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Dwight D. Eisenhower
Einsenhower personified the 1950's with his winning smile and the trust and admiration of the people. He was a great leader who emphasized the delegation of power, was driven to balance the budget, and who helped pass the Highway Act of 1956. However he was forced to focus most of his attention on foreign policy and problems arising from the Cold War. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 -
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Major Events of the 1950's, 60's, and 70's
These are some of the major events that involved the United States during the decades of the 50's, 60's, and 70's. -
Joseph McCarthy Army Hearings
Joseph McCarthy held claims of many communists within the State Department but could not prove any of his claims. He reflected the paranoia in America about communism and finally faced his downfall after acusing the Army of being communist. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 -
Brown vs. The Board of Education of Topeka Kansas
The Supreme Court case of Brown vs. The Board of Education was a landmark case for Civil Rights. It officially declared segregation unconstitutional and helped set off the integration of blacks into public schools. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
The Montgomery Bus Boycott began with Rosa Parks' defiance of an unjust law. It lasted for a year and ended up as a great success and led to Martin Luther King Jr.'s rise as a prominent Civil Rights leader. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 -
Interstate Highway Act of 1956
The Interstate Highway Act was a great public works project supported by Eisenhower to create thousands of miles of motorways connecting America. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 -
SCLC is formed in part by Martin Luther King Jr.
The SCLC, co-founded by Martin Luther King, aimed to mobilize black churches in the cause for black rights. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 -
Einsenhower establishes NASA
After the Russian's launch of Sputnik, Einsenhower quickly responded by creating NASA and pumping money into space progams to match the Soviets. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 -
Launch of the Sit-In Movement
In 1960, four black college students spawned a large "sit-in" movement after they demanded service at a white-only lunch counter and each day recruited more students to sit-in with them. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 -
New Frontier
Kennedy's New Frontier policy was full of optimism and idealism. In it, he hoped provide medical assistance, aid to education, and a revitalization of the economy through tax cuts. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 -
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John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy was the youngest man to be elected president and he personified the glamour and optimism of the youth. He put together a great cabinet, filled with the best and brightest, and persued his "New Frontier" policies. In his short time as president, he faced and responded well to crises like the Bay of Pigs, the Cuban Missle Crisis, and growing Civil Rights unrest. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 -
Civil Rights March on Washington
The March on Washington was an enormous gathering of Civil Rights supporters who marched on the capital and gave speeches to draw national attention to their cause. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 -
Murder of John F. Kennedy
The untimely assassination of JFK ended what could have been a great administraion, leaving his legacy unfulfilled. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 -
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Lyndon B. Johnson
Johnson won his election handily under his "Great Society" platform of legislation that included education, health care, and immigration reform. He also followed a policy of escalation in Vietnam, greatly increasing our involvement there. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was in part a realization of the efforts of JFK in the progression of Civil Rights and was enacted during the Johnson administration. The act strengthened the governments power at ending segregation and created the Equal Emploment Opportunity Commission. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 -
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was Congress' response to the sinking of two American destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin, essentially providing Johnson with a blank check with which to go to war. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 -
Protests Emerge at Berkeley
During the 1960's and beyond and especially during the U.S. involvement in Vietnam, unrest among the public grew immensely as did resentment towards the government. Berkeley was one of the first organized protests against established authority. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 -
LBJ's Great Society Legislation of 1965
Johnson's Great Society Legislation aimed to confront four major points: aid to education, medical care for the elderly and poor, immigration reform, and a new voting rights bill. He successfully accomplished all of these goals. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 -
Escalation of U.S. Involvement in Vietnam
After the Gulf of Tonking Resolution provided Johnson with a blank check with which to respond, he began to follow a policy of escalation in Vietnam and greatly increase the number of troops deployed there. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
The Voting Rights Act finally gave blacks the power of voting without any fear of reprisals and gave them a powerful weapon in their fight for rights. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 -
Watts Race Riots in Los Angeles
The Watts race riots in Los Angeles reflected the growing tensions of blacks in America and their refusal to wait any longer for change. This time saw the rise of black militancy under outspoken leaders like Malcolm X. -
Tet Offensive
The Tet Offensive was the surprise all out assault of the North Vietnamese Army which was eventually halted by U.S. forces. -
Johnson Freezes Troop Levels in Vietnam
With mounting protest of the war, in attempts to serve both sides president Johnson declared the troop levels of Vietnam frozen. -
Murder of Martin Luther King Jr.
The muder of Martin Luther King marked the end of the strong voice of peaceful protest in the black community and opened the way for the spread of black militancy. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 -
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Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon was a shrewd and calculating man. He first desired to withdrawl from Vietnam with his policy of "Vietnamization," but this process was slow. He was brilliant in his foregin policy and relations, and made great efforts in suporting domestic reforms including Food Stamps and Medicade, and protecting the environment with the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 -
U.S. Lands on the Moon
After initially starting behind the Soviets in the race to space, the United States are the first to put a man on the moon. -
Watergate Incident
After handily winning his second election, Nixon's win was sullied by the uncovering of the Watergate Scandal. This scandal would eventually lead to growing suspicions against Nixon and his eventual resignation from office. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 -
26nd Amendment
The 26th Amendment reduced the voting age to 18 and placed the power of the vote in the hands of many young Americans for generations to come. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 -
Cease Fire in Vietnam
This date was the official cease fire of American forces in Vietnam and begins our eventual pull out of all forces in Vietnam which isn't completed until 1975. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 -
Supreme Court Case Milliken vs. Bradly
This Supreme Court case made it so that the desegregation of schools could not require students to move across school zones. This decision essentially reinforced the "white flight" from cities to suburbs as these schools did not have to carry any of the burden of desegregation. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 -
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Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford was the first person to be made president by a Congressional vote and was unfairly deemed "dim witted." He worked hard toward enhancing foregin relations and adamently tried to help stop South Vietnam's fall, but was forced to simply evacuate as many as he could to safety. Kennedy, David., et al. The American Pageant. Thirteenth Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 American Pageant. Thirteenth Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006
