KS1 (Age 5-7)KS2 (Age 7-11)11 Plus (Age 7-11)KS3 (Age 11-14)GCSE (Age 14-17)PSHE A.I.ESL Spanish Specialist Games

Need help with USA: 1945-1975 - Civil Rights In The 1970s And The Civil Rights Of Other Groups? Ask our AI Tutor!

AI Tutor - Lucy

Connecting with Tutor...

Please wait while we establish connection

Hi! I'm Lucy, your AI tutor. How can I help you with USA: 1945-1975 - Civil Rights In The 1970s And The Civil Rights Of Other Groups today?

now

In 1977 Andrew Young became the first African American US representative at the United Nations.

USA: 1945-1975 - Civil Rights In The 1970s And The Civil Rights Of Other Groups

Revise civil rights in 1970s America, from remaining inequalities for Black Americans to the growing campaigns of women, Native Americans, Hispanic Americans and gay and lesbian groups.

Explore the Topic →

(quiz starts below)

Fascinating Fact:

School desegregation in the 1970s sometimes involved “busing,” where children were taken by bus to different districts to create more mixed schools, causing protests in some cities.

In GCSE History, civil rights in the 1970s and the rights of other groups shows how Black Americans, women, Native Americans, Hispanic Americans and gay and lesbian people all campaigned for greater equality.

Key Terms

Busing: A policy of transporting pupils to schools in different districts to create more racially mixed classes after legal segregation had been banned.
Affirmative action: Steps taken by employers or colleges to increase opportunities for groups who had suffered discrimination, such as minorities or women.
American Indian Movement (AIM): A Native American activist organisation that protested against poor living conditions and demanded respect for treaty rights.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

What civil rights problems remained in the USA during the 1970s?

Many Black Americans still faced worse housing, schools and job chances than white Americans. Racism, poverty and unequal access to power continued, even after the major civil rights laws of the 1960s.

Which other groups campaigned for rights in the 1970s?

Women, Native Americans, Hispanic Americans and gay and lesbian people all organised campaigns. They demanded fair pay, political representation, control over land and protection from discrimination in daily life.

What was busing and why was it controversial?

Busing moved children to different schools to reduce segregation. Supporters saw it as a way to create fairer education, but some parents objected, leading to protests and sometimes violence.

Try These Related Quizzes

1 .

Native Americans were also not slow to assert their rights. Which area in South Dakota did they occupy for 71 days in 1973?

Little Bighorn

Wounded Knee

Bison Creek

Bad Mountain

The grievance here was that the US government had reneged on the Treaty of Laramie, agreed at the end of the nineteenth century

2 .

In 1970 H. Carswell was rejected for high office following protests that he had a racist past and was opposed to women's rights. To which body was he seeking appointment?

The Supreme Court

The Minnesota Supreme Court

The New York District Court

The Harvard University Law Faculty

The case shows that protests by equality campaigners could have a successful outcome in the post-1960s environment

3 .

The Voting Rights Act was extended in the 1970s to help Hispanics exercise their votes. What extra rights were they given?

The right to receive language assistance during the voting process

The right to vote even if not pre-registered

The right for a named proxy to vote on someone's behalf

The right to supervise the vote-counting procedure

Most Hispanics (except Puerto Ricans) had been missed out of the 1960s legislation

4 .

In 1973 a landmark case in Texas, called Roe v. Wade, marked a further advance for women's rights. Which issue did it concern?

Equal pay for equal work

Abortion

Lesbian rights

The right to maternity leave

Texas was normally regarded as one of the more conservative states

5 .

Which book written by Alex Haley and published in 1976 was a bestseller, which encouraged many African Americans to research into their family background?

"Birthplace"

"Origins"

"Roots"

"Heritage"

The book was subtitled "The Saga of an American Family", and was made into a successful film and television series

6 .

The organisation that represented Native American campaigners was the AIM. What do these letters stand for?

Autonomic Indian Movement

American Indian Movement

Autonomous Indian Movement

American Indian Militants

Native Americans were determined not to be left out, when they had seen what could be achieved by organised militancy

7 .

Hispanic Americans made their mark in the 1970s. From which Spanish-speaking state did most of them originally come?

Cuba

Puerto Rico

Mexico

Colombia

The Castro regime in Cuba swelled the influx of refugees from that source. On the other hand Mexico had a long border separating her from the USA: a poor country from a rich one. Puerto Rico also had strong ties with the US; Colombia likewise

8 .

In 1972 the Minnesota Supreme Court passed a judgement that was welcomed by the emergent Gay Rights movement. Which issue did it concern?

Civil partnerships between same-sex partners

Adoption by same-sex couples

Legalising homosexual activity between consenting adults

Confirming active homosexuals in their employment

Issues like this one were normally dealt with on a state by state basis

9 .

The growing women's movement in the US was frustrated by the failure of sufficient states to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment Act. Which leading US feminist frequently made the remark: "A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle".

Betty Frieden

Betty Ford

Angela Davis

Gloria Steinem

All of these women were extremely assertive, but there were differences among them of social class, ethnicity and age

10 .

In 1977 President Carter appointed Andrew Young, a prominent African American, to an important diplomatic post. What was the job?

US Ambassador to Germany

US Permanent Representative at the United Nations

US Ambassador to NATO

US Ambassador to Canada

This appointment was a sign that very able African Americans like Young could aspire to high office in the 1970s atmosphere, especially under a Democratic President

Author: Edward Towne