Civil Rights & Vietnam War Era

• Segregation refers to the separation of individuals based on race, ethnicity, or other characteristics

Jim Crow Laws

• Jim Crow Laws were state and local laws that enforced racial segregation in the Southern United States, enacted in the late 19th and early 20th centuries
• These laws mandated segregation in public facilities, transportation, schools, and other aspects of life

De Facto Segregation

• De facto segregation is segregation that exists in practice, even if not required by law
• It often results from social, economic, and historical factors

De Jure Segregation

• De jure segregation is segregation that is enforced by law
• This was the type of segregation that Jim Crow Laws established

Restrictive Covenant

• A restrictive covenant is a clause in a property deed that restricts what the owner can do with the property
• It can be used to exclude certain groups of people, such as racial minorities, from living in a particular area

Racial Zoning

• Racial zoning is the practice of designating certain areas for certain races
• It was used to maintain segregation in housing

Miscegenation

• Miscegenation refers to marriage or sexual relations between people of different races
• Anti-miscegenation laws, which prohibited interracial marriage, were common in the United States

Gerrymandering

• Gerrymandering is the practice of drawing electoral district boundaries to favor one political party or group over another
• It was used to dilute the voting power of racial minorities

White Primary

• A white primary was a primary election in which only white voters were allowed to participate
• These were used in the South to disenfranchise black voters

Desegregation of Armed Forces

• In 1948, President Harry Truman issued Executive Order 9981, which desegregated the U.S. armed forces
• This order led to the gradual integration of military units

Brown v. Board of Education

• Brown v. Board of Education was a landmark 1954 Supreme Court case that declared state-sponsored segregation in public schools unconstitutional
• It overturned the "separate but equal" doctrine established in Plessy v. Ferguson

CORE

• CORE (Congress of Racial Equality) is a civil rights organization founded in 1942
• It played a significant role in the Civil Rights Movement through its advocacy for nonviolent direct action and desegregation efforts

Rosa Parks

• Rosa Parks was an African American civil rights activist
• Her refusal to give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955 sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott

Montgomery Bus Boycott

• The Montgomery Bus Boycott was a mass protest against the racial segregation policies on the public transit system of Montgomery, Alabama
• It lasted from 1955 to 1956 and was a pivotal event in the Civil Rights Movement

Martin Luther King, Jr.

• Martin Luther King Jr. was a prominent leader of the Civil Rights Movement
• He advocated for nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience to achieve racial equality

Protest in Birmingham, Alabama

• Protests in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963, aimed to desegregate the city
• These protests faced violent opposition, which drew national attention and galvanized support for civil rights legislation

SCLC

• SCLC (Southern Christian Leadership Conference) is a civil rights organization founded in 1957
• Martin Luther King Jr. was its first president. The SCLC played a major role in organizing nonviolent protests and advocating for civil rights

Little Rock Nine

• The Little Rock Nine were a group of nine African American students who were enrolled at Little Rock Central High School in 1957
• Their enrollment triggered a crisis when the governor of Arkansas used the National Guard to prevent them from entering the school

Freedom Riders

• Freedom Riders were civil rights activists who rode interstate buses into the segregated Southern United States in 1961 to challenge the non-enforcement of the Supreme Court rulings which had outlawed segregation in interstate bus travel

Civil Rights Act of 1964

• The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a landmark piece of legislation that outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin
• It ended segregation in public places and prohibited employment discrimination

Sit-In

• A sit-in is a form of protest in which participants occupy a place and refuse to leave
• Sit-ins were used during the Civil Rights Movement to desegregate lunch counters and other public facilities

March on Washington

• The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom was a large political rally that took place in Washington, D.C., in 1963
• Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech during the march

Kerner Commission Report

• The Kerner Commission Report was a 1968 report that investigated the causes of the race riots of 1967
• The report concluded that "white racism" was the primary cause of the riots

Freedom Summer

• Freedom Summer was a 1964 voter registration drive in Mississippi
• It was aimed at increasing black voter registration in the state

Voting Rights Act of 1965

• The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a landmark piece of legislation that outlawed discriminatory voting practices, such as literacy tests
• It authorized federal oversight of voter registration in areas with a history of discrimination

Watts Riot

• The Watts Riot was a large-scale riot that took place in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles in 1965
• It was sparked by an incident of police brutality

Malcolm X

• Malcolm X was a civil rights activist who advocated for black empowerment and black nationalism
• He was a prominent figure in the Nation of Islam before leaving the organization

