New
New
Year 11
Edexcel
The Civil Rights Act (1964) and Voting Rights Act (1965)
I can explain the importance of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act, including the role of both Kennedy and Johnson.
New
New
Year 11
Edexcel
The Civil Rights Act (1964) and Voting Rights Act (1965)
I can explain the importance of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act, including the role of both Kennedy and Johnson.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- President Kennedy was instrumental in the successes of the civil rights movement in the early 1960s.
- Johnson was able to pass the Civil Rights Act in 1964: considered one of the greatest successes of the movement.
- The march from Selma began in March 1965, protesting against continued voting restrictions for black Americans.
- The success of the march from Selma led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965 which directly addressed voting restrictions.
Keywords
Act - an act is a law passed by the government
Registration - registration is the act of signing up to do something - for example, voting
Common misconception
The passing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 marked the end of the civil rights movement.
While the Civil Rights Act (1964) was a landmark moment, bringing significant change, it left much to campaign for - particularly issues of voter registration amongst black Americans.
When working through the changes introduced as a result of the acts, make sure to emphasise that changes in law do not always mean changes in people's everyday experiences - as they may already know from learning about previous Supreme Court rulings and Civil Rights Acts.
Teacher tip
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on
Open Government Licence version 3.0
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).Lesson video
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Starter quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.
Temporary schools set up in Mississippi to help overcome the inequalities in schooling were known as .
Q2.
Who ordered his officers to use dogs and powerful fire hoses on the protesters in the Birmingham campaign?
Orval Faubus
George Wallace
Ross Barnett
Q3.
At which famous march did Martin Luther King give his 'I have a dream speech'?
March on Mississipi
March on Alabama
Q4.
Starting with the earliest, sort the following events into the order in which they happened. Use numbers to show the correct order.
Q5.
Which two of the following statements are correct?
In April 1963, CORE and ACMHR launched the Birmingham campaign.
King was released from jail after 8 days, despite not having Kennedy's support.
Q6.
Which of the following statements is the best definition of direct action?
negotiation to achieve a goal, rather than demonstrations or protests
the use of violence to achieve a goal
Exit quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.
An is a law passed by the government.
Q2.
Why was Kennedy expected to address the issue of civil rights?
He was a Republican who had promised his support to the movement.
He openly led the civil rights movement.
Q3.
Which president successfully passed the Civil Rights Act in 1964?
President Kennedy
President Eisenhower
Q4.
Why did Southern opposition become less of an obstacle when Johnson attempted to pass the Civil Rights Act?
Few Southern politicians were opposed to the act by 1964.
Kennedy had eliminated most Southern opposition before his assassination.
Q5.
Which issue did the march on Selma address?
education
transport
Q6.
Starting with the earliest, sort the following events relating to Selma into the order in which they happened. Use numbers to show the correct order.
Additional material
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