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Eisenhower's Presidency
After being one of the commanding generals of the successful U.S. forces, Eisenhower became the 34th president. He was a well liked man and one of his goals was to keep the peace within our country as well as with foreign affiars. He obatined a truce with Korea and worked throughout his two terms to ease the tensions still apparent form the Cold War. His main goal was maintaing world peace. <ahref='http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/dwightdeisenhower' >Dwight D. Eisenhower</a> -
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American History of 1954-1975
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Brown vs. Board of Education
This was one of the most important Supreme Court descions of all time. The case started when an African American kid was denied access into Topeka's white schools. The parent of the denied student complained that this violated the Equal Protection Clause because the black and white schools in this city were not equal, and never could be. The court dimissed the claim. <ahref='http://www.pbs.org/wnet/supremecourt/rights/landmark_brown.html' >Brown vs Board of Education (1954)</a> -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
An African American woman named Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat for a white man. This inspired the Montgomery Bus Boycott. MLK Jr. ecouraged African Americans to avoid using the bus at all costs, this boycott continued for one whole year. <ahref='http://unit8juliav11.wikispaces.com/Montgomery+Bus+Boycott+Pictures' >Montgomery Bus Boycott Pictures</a> Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 -
Eisenhower during the Cold War
After Stalin's death, Eisenhower looked to negioatiate the remnants of the Cold War with new Soviet leaders. Eisenhower called for a mutual inspection program called "open skies," but Krushchev rudely rejected the President. [Cold War](Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006) Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 -
Emmitt Till
When a fourteen year old boy named Emmitt was visitng his relatives in Money, Mississippi he went to the market. There he allegedly flirted with a white cashier. Four days later Emmitt was kidnapped by two white males. The men beat him up, and brutally shot him in the head. The two men were tried for murder, but were prnounced innoccent after being acquitted by an all white, racist jury. Emmitt Till.biography -
Suez Crisis
The Suez Canal Crisis was a political disaster. With U.S. opinion and threat of Soviet intervention, Israel, France, and Britain, were forced to withdraw their troops from Egypt. The United Nations intervened to made sure peace was restored. Eventually the Canal cleared and was reopned. <ahref='http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/modern/suez_01.shtml' >Creation of the Canal</a> -
Little Rock Central High School
Governor Orval Faubus defiled the court and called in National Guards to prevent nine African American students, "The Little Rock Nine," from entering the school. Ten days later during a meeting with President Eisenhoer, Faubus agreed to protect the African American students and this created angry, white mobs. Little Rock Central High School -
Kennedy's Presidency
John F. Kennedy was a charming president who was very popular among the people. He was the youngest elected president and also the youngest to die. Throughout his presidency he urged for civil rights movements, and also got the economy to sustain the longest it had since World War II. Kennedy worked hard to ease the tensions between The U.S. and the Soviet Union, and kept the country out of a nuclear war. <ahref='http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/johnfkennedy' >John F. Kennedy</a> -
Flexible Response
Kennedy and Defense Secretary McNamara, pushed the idea of "flexible response," which was developing a variety of military options that could be matched with the seriousness of the issue at hand. This led to Kennedy increasing spending on conventional military forces. Flexible Response Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 -
Cuban Missile Crisis
While Kennedy was president our nation along with the rest of the world was in danger of a nuclear war. Kennedy worked smoothly and calmly though with the Soviet leader, Khrushchev. They eased the air when Krushchev agreed to dismantle their weapon sites if the U.S. agreed not to invade Cuba. Cuban Missile Crisis -
Civil Rights Demonstraters
People at home were watching the horrfic televised traetment of peaaeful African American protesters. Police used dogs to attack the African Americans and high pressure hoses that had the ability to loosed bricks in walls. The public realized the cruelty. <ahref='http://www.rightsmatter.org/multimedia/slideshows/movement/pages/025%20Birminghamhoses.html' >The Civil Rights Movement</a> Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 -
"I Have A Dream" Speech
In MLK's famous I had a dream speech, he said that one day, he hopes the world will see eachother as brothers and sisters, leaving discrimination in the past. His speech was heard by over 200,000 people crowded around the Lincoln Memorial. His speech got many people thinking about the apparent racism. King preached non-violence and lead many sit-ins, marches, and nonviolent protests. Martin Luther King Jr..biograpgy -
Birmingham Church Bombing
A bomb was targeted at the African American Birmingham Church. The explosion killed four girls in their Sunday school classes, and violence broke out in the streets as a result of the bomb, which was the cause of two more people to die. This event caused publicity to the civil rights movements, and recruitted more people to be for equal rights. Six Dead After Church Bombing -
Johnson's Presidency
Johnson became president, due to the fact that Kennedy was asassinated. As president, he created one of the most extensive legislation programs in the Nation's history, Johnson put into action, A Great Society. At this time Johnson was also working to resist communism in Vietnam. Despite his efforts, the fighting continued and Johnson declared that he would not be running for a second term. <ahref='http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/lyndonbjohnson' >Lyndon B. Johnson</a> -
Great Society
Johnson quickly tried to establish himself as president, and one of the first things he pushed was for a "Great Society." While Johnson campaigned he said he wanted to declare "war on poverty" and he thought one did these by challenging Americans to be a great society and to eliminate the problems for the poor. Lyndon Johnson's "Great Society" -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 stating that all discrimation of sex, and gender when hiring, firing, promoting for a job, was forbade. In the final legislation it was added that it is illlagal to hire, or not hire due to ones race, natinoal origin, religion, race, or sex. The Equal Emplyment Opportunity Committee was created to make sure these laws were implemented and practiced.