Nation of Islam

• The Nation of Islam is a religious and political organization that advocates for black nationalism and black separatism

Black Panther Party

• The Black Panther Party was a political organization founded in 1966
• It advocated for black power, community self-defense, and social programs

Black Power

• Black Power is a political slogan and movement that emphasizes black self-determination and racial pride

Civil Rights Act of 1968

• The Civil Rights Act of 1968, also known as the Fair Housing Act, prohibited discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin

Alexander v. Holmes County Board of Education

• Alexander v. Holmes County Board of Education (1969) was a Supreme Court case that ordered the immediate desegregation of public schools in the South

Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education

• Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education (1971) was a Supreme Court case that approved the use of busing to achieve desegregation in schools

Affirmative Action

• Affirmative action refers to policies designed to promote equal opportunities for members of historically disadvantaged groups, especially in employment and education

Regents of the University of California v. Bakke

• Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978) was a Supreme Court case that upheld the constitutionality of affirmative action
• It also ruled that specific quotas were unconstitutional

JFK

• John F. Kennedy was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963

Bay of Pigs

• The Bay of Pigs Invasion was a failed military invasion of Cuba undertaken by the CIA-sponsored paramilitary group Brigade 2506 in 1961

Cuban Missile Crisis

• The Cuban Missile Crisis was a 13-day confrontation in 1962 between the United States and the Soviet Union over Soviet missiles deployed in Cuba

Peace Corps

• The Peace Corps is a volunteer program run by the United States government
• Its mission includes providing international social and economic development assistance

New Frontier

• The New Frontier was a slogan used by President John F. Kennedy to describe his goals and policies
• Kennedy's New Frontier aimed to confront challenges at home and abroad

Moon Landing

• On July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 became the first crewed spacecraft to land on the Moon

JFK Assassination

• John F. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas

LBJ

• Lyndon B. Johnson was the 36th President of the United States, serving from 1963 to 1969

Great Society

• The Great Society was a set of domestic programs launched by President Lyndon B. Johnson in the 1960s
• The main goal was the elimination of poverty and racial injustice

War on Poverty

• The War on Poverty was a set of programs introduced by President Lyndon B. Johnson to combat poverty in the United States

Immigration Act of 1965

• The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, also known as the Hart-Celler Act, abolished the national origins quota system
• It dramatically altered the demographic mix in the United States

Economic Opportunity Act

• The Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 authorized the formation of local Community Action Agencies as part of the War on Poverty

Medicare

• Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people 65 or older, certain younger people with disabilities, and people with End-Stage Renal Disease

Medicade

• Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that helps with healthcare costs for some people with limited income and resources

Silent Spring

• Silent Spring is an environmental science book by Rachel Carson, published in 1962
• It documented the adverse environmental effects caused by the indiscriminate use of pesticides

Warren Court

• The Warren Court refers to the Supreme Court of the United States during the chief justiceship of Earl Warren (1953–1969)
• It is known for its landmark decisions on civil rights, criminal justice, and separation of church and state

New Left

• The New Left was a political movement primarily composed of college students
• They advocated for social justice, civil rights, and an end to the Vietnam War

The Establishment

• The Establishment refers to a dominant group or elite that holds power or authority in a nation or organization

Hippies

• Hippies were members of a counterculture movement that rejected mainstream American values in the 1960s
• They advocated for peace, love, and freedom

Woodstock

• Woodstock was a music festival held in August 1969
• It is considered a pivotal moment in music history and a defining event of the counterculture era

Communes

• Communes are intentional communities where people live together and share resources

Drug Use

• During the 1960s, drug use, particularly marijuana and hallucinogens like LSD, became more prevalent among young people

Rock n Roll

• Rock and roll music gained widespread popularity in the 1950s and 1960s
• It became a cultural force that influenced fashion, attitudes, and social change

Viet Minh

• The Viet Minh was a Vietnamese national liberation movement
• They sought independence from French rule

First Indochina War

• The First Indochina War was fought between France and the Viet Minh from 1946 to 1954

Geneva Accords

• The Geneva Accords were a set of agreements signed in 1954 that temporarily divided Vietnam into North and South

Viet Cong

• The Viet Cong was a communist guerrilla force in South Vietnam
• They fought against the South Vietnamese government and the United States

Gulf of Tonkin

• The Gulf of Tonkin incident refers to two separate confrontations involving North Vietnam and the United States in August 1964
• These incidents led to the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which authorized President Lyndon B. Johnson to take any measures he believed were necessary to retaliate and to promote the maintenance of international peace and security in southeast Asia

