Download GHSGT_Part_Two_U.S._History_Since_1865

Passing the Georgia High School
Graduation Test
and the State End of Course Test
Review Material for GHSGT
and SEOCT
United States History
Part Two
Prepared by Michelle Drayton
and Marjorie Seckinger
ECHS – 2007-2008
U.S History Since 1865
SSUSH10 The student will identify legal, political,
and social dimensions of Reconstruction.
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Reconstruction – the act of bringing the South
back into a political union with the North.
Problems resulted from power struggle
between the executive and legislative branch
over who would control the reconstruction
process.
Presidential Reconstruction
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After the assassination of President Lincoln,
Andrew Johnson became president.
He also believed that the South had not
seceded from the Union
Wanted to treat the South as in rebellion
Wanted to restore the Union as quickly and
painlessly as possible
Congressional Reconstruction
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Controlled by “Radicals” who wanted to punish
the South for the war and…
Called for strict readmission standards
Wanted to restructure the South’s political
power away from the Planters
10% Plan – Presidential Plan
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10% of the voting population must swear
allegiance to the Union
Congress felt that this plan was too lenient and
refused to admit representatives from the
South into Congress
Radical Reconstruction
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Divide the South into military districts with
military commanders instead of elected officials
Must ratify 14th Amendment –equal protection
of all citizens – gave citizenship to former
slaves
Grant Black citizens the right to vote (15th
Amendment)
Former Confederate officials could not hold
office
Freedman’s Bureau
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Agency set up to aid former slaves in adjusting
themselves to freedom.
Furnished food and clothing to needy blacks and
helped them get jobs.
Able to attend school for the first time
African Americans started newspapers, served in
public office, and attended new colleges and
universities established for them.
Morehouse College -
Reconstruction
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Congress did not provide African Americans
with land
With few skills – many returned to work on
farms as sharecroppers and tenant farmers.
Reconstruction comes to an end in 1877 when
the last state was re-admitted to the Union
African Americans were left with few
protections against laws that discriminated
against them (Jim Crow Laws)
13th, 14th, 15th Amendments
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Known as the Civil War Amendments
13th – abolished slavery
14th – defined citizenship to include African Americans
and guaranteed that no citizen can be deprived of
rights without due process
15th – protected the right of African Americans to vote
These amendments were designed to protect the rights
of African Americans – however – they were not
effective in preventing discrimination and abuse of
voting rights.
Black Codes and the KKK
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Founded in 1866 – the Ku Klux Klan used terrorism
and violence to scare blacks and other minorities.
Tried to prevent Reconstruction governments from
giving power to blacks.
Black Codes – were restrictions on former slaves,
passed by Southern governments – Could not own
weapons, meet together after sundown, etc.
Grandfather Clause – poll taxes – literacy tests were all
ways in which blacks were denied the right to vote
Impeachment of Andrew Johnson
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President Johnson had been a supporter of Lincoln’s
plan of reconstruction which would have re-admitted
Southern states w/o restrictions
Congress attempted to weaken Johnson’s power by
passing several laws that made Reconstruction fall
under their control –
Congress wanted weaken his power even more –
brought impeachment charges against him even
though the evidence was weak
Johnson escaped a conviction by one vote in the
Senate but was weakened by the process -
SSUSH11 The student will describe the growth of big
business and technological innovations after
Reconstruction
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After the end of Reconstruction – people
wanted to move west
