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Presidents: Dwight Eisenhower
White House
Eisenhower was elected in 1953 because he was an old war hero and his "I like Ike" television commercial proved irresitable. Once in office, he personally went to Korea to make peace and end the war by threatening them with nuclear weapons. He did much for his country, though very little for civil rights. -
Domestic Policy: (Eisenhower) McCarthy
McCarthyism
McCarthy stirred up a second "Red Scare" in 1954, hightening tensions between America and communist Nations, specifically Russia. He also began a parannoid hunt for communist sympathizers in the U.S., ending the careers of all who were accused unjustly or otherwise. McCarthy's reign ended when he went after military officials, making him seem like a ruthless and heartless attacker. -
Civil Rights Events: Brown vs. Board of Education
One of the most historically significant cases followed Oliver Brown trying to enroll his daughter in a school for white children. Ultimately, the court ruled in Brown's favor, overturning the Plessy vs. Furguson case and ending legal segregation in schools. This paved the road for more civil rights movements. -
Civil Rights Events: Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott
Rosa Parks Facts
Rosa Parks was arrested in 1955 for remaining in her seat when asked by a white man to get up. Her arrest sparked the Mongomery Bus Boycott, lead by Martin Luther King Jr., a little known Baptist Minister at the time. Twelve and a half months later, after losing 75% of their passengers, new laws were put in place to end segregation on buses. -
Domestic Policy: (Eisenhower) Highways
Our Documents
Eisenhower signed the Federal Aid Highway Act in 1956 to allow the construction of the Interstate Highway Act. Because of this, $27 billion was spent building 42 thousand miles of highways and roads. This made many job oppurtunities, and helped oil and travel industries flourish. -
Civil Rights Events: Southern Christian Leadership Conference
History Learning SiteThe Southern Christian Leadership Conference was formed in In 1957 just after the Montgomery Bus Boycott had ended, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference’s (SCLC) was created by Martin Luther King Jr. It's main aim was to advance the cause of civil rights in America but in a non-violent manner. -
Civil Rights Events: Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
SNCC
A group of black college students sat at a table and refused to move when they were not served because of their color. This sparked several more "sit-in movements" among college students, who then worked together to form the SNCC. They later had to change their name to "Student National Coordinating Committee" in an attempt to get their rights faster. -
Presidents: John F. Kennedy
White House
JFK was the youngest president ever to be elected, and the youngest to be assasinated. During his relatively short time in office, he lead America through the Cuban Missile Crisis and passed some cvil rights movments. His administration brought new hope to Americans. -
Domestic Policy: (Kennedy) Peace Corp. & Green Berets
JFK Library
JFK created the Peace Corp. to encourage mutual understandings between America and other nations. However, he fully understood that peacefull tactics might not always work. For that reason, he created the Green Berets, a forceful unit for when peace failed. -
Civil Rights Events: Voter Education Project
Voter Education Project Records
The Voter Education Project helped raise money for civil rights organizations that wanted to help African-American voter education and registration in the Southern states. They were backed federally with the thought that protesters would support the project instead of holding demonstrations. -
Civil Rights Events: James Meredith
James Meredith
When Meredith applied to the University of Mississippi, he was initially accepted, but had his acceptance withdrawn when they found out he was African-American. He filed suit alleging discrimination, which eventually ruled in his favor in Supreme Court. However, a riot broke out when he when tto register his classes, and JFK had to send in 500 U.S. Marshalls. So, Meredith became the first black student at UoM. -
Civil Rights Events: Attack on Birmingham
Movement in 1963
The Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham was used by the SCLC and it's leaders to plan demonstrations, and it became a target for supremacists. Robert Chambliss placed a bomb by the church that injured 23 people and killed four little girls. He was only charged for owning dynamite, but was later jailed for life at a second bombing attempt. -
Civil Rights Events: Baptist Church Bombing
Movement in 1963
The Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham was used by the SCLC and it's leaders to plan demonstrations, and it became a target for supremacists. Robert Chambliss placed a bomb by the church that injured 23 people and killed four little girls. He was only charged for owning dynamite, but was later jailed for life at a second bombing attempt. -
Presidents: Lyndon B. Johnson
White House
Johnson became president after Kennedy's assasination, and followed through with many of Kennedy's endevors he was planning to carry out before his death. This was all a part of Johnson's "Great Society", which also included work in space technology. He also chose not to run for re-election so that he could devote his time to peace in Vietnam. -
