In search of the American Dream: the USA, c1917-96
June 2022: Section A
How accurate is it to say that, in the years 1960-80, the campaigns for minority rights had limited success?
Introduction
• Define ‘limited success’ → what is success? Compare success to that of white position at time (majority)
• Criteria: Black rights, Native/Hispanic Rights, Gay Rights: assess each to form justified judgement of question
• Sympathise most with limited success as ultimately majority second class citizens
Conclusion
• Reiterate notion second class citizens; address advancement made but when compared to criteria assessment (that of
majority), remained long way to go
Black Rights Native/ Hispanic Rights Gay rights
Limited • Despite 1964 Civil Right Act + 1965 Voting • Underlying social + economic discrimination • The occurrence of events
Success Right Act, still didn’t make blacks welcome, amongst minorities remained despite such as the Stonewall
(1960-80) hatred + violence + inferior lifestyle continued, campaigns, particularly poverty Riots indicated anti-
remained issue enforcement (informal • Turn towards more radical groups discrimination campaigns
segregation continued in Charlotte) advocating increased direct action (Brown had limited impact
• Northern Crusade 1966: 800k blacks living in Berets + AIM) indicative limited success of • Discrimination over sexual
ghettos and MLK failed create substantial earlier campaigns descended into violence orientation remained a
improvements, crusade petered out + MLK and factionalism feature of American
publication media reduced • Native Americans campaigns had limited society + increasing
• Riots 1964: NY + Chicago highlighted long impact on everyday life: continued influence of the Religious
term factors city life for blacks; however, $18m experience high levels social + economic saw a pushback against
damaged Aug 1965 Riots 1965 deprivation + faced continued the gay rights movement
(ferocity/violence of riots + portrayed blacks discrimination
badly), radicalisation of areas movement • Poverty and educational discrimination
made some less sympathetic continued against Hispanic Americans
• Voter registration slowed after 1968: 60% despite campaigns (average incomes
1980 → death MLK 1968 shifted views to remained circa 2/3s those white Americans,
Vietnam fewer gained high school diplomas)
• Gang culture, 75% high school drops outs LA
had criminal record (21st century still issues +
major problems African American rights in
USA)
Success • Greensboro Sit 1st Feb 1960: ‘protest by • Various organisations advocating minority • Influence of minority
(1960-80) confrontation’ (S. Tuck), successfully rights, e.g., NCAI, MAPA and UFW saw a rights on mainstream
highlighted freedom + equality for blacks growth in active + wider public support politics grew, e.g., Harvey
everyday lives (70k participated by Aug 1961) • Campaigns contributed to legislative Milk’s prominence, Bobby
→ July 25th served 1st black + media presented changes, brought improvements to social Kennedy’s support for
white youth heckling respectful blacks positions of minorities, e.g., Civil Rights Act Chavez
• Freedom rides 1961: CORE + SNCC test of 1964 + 1965 and Indian Civil Rights Act • The Democratic Party
whether restroom facilities desegregated, 1968 inclusions of gay rights in
media exposed level violence, James Farmer • Campaigners had success gaining the 1980 election
of Core aimed provoke publicity crisis + affect acceptance of Native Americans right to manifesto
world view + highlighted pragmatism black cultural identity and helped gain control • Gay rights campaigns
civil rights groups over federal aid programmes and education brought about greater
• 1964: Malcom X and Black Power: advocated with the 1975 Indian Self-Determination Act awareness of and
black militancy + sparked emphasis racial • Campaigning increased local level challenges to
pride, economic empowerment + creation participation and better treatment in the discrimination on the
political/cultural institutions be embraced workplace grounds of sexual
• 1980: circumstances black Americans orientations
changed; upper/middle class developed
significantly + modelled upon white society +
proof ‘equality’
, How accurate is it to say that, in the years 1917–80, anti-communism was the most significant influence on the
political landscape?