The Domino Theory

• The domino theory was a Cold War-era belief that if one country in a region came under the influence of communism, then the surrounding countries would follow

Hawks vs. Doves

• In the context of the Vietnam War, hawks were those who supported the war
• Doves were those who opposed it

Ho Chi Minh Trail

• The Ho Chi Minh Trail was a logistical system that ran from North Vietnam to South Vietnam through Laos and Cambodia
• It supplied the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army

North Vietnamese Army (NVA)

• The North Vietnamese Army (NVA) was the military force of North Vietnam

Agent Orange

• Agent Orange was a defoliant chemical used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War to clear vegetation and disrupt enemy supply lines

War of Attrition

• A war of attrition is a military strategy in which one side attempts to win a war by wearing down the enemy to the point of collapse through continuous losses in personnel and material

Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN)

• The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) was the military force of South Vietnam

Napalm

• Napalm is an incendiary substance used in warfare
• It was used extensively by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War

Tet Offensive

• The Tet Offensive was a series of surprise attacks by the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces during the Tet holiday in 1968
• It had a significant impact on public opinion in the United States

Chicago Democratic National Convention

• The 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago was marked by protests and clashes between anti-war demonstrators and police

Teach-in

• A teach-in is an extended meeting or series of lectures on a subject of public interest
• They were commonly used during the Vietnam War to educate people about the war

Tinker v. Des Moines

• Tinker v. Des Moines (1969) was a Supreme Court case that ruled that students have the right to express their opinions in school as long as it does not disrupt the educational environment

Twenty-Sixth Amendment

• The Twenty-Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution lowered the voting age to 18

Draft Lottery

• During the Vietnam War, the draft lottery was implemented to randomly select young men for military service

Pacification Programs

• Pacification programs were efforts by the U.S. and South Vietnamese governments to win the support of the rural population and weaken the Viet Cong

1968 Election

• The 1968 presidential election was won by Republican Richard Nixon
• It was marked by social unrest and political divisions

Protest Movement

• The protest movement of the 1960s encompassed a wide range of issues, including civil rights, the Vietnam War, and environmentalism

Nixon’s Dilemma

• Nixon's Dilemma refers to the challenges President Richard Nixon faced in extricating the United States from the Vietnam War while maintaining American credibility

Peace with Honor

• "Peace with Honor" was a phrase used by President Richard Nixon to describe his goal of ending the Vietnam War on terms that would preserve American prestige

The Carrot and Stick Approach

• The Carrot and Stick approach is a strategy that combines incentives (the carrot) and punishments (the stick) to influence behavior

My Lai Massacre

• The My Lai Massacre was a mass killing of unarmed Vietnamese civilians by U.S. soldiers in 1968

Moratorium

• A moratorium is a temporary prohibition of an activity
• Moratoriums were organized to protest the Vietnam War

Kent State Shooting

• The Kent State shooting occurred on May 4, 1970, at Kent State University in Ohio
• Members of the Ohio National Guard shot and killed four unarmed students during a protest against the Vietnam War

Construction Workers Riot

• The Construction Workers Riot refers to a violent clash in New York City in May 1970 between construction workers and anti-war protesters

Pentagon Papers

• The Pentagon Papers were a top-secret Department of Defense study of U.S. political and military involvement in Vietnam from 1945 to 1967
• They were leaked to The New York Times in 1971

War Powers Resolution

• The War Powers Resolution is a federal law passed in 1973
• It is intended to check the president's power to commit the United States to an armed conflict without the consent of the U.S. Congress

POW’s

• POWs are Prisoners of War. The treatment of American POWs was a major concern during the Vietnam War

Fall of Saigon

• The Fall of Saigon occurred on April 30, 1975, when North Vietnamese forces captured Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam
• It marked the end of the Vietnam War

Vietnam Memorial

• The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a national memorial in Washington, D.C., that honors service members of the U.S. armed forces who fought in the Vietnam War

Lessons Learned from Vietnam

• The lessons learned from Vietnam include the importance of public support in wartime, the limitations of military power, and the need for clear objectives

The Aftermath of the War in Southeast Asia

• The aftermath of the war in Southeast Asia included political instability, economic hardship, and humanitarian crises in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia

Explore de facto vs. de jure segregation, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Understand Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, the Domino Theory, and the Tet Offensive's impact.