1954-1975 Timeline APUSH by jvry

1954-1975

Period: Jan 1, 1954 to Dec 31, 1975

Brown v. Board of Education

May 17, 1954

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The Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas was a landmark case in civil rights that reversed the 1896 ruling of Plessy v. Ferguson, which allowed segregation. A group of NAACP (Nation Association for the Advancement of Colored People) lawyers argued the unconsititutionality of segregated schools, since it violated the 14th Amendment of "equal protection of the laws."
Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006

The Spark of the Montgomery Bus Boycott

Dec 1, 1955

Picture In Montgomery, Alabama, a college educated black seamstress, Rosa Parks, refused to give up her seat to a white man and was arrested. This sparked a yearlong black boycott (Montgomery Bus Boycott) of all city busses. It demonstrated the frustration of African Americans towards segregation. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006

Federal Aid Highway Act

Jun 29, 1956

Picture The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 set aside $27 billion into building over 40,000 miles of roads, giving jobs to many Americans. It also helped national security by establishing roads to transport nuclear weapons in case of war. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006

Eisenhower Re-elected

Nov 6, 1956

Picture Running for his second term and with his nationwide popularity, Eisenhower won against Stevenson by an enormous majority of 35,590,427 popular votes to 26,022,752 in the 1956 election. By electoral votes, he won by a bigger landslide with 457 to 73. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006.

Eisenhower Doctrine

Jan 5, 1957

With the Eisnhower Doctrine in 1957, the United States promised economic and military aid to countries in the Middle East that wanted to resist the fast spread of communism. The first test of this Doctrine came in 1958 in Lebanon when U.S. troops were sent to maintain order.

SCLC

Feb 14, 1957

Picture Martin Luther King Jr., along with others, created the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) on February 1, 1957. It aimed to mobilize the vast power of black churches on behalf of civil rights. Martin Luther King Jr. became its president and based his principles on non-violence. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006

Space Programs

Jul 25, 1958

Pictures President Dwight D. Eisenhower, in 1958, established the National Aeronautics and Space Association. He directed billions of dollars toward the creation of missiles in retaliation of the Soviet launches of their Sputnik satellites. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006

Formation of SNCC

Apr 1, 1960

Picture In April 1960, southern black students formed SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Comittee) to help give more focus and force to many civil rights protest efforts. Later, the "N" was changed to "National" instead of "Nonviolent" due to the irritation of waiting by many African Americans. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006

John F. Kennedy Elected into Office

Nov 8, 1960

Picture Democrats in 1960 elected Catholic John F. Kennedy as their presidential candidate to run against Richard Nixon. Television played a huge part in this election, for it had now been able to broadcast debates. With 303 electoral votes as opposed to 219, Kennedy was elected as the youngest president in history. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006

Peace Corps

Mar 1, 1961

Pictures In March of 1961, John F. Kennedy created the Peace Corps to help relations between the U.S. and third world countries. The Peace Corps would consist of young, educated volunteers to educate and help teach American skills to third world inhabitants. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006

Bay of Pigs Invasion

Apr 17, 1961

Picture To try and overthrow Fidel Castro in Cuba, President John F. Kennedy approved an invasion of cuban exiles to try and eliminate him. The invasion being a failure, Kennedy had refused to send forces to help them. Kennedy has taken 100% of the responsibility for the failure. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006

Freedom Riders

May 4, 1961

Picture In 1961, groups of Freedom Riders toured throughout the South in attempts to try and end segregation, but due to the strong racism of the deep south, white mobs would often react violently towards the group. It drew more attention to what was happening in the south. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006

Cuban Missle Crisis

Oct 16, 1962

Picture As Cuba fell to Castro, Soviets seized the chance to station missles near the U.S. Upon discovering this, Kennedy called for a naval blockade in the gulf. Khrushchev eventually agreed to dismantle their missles on the condition that the U.S. would not invade Cuba, easing nuclear tensions. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006

March on Washington

Aug 28, 1963

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On August 28, 1963, about 200,000 Americans rallied at Washington D.C. for jobs and freedom. It was organized by many civil rights groups that called for racial justice and equality. Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous speech, "I Have a Dream," took place here.

