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Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka
In the Brown decision, the court cited the Fourteenth Amendment's assertion that "no State shall... deny to any person.. the equal protection of the laws" as the basis for declaring segregated schools unconstitutional. The decision began a revolution in American society, as it encouraged the Civil Rights Movement. This event can be found in Key Concept 8.2 I B, which describes some of the measures taken by the federal government in promoting greater racial justice.
Video: https://urlzs.com/2v4LW -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
This boycott was prompted by the arrest of Rosa Parks, a local civil rights activist who refused to give up her seat for a white person on the Montgomery City Bus. Following her arrest, a boycott was quickly organized, leading to the bus company ending their policy of making African Americans give up their seats to whites. The boycott effectively brought national attention to the Civil Rights Movement.
Video: https://player.biography.com/0a809e40-5018-49eb-b79e-c53fbeabbca5 -
Sputnik, the Soviet Satellite, Is Launched
The launch of Sputnik in the late 50s began what would be known as the Space Race. Sputnik upset American government officials because they believed that the type of rocket used to launch the satellite could very well be used to drop nuclear weapons on any location on Earth. The US would therefore create the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to carry out a space program that would dominate the Soviet Union's.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bof19vpa43g -
Cuban Missile Crisis
It began when an US spy plane reported Cuban bases preparing for the installation of Soviet nuclear missiles. Because of the proximity of the bases to the US, they were perceived as a national security threat. President Kennedy would demand that Khrushchev cease the operation and withdraw the missiles; The later would refuse to do so for days. Finally, a deal would be reached where the Soviet Union would abandon its Cuban missile program and the US would agree to honor the sovereignty of Cuba. -
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 Becomes Law
The Act was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson, and was intended to end discrimination on the basis of race and gender. It guaranteed all Americans equal access to public accommodations, public education, and voting. It also banned discrimination in employment based on race or gender. This event can be found in Key Concept 8.2 I B, which describes some of the measures taken by the federal government in promoting greater racial justice.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6x0l_vkjozc -
Kent State Massacre
During a protest against President Nixon's decision to invade Cambodia, four students were killed at Kent State University in Ohio; Ohio National Guardsmen had fired upon the demonstrators, killing four and wounding ten (tough many were just students walking to class). This event can be found in Key Concept 8.1 II B, which explains the growing dissatisfaction of the public with the Vietnam War, as well as the rise of the antiwar movement and how it challenged the wisdom and morality of the war. -
The Pentagon Papers Are Published
One event that encouraged the rise of the antiwar movement was the publication of the Pentagon Papers, a secret investigation of the Vietnam War. The papers revealed that government officials had been deceiving and concealing information from the public about the war. When they were first about to be released, the Nixon administration secured an injunction against their publication; but this was eventually overruled in the case of New York Times v. United States (1971).
https://urlzs.com/32Ppu -
Supreme Court Rules on Roe v. Wade
In this case, the Supreme Court ruled that states could not prohibit women from having an abortion in the first two trimesters of pregnancy. The court reasoned that the right for a women to get an abortion was part of her right to privacy implied through the Fourteenth Amendment. This event can be found in Key Concept 8.3 II B, which describes the counterculture of the 60s, and how it initiated a sexual revolution that involved women taking more control over reproduction.
https://urlzs.com/G68Qq -
Partial Nuclear Meltdown at Three Mile Island
In 1979, radioactive gases and radioactive materials were released into the environment after a partial meltdown of the core in one of the reactors at the Three Mile Island power plant in Pennsylvania. This accident, discouraged the use of nuclear energy over time, and also led to the rise in popularity of the environmental movement. This event can be found in Key Concept 8.2 II D, which describes some of the events that prompted activists to call attention to the abuse of the environment. -
The AIDS Crisis
In the 1980s, the gay community was hit by a disease that would become known as AIDS. The NIH was slow to recognize and address the disease, leading to the death of many affected. This would compel the stricken gay community to turn to activism. Hundreds protested on the streets of New York (and others) in order to get the government to devote more resources to research and treatment. This event can be found in Key Concept 9.2 II C, which sums up the debate over the status of gays and lesbians. -
Iran Contra Scandal
In the early 1980s, Reagan's administration developed a scheme that secretly sold weapons to Iran then used the money from the sales to support an unauthorized US military group in Nicaragua. When details of this affair became public in 1986, 11 members of the Reagan Administration were convicted for violating US law. This event can be found in Key Concept 9.3 I A, which describes how President Reagan would oppose communism through a series of military interventions.
https://urlzs.com/JxR4c -
NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement)
In 1993, Congress ratified NAFTA, which removed all trade barriers and tariffs between the US, Canada, and Mexico. Opponents to the agreement argued that it would prevent nations from being able to protect growing industries from foreign competition. This event can be found in Key Concept 9.1 I C, which sums up debates over the role of government in regulating the financial system and international trade.
Video: https://youtu.be/jDOaMOlFoqE
