1960s

  • Greensboro sit-in movement

    Greensboro sit-in movement
    4 African American college students sat in a "whites-only" lunch counter at the Woolworth's department store and refused to leave until they were served food. Sparked a wave of similar protests.
  • Election of 1960

    Election of 1960
    Richard Nixon (Republican) vs John F. Kennedy. Kennedy won due to due to youth, good looks, choice of Lyndon Johnson as running mate, and television debate performance. Kennedy promised to conquer the New Frontier, aid farmers, increase the minimum wage, improve the country's welfare, expand social security, and increase unemployment benefits.
  • Bay of Pigs invasion

    Bay of Pigs invasion
    An attempt to overthrow the Cuban government led by Fidel Castro since their ideologies were closer to the Soviets. The invasion failed and this was detrimental to Kennedy's administration.
  • Engel v Vitale

    Engel v Vitale
    Deemed school prayer unconstitutional as it violated the 1st Amendment's provision for the separation of church and state.
  • Baker v Carr

    Baker v Carr
    Decided states must redraw their legislative districts so that they more accurately uphold voting rights. Start of the principle, "one person, one vote".
  • Cuban Missile Crisis

    Cuban Missile Crisis
    America found Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba and decided to create a naval blockade, "quarantine", so the Soviets couldn't ship more missiles to Cuba. After 2 weeks of negotiation and brinkmanship, Khrushchev decided to remove their missiles if America stops trying to invade Cuba and removes their missiles from Turkey.
  • Gideon v Wainwright

    Gideon v Wainwright
    Ruled if a person is impoverished and cannot afford their own attorney in court, then the state must provide one for them.
  • Equal Pay Act

    Equal Pay Act
    Equal pay for equal work
  • Kennedy Assassination

    Kennedy Assassination
    Kennedy got shot while riding his motorcycle through Dealey Plaza. The suspected killer, Lee Harvey Oswald was later killed by Jack Ruby while in police custody. Lyndon B. Johnson took over as president after this.
  • I have a dream Speech

    I have a dream Speech
    Martin Luther King Jr gives his famous speech about Civil rights and equality
  • Civil Rights Act

    Civil Rights Act
    Outlawed discrimination based on race, religion, gender, or color. The most comprehensive piece of civil rights legislation in U.S. history
  • Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

    Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
    Granted Lyndon B. Johnson the power to do whatever it takes to fight against any attacks to the U.S.
  • Griswolf v Connecticut

    Griswolf v Connecticut
    Ruled that laws which forbade the use of birth control were unconstitutional.
  • Voting Rights Act

    Voting Rights Act
    Federal intervention to help African Americans vote and banned tactics to keep them away from voting.
  • Miranda v Arizona

    Miranda v Arizona
    Ernesto Miranda was arrested for rape and kidnapping but admitted to his crimes immediately without being informed about his constitutional rights. When this was used against him, his attorney argued that using this evidence goes against his 5th and 6th Amendment rights. This case made it to the Supreme Court which ruled in favor of Miranda leading to "Miranda Rights".
  • Martin Luther King Jr. assassination

    Martin Luther King Jr. assassination
    MLK got assassinated on the balcony of Lorraine Motel.
  • Election of 1968

    Election of 1968
    Robert F. Kennedy was running but got assassinated. Lyndon B. Johnson didn't want to reelect because of all the backlash he got for the Vietnam War. Nixon won the election.
  • My Lai Massacre

    My Lai Massacre
    American soldiers raped, tortured, and murdered many innocent Vietnamese civilians.
  • Apollo 11

    Apollo 11
    The Apollo 11 finally lands on the Moon and the Neil Armstrong, an American Astronaut, becomes the first Man on the Moon.