Civil Rights Movement Overview

Civil Rights Movement

• Focused on ending racial discrimination and achieving equal rights for African Americans in the mid-20th century US
• Affirmative Action: Policies to increase opportunities for historically marginalized groups, primarily in education and employment
• Segregation/Desegregation: Segregation involved the enforced separation of racial groups (e.g. in schools, transportation) while desegregation ended this separation, as seen after the Brown v. Board of Education ruling in 1954
• Nonviolent Movement: A strategy emphasizing peaceful protest and civil disobedience to oppose injustice
• Freedom Riders: Civil rights activists challenging bus segregation laws in the American South in 1961
• Sit-Ins: Nonviolent protests occupying spaces like lunch counters to challenge discriminatory policies
• Protests (Peaceful vs. Militant): Peaceful protests involved demonstrations like marches and sit-ins whereas militant tactics, sometimes involving confrontation or property damage, were also seen (e.g., the Black Panther Party)

Impositions of Liberalism

• Imposing liberalism involves promoting or enforcing liberal values (democracy, human rights, free markets) on other societies
• Example: The 2003 US intervention in Iraq, aiming to implement liberal democracy, is often cited.
• Criticism: Critics argue such impositions can lead to instability and cultural resistance

Political Vocabulary

• Authoritarian Systems: Power concentrated in a single leader or small group with limited political freedoms (e.g., North Korea)
• Direct Democracy: Citizens directly vote on laws and policies (e.g., ancient Athens)
• Representative Democracy: Citizens elect representatives to make decisions (e.g., Canada)
• Representation by Population: Government seats distributed based on population size (e.g., Canada's House of Commons)
• First Past the Post (FPTP): Electoral system where the candidate with the most votes wins, even if not a majority
• Proportional Representation: Electoral system allocating seats in proportion to votes received
• Minority Government: Government formed by a party with fewer than half of the seats, requiring coalitions
• Coalition Government: Government formed by multiple parties sharing power
• Majority Government: Government formed by a party holding more than half the seats in a legislative body
• Party Solidarity: Party members voting as a unified bloc
• Free Vote: Voters vote according to their personal beliefs, not party lines
• Referendum: Direct vote by citizens on a specific policy (e.g., Brexit)
• Consensus Decision Making: Group decision-making where all members agree
• Interest Group: Organized group seeking to influence government policy (e.g., labor unions, environmental organizations)

How Democracies Focus on Liberal Values

• Individual Rights: Protection of freedoms like speech, religion, and equality under the law
• Rule of Law: Everyone subject to the same laws, ensuring accountability
• Popular Sovereignty: Citizens hold ultimate authority through elections
• Economic Freedom: Support for free markets and private enterprise

Test your knowledge on the Civil Rights Movement, focusing on key aspects such as affirmative action, segregation, and nonviolent protests. This quiz covers major events like the Freedom Riders and the significance of the Brown v. Board of Education ruling. Explore the different strategies used to combat racial discrimination in mid-20th century America.