1. Social Movement of the 1960s

2. While America is dealing with the Cold War, there are also lots of domestic social movements and issues that arise during the 1950s, 60s and 70s.

3. Civil Rights Movement Causes:
Slavery and then discrimination against African Americans in the United States
Jim Crow laws and Segregation after the Civil War
Television – Americans see brutality against protestors on the news and more Americans support the movement
Impact:
Civil Rights Act 1964: gave all citizens right to enter public places
Voting Rights Act 1965: eliminated tactics to keep blacks from voting. The # of registered black voters tripled.
Brown v. Board of Education (1954) : Supreme Court ruled segregated unconstitutional. This overturns the Plessy v. Ferguson decision that said separate but equal was okay.
California v. Bakke (1978) : challenges affirmative action (which established preference for minorities and women to undo past discrimination). Supreme Court says racial quotas are unconstitutional, but race can be used as a factor for admission

4. Anti-Vietnam War Movement
What caused the anti-war movement?
New Left (growing youth movement)
Draft
American deaths and casualties
Tet Offensive (television)
Impact:
Growing radicalism and counterculture
Protest don’t end the war, but it does lead to distrust of government and splits nation
Ultimately, radicalism by the New Left leads to the growth of the conservative movement

5. Women’s Movement
Feminism and women’s liberation develop in 60’s and 70’s to challenge gender stereotypes and inequality
Betty Friedan’s Feminine Mystique encouraged equality and helped launch the movement
NOW (National Organization for Women) – founded in 1966 by Betty Friedan and devoted to political activism and feminist cause

6. Roe v. Wade
Supreme Court rules in 1973 that women have the right to choose an abortion in the first 3 months of pregnancy
This was an important victory for NOW and feminists, but remains controversial today

7. Environmentalism
Rachel Carson’s book, Silent Springs, warned against the growing use of pesticides
As a result of Rachel Carson’s work, the nation began to focus on environmental issues
In 1970, U.S. begins Earth Day
In 1970, Nixon creates Environmental Protection Agency, a federal agency that enforces laws aimed at creating a safe and clean environment

8. Cesar Chavez and UFW
Cesar Chavez - leader of UFW
Believed farm workers needed to organize because they did backbreaking work for little pay. They organized a boycott of California grapes
Significance: 1970 grape growers agreed to their demands and union workers were guaranteed higher wages and benefits

9. Rise of Conservatism
Many Americans were shocked by growing radicalism and turmoil of 1960s
LBJ’s “Great Society” led to more conservatives in office because it was expensive and many programs were ineffective. Medicare is a Great Society program that still exists today.
Barry Goldwater was the Republican nominee in the 1964 election. He opposed the Civil Rights Act and wanted stronger military action against communists.

10. Impact – Conservative Movement
In 1964, Barry Goldwater (very conservative) challenges LBJ for presidency. He advocated using nuclear weapons in Vietnam, which scared some Americans.
Richard Nixon (Republican) won election of 1968 because of turmoil in the country and the resulting growth of conservatism.
 Turmoil of 1968: assassinations, urban riots, violence at Democratic National Convention (party is split after Robert Kennedy’s death)