Congress helped that movement by loaning
millions of dollars to railroad companies to
build railroads for the west coast
Railroads made it possible for the spread of
population to the west coast
Transcontinental Railroad
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Union Pacific - Began in Omaha and went west
– Central Pacific – Began in Sacramento and went
East
Railroads met in Utah to form the first trans-continental
railroad.
Guilty of corruption in their business by overcharging
the government
Use cheap Chinese labor – conditions were hazardous
–low pay – labor was exploited by the wealthy
Railroads
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Had impact on other industries
Farming – surplus supplies of grain and animal
products could shipped to market faster
Towns grew up around junctions of railroads
Steel industries grew to supply iron for the building of
the railroads
Railroads organized their business around owning
major supply of raw materials for building and running
the railroads as well as owning the railroad company
Railroads were the first of the “big” business
organizations – led to growth of monopolies
Steel Industry
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Andrew Carnegie made money in the steel
industry
Used business tactics to drive the competition
out of business
Introduced new process to make steel cheaper
and stronger
Leading industry in aiding the spread of the
Industrial Revolution
John D. Rockefeller
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Rockefeller, Carnegie, Vanderbilt were called “Robber
Barons” because the got wealthy by exploitation and
ruthlessness
Extreme wealth and lavish lifestyle
Held great economic and sometimes political power –
caused government to stay out of their business
Set prices where they liked, drove competition out of
business
Part of the Gilded Age -
Monopolies and Trusts
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Trusts are companies that combine for the
purpose of reducing competition an controlling
prices
Monopolies when one company or individual
owns and controls all of an industry, a raw
material, or a means of production
Inventions
Thomas Edison – one of the most important inventors in
American history
 Light bulb
 Motion picture
 Phonograph
 Impact on American Life:
- first lab set up for scientific experimentation, - created
new industries – led to improvements in living
conditions and the expansion of factory jobs
SSUSH 12 The students will
analyze important consequences of American
industrial growth.
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Ellis Island – entry point for inspection of
immigrants coming into the U.S.
The second major wave of immigration to the
U.S. – 25 million new immigrants
Changed from Western and Northern Europe
to Southern and Eastern Europe
Came to escape poverty – persecution
-
New Immigration
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Language barriers and cultural differences produced
mistrust by Americans
Most settled in crowed conditions – tenements for
factory workers
Settled in urban areas - close to groups of other
immigrants from the same country
Fear of new immigrants led to new call for restrictions
on immigrants
Led to nativist movement – favoring the interest of
native born people over that of foreign born people
American Federation of Labor and
Samuel Gompers
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Began in 1886 – first successful labor union
Samuel Gompers – organizer and first
president
It is a combination of different unions into one
large organization
Represented skilled workers (cigar makers)
Worked on collective bargaining – to reach
agreement on pay, hours, and conditions
Successful strikes helped raise the pay and
improve the conditions of factory workers
Growth of Western Population –
Wounded Knee and Sitting Bull
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As white men moved west to settle – the
Native Americans were pushed into smaller
and smaller areas
The destruction of the buffalo and constant
battles with settlers forced them to abandon
their traditional plains life
Growth of Western Population –
Wounded Knee and Sitting Bull
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Sitting Bull – leader of Hunkpapa Sioux never
signed an agreement to move his tribe to a
reservation – finally forced to surrender and
live on a reservation –
Wounded Knee – 300 starving Sioux Indians