16th Street Baptist Church Bombing

Sep 15, 1963

Picture Source On September 15, 1963, a bomb exploded before a Sunday church service at a Baptist church in Birmingham, Alabama that was also a meeting place for many important civil rights leaders. While injuring many, the bombing killed four African American girls, causing much outrage and drawing national attention.

Assassination of John F. Kennedy

Nov 22, 1963

Picture Riding in a limousine in Dallas, Texas, President John F. Kennedy was shot and killed by a concealed rifleman, Lee Harvey Oswald. His death tragically stunned the nation, sorrowing the nation for several days. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006

Lyndon B. Johnson's Ascension into Presidency

Nov 23, 1963

Picture After John F. Kennedy's tragic assassination, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as president on a waiting airplane and flew back to Washington with Kennedy's body. He managed a dignified and efficient transition as he pledged continuity with his slain predecessor's policies. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006

Operation Rolling Thunder

Feb 24, 1964

Picture After the Vietcong attack in Pleiku, President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered a big air strike with B-52 bombers against the enemy in North Vietnam. It was called Operation Rolling Thunder. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Jul 2, 1964

Picture In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson helped pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which banned all racial discrimination in most of the many private facilities that were open to the public. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006

Tonkin Gulf Resolutions

Aug 5, 1964

Picture In 1964, North Vietnamese allegedly had fired on U.S. warships using their gunboats. This let Congress give Lyndon B. Johnson a "blank check" to do what he pleased to help this situation. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006

Votings Rights Act of 1965

Jul 9, 1965

Picture Passed in July of 1965, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 attacked racial discrimination at the voting polls by outlawing requirements such as literacy tests. It is considered a landmark in civil-rights legislation. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006

My Lai Massacre

Mar 16, 1968

SourcePictures U.S. troops killed over 300 civilians in a Vietnamese village because they were angry and frustrated with the war.

Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

Apr 4, 1968

Picture Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated by a sniper's bullet in Memphis, Tennessee. This event robbed many Americans of one of their most inspirational leaders in their history, causing nationwide outrage and violence that resulted in the death of fourty people. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006

Robert Nixon

Jan 20, 1969

Picture After the assassination of Robert Kennedy in Los Angeles, the election was left to Nixon, Wallace, and Humphrey. Nixon, a Republican, won with 301 electoral votes and 43.4% of the popular vote, making him a minority president. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006

Vietnamization

Mar 21, 1969

Picture To slowly hand the Vietname War over to the Southern Vietnamese, Nixon used his policy of Vietnamization. It would slowly remove 540,000 troops out of Vietnam and the U.S. would only aid by supplying arms and money, not troops. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006

Watergate

Jun 17, 1972

[Picture](' >Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006</a> <a href='http://www.utexas.edu/features/archive/2005/watergate1.html) Five men working for the Committee of Re-Election of the President) were caught breaking into the Watergate Hotel, planting bugs to gain intel on the Democrats. It was followed by a huge scandal, causing prominent administrators to resign. It turned out, with the help of taped conversations, that Nixon had covered up this event, evetually leading to his resignation.

Paris Peace Accords

Jan 27, 1973

Picture The Paris Peace Accords of 1973 intended to establish peace in Vietnam, end U.S. military involvement, and temporarily stop fighting between the North and the South. The U.S., North Vietnam, South Vietnam, and the PRG signed the treaty on January 27, 1973, but was not ratified by the State Senate. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006

War Powers Act of 1973

May 3, 1973

PictureSource 1 The War Powers Act of 1973 was introduced into the House on May 3, 1973. It was a federal law itended to check the president's power to commit the U.S. to an armed conflict without the consent of Congress. This limited the President's power to only be able to send troops by authorization of Congress or in case of "a national security." Source 2: Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006

Gerald R. Ford

Aug 9, 1974

Picture Gerald R. Ford became president after Nixon resigned on August 8, 1974. As the first unelected president, Gerald R. Ford was thought of as a dumb jock. His popularity sank with his pardon of Nixon, which set accusations of a "buddy deal."

Helsinki Accords

Jul 1, 1975

Picture In July of 1975, Ford signed the Helsinki Accords which recognized Soviet boundaries and guaranteed human rights. It eased tensions between the U.S. and the Soviets. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006