Decade of Change: the Decade of Change: the 1960s1960s

Chapter 18Chapter 18

Section 1Section 1

Famous QuoteFamous Quote

““Ask not what your country can do Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for for you. Ask what you can do for your country.”your country.”

Do you know who said that?Do you know who said that?

The 1960s were years if great change The 1960s were years if great change and turmoil. and turmoil.

In some respects, the changes were In some respects, the changes were positivepositive..

U.S. society became more democratic U.S. society became more democratic in the 1960s, as in the 1960s, as minoritiesminorities, the , the handicappedhandicapped, and , and womenwomen made made significant progress towards significant progress towards equalityequality..

Also, the Supreme Court made Also, the Supreme Court made decisions that expanded the decisions that expanded the protections of the protections of the Bill of RightsBill of Rights..

Astonishing gains in science and Astonishing gains in science and technology enabled the United States technology enabled the United States to land a man on the to land a man on the moonmoon in 1969. in 1969.

In other respects, the 1960s was a In other respects, the 1960s was a tragictragic decade.decade.

AssassinationsAssassinations took the lives of a president took the lives of a president (John Kennedy), a presidential candidate (John Kennedy), a presidential candidate (Robert Kennedy), and three African American (Robert Kennedy), and three African American leaders (Medgar Evers, Dr. Martin Luther King leaders (Medgar Evers, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X.Jr., and Malcolm X.

RacialRacial tensions caused riots to erupt in almost tensions caused riots to erupt in almost every major U.S. city.every major U.S. city.

DrugDrug use among American youths increased. use among American youths increased.Large numbers of college students took part in Large numbers of college students took part in

massive demonstrations massive demonstrations protestingprotesting the war in the war in Vietnam.Vietnam.

The Kennedy YearsThe Kennedy Years

Elected in 1960 at the age of 43, he Elected in 1960 at the age of 43, he was the was the youngestyoungest candidate to win candidate to win the presidency and the first president the presidency and the first president born in the 20born in the 20thth century. century.

He won the election over He won the election over NixonNixon for for the presidency. the presidency.

KennedyKennedy was also the first Roman was also the first Roman Catholic to be elected president.Catholic to be elected president.

Domestic PolicyDomestic Policy

The The New FrontierNew Frontier was the name given was the name given to President Kennedy’s domestic to President Kennedy’s domestic program.program.

It included It included federal aidfederal aid to education, an to education, an increase in Social Security benefits, increase in Social Security benefits, promotion of the civil rights of African promotion of the civil rights of African Americans, relief for Appalachia, and Americans, relief for Appalachia, and health insurance for senior citizens.health insurance for senior citizens.

New Frontier Programs PassedNew Frontier Programs Passed

An increase in the minimum wage to An increase in the minimum wage to $1.25$1.25 an hour. an hour.

Federal funds for Federal funds for urban renewalurban renewal (the (the rebuilding of rundown city rebuilding of rundown city neighborhoods)neighborhoods)

Federal loans to aid the Federal loans to aid the impoverishedimpoverished families in the Appalachian Mountains families in the Appalachian Mountains and other “distressed areas.”and other “distressed areas.”

New Frontier Programs RejectedNew Frontier Programs RejectedFederal grants to the states for Federal grants to the states for schoolschool

construction and teachers’ salaries.construction and teachers’ salaries.MedicareMedicare, or public health insurance, for , or public health insurance, for

elderly Americans through the Social elderly Americans through the Social Security system.Security system.

A new A new civil rights lawcivil rights law to enable the federal to enable the federal government to take bolder action in cases government to take bolder action in cases of racial discrimination and segregation.of racial discrimination and segregation.

Civil Rights Actions Civil Rights Actions

President Kennedy was a President Kennedy was a DemocratDemocrat with with liberal views on racial issues. liberal views on racial issues.

As such, he gave encouragement to African As such, he gave encouragement to African Americans’ struggle to Americans’ struggle to endend segregation. segregation.

He He desegregateddesegregated the interstate bus system. the interstate bus system. James MeredithJames Meredith becomes became the first becomes became the first

African American to enroll at the University African American to enroll at the University of Mississippi.of Mississippi.

President Kennedy ordered President Kennedy ordered 400400 federal federal Marshals to the University to protect Marshals to the University to protect Meredith.Meredith.

Public Career of Dr. Martin Public Career of Dr. Martin Luther KingLuther King

One result of the bus boycott in One result of the bus boycott in Montgomery was the rise a Montgomery was the rise a supremely gifted leader and supremely gifted leader and speaker, speaker, Martin Luther King, JrMartin Luther King, Jr..