were killed when a fight broke out between the
Calvary and the Indians
Brought the Indian Wars to a bitter end
Pullman Strike
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Strikes were often violent
Strike begins after the Pullman Company had
drastically wages and refused to negotiate with the
workers
Workers began to strike and sponsored a boycott of
Pullman Trains
Pullman hired strikebreakers – had the leaders of the
strike jailed
Workers were fired and blacklisted so that they could
not work in the railroad industry again.
SSUSH 13 The student will identify major
efforts to reform American society and
politics in the Progressive Era.
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Upton Sinclair – wrote “The Jungle”
Exposed unsanitary conditions in the Chicago’s
meat processing plants
“Muckrakers” – named because the raked up
the “muck” of the business world
Meat Inspection Act – and Pure Food and Drug
Act during Teddy Roosevelt’s Administration
Social Reforms
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Ida Tarbell – muckraker – wrote “The History of
Standard Oil Company” Exposed the ruthless business practices of
Standard Oil Company
Her writing along with others made public
aware of abuses occurring in trusted services
and companies.
Women in Reform Movements
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Jane Addams – One of the most influential
members of the settlement house movement –
19th century reformer who responded to the call
to help the urban poor
Part of the reform movement known as Social
Gospel –
Hull House – settlement house established in
Chicago, ILL. - educational, cultural, and
social services
Instrumental in cultivating social responsibility
Need for Civil Rights Reforms
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Jim Crow- created a racial caste system in the
South- Prevented African Americans from
voting and created segregated facilities
Plessy vs. Ferguson – 1896 – Supreme Court
decision that upheld that segregation
(separation of the races) was lawful as long as
separate facilities were and services equal
commonly known as “separate but equal”
principle
NAACP
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National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People
Organization founded in 1909 – by W.E. B.
DuBois to draw attention to the problem of
discrimination and promote full racial equality
Founded by a number of African Americans
and a number of prominent whites in New York.
Progressive Reforms
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Reforms of Elections
Initiative was instrumental in giving citizens the power
to create laws. (A bill originated by people rather than
by lawmakers on the ballot)
Referendum – a vote on the initiative – allows voters
to accept or reject the initiative.
Recall – enables voters to remove public officials from
elected positions by forcing them to face another
election before the end of their term.
Direct Elections – 17th Amendment – the people
would elect U.S. Senator instead of state legislators
Labor Laws
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In response in to poor working conditions –
workers organized into labor unions
Improved wages, work week, and child labor
laws
Work place safety standards
Minimum age for work
SSUSH114 The student will explain
American’s evolving relationship with the
world at the turn of the century.
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Chinese Exclusion Act – 1882 law passed by
Congress banning entry into the U.S. to all
Chinese except – students, teachers,
merchants, tourists, and government officials
for 10 years
Extended in 1902 – repealed in 1943
Response to Nativism -
Immigration
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Gentlemen's Agreement of 1907-1908 –
Japan’s government agreed to limit
immigration of unskilled workers to the U.S. In
exchange for repeal of the San Francisco
Segregation Order
Spanish American War
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1898 – war between U.S. and Spain
Helped Cuba to win independence from Spain
Other causes include yellow journalism and the
De Lome Letter –
Direct Cause – U.S. blamed Spain for the
explosion that sand the U.S.S. Maine in the
harbor of Havana, Cuba
War starts in Philippines – colony of Spain and
is also fought in the Caribbean Islands
Spanish American War
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Results – Spain freed Cuba and gave Islands
