Page 893 - US History

Chapter 29 | Contesting Futures: America in the 1960s 883
changed the lives of countless people and transformed society in many ways. However, Johnson’s insistence on maintaining American commitments in Vietnam, a policy begun by his predecessors, hurt both his ability to realize his vision of the Great Society and his support among the American people.
29.3 The Civil Rights Movement Marches On
The African American civil rights movement made significant progress in the 1960s. While Congress played a role by passing the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Civil Rights Act of 1968, the actions of civil rights groups such as CORE, the SCLC, and SNCC were instrumental in forging new paths, pioneering new techniques and strategies, and achieving breakthrough successes. Civil rights activists engaged in sit-ins, freedom rides, and protest marches, and registered African American voters. Despite the movement’s many achievements, however, many grew frustrated with the slow pace of change, the failure of the Great Society to alleviate poverty, and the persistence of violence against African Americans, particularly the tragic 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. Many African Americans in the mid- to late 1960s adopted the ideology of Black Power, which promoted their work within their own communities to redress problems without the aid of whites. The Mexican American civil rights movement, led largely by Cesar Chavez, also made significant progress at this time. The emergence of the Chicano Movement signaled Mexican Americans’ determination to seize their political power, celebrate their cultural heritage, and demand their citizenship rights.
29.4 Challenging the Status Quo
During the 1960s, many people rejected traditional roles and expectations. Influenced and inspired by the civil rights movement, college students of the baby boomer generation and women of all ages began to fight to secure a stronger role in American society. As members of groups like SDS and NOW asserted their rights and strove for equality for themselves and others, they upended many accepted norms and set groundbreaking social and legal changes in motion. Many of their successes continue to be felt today, while other goals remain unfulfilled.
Review Questions
1. The term Kennedy chose to describe his sealing off of Cuba to prevent Soviet shipments of weapons or supplies was ________.
A. interdiction
B. quarantine
C. isolation
D. blockade
Kennedy proposed a constitutional amendment that would ________.
4. ________ was Johnson’s program to provide federal funding for healthcare for the poor.
A. Medicare
B. Social Security
C. Medicaid
D. AFDC
2.
Many Americans began to doubt that the war in Vietnam could be won following ________.
3.
A. provide healthcare for all Americans
B. outlaw poll taxes
C. make English the official language of the
United States
D. require all American men to register for the
draft
A. Khe Sanh
B. Dien Bien Phu
C. the Tonkin Gulf incident
D. the Tet Offensive
What steps did Kennedy take to combat Communism?
5.
6.
How did the actions of the Johnson administration improve the lives of African Americans?