He believed in He believed in nonviolentnonviolent public public demonstrations.demonstrations.

This approach was known as This approach was known as civil civil disobediencedisobedience. .

Birmingham ProtestBirmingham Protest

Protestors led by Martin Luther King Jr., Protestors led by Martin Luther King Jr., went to Birmingham Alabama to went to Birmingham Alabama to participate in a peaceful march through participate in a peaceful march through the center of the city to protest the the center of the city to protest the Jim Jim Crow LawsCrow Laws..

The Birmingham police The Birmingham police attackedattacked the the marchers with dogs, powerful jets of marchers with dogs, powerful jets of water from fire hoses, and electric cattle water from fire hoses, and electric cattle prods.prods.

TelevisionTelevision cameras brought the cameras brought the confrontation to a national audience.confrontation to a national audience.

Among the Among the marchers marchers arrestedarrested and and jailedjailed in in Birmingham Birmingham was their was their leader, Martin leader, Martin Luther King Luther King Jr.Jr.

Assassination of Medgar EversAssassination of Medgar Evers

Medgar EversMedgar Evers was known for his was known for his contribution to the civil rights contribution to the civil rights movement in Mississippi. movement in Mississippi.

At a young age, he became leader of At a young age, he became leader of the the NAACPNAACP, organizing economic , organizing economic boycotts, marches, and picket lines.boycotts, marches, and picket lines.

Racial tensions in the 1960s led to Racial tensions in the 1960s led to his assassination in 1963 by a white his assassination in 1963 by a white supremacist supremacist Byron De La BeckwithByron De La Beckwith. .

March on WashingtonMarch on Washington

It was to It was to alert alert Congress Congress and the and the American American people to people to the need the need for for strongerstronger civil rights civil rights laws.laws.

Cuba: Bay of Pigs InvasionCuba: Bay of Pigs Invasion

The U.S. policy of The U.S. policy of containmentcontainment was was threatened when threatened when Fidel CastroFidel Castro, a , a Communist, seized power in Cuba only 90 Communist, seized power in Cuba only 90 miles from Florida. miles from Florida.

An An invasioninvasion of Cuba by anti-Castro of Cuba by anti-Castro Cubans was planned under Cubans was planned under EisenhowerEisenhower and carried out under and carried out under KennedyKennedy..

The invasion The invasion failedfailed, and tensions between , and tensions between the United States, Cuba, and the Soviet the United States, Cuba, and the Soviet Union Union increasedincreased..

Berlin WallBerlin Wall

A crisis was created when the Soviets A crisis was created when the Soviets and East Germans erected a concrete and East Germans erected a concrete barrier known as the barrier known as the Berlin WallBerlin Wall across the city of Berlin to separate across the city of Berlin to separate the East and West German sectors.the East and West German sectors.

The Soviets hoped to The Soviets hoped to isolateisolate the city the city and pressure the U.S. and its allies and pressure the U.S. and its allies into leaving.into leaving.

Instead, Kennedy went to Berlin Instead, Kennedy went to Berlin and promised to and promised to defenddefend the city, the city, no matter what the consequences no matter what the consequences were. were.

Kennedy’s speech, in which he Kennedy’s speech, in which he claimed “I am a Berliner,” became claimed “I am a Berliner,” became a rallying cry for the free world.a rallying cry for the free world.

Cuban Missile CrisisCuban Missile Crisis

Another confrontation between the Another confrontation between the U.S. and the Soviet Union occurred U.S. and the Soviet Union occurred when U.S. intelligence discovered when U.S. intelligence discovered the existence of the existence of Soviet missile-Soviet missile-launching siteslaunching sites in Cuba. in Cuba.

The U.S. Navy The U.S. Navy blockadedblockaded Cuba and Cuba and stood ready to use force to stop stood ready to use force to stop more Soviet warships carrying more Soviet warships carrying missiles from arriving in Cuba.missiles from arriving in Cuba.

The world held its breath as the The world held its breath as the two superpowers teetered on the two superpowers teetered on the brink of brink of warwar. .

Conflict was Conflict was avoidedavoided when Soviet when Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev Premier Nikita Khrushchev withdrew the missiles, and withdrew the missiles, and Kennedy promised that the U.S. Kennedy promised that the U.S. would never attempt to invade would never attempt to invade Cuba again. Cuba again.