of Guam and Puerto Rico to the U.S.
Sold Philippines to U.S. for $20 million
Treaty began great debate of “Imperialism” in
the U.S.
U.S. in Latin America
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Roosevelt Corollary was an extension of the
Monroe Doctrine
The U.S. claim the right to protect its economic
economic interest by means of military
intervention in the affair of Western Hemisphere
nations (North and South America)
Panama Canal
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Panama Canal – built on the isthmus of
Panama to provide a short cut between the
Atlantic and Pacific Oceans – 1914
Took over project for the French
SSUSh15 The Student will analyze the origins
and impact of U.S. involvement in World War I
World War I – U.S. remained neutral at beginning of
WWI in 1914
 German provocation led to U.S. involvement in the war
 Supported Allied Forces by selling arms and war
supplies to Britain and France
 U.S. enters war in 1917 as a result of ….
- Zimmerman Note – note from Germany to Mexico
proposing an alliance
- Sinking of unarmed American merchant ships
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War at Home - Impact
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The Great Migration – large scale movement of
hundreds of thousands of African Americans
from the rural South to factories in the North
Job opportunities and to escape the Jim Crow
laws of the South
War at Home - Impact
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Espionage and Sedition Act – a person could
be fined up to $10 thousand and sentenced up
to 20 years in jail for interfering with the war
effort or saying any thing disloyal.
Targeted socialist and labor leader – such as
Eugene B. Debs - a known socialists and
labor leader of the IWW – given ten year prison
sentence for speaking against the draft
Wilson’s Fourteen Points
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Wilson’s ideas that he wanted included in the
WWI peace treaty – included freedom of the
seas and League of Nations – first peace
keeping organization
U.S. never joined the League of Nations
because Senate failed to approve treaty
Amendments
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18th Amendment – due to the women’s
temperance movement – banned the sale,
manufacture, and distribution of alcoholic
beverages - known as Prohibition
19th Amendment – Women’s suffrage - gave
women the right to vote in 1920 - result of
women’s efforts during WWI
SSUSH16 The student will identify key
developments in the aftermath of WWI
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Red Scare and the rise of communism and socialism
The panic began in the U.S. in 1919 after the
communist take over of Russia
Communist Party was formed in the U.S.
Bomb scare to public officials and business leaders
Public became fearful of communist take over
Palmer (U.S. Attorney General) took action to combat
RED SCARE
Immigrant restriction
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As a result of the Red Scare – the U.S. began
a quota system
It established the maximum number of people
who could enter the U.S. from Europe
Greatly limited immigrants from southern and
eastern Europe
1927 law reduced the total number to 150,000
in one year
Industrial expansion
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Henry Ford is most noted for the introduction of
assembly line which created the emergence of
mass production
Produced identical items in large quantities
Made car affordable
Model T was the most popular automobile
Harlem Renaissance
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1920’s literary and artistic movement
celebrating African American culture in Harlem,
New York
Langston Hughes – was the movement’s best
known poet
Louis Armstrong – famous jazz artist during
this time – known as one of the most important
and influential musicians in the history of jazz
(played trumpet)
Modern forms of Culture
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Tin Pan Alley (often shortened to TPA) is the
name given to the collection of New York Citycentered music publishers and songwriters
who dominated the popular music of the United
States in the late 19th century and early 20th
century.
Irvin Berlin – Composer
Mass Media – Radio and movies changed the
speed with which people gained information
SSUSH17 The student will analyze the causes
and consequences of the Great Depression

