1960’s Condensed
In 1958, Fidel Castro took over Cuba. The US refused to help because the CIA said the revolution was full of communists. The US cut ties with Cuba after Castro confiscated US property in Cuba. Cuba was then forced to turn to the Soviet Union for assistance.
The Bay of Pigs was an unsuccessful April 17, 1961 United States CIA-backed invasion of Cuba. The US was attempting to overthrow Fidel Castro’s communist government. It greatly damaged the American image around the world.
In 1962, Russia began placing nuclear weapons in Cuba. The US demanded that these weapons be removed from Cuba. The nuclear missiles given to Cuba could have easily reached Washington D.C. and the entire eastern seaboard. The US established a naval blockade around Cuba to prevent more weapons from entering Cuba. Russian ships turned around before confronting the blockade and prevented an escalation of the crisis. It is the moment when the Cold War came closest to a nuclear war and is known as the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Warren CourtLed by Chief Justice Earl Warren, the Court expanded civil rights, liberties, the judicial power, and the federal governmental power. It brought an end to segregation, incorporating the bill of rights, ending staff-sanctioned, mandatory school prayer, and other controversial decisions.
Miranda vs. Arizona- The decision stated that a defendant must be informed of the right to consult with an attorney before and during questioning and of the right against self-incrimination prior to questioning by police, and that the defendant understand these rights.
In 1963, Kennedy was fatally wounded by gunshots while riding with his wife Jacqueline in a Presidential motorcade in Dallas, Texas. He was killed by Lee Harvey Oswald.
Lyndon B. Johnson became president. Great Society- A set of domestic programs proposed or enacted in the United States on the initiative of President Lyndon B. Johnson. The two main goals of the Great Society were the elimination of poverty and of racial injustice. Medicare is a social insurance program administered by the United States government, providing health insurance coverage to people who are aged 65 and over. It was one of the programs from the Great Society.
1968- Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968, by James Earl Ray. Robert F. Kennedy, a United States Senator and brother of assassinated President John F. Kennedy, was assassinated on June 5, 1968 in Los Angeles, California. He was killed during celebrations of his successful campaign in the Californian primary elections while seeking the Democratic nomination for President of the United States. Democratic National Convention- The convention was held at the International Amphitheatre in Chicago, Illinois, from August 26 to August 29, 1968. The proceedings garnered its media attention and notoriety because of the large number of demonstrators and the use of force by the Chicago police.
Vietnam- a former French colony, was divided into two sections in 1954. North Vietnam, led by Ho Chi Minh, was communist and backed by the Soviet Union. South Vietnam, led by Ngo Dinh Diem, was democratic and backed by the U.S. The U.S. believed that if South Vietnam fell to the communists, the rest of the nations in Southeast Asia would as well in a theory called the domino theory.In January of 1968, the Vietcong launched surprise attacks on cities throughout South Vietnam. The American embassy was attacked as well in the South Vietnamese capital of Saigon. This became known as the Tet Offensive.
Thousands of Americans protested against the war, especially on college campuses. On May 4, 1970, the Ohio National Guard killed 4 anti-war protesters at Kent State University.
In January 1973, the U.S. reached a cease-fire agreement with North Vietnam and brought their troops home.
In April of 1975, the communists captured the South Vietnamese capital of Saigon, renamed it Ho Chi Minh City, and reunited Vietnam under one communist flag.
Social Movements
Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee- SNCC played a major role in the sit-ins, freedom rides, and a leading role in the 1963 March on Washington. In the later 1960s, SNCC focused on "black power", and then protesting against the Vietnam War.
Southern Christian Leadership Conference- SCLC was closely associated with its first president, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Originally, SCLC was composed of affiliated churches and some community organizations. SCLC and Dr. King were sometimes criticized for lack of militancy.
The National Organization for Women (NOW) is the largest American feminist organization. NOW promotes the idea that women entitled to equal rights and opportunities. NOW was started by Betty Friedan, the writer of The Feminine Mystique.
César Chávez was a Mexican American farm worker, labor leader, and civil rights activist who founded the United Farm Workers. His work led to numerous improvements for union laborers. His work focused on unskilled migrant laborers. He used non-violent protests like Martin Luther King, Jr.
Rachel Carson was an American marine biologist and nature writer whose writings are credited with advancing the global environmental movement. Her book, Silent Spring, helped start the environmental movement by exposing the hazards of pesticides. Her work also lead to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a government organization that works to protect the environment. The environmental movement led to the first Earth Day(April 22nd). These are intended to inspire awareness of and appreciation for the Earth's environment.
Barry Goldwater is the politician most often credited for sparking the resurgence of the American conservative political movement in the 1960s.Conservative- the idea that government should play a small role in American society. Richard Nixon was the 37th President of the United States (1969–1974) and the only president to ever resign the office. His election is seen as a conservative response to the more liberal direction of Lyndon B. Johnson.