Essay Example on American History

1. Discuss the attempts made by African-Americans to provide voting rights and other rights to black citizens.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

In the early sixties, African Americans stepped up their activism for civil rights. They fought for the rights of black citizens through meetings with the leaders, boycotts and activism by leaders such as Martin Luther King and Johnson. All these leaders played a part in the fight for black citizen rights. Some of the amendments they pushed through include; 1) The Civil Rights Act of 1964 which outlawed discrimination in public facilities such as shops based on color, religion, sex and national origin. The act also provided Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to investigate and work on violations of the law in employment. 2) Voting Rights Act of 1965 which outlawed any attempts to deny black citizens the right to vote through intellect tests, poll taxes and other many attempts to discriminate the black citizens. The Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act was pushed by President Johnson. Gaps between the civil rights movements grew as militant activist such as Malcom X sought a faster change in the fight for blacks rights. The rise of African American activists made it sparkling clear that if America was to be for all citizens, the society had to change their mentality.

2. Discuss LBJ's desire to build a "Great Society" and evaluate the success of his programs. 25-3

Johnson came up with the idea of building a great society where America would care for all and not just the Native Americans. Johnson had a dream of a great society by eliminating poverty within the citizens, increasing health services, improving education, social welfare and arts. Johnson pushed the Hart-Cellar Act which was passed in 1965 and it allowed for the settlement of non-American and non-European in America. He has been credited for trying to improve America and there is still an argument on his ideas between the Progressive and the Conservatives.

3. Explain the situation in Vietnam that LBJ inherited from his predecessors and evaluate the decisions he made over the next few years concerning the Vietnam War. 25-4

Johnson got into leadership when South Vietnam was still under Communism and he believed it was Americas duty to save Vietnam. The Congress authorized Johnson to handle the situation after the incident in the Tonkin Gulf. Johnson did not like the situation at all and he saw the authorization over the Tonkin Gulf given by the Congress as an act to intensify the war in Vietnam. The American Army was on the ground and the number of casualties escalated. The American citizens were also opposing the war and for these and many other reasons, Johnson decided not to run for reelection in 1968. This did not prevent the war from being fought for several years that followed.

4. Discuss the growth of the "counterculture" in American society during the 1960s and describe three of the "movements" that developed during this decade.25-5

The counterculture social movement grew from the civil right movements and the oppositions against the Vietnam War. It opposed the old-style politics, corporate consumerism and the social values. Movements that developed during the sixties include;

The Black Power Movement or the Black Panthers who sort to help the poor. The movement closed the gap between Black Chauvinism and the civil rights movements. They urged the black people to take pride in their race and to take control of some institutions within their communities. However, they were condemned for the riots they held.

Students for a Democratic Society. It was founded in 1959 by young people who opposed the older political movements. They rejected all the old ideologies of economic justice and pushed for ideologies of social justice.

The Nation of Islam. It was a Black Movement and the leaders rejected the civil rights ideas of integration to become American citizens and pushed for an independent black nation-state.