Causes –
- Tariffs (to protect American goods) and war
debts (WWI)
- Over production of farm goods
- Availability of easy credit
- unequal distribution of income
- Stock market speculation and crash
Effects of the Great Depression
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People out of work
Rise of shanty towns (Hoovervilles)
World economy suffers
Bank failures
Schools close
Hoover begin active governmental involvement
too little – too late
Dust Bowl
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Drought – 1930’s wreaked havoc on the Great Plains
Farmers had exhausted the land due to over
production of crops
Grasslands became unsuitable for farming
Windstorms picked up millions of tons of dust and
carried to East coast cities
Dust Bowl consisted of Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado,
Texas and New Mexico
People were plagued by dust storms and evictions –
most migrated to California and Pacific coast states.
Great Depression
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Great stress on American families
Men suffered from unemployment
No federal system of direct relief for the needy
Working women became targets of enormous
resentment
Children suffered
High suicide rates – neglected medical care
SSUSH18 The student will describe
Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal as a response to
the depression and compare the ways governmental
programs aided those in need.
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New Deal was a series of programs designed
to give direct relief to the needy and to
stimulate the economy
The first part of the New Deal was in the first
100 days…
The second part
The New Deal
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Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) - federal
corporation established in 1933 to construct
dams and power plants in the Tennessee
Valley region
Design to generate electricity as well as to
prevent floods
The New Deal
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Wagner Act – AKA the National Labor Relations Act –
1935
To protect workers rights
Protected rights to join unions and to collective
bargaining
Could not interfere with union organizing –
Set max. hours at 44 per week
Set rules for under 16
Ban hazardous work for those under 18
The New Deal
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Social Security Act – most important
achievement of New Deal
Old age insurance for retirees 65 or older and
their spouses.
Un-employment compensation system
Aid to families with dependent children
Aid to disabled
Women’s Activism
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Eleanor Roosevelt – (wife of FDR)
instrumental in the Second New Deal
Encouraged husband to set up social programs
and to appoint women to government positions
Traveled to bring attention to social conditions
and the suffering of the nation’s people.
Challenges to Roosevelt
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Huey Long (Senator of Louisiana) challenged
New Deal policies – proposed a share our
wealth program – promised something for
everyone
Assassinated
Challenges to FDR
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FDR tried to increase the number of Supreme
Court justices from 9 to 15 because he wanted
to stop the court from interfering with his New
Deal policies
Not passed by Congress – but many justices
did retire or resign – thus he was able to
appoint justices that who agree with his
policies
Challenges to FDR
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WWII broke out in Europe
Neutrality Act – a series of acts passed in
1935-36 to prevent U.S. involvement in arm
sales and loans to nations at war.
SSUSH 19 The student will identify the origins, major
developments, and the domestic impact of WWII,
especially, the growth of the federal government.
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A. Philip Randolph – president and founder of the
Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porter and the nation’s
most respected African American Union
Protested discrimination both in the military and in
industry
March was cancelled when FDR promised to end
discrimination in defense industry
(Prior to WWII 75% of defense contractors refused to
hire African Americans) (15% hired them only as
janitors)
U.S. entry into WWII
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Pearl Harbor – Dec.7, 1941 (Hawaii) – largest
U.S. naval base in the Pacific
Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor without
warning –
Hoped destroy the ability of the U.S. navy to
protect areas of the South Pacific
President FDR – called on Congress to declare
war on Japan (also declared war on Germany
2 days later)
U.S. enters WWII
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Japanese Internment – (confinement in camps)
War Dept. called for the mass evacuation of all Japanese
Americans – to be placed in camps
Occurred in Hawaii, California, Washington, Oregon, and
Arizona
Justified as a necessary for national security
Placed in remote relocation centers – 2/3 were people
who were born in this country.
No charges had been filed against them – no evidence
against them – forced to sell homes and property for less
than true value
German and Italian Americans also faced discrimination
U.S. enters WWII
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Lend Lease Program - Prior to our entry into
WWII
Allowed the U.S. to ship arms and supplies to
nations fighting the AXIS powers
“Arsenal of Democracy”
Allied Powers were Great Britain, France,
USSR and U.S. (and many others
Axis Powers – Germany, Italy, Japan
Major Battles WWII
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Midway – Major naval battle on strategic island
in Pacific
Turning point in the Pacific War
Allied Victory – ended the power of the
Japanese Navy
Major Battles
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D-Day - June 6, 1944
Largest invasion force ever assembled
Allied invasion code name Operation Overlord