Introduction
• Define ‘most significant’ i.e., largest impact, economically, politically and socially on political landscape
• Criteria: Anti-communism, War + Presidents (+ their handling of the economy)
• Sympathise most with limited influence as War arguably main focus throughout period + provided major influence upon
political landscape
Conclusion
• Reiterate notion that war largest influence on political landscape, 1917-80, however must recognise Anti-communism and
presidents also provided an influence on political landscape, but not most significant
Anti-Communism was the most significant influence War was the most significant influence on the political Presidents (and their handling of the economy) was
on the political landscape, 1917-80 landscape, 1917-80 the most significant influence on the political
landscape, 1917-80
• Anti-communism during 1920s at time 1st • Impact of WW1: Gov spending increased • Republican laissez-faire ideas, based
Red Scare, e.g., concerns over loyalty of 24.1% GNP (1918), taxation raised 1/3 around appeals to a ‘return to normalcy’,
suspected communist sympathisers from revenue ($809m→$3.6bn 1917-18); with reduced government and isolationism,
immigrant backgrounds contributed to the industrial production increased 39% + food dominated US politics throughout the
passing of policies to limit immigration exports to Europe increased 300% → 1920s
(1921 Quota Act: 3% immigrants as of 1910 created sense of patriotism and pride of • New Deal ideas marked a significant
census) USA + reflected well on political reversal in approach, with a growing
• Palmer Raids 1919: capture and arrest landscape/presidency acceptance of the potential for gov
suspected socialists, especially anarchists • Impact of WW2: War production caused intervention from the 1930s which was
and communists, and deport them from unemployment reduce from 14.6% (1939) influential throughout the 1970s; FDR’s use
the United States highlighted the concern to 1.6% (1944), Lend Lease Scheme 1941 alphabet agencies (for ex CCC created 8.5m
of Woodrow Wilson on this issue ($50.1bn to allies, interest payments), jobs, TVA: 80k miles roads, AAA increased
• Period after WW2 led to climate of fear and $47bn worth war goods + average farm income 1932-35 by 53%) +
restriction of liberties, reversing the industrial profits increased 64.7%, 16m represented new age unprecedented gov
prevailing ideas of the 1930s deaths + 600k wounded/captured, post- activism + philosophy welfare of the people
• The second Red Scare significantly war baby boom promoted shifts to (unified new voting coalition for democrats)
influenced the president/FED gov: Truman’s consumerism + economic boom period • Growing influence of liberal and counter-
Executive Order 9835 (loyalty investigation suburban life (argued WW2 dragged USA culture attitudes, bringing change to party
of every person entering civilian out of depression and reversed negative politics and policy
employment any department/agency attitudes regarding socio-economic state of • Conservative influences were significant in
executive branch of FED Gov; the policies of citizens) the 1960s/1970s: e.g., Conservatives
the 80th Congress and Eisenhower’s • Influence of anti-communism may be seen gained influenced, attacked LBJ’s failures,
subsequent strengthening of measures as a temporary and exaggerated during two Nixon’s successes and conservative reaction
• Anti-communism had significant impact in relatively short periods seeing hysteria die later 1970s
elections: e.g., featured as an issue in the away as the limited credibility of • Watergate Scandal 17th June 1972: less
campaigns during presidential elections in accusations was revealed (Joseph McCarthy than 40% population trusted gov 1960, _
1920 and 1952, contributing to Nixon scandal: alleging numerous communists + only made worse by Watergate: portrayed
gaining Vice Presidency in the latter Soviet spies/sympathizers infiltrated the US Nixon terribly seeing his approval rate drop
• Cold War concerns over communism united FED gov, universities, film industry etc 50% overnight, 53% population viewed
Republican and Democratic politicians, e.g., • Arms race: June 1947→1948 cost $165bn, Watergate as a serious matter, reducing
no Senator publicly backed softening the could have been used to fund domestic gov confidence successive years
approach taken towards the USSR + China initiatives; similarly cost of Vietnam • Rise of New Right ideas, largely from 1970s,
1950s/early 1960s + exemplified by Truman ($843.63 billion) to a war that was lost saw attempt restore traditional values such
Doctrine March 12th 1947; Cuban Missile (emphasised shift Presidential focus from as individualism and the influence of
Crisis JFK seen as great statesman domestic to international policy) religious morality within the US political
• Anti-communist groups were a persistent • Korean War shifted way Media dealt with landscape
feature of US politics: e.g., the various presidency: expected support/access +
iterations of the Committee for Present indulged pure speculation/criticism;
Danger ran from the 1950s to the end of behaviour various parts of gov over Korean
the period, influencing political + military War contributed beginnings disillusionment
figures with presidency + gov in general which
deepened under later presidents
• Majority of society protested against the
Vietnam War (NY 19767 6 veterans
marched in peaceful demonstrations);
horrors Mai Lai Massacre + Agent
Orange/’Napalm girl’ turned many against
the presidency, exacerbated by Walker
Cronkite’s scathing criticism of LBJ
