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Dwight D. Eisenhower
1953-1961 Dwight D. Eisenhower was president. He was president during a time when the public had grown wary after having gone through the Great Depression, World War 2 and were now in the beginning stages of the Cold War. He was the most popular American of his time. He was a Republican and his policy was to crusade against, “Communism, Korea and corruption.” -
Army-McCarthy hearings
Republican senator Joseph R. McCarthy went on a crusade to find all the Communists in the nation. He inaccurately accused and ruined the lives of countless individuals both in government and in other fields of work such as writers and movie stars. He was ruthless, yet most of the public agreed with what he was doing. It wasn’t until he attacked the U.S. army. They fought back in 35 days of televised hearings in the spring of 1954. -
French defeated in Vietnam
In 1954 the U.S. was financing almost 80% of the costs of a war between French and Indochina. Over the years the U.S. had become increasingly anti-communist while Vietnam grew more and more communist. When the French fount themselves trapped, many advised intervention with American Bombers, but Eisenhower held back. -
Brown V. Board of Education
Supreme court case which declared separate but equal public schools regarding black and white children was unconstitutional. This overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson decision which originally established segregation was constitutional. -
Montgomery boycott
The Montgomery boycott took place from December 1, 1955 to December 20, 1956. The boycott was a protest to the unfair law segregation of the back of the bus being for black people only and the front for white people only. It took place in Montgomery, Alabama where for a little over a year, many African Americans and other civil rights activists refused to take the bus, and would walk instead. -
SCLC formed
The Southern Christian Leadership Conference was a civil rights group that heavily effected the civil rights movement during the 50s and 60s, largely because their first leader was Martin Luther King Jr. -
Little Rock School desegregation crisis
After Brown v. Board of Education, school across the country were ordered to desegregate and allow African Americans to enroll. Little Rock Central High School didn’t have any black students attending until 1957. The NAACP enrolled 9 students, nicknamed them the Little Rock Nine, to be the first African Americans at this school. They faced physical violence and riots that the U.S. had to send troops to watch and protect the students. -
Civil Rights Act passed
This was the first civil rights legislation since the Reconstruction era after the American Civil War. The goal of the bill was to make sure all African Americans were able to exercise their right to vote. -
NDEA formed
September 2, 1958 the National Defense Education Act was signed into law to provide funding for U.S. education. Its intention was to promote science and education more in the U.S. It also was a way to compete with the Soviet Union. -
Vietcong is formed.
Vietcong was a South Vietnamese, communist army. They fought against the U.S. and South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. It emerged on the winning side. Formed sometime in 1960 -
John F. Kennedy takes office
He was a Democrat, young, and vigorous during a time when Americans were generally comfortable. He is the youngest elected president and the only Catholic president. He was assassinated on November 22, 1963. -
Kennedy pushes for rollback of steel prices
When Steelworkers’ were bargaining a contract with the steel companies, the Labor Secretary mediated the discussion since they didn’t want a steel strike. The pact wanted an increase in fringe benefits, while not raising the price of steel for the American public. Some steel companies raised their prices anyway. -
Trade Expansion Act
The act granted the White House authority to negotiate tariff reductions of up to 50%. -
Civil Rights March on Washington
Largest political rallies for human rights in U.S. history and called for civil and economic rights for African Americans. Took place August 28, 1963 in Washington D.C. This is when Martin Luther King Jr., made his “I Have a Dream” speech. The theme of the march was “jobs, and freedom.” -
Lyndon Baines Johnson takes office
He became president after Kennedy was tragically assassinated. He is a Democrat from Texas. He is ruthless to his opponents and known for his ego and vanity. -
24th amendment
The amendment made it illegal for Congress and the states to condition the right to vote in federal elections on payment of a tax. The measure had been put in place originally to stop African Americans from voting. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
This legislation outlawed discrimination against racial, ethnic, national and religious minorities, as well as women. The best civil rights legislation ever put in place. -
Great Society legislation
Legislation first proposed sometime in 1965. The goals were to eliminate poverty and racial injustice as well as spending more money on education and medical care. It is very similar to the New Deal created by Roosevelt. -
Voting Rights Act
The act outlawed discriminatory voting practices. It also outlawed imposing voting qualifications as a way to deny another citizen their right to vote. -
Battle of Khe Sanh
Was one of the major battles from the Vietnam war. Lasted from 21 January 1968 to 9 July 1968 and resulted in both sides claiming victory. In July Americans destroyed the base of Khe Sanh and withdrew. The North Vietnamese Army gained control of the region after the U.S. withdrew. -
Tet Offensive in Vietnam
A military campaign launched by the Viet Cong and North Vietnam that focused on surprise attacks against command and control centers throughout South Vietnam. This was during a period that should have been peaceful. -
Nixon takes office
He was a solitary person that had trouble trusting anyone. He was bitter and testy and seemed an unlikely person to try and calm the conflicting attitudes of the American public. He participated in illegal activities regarding Watergate and is the first president to resign from office. -
Environmental Protection Agency EPA created
Nixon created it to protect human health as well as the environment. It did this by trying enforce laws that had been passed by Congress. -
Equal Rights Amendment
The amendment is for gender equality. It prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex. Though the amendment failed to achieve ratification by enough states, it spurred feminism at the time. -
Watergate
Was a political scandal resulting from a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex. Nixon’s administration were found to be apart of it as well as covering it up. The public speculated that Nixon was a part of the scandal. He was going to be impeached due to obstructing justice when he resigned. -
Vietnam ceasefire, U.S. withdrawal from war.
The cease fire agreement meant U.S. soldiers could leave Vietnam and the war would be over. Though the cease fire was ignored by North Vietnam as they attacked and defeated South Vietnam two years later. -
First OPEC oil price increase
Started with the 1973 Oil Crisis where the price of oil gradually went up in price. OPEC was formed to secure a steady income to the member states and a secure supply of oil to the consumers. Once they gained influence they raised oil prices. -
Milliken V. Bradley
Court case that ruled desegregation plans could not make students move across their school district lines. The decision exempted suburban schools from having inner city kids in their class rooms. This case indirectly encouraged “white flight.” -
President Ford takes office
Was not elected vice president, but became it after Agnew resigned. Then when Nixon resigned, he became president. He was suspected of being dim-witted. Was not popular among the public. He pardoned Nixon of any crimes. -
International Energy Agency formed
Formed to work out the problems with the supply of oil. The IEA also served as a source of information about the oil market all over the world.