Allies invaded Europe and began a push to
liberate France and the rest of Europe from
German forces
Major Battles
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May 1945 – fighting across Europe pushed the
German army back into Germany
Soviets came from the west into Germany
Rest of Allies came from the East to attack
Berlin
Hitler commits suicide – leads to VE DAY May
8th
Germany surrenders to Allies
Getting ready for war
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Selective Service – draft was expanded
Factories were converted from civil products to making
war materials
War Production Board created to manage the economy
Great Depression ends as factories produce war
materials
Women – served in special units of the armed services
and took the place of men in the work force
By the end of the war - women made up 1/3 of the
work force
The Atomic Bomb
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Los Alamos – The Manhattan Project was the code
name
FDR – created the Office of Scientific Research and
Development
Their most important achievement was the production
of the Atomic Bomb
Decision to use the bomb was based on the belief that
the bomb would save American lives over a land
invasion of Japan
Forced the surrender of the Japanese Sept. 1945
Atomic Bomb
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Some people believed that the use of the bomb
was also necessary to show USSR that we
would have the power to defend Europe from
the spread of Communism
Standards 20-25
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The majority of the information in these
standards are not tested on the GHSGT.
They may be included in the State End of
Course Test
Cold War
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Name given to the competition between the
United States and the Soviet Union for
influence in the world after WWII.
Soviet Union set up Communist governments
in Eastern Europe
Europe
Cold War
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Containment Policy – belief that the best way
to keep Communism out of Europe was to
confront the Russians wherever they tried to
spread their power
Truman Doctrine – stated that the U.S. would
support any nation threatened by Communism
Cold War
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Marshall Plan – Introduced by Secretary of
State George Marshall (1947)
Proposed massive American economic aid to
Europe
Hoped to rebuild them and prevent the spread
of Communism
Cold War
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North Atlantic Treaty Organization – member
nations agreed to fight for each other if
attacked. (opposed Communism)
Warsaw Pact – to oppose NATO – Soviets
formed a military alliance with nations of
Eastern Europe
Cold War
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Fall of China (Mao Zedong)
Mao led Communists in China during Civil War
after WWII against Chiang Kai-Shek
The Communist won in 1949
Chiang Kai-Shek forced to flee and set up rival
government in Taiwan
Korean War
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After WWII – Korea divided along the 38th
parallel
Northern part controlled by Soviet Union – set
up Communist government
Southern part controlled by U.S. –set up a
democratic government
1950 North invaded the South in an attempt to
take over
Korean War
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The United Nations formed an international
army – led by the U.S. – to stop the North
War ends in truce
Stopped spread of Communism to S. Korea
Communism continued to be a threat in
Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia
Cold War and Communism
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Senator Joseph McCarthy – gained national
attention by claiming that Communists had
infiltrated the State Department
Created a “red scare” by his accusations of
Communist activity in all levels of government
Later discredited when he could not prove his
accusations
Baby Boom
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1946 to 1960 huge population growth
Levittown was one of the first massive suburbs
built for the baby boomers.
Interstate Highway Act - under Pres.
Eisenhower – built a system of highways
across the U.S.
Baby Boom
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Led to an economic boom as people began to
demand new products
Televisions became very popular
First televised presidential debate was
between Richard Nixon and John Kennedy
John Kennedy won a narrow victory because
he did better in the debates on television
Arms Race to the Space Race
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Competition between the United States and the
Soviet Union led to the race to outer space
1957 The Soviets launched “Sputnik” – the first
satellite in space
This sparked the growth of the American
Space program
Eisenhower encouraged more science and
math in the schools systems
Arms Race
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U.S. created larger and more deadly atomic
and nuclear weapons.
The Soviet Union kept pace with U.S.
production of weapons
Competition to build more bombs than the
other
Cuban Revolution
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1959 Fidel Castro overthrows the government
of Cuba and established a communist
government with the help of the Soviets
Bay of Pigs
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1960 – Kennedy becomes President
CIA get permission to carry out plan to help
Cuban exiles (those who left Cuba) to
overthrow Castro –
It was a failure – Kennedy is embarrassed by
the disaster
Soviets believe that they are stronger than
U.S.
Cuban Missile Crisis
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U.S. spy plane spot missile bases being built in
Cuba
Soviets are planning to deliver nuclear missiles
to the base
U.S. threatens action unless Soviet ships turn
around and the bases are destroyed.
U.S. uses a naval blockade around Cuba
Soviets back down and remove missiles
Vietnam War




