Direct action and the Civil Rights Movement
Explain the role and impact of direct action in the Civil Rights Movement.
Direct action and the Civil Rights Movement
Explain the role and impact of direct action in the Civil Rights Movement.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Direct action was one of the methods used to challenge segregation.
- The Montgomery Bus Boycott challenged segregation on buses.
- Sit-ins and the Freedom Rides were organised to challenge segregation in the early 1960s.
- Direct action aimed to attract media attention.
- Publicity helped increase participation in protests and create more pressure for change.
Keywords
Boycott - when groups of people refuse to use or buy certain products and services
Direct action - the use of demonstrations or protests to achieve a goal, rather than negotiation or legal action
Publicity - widespread notice or attention given to someone or something by the media
Enhance - to improve something
Common misconception
Civil rights campaigners avoided situations where they might be attacked by opponents.
Attacks by opponents helped generate more publicity and sympathy for civil rights protests so risky situations were not avoided.
To help you plan your year 11 history lesson on: Direct action and the Civil Rights Movement, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 11 history lesson on: Direct action and the Civil Rights Movement, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 history lessons from the USA Civil Rights: how successful was the American civil rights movement? unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
Loading...
