Unit 39.1 - Civil rights and race relations in the USA, 1850-2009
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Civil rights essay plans
Table of Contents
Reconstruction.......................................................................................................................................2
Jim crow...............................................................................................................................................12
‘The exclusion of black Americans from the vote was the most damaging setback to their fight for
civil rights in the years 1883–c1900’. How far do you agree with this statement?..............................12
New deal..............................................................................................................................................26
Was Eleanor Roosevelt responsible for the improvements made to the lives of Black Americans
during the new deal period?............................................................................................................38
How successful were black Americans themselves in improving civil rights in the period 1933-41?
.........................................................................................................................................................47
I have a dream.....................................................................................................................................50
How accurate is it to say that it was primarily internal divisions within the Civil Rights movement
that damaged the cause of civil rights for black Americans in the years 1960-1968?.....................52
It was the Supreme Court that was responsible for the improved position of black Americans in
the Southern states in the period 1954-63?’ How far do you agree with this statement?..............54
How accurate is it to say that it was primarily internal divisions within the Civil Rights movement
that damaged the cause of civil rights for black Americans in the years 1960-1968?.....................56
How far were the forces opposed to civil rights responsible for the failures of the civil rights
movement in the 1960s...................................................................................................................57
How far do you agree that the Black Power movement hindered Black civil rights in the 1960s?. .57
How far do you agree that Martin Luther King deserves the credit for the enactment of the civil
rights legislation of 1964 & 1968.....................................................................................................57
How successful, by 1968, was the campaign to achieve equal civil rights for black Americans?.....59
How significant was the media coverage to the successes of the civil rights movement during the
years 1954-68..................................................................................................................................62
How accurate is it so say that peaceful protests were the most important reason for the
improvement in the civil rights of African Americans in the years 1954-68....................................64
How far do you agree that the years 1954–65 saw only limited progress in improving the status of
African Americans............................................................................................................................66
To what extent was the Federal Government responsible for improving the status of black people
in the United States in the years 1954–68.......................................................................................68
Obama.................................................................................................................................................70
How far was Obama’s election to the Illinois State Senate the key turning point in his career to
become a possible future Democratic Party candidate for the presidency? (state senator 1997-
2004, US senatorr 2004-2008).........................................................................................................70
How far was Obama’s victory in the presidential election of 2008 due to the weakness of his
opponents?......................................................................................................................................72
,Civil rights essay plans
‘Barack Obama’s victory in the Democrat race in 2008 owed more to Hillary Clinton than to
anything he himself did.’ How far do you agree with this statement..............................................74
How far was Obama’s victory in the democratic presidential primary of 2008 due to the success of
his electoral strategies?...................................................................................................................78
Obama’s race was the most important reason he won the US Presidency in 2008.’ How far do you
agree with this statement?..............................................................................................................80
‘Barack Obama’s time as US Senator for Illinois (2004-2008) was the key reason for his victory in
the 2008 US Presidential Election.’ How far do you agree with this statement?.............................83
Geography...........................................................................................................................................85
The outcome of the Civil War for black Americans in 1865 was the key turning point in the
changing geography of civil rights issues in the USA in the years 1850-2009'.................................85
How far can the First World War be regarded as the key turning point in the changing geography
of civil rights issues in the USA in the period 1850-2009?...............................................................87
How far can mass migration into Harlem from 1905 be regarded as the key turning point in the
changing geography of civil rights issues?.......................................................................................89
How far can the Second World War be regarded as the key turning point in the changing
geography of civil rights issues in the USA in the period 1850–2009?.............................................90
How accurate is it to say that the end of Reconstruction and the introduction of Jim Crow laws
constitutes the most important turning point in the changing geographical distribution of black
Americans in the years 1850-2009..................................................................................................92
How far can the migration back to the south in 1970-2009 be regarded as the key turning point in
changing geography of civil rights issues in the period 1850-2009?................................................94
How far do you agree that the First Great Migration (c1910–30) was the most important factor
leading to increased racial integration in the USA in the years c1900–2009?.................................96
Reconstruction
Constitutional Amendments introduced during the Reconstruction
period significantly improved the position of black Americans in the
years 1865–77.’ How far do you agree with this statement?