France ruled Vietnam and treated the people
badly
The revolt led by Ho Chi Minh –
1954 the Vietminh defeated the French in the
North and split the country
Anti-communist government supported by the
United States controlled the south
Vietnam War



Ngo Dinh Diem - the leader of South Vietnam
was corrupt
A rebel group –the Vietcong – formed in the
South to defeat Diem – The communist North
under Ho Chi Minh support the Vietcong.
Diem was assassinated
Vietnam War



Johnson becomes President and continues to
support the new leader of South Vietnam
Wanted to stop the spread of communism from
the North into the South
The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution gave President
Johnson more military power to go to war
Vietnam War


1965 the war escalates
U.S. unable to defeat the North Vietnamese
and the Vietcong
1. fighting style – hit and run (guerilla)
2. Vietcong refused to surrender
3. Unable to win the support of the
Vietnamese people
Vietnam War



1968 Tet Offensive – North Vietnamese
launched a massive attack on several major
cities in the South
Even though the U.S and South Vietnamese
forces were able to defend the areas – it turned
public against the war
Protests at home became even more vocal as
people began to refuse to serve in the war
Anti-war protests 1968




Pres. Johnson decided not to run for reelection
Protests spread across college campuses
Kent State – 4 demonstrators were killed
Richard Nixon is elected on the promise that
he will end the war
Vietnam War


1974 – U.S. pulls out of South Vietnam
1975 – South Vietnam is over run by the
communist North
Opposition to the War

Some Americans objected to U.S. involvement in Vietnam.
–
–
–
–
Stressed repressive character of the South Vietnamese government
Objected to massive aerial bombings, to the use of napalm and
defoliants and the killing of civilians by American troops
Deplored the heavy loss of life—58,000 American dead
Resulting deficits forced the government to borrow huge sums of
money, causing interest rates to soar and pushing prices higher.
Civil Rights Movement


1948 President Truman ordered that all areas
of the military and the federal government be
desegregated as rapidly as possible
Marked a period of increased activity in civil
rights
Civil Rights


Brown v. The Board of Education of Topeka,
Kansas – declared that separate but equal was
unconstitutional
Ordered desegregation of all schools
Civil Rights




Montgomery Bus Boycott – Rosa Parks
Central High School – Little Rock, Arkansas –
military used to enforce integration laws
Freedom Riders – rode through out the South
on buses to integrate segregated bus stops
and lunch counters
MLK Jr. “I Have A Dream” speech
Civil Rights

Civil Rights Act 1964 outlaws most forms of
discrimination in the United States
Voting Rights Act of 1965 eliminated most barriers
designed to limit African-American voting
Racism was a major problem
Violence and police brutality were common

MLK, Jr. assassinated



Civil Rights Movement



“I Have a Dream” speech 1963 supporting a
non-violent approach to achieving civil rights.
“Letter from a Birmingham Jail” MLK answers
criticism for his involvement in Alabama as an
“outsider” – states that he wants to fight
injustice wherever it exists – he was arrested
for participating in a march.
Worked to unify groups in a common cause
Civil Rights



Southern Christian Leaderships Conference
(SCLC) – Led by MLK – coalition of churches
and Christian organizations who worked for a
nonviolent answer to civil rights problems
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
(SNCC) – a student civil rights movement that
organized voter registration drives
SNCC – later followed the Black Power
movement – sit ins – protests – some violence
Civil Rights

Jackie Robinson became the first African
American to integrate baseball
Women in the 1960’s

National Organization for Women – Betty
Frieden, a reform organization that battled for
equal rights with men, employment
opportunities, pay, ERA, divorce laws and legal
abortion
The Warren Court

Miranda Decision – expanded rights of the
accused –
Right to an attorney- gave even more rights

Very liberal court

Assassination of Pres. Kennedy


November 22, 1963
Many civil rights programs began under
Kennedy had to be completed by L.B. Johnson
Lyndon Johnson





Program was called “the Great Society”
Started a “war on poverty”
Created Medicare and Medicaid
Spending on the Vietnam war limited the “war
on poverty”
Led to deficit spending and expanded the role
of government in everyday life
1968 – a very bad year




Johnson decides not to run for President
because of unpopular war in Vietnam
Martin L. King, Jr. is assassinated
Robert Kennedy decides to run for President
and is assassinated
Democratic National Convention – sight of riots
and protests
United Farm Workers Movement