Domestic Policy: (Johnson) Higher Education Acts
Higher Education Act
The Higher Education Act (HEA) is the law that gives federal aid to student programs. The HEA was passed in 1965 and signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson. To premote growth and change in modern times, it must be re-approved by Congress about every five years or so. -
Civil Rights Events: 24th Amendment and the Voting Rights Act of 1965
America's Library
The Poll Tax that had prevented many poorer African-Americans from voting was finally gone with the 24th Amendment. This was quickly followed by the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which outlawed discriminatory voting practices that had kept many African-Americans away from the polls for years. Now all American citizen could vote if they wanted to. -
Civil Rights Events: Civil Rights Act of 1964
Archives
This was a landmark peice of legistation that outlawed all forms of discrimination against different races, religeons, and gender. I complemented the recent voting laws nicely, as it ended unequal application of voter registration requirements. It also stopped segregation in schools and public facilities. -
Vietnam War Events: Gulf of Tonkin
History Learning Site
American naval destroyers were sent into North Vietnamese waters. On August 2nd 1964, three North Vietnamese torpedo boats fired on the ‘USS Maddox’ in the Gulf of Tonkin. ‘Maddox’ defended itself and fired back, hitting all three torpedo boats, sinking one. Johnson’s next decision to bomb North Vietnam received overwhelming backing from Congress in what was known as the ‘Gulf of Tonkin Resoloution." -
Vietnam War Events: Pleiku Attack
History.com
Pleiku was a U.S. airbase in what was once South Vietnam. It was used in 1962 for military puposes in the Vietnam War, but was seized by the People's Army of Vietnam. Today, it is simply and unassuming airport. -
Domestic Policy: (Johnson) Social Security
SSA.gov
The Social Security Acts of 1965, signed by Lydon B. Johnson, provided Medicare for American citizens over 65 and poor families. While many of the needy found these new laws endlessly beneficial, there were of course those who tried to take advantage of the acts. -
Vietnam War Events: Tet Offensive
1900's History
Vietnamese troop stomed through South Vietnamese towns and cities, breaking the ceasefire for the Tet holiday. They were met with a surprising ammout of resistance from the South Vietnamese and American troops. U.S. was considered victorious in this battle, with 45,000 casualties on the opposing side. -
Presidents: Richard Nixon
Richard M. Nixon first act in office was to reconcille with nations over seas. After that, he accomplished many more thing such as ending the draft, making new crime laws, building an enviromental program, and appointing conservitave Justices to the Supreme Court. He also oversaw the moon landing. -
Vietnam War Events: Vietnamization
Histor Channel
Vietnamization is a term coined by president Nixon early in his presidency. It refered to his plan to train Southern Vietnamese to fight for themselves while slowly withdrawing American troops. In 1973, process was declared complete and our troops were withdrawn. Unfortunately, Northern Vietnamese took over in 1975. -
Domestic Policy: (Nixon) EPA
The EPA was created by Nixon in 1970 to fix national guidelines concerning the enviroment. It functions in areas; Interior, Agriculture, Health, Education, and Welfare. It first administered the Clean Air Act, then the Federal Enviromental Pesticide Control Act, then the Clean Water Act, and many more to this day. -
Domestic Policy: (Nixon) Clean Air Act
EPAThe Clean Air Act was created by Richard Nixon in 1970 and upheld the Enviromental Protection Agency. It defines the EPA's responsibilities for protecting and improving the nation's air quality and the stratospheric ozone layer. -
Presidents: Gerald R. Ford
White House
Ford became president after Nixon's resignation; the first and only president to be chosen by Congress. Nevertheless, he made a good president. The first thing he did was pardon Nixon. Then, he vigerously maintained forgein affairs in Asia and the Middle East. -
Domestic Policy: (Ford) WIN
PBS
WIN, standing for Whip Inflation Now, was a speech given by Ford to the general public about smart money saving techniques. He taked about how only spending money when you actually needed something would help keep inflation down, naming inflation as "public enemy number one". It ultimately failed. -
Vietnam War Events: Fall of Saigon
U.S. History
When the North Vietnamese army reached the edge of Saigon, the American soldiers stationed there knew they had to leave immediately. They were evacuated as fast as possible by helicopter and airplanes. Once they were gone, Saigon quickly surrendered to the Nothern Vietnamese. -
Domestic Policy: (Ford) Education for All Handicapped Children Act
University of Michigan
The Education for All Handicapped Children Act, signed by Ford in 1975, is a law encouraging and providing the education for all children with disabilities that were not previously recieving proper schooling. This began to help end the discrimination against the disabled in schools.
