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In the Brown vs. Board of Education case, the United States Supreme Court ruled that "separate but equal" facilities for the education of black and white students was unconstitutional. This was the beginning of the long process of integration in the United States. http://www.watson.org/~lisa/blackhistory/early-civilrights/brown.html
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The Geneva Accords created an armistice while the French left Vietnam. It also created a DMZ between the countries of North and South Vietnam. http://www.clemson.edu/caah/history/FacultyPages/EdMoise/viet4.html
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On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested for not giving up her seat on a bus to a white man. She supported what she believed in, stood up against injustice, and became a key figure in African American rights. http://www.thehenryford.org/exhibits/rosaparks/story.asp
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The Montgomery Bus Boycott began in response to Rosa Parks's arrest just a few days after. The movement was started to combat the segregational bus laws that forced Blacks give up their seats to whites if no other better seats were available. MLK spearheaded this movement that eventually won the Civil Rights movement a huge victory. http://www.history.com/topics/montgomery-bus-boycott
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Eisenhower wins re-elction by defeating Aldai Stevenson. Eisnenhower's accomplishments and victories overseas in Korea helped to win him re-election. http://www.270towin.com/1956_Election/
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Eisenhower sent 101st Airborne to Little Rock to protect a group of nine African American students wanting to attend high school there. They had to be protected in the school and escorted to the school every day. http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryid=723
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Millions of Americans were able to watch, for the first time, a presidential debate on TV. It starred Democratic candidate John F. Kennedy and Republican candidate Richard Nixon. http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=kennedy-nixon
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John F. Kenndedy defeated Richard Nixon to become the 35th president of the United States. He was the first Catholic to be elected to office. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/john-f-kennedy-elected-president
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The Bay of Pigs Invasion was an unsuccsesful attempt to overthrow the Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. The plan was developed by the CIA during Eisenhower's term, but was finalized under JFK. It was unsuccesful due tp JFK failing to send air support for the Cuban exiles involved in the invasion. The troops were taken prisoner. http://www.history.com/topics/bay-of-pigs-invasion
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On September 22, 1961, Congress approved the order by JFK for the creation of the Peace Corps, which promoted peace and freindship with other nations. http://www.peacecorps.gov/
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The United States pledged to not invade Cuba in exchange for the Russians removing their missiles from Cuba. Then the United States removes its missiles stationed in Turkey. After 13 days, the crisis was resolved. http://www.history.com/topics/cuban-missile-crisis
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MLK led a civil rights movement in Birmingham, Alabama. Police Commissioner Eugene Connor ordered the police to use the fire trucks' fire hoses and release the dogs on the protestors. The event caused Americans to shift their support in favor of the Civil Rights movement, giving them massive support. http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/birmingham_1963.htm
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About 250,000 demontrators showed their support for the Civil Rights movement by gathering to march in Washington. At the Lincoln Monument, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. http://www.infoplease.com/spot/marchonwashington.html
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On November 22, 1963, JFK was shot and killed by an assassin as his open-ceiling limo drove through Dallas. http://www.jfklibrary.org/JFK/JFK-in-History/November-22-1963-Death-of-the-President.aspx
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Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, ending major forms of racial discrimination in many public facilities in the United States. http://www.judiciary.senate.gov/about/history/CivilRightsAct.cfm
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On August 2, 1964, North Vietnamese ships allegedly attacked US ships in a naval battle in the Gulf of Tonkin. This incident gave the US reason to invade Vietnam. http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/vietnamwar/p/gulfoftonkin.htm
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Lyndon B. Johnson wins with 61.1% of the popular vote over Barry Goldwater. He also won 44 of the total states. http://www.270towin.com/1964_Election/
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On February 21, 1965, Malcolm X is assassinated by members of the Nation of Islam in New York City. http://newsone.com/2239879/malcolm-x-assassination-2/
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The American "Operation: Rolling Thunder" went into full effect, beginning full-scale bombings of the North Vietnamese mainland. http://www.history.com/topics/operation-rolling-thunder
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The Tet Offensive is launched, starting a full-scale attack on January 30, 1968 by the North Vietnamese and Vietcong on U.S. forces. http://www.history.com/topics/tet-offensive
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On April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee Martin Luther King Jr. was shot by James Earl Ray on a balcony in the motel he was staying at. His death shook the movement and he served as a martyr. http://history1900s.about.com/cs/martinlutherking/a/mlkassass.htm
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Nixon finally wins after losing the 1960 election to JFK. He defeats Hubert Humphrey and George Wallace to eventually become a "master" of foreign policy. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/nixon-wins-presidential-election
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The mission to land on the moon, Apollo 11, succsesfully put Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong on the its surface. Armstrong is known as the first man to set foot on the moon's ground. http://www.lpi.usra.edu/lunar/missions/apollo/apollo_11/
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Nixon explains his plan of "Vietnamization", which meant America would begin the withdrawal of troops from Vietnam and give South Vietnam the keys to the war, as it was truly their war. http://www.history.com/topics/vietnamization
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After multiple days of protest by the students of Kent State, the state of Ohio's National Guard opened fire on the crowds and killed 4 protestors. http://dept.kent.edu/sociology/lewis/lewihen.htm
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Nixon's visit to China ended 25 years of separation and isolation between the two nations. The meeting created a significant shift in the Cold War. http://www.americaslibrary.gov/jb/modern/jb_modern_nixchina_1.html
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Five men were arrested in the Watergate apartment-office complex in D.C. after they were discovered attempting to bug the Democratic party's election HQ and take pictures of their files. Nixon was constantly accused of having involvement in the scandal. This ends up being the cause of Nixon's resignation. http://watergate.info/
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After dealing with the Watergate scandal backlash for two years, Nixon announced his resignation from office as the President of the United States. http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/0808.html
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Speaker of the House Gerald Ford becomes president after vice president Spiro Agnew and president Richard Nixon both resign for their respective scandals. Ford becomes the first president that was not elected as either a president or vice president. http://americanhistory.about.com/od/geraldford/p/pford.htm
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After the march on Saigon, South Vietnam surrendered to North Vietnam on April 30, 1975. The domino effect of Communism continued as the last of U.S soldiers left Vietnam. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/south-vietnam-surrenders
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