Title: ‘
IE: were lives improved
Intro:
1. KS: political improvement 1.KS: political lack of improvement
,Civil rights essay plans
The 15th amendment enfranchised all black Americans- a HOWEVER, in practice these advancements were
huge step towards greater political equality. limited by the supreme court, state governments and
It simultaneously enabled AA's to rise to positions of later on, the federal gov
responsibility- over 1000 local positions of responsibility, 1876 US vs Reece case limited the effects of the 15th
600 served in state legislatures. 700,000 AA's outnumbered amendment as it provided loopholes to dis-
600,000 whites enfranchising Aas
The real improvements came with the military Federal government also lost interest in helping AA's
reconstruction act 1867, which effectively forced the politically- Amnesty act 1872 re-enfranchised 150,000
southern states to co-operate with the constitutional whites and Johnson issues 13,000 presidential
amendments pardons to ex-confederate leaders. As a result, all but
Overall: 3 southern states in 1876 were under white democrat
control
Southern violence also limited the growth of AA's
political power: eg KKK, Mississippi plan in 1875 which
enabled southern democrats to take control of gov
and the Hamburg massacre in 1876 heavily disrupted
republican rule
Overall:
2. KS: social improvement 2. KS: social lack of improvement
13th amendment feed 4m slaves, allowing physical Sharecropping and manual labour resulted in social
mobility- over 80% freedmen reunited with families immobility
Lots of rural migration- 10 largest southern cities see black Black codes created in response to the 13th
populations double during reconstruction amendment eg SC- huge social restrictions eg couldn't
14th amendment- reversed Dredd Scott (1857) SC case= own property in town, have to carry passport with
equal access to the law so equal legal protection them everywhere etc
14th amendment also allowed for the election of radical Slaughterhouse case 1873 narrows the interpretation
republicans into office in 1868, which in turn resulted in of the 14th amendment as they limited the “privileges
significant opportunities for AA's and immunities” of U.S. Citizenship
Freedmen’s bureau set up 1865 to help the appliacation of Freedmen’s Bureau- didn't go far enough- 4m slaves-
this- spent $17m to build 4000 schools and 100 hospitals. By not enough for long term independance
1877 600,000 were enrolled in elementary schools- Huge amounts of violence as a result of the sudden
important for long term equality dislocation of former slave-owner society- 2,000
Overall: people killed in Texas alone 1865
KKK- 0.5 mil members by 1870- terror used to keep
AA's in social inferiority
1876 US vs Cruikshank case declared that racial
crimes perpetrated by individuals weren’t protected
by the 14th amendment
In addition: major developments came w/ Military
Reconstruction Act of
Overall:
3. KS: economic improvement 3. KS: lack of economic improvement
13th amendment- 4m freed slaves therefore giving them Any attempts to tackle economic inequality were in
the ability to own land and get wages= newfound economic legislation, and were only very loosely related to the
self-determination constitutional amendments
wiped out $2bn worth of property in the south (the slaves) whites still in control: legal freedom provided by the
= drastically changing the makeup of the southern economy structure of the 13th, targeted the broad issue, but no
Economic legislation introduced Following the 13th narrow laws. Huge obstacles prevented independent
amendment- southern homestead act of 1866 - 4000 farming in rural areas
claimed land No education : 90% of south illiterate, so hard for
Freedman’s savings bank, set up in 1865 following the 13th blacks to get jobs
amendment offered- loans Attitudes of whites: reluctant to sell
Policy of Sharecropping which 80% engaged in- offered Failure of land reforms: southern homestead act, 40
more freedom than slavery acres and a mule overturned
Overall: Sharecropping - 80% AAs- maintained the ex-slaves
working for the white elites
In urban areas:
Black exclusion from union movement hampered
labour movement
Many black men swept into peonage
FB- following -- act- when support shrunk and Fbank
shut 1874- 000s lose savings
, Civil rights essay plans
Overall:
Conclusion:
Verdict: Not ‘Signifiacantly’
Point 1: Did have a net positive effect on their political status, however this was only a very small proportion
Point 2: Did bring about some social positive changes, but these were counter-acted by the white violence against them
Point 3: Did very little to support the economic development- any infrastructure was very loosely related to the const amendments
Did the abolition of slavery in the United States produce a real
improvement in the lives of black Americans in the years 1865-77?
Explain your answer.
Title: ‘
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