Civil Rights Act of 1964 -
Gulf of Tonkin
The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was when there was congressional approval to expand the war in Vietnam. There were millitary planners who were ready to attack the North Vietnamese, but Johnson feared the the public would not like the suggestion of more war. After the North almost overtook half of the South, Johnson was critisized by Senator Barry Goldwater saying he needed to be more aggressive. Gulf of Tonkin Resolution -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
The end of a Civil Rights Movement era ended when the Voting Rights Act passed. It ended the nonviolent era inspired by MLK Jr., and ended the aim to integrate African Americans into American sociery. Only five days after President Johnson signed the approval of this bill, riots broke out. <ahref='http://maevedominguezbrownvboardofeducation.blogspot.com/' >Voting Rights Act of 1965</a> Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 -
Involvement in Vietnam
When the Viet Cong guerillas attacked an American air base, Johnson retailated by ordering bombing raids on the North, and for the first time ordered attacking U.S. troops to land. Now Johnson and his advisers believed an "escalation" of American force would drive the enemy to defeat with minimal losses for everyone. Vietnam Involvement Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 -
Guerilla Warfare
In December the North Vietnamese were ordered by Ho Chi Minh to change the way way they fought in war. The Vietcong was now to avoid regular combat against the Americans, and South Vietnamese unless the odds were clearly in the Vietcongs favor. From now on they were to ambush the Americans, and attack by hit and runs. This was the first the Americans had seen of this strategy and they struggled in defending it. Guerilla Tactics -
Tet Offensicve
When the Viet Cong were supposely licking their wounds they simultaneously attacked twenty seven key cities in the South. Although the Americans own militarily, the Viet Cong won politicallly. This victory couldn't be gained by Johnson's gradual escalation strategy. The Tet Offensive Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 -
Me Lai Village Massacre
The soldiers were told to "search and destroy" and that is what they did. Then it apparently turned into a massacre of 300 unarmed women, children, and elders. Although there had been no report of opposing fire, Calley ordered to enter the area firing. This event further divided the American public, but no one was happy to hear about this event. <ahref='http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/vietnam/trenches/my_lai.html' >Me Lai Village Massacre</a> -
MLK's Assassination
News quickly spread when famous U.S. civil rights activists was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. MLK was a father, husband, Baptist minister, and was the founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He led many sit-ins, marches, and nonviolent protests. He gave moving speeches and preached equality for all. Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. -
Pentagon Papers
Pentagon Papers were released to the public. They contained information from the top-secret Department of Defense report of America's involvement in the Vietnam War. The papers showed that the U.S. government had misled the public and Congress about the goals and progress of the war. This intensified the people that were anti-war. Pentagon Papers -
Nixon's Presidency
During Nixon's presidency, his main goal was reconciliation. In reality though, Nixon was the cause of an even more divided society. He succeeded in releviating tensions with the U.S.S.R. and China, and also endin the fighting in Vietnam. Nixon was a very paranoid president and was not the most popular, but he was an expert with foreign affairs. The Watergate scandal forced Nixon to resign as president. Richard M. Nixon -
Nixon with Cambodia
At a news conference, President Nixon defended the U.S. invasion of Cambodia, saying that the operation would last eight months, which is time the South needed to train, shortening the war for Americans. Nixon then promised to retreat 150,000 troops the next spring. <http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/nixon-defends-invasion-of-cambodia' >Vietnam War</a> -
Watergate Scandal
Five men were caught in the Watergate apartment-office complex in Washington. These men were planting "bugs" in the Democratic party's headquarters. Eventually the President was questioned of whether or not he was involved in the scandal. After he denied having any involvement, he was eventually caught lying. Watergate Scandal Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 -
Milliken v. Bradley
This case shocked integrationalists when it ruled that desegration plans could not require students to move across school district lines. This only encouraged, "white flight" from the citites to the suburbs. This decision distillled all the problems of desegration into the least sucessful districts. Milliken v. Bradley Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 -
Ford's Presidency
Ford was the first president to not be elected. Ford had many problems that needing attention, such as, energy shortages, inflation, depressed economy, and world peace. Ford gave full pardon to Nixon's Watergate scandal, which did not give him popularity among the people. Ford then gradually appointed a new cabinet. Ford and the Soviet Leader, Brezhnev, set new limitations on nuclear weapons. Gerald R. Ford -
Detente
For had wanted to enhance detente that was first established by Nixon. Ford then met up with 34 other nations to sign multiple sets of historic accords. Western Europeans especially cheered the Helsinki conference, they saw it as a milestone of detente. American critics complained that detente was a one way street. though Detente Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006