Indochina-Vietnam and LaosIndochina-Vietnam and Laos In In LaosLaos, Communists and neutralists attempted , Communists and neutralists attempted

to overthrow the pro-Western government. to overthrow the pro-Western government. A A trucetruce was arranged and war avoided when all was arranged and war avoided when all

sides agreed to share power in a coalition sides agreed to share power in a coalition government.government.

In In VietnamVietnam, a civil war broke out in the non-, a civil war broke out in the non-Communist South. Communist South.

Eisenhower sent U.S. military advisors to South Eisenhower sent U.S. military advisors to South Vietnam to help prevent a Vietnam to help prevent a CommunistCommunist victory. victory.

KennedyKennedy continued and expanded this policy. continued and expanded this policy.

The The FrenchFrench encountered great encountered great resistance from the Vietnamese resistance from the Vietnamese guerillas.guerillas.

After losing a major battle at Dien After losing a major battle at Dien Bien Phu in 1954, the French decided Bien Phu in 1954, the French decided to to withdrawwithdraw from Indochina. from Indochina.

Latin America and the Alliance Latin America and the Alliance for Progressfor Progress

Kennedy wanted a plan of Kennedy wanted a plan of economiceconomic aid that aid that would do for Latin America what the would do for Latin America what the Marshall Plan had done for Europe. Marshall Plan had done for Europe.

He hoped an ambitious program of aid would He hoped an ambitious program of aid would

1)1) Promote economic growth in a region whose Promote economic growth in a region whose people suffered from poverty.people suffered from poverty.

2)2) Contain the threat of communism spreading Contain the threat of communism spreading from Cuba to other Latin American countries.from Cuba to other Latin American countries.

Kennedy called his aid program for Latin Kennedy called his aid program for Latin America the America the Alliance for ProgressAlliance for Progress..

Launching the Race to the MoonLaunching the Race to the Moon

President Kennedy announced in 1961 President Kennedy announced in 1961 that he intended the United States to be that he intended the United States to be the first nation to land a human being on the first nation to land a human being on the the moonmoon. .

The goal was in fact achieved before the The goal was in fact achieved before the 1960s ended.1960s ended.

John GlennJohn Glenn spent five hours in space spent five hours in space orbiting the earth and orbiting the earth and Neil ArmstrongNeil Armstrong on on the spacecraft Apollo 11 in July 1969 set the spacecraft Apollo 11 in July 1969 set foot on the moon.foot on the moon.

Movement for Rights of Disabled Movement for Rights of Disabled CitizensCitizens

Kennedy was a champion for the Kennedy was a champion for the disableddisabled..

He helped create the He helped create the Special OlympicsSpecial Olympics..And many And many court casescourt cases from 1960 to from 1960 to

present brought more attention and present brought more attention and rights towards disabled people.rights towards disabled people.

VeteransVeterans of Vietnam who were missing of Vietnam who were missing limbs and used a wheel chair protested limbs and used a wheel chair protested so that buildings would be so that buildings would be handicapped accessible.handicapped accessible.

DeinstitutionalizationDeinstitutionalization

The The mentally illmentally ill were often locked away for were often locked away for years in state mental hospitals and received years in state mental hospitals and received little treatment.little treatment.

Many mentally ill people were Many mentally ill people were releasedreleased because people felt they were being held because people felt they were being held against their will.against their will.

Many of the released mentally ill people Many of the released mentally ill people became became homelesshomeless..

They They lackedlacked the skills to find jobs and is the the skills to find jobs and is the reason why we have a homeless problem in reason why we have a homeless problem in our country today.our country today.

Kennedy AssassinationKennedy Assassination

In late November 1963, President In late November 1963, President Kennedy and his wife, Jacqueline Kennedy and his wife, Jacqueline Kennedy, traveled to Kennedy, traveled to DallasDallas, Texas, , Texas, for a political event.for a political event.

While riding in an open car through While riding in an open car through Dallas, the president was Dallas, the president was killedkilled instantly by bullets fired from a instantly by bullets fired from a high rise building.high rise building.

Conspiracy?Conspiracy?

The police arrested The police arrested Lee Harvey OswaldLee Harvey Oswald for the crime.for the crime.

But another But another assassinassassin killed Oswald killed Oswald before his case could come to trial.before his case could come to trial.

Thus, there is still a mystery Thus, there is still a mystery surrounding the death of President surrounding the death of President Kennedy.Kennedy.

Why did it happen? Why did it happen? Did Oswald act alone, or were there Did Oswald act alone, or were there

others involved in the crime?others involved in the crime?