ruling (B) Rosa Parks’ arrest for refusing to give up her seat (C) Little Rock crisis (D) MLK’s speech on bus reform)

(B) Rosa Parks’ arrest for refusing to give up her seat

What was the outcome of the Montgomery Bus Boycott? (A) Montgomery repealed bus tax (B) Supreme Court ruled bus segregation unconstitutional (C) Federal troops protected riders (D) King resigned from MIA)

(B) Supreme Court ruled bus segregation unconstitutional

Which leader emerged nationally during the Montgomery Bus Boycott? (A) Malcolm X (B) Thurgood Marshall (C) Martin Luther King Jr. (D) Stokely Carmichael)

(C) Martin Luther King Jr.

What was the primary legal strategy of the early 1950s Civil Rights Movement? (A) Violent protest (B) Challenging 'separate but equal' in courts (C) Boycotting schools (D) Passing federal laws first)

(B) Challenging 'separate but equal' in courts

What did Brown v. Board of Education (1954) decide? (A) Schools must stay segregated (B) Segregated schools are constitutional (C) Segregated schools are inherently unequal and violate the 14th Amendment (D) Only colleges must integrate)

(C) Segregated schools are inherently unequal and violate the 14th Amendment

What did Brown II (1955) order? (A) Immediate integration of all schools in 30 days (B) No further action on Brown (C) Desegregation with 'all deliberate speed' (D) States could choose whether to integrate)

(C) Desegregation with 'all deliberate speed'

What was the Southern Manifesto (1956)? (A) A federal law requiring school integration (B) A document attacking Brown v. Board and supporting segregation (C) A peace treaty with civil rights groups (D) The NAACP’s integration plan)

(B) A document attacking Brown v. Board and supporting segregation

Who were the Little Rock Nine? (A) The first interracial bus riders (B) Students who desegregated Central High School and were protected by federal troops (C) Founders of the SNCC (D) Organizers of the Selma March)

(B) Students who desegregated Central High School and were protected by federal troops

What event caused President Eisenhower to send federal troops to Arkansas in 1957? (A) Emmett Till murder (B) MLK’s arrest (C) Governor Faubus blocking integration at Central High (D) Bus boycotts spreading)

(C) Governor Faubus blocking integration at Central High

What key event sparked the Korean War in 1950? (A) China invaded South Korea (B) North Korea invaded South Korea across the 38th parallel (C) Japan reclaimed the peninsula (D) The U.S. invaded the North)

(B) North Korea invaded South Korea across the 38th parallel

Who led UN forces during the early Korean War before being removed by Truman? (A) Eisenhower (B) MacArthur (C) Patton (D) Ridgeway)

(B) MacArthur

What was the outcome of the Korean War in 1953? (A) North defeated South (B) South overtook North (C) Armistice restoring border near 38th parallel, no peace treaty signed (D) Full unification under UN control)

(C) Armistice restoring border near 38th parallel, no peace treaty signed

What was the Arms Race during the 1950s primarily about? (A) Competing for missile technology and nuclear superiority (B) Building more aircraft carriers (C) Producing tanks for Europe (D) Increasing spy satellites only)

(A) Competing for missile technology and nuclear superiority

Which bomb did the U.S. test in 1952 that escalated the Arms Race? (A) Atomic bomb (B) Dirty bomb (C) Hydrogen bomb (D) Neutron bomb)

(C) Hydrogen bomb

What did Mendez v. Westminster (1946) decide? (A) African American schools must integrate (B) Japanese Americans could not attend white schools (C) Segregation of Mexican-American students was unconstitutional (D) Indians must attend public schools)

(C) Segregation of Mexican-American students was unconstitutional

What did Sarah Keys v. Carolina Coach Company (1955) rule? (A) Segregation on interstate buses was illegal (B) Cities must desegregate schools (C) Private bus companies may segregate passengers (D) States could choose bus seating laws)

(A) Segregation on interstate buses was illegal

What early social force began shaping counterculture in the 1950s? (A) Revival of Victorian values (B) Youth culture + rock ’n’ roll + TV rebellions (C) Rise of silent movies (D) Decline of consumerism)

(B) Youth culture + rock ’n’ roll + TV rebellions

Which musician pioneered early rock ’n’ roll and was hugely popular with teens? (A) Frank Sinatra (B) Bing Crosby (C) Elvis Presley (D) Duke Ellington)

(C) Elvis Presley

Which 1950s event exposed the brutality of white supremacy nationally via media coverage? (A) Southern Manifesto (B) Little Rock Crisis (C) Anne Moody testimony (D) Checkers speech)

(B) Little Rock Crisis