Cesar Chavez organized Latino migrant
workers
Wanted to improve working conditions and pay
Called for a nation wide boycott of grapes
Led to successful negotiations
Environment


“Silent Spring” Rachel Carson – Marine
biologist wrote about DDT and the food chainand harming humans – led to the banning of
DDT
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
established to regulate pollution of the
environment and set standards for health and
safety.
Conservative Movement in Politics


Richard Nixon – tried to decrease the power of
the government
Followed “law and order” policies to stop riots
and protests
Richard M. Nixon



China – visited in order to open trade talks and
to improve relations
Watergate Scandal – Nixon will be forced to
resign because he was involved in an attempt
to cover up the burglary at the Democratic
National Headquarters
He resigned to avoid impeachment
President Gerald R. Ford



Nixon resigns to avoid being impeached
Ford becomes President and gives Nixon a
Presidential Pardon for any crimes he may
have done
The Watergate Scandal led to distrust of the
Presidency
Supreme Court Decisions


Increase the rights of citizens
Roe V. Wade- allowed women to decide if they
wanted an abortion
Affirmative Action – giving special
treatment to minorities



Bakke decision – reverse discrimination – a young
white man was denied admission to a medical school
even though he had better scores than some minority
applicants who had been admitted under affirmative
action
Courts ruled that schools could not make decisions
based on race
Affirmative action was a quota system that required
colleges to admit a certain percentage of minorities
even if they were not as qualified as white applicants
President Jimmy Carter



Troubled by crisis in the Middle East
Worked to bring peace to the region
Camp David Accords – helped create a peace
agreement between Israel and Egypt
Jimmy Carter – Middle East




1979 – The Shah of Iran was overthrown by an
Islamic leader (Ayatollah Khomeini)
Carter allowed the Shah to come to the United
States for treatment of Cancer
Angry Iranians took 52 Americans hostage and
held them for 444 days
Carter was unable to get them released
President Ronald Reagan




The hostages were freed minutes after Reagan
took the oath of office.
Reagan tried to reduce the size of the
government
Reagonomics – policy that cutting taxes would
motivate people to work, save, and invest.
The economy grew
President Ronald Reagan



End of the Cold War
The Soviet Union Collapsed because of
economic problems – former republics became
independent
Russia and the United States agreed to
decrease nuclear weapons by 75%
President Ronald Reagan

The Iran-Contra affair was a political scandal which was revealed
in November 1986 as a result of earlier events during the Reagan
administration. It began as an operation to increase U.S.-Iranian
relations, wherein Israel would ship weapons to a moderate,
politically influential group of Iranians opposed to the Ayatollah
Khomeini; the U.S. would reimburse Israel for those weapons and
receive payment from Israel. The moderate Iranians agreed to do
everything in their power to achieve the release of six U.S.
hostages, who were being held by Hezbollah. The plan eventually
deteriorated into an arms-for-hostages scheme, in which members
of the executive branch sold weapons to Iran in exchange for the
release of the American hostages, without the direct authorization
of President Ronald Reagan.
Bill Clinton




North America Free Trade Agreement
It provided for free trade between United
States, Mexico, and Canada.
The Republican Party controlled both houses
of Congress – and often opposed his programs
Impeached for lying about his association with
a young female – he was acquitted by the
Senate
2000 Presidential Election



George W. Bush won the election based on the
number of electoral votes even though Al Gore
actually had more popular votes.
The election results was held up due disputed
ballots in Florida – the Supreme Court put an
end to recounts
Later recounts showed that Bush did win
Florida.
Sept. 11, 2001




Terrorists attach New York and Washington
Bush began waging war against terrorist
networks in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The war was successful in eliminating the
Taliban in Afghanistan.
Iraq has established a democratic government
but has yet to end the fighting by insurgents.
Web Links to practice tests for U.S.
History and Government

http://www.cowetaschools.org/nhs/testing/histo
ry/sstest.htm

WWW.linkstolearning.com
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