Civil Rights Act Of 1964 Dbq Analysis

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 resulted from one of the most controversial House and Senate debates in history. It was also the biggest piece of civil rights legislation ever passed. The bill actually evolved from previous civil rights bills in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. The bill passed through both houses finally on July 2, 1964 and was signed into law at 6:55 P.M. EST by President Lyndon Johnson. The act was originally drawn up in 1962 under President Kennedy before his assassination. The bill originated from two others, and one of which was the Equal Opportunity Act of 1962 that never went into law. This bill made up the core of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Bureau of National Affairs 18-20).

In 1865, the 13th amendment was ratified which officially abolished slavery that therefore marked the beginning of racial discrimination which further led into the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960’s. During the late 20th century, racial prejudice and segregation was highly common all across the United States, but the majority of racial prejudice and segregation was in the South due to the South previously relying on slaves for labor work. The Civil Rights Movement was led by many African American’s seeking equal treatment, but the most famous of all Civil Rights leaders was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who was an American pastor, activist, and a supporter for desegregation and civil

All it took for a teacher was inspiration, a vision, and a pen on paper. President Lyndon B. Johnson was an educator that took an unexpected turn to alter history. But through the course of his legacy, people ask, why did he sign the Civil Rights Act of 1964? He signed the bill for principle reasons because of the emotions from his past career, his bravery to sacrifice, and because of his personality and background (DOC A, C and E).

President Lyndon B. Johnson and President John F. Kennedy made many notable advances to outlaw discrimination in America. They fought against discrimination on race, color, religion, and national origin. Although the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments outlawed slavery, provided for equal protection under the law, guaranteed citizenship, and protected the right to vote, individual states continued to allow unfair treatment of minorities and passed Jim Crow laws allowing segregation of public facilities. America would not be the country it is today without their effort to make this country better and of course without the help of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

2. According to the chart, what inference can be made about barriers to voting for African Americans in the southern states?

Analyze the changes that occurred during the 1960’s in the goals, strategies, and support of the movement for African American civil rights.

With public support Kennedy was willing to wage in the political war that would inevitably ensue. Kennedy and Johnson both were very aware of the walls that Congress would build to stop any proposals involving civil rights. Immediate and effective action became the new focus.

i. Many believe that the Civil Rights movement started in the 1940s and 1950s, however the Civil Rights movement really started before the Civil War even began. The first Supreme Court case to involve the rights of human beings in America occurred in 1857 with Dred Scott v. Sanford. After being a slave in a free state, Dred Scott sued for his freedom, he later got his freedom but not by way of the Court decision. The Supreme Court found that “np black, free or slave, could claim U.S. citizenship, and therefore blacks are unable to petition the court for their freedom” (History). This decision not only enraged abolitionists, it heightened tensions between the North and the South, with eventually erupted in war.

In 1863, Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address defined the American government as an institution “of the people, by the people, [and] for the people”. Lincoln had an idealistic view of the government as an instrument for societal change. He, as well as the founding fathers, intended for the government to act in support of the people’s will or the majority rule. This democratic definition of the government has remained true throughout the course of American history. By placing all of its power on its citizens, the government itself did not decide the course of history but rather followed it. This follower mindset is seen through the government’s positive interactions with marginalized groups’ who in their attempts to overcome exclusion gained

Sometimes, politically powerful men do unexpected things. LBJ was a proud Texan. LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 because of his strong principle beliefs. When he was a young adult he was a teacher for a segregated school and used part of his paycheck on them. I know LBJ's choice was principle because he was a teacher for a segregated school, he was willing to give up his chance at the next presidency, and he got the chance to give his own opinion.

Then background and race in the United States was a big deal, it still is relevant today but not as much. Black’s got treated much worse than whites, they had their own schools, drinking fountains, bathrooms,etc. Meanwhile black public schools got the tiniest bit of money, white schools had much more of it and there schools were in very good condition unlike black schools. If you were black you could of gone to jail for touching a white and you possibly could get sent away your entire life. Supposing that you were not white, not many people would want you around them nor their family. You had more privileges being white than any other race at the time. Activists used, during the Civil Rights movement, multiple strategies that resulted in both successes and failures.

America during the 1960s was a time of War, protests, riots and ultimately change. Groups of revolting people from African Americans to Women who wanted more rights sparked change and protest and put the American Government under pressure. With the government being under pressure the American democracy was altered and redefined by determined ethnic and other groups.

During the civil rights movement, people were fighting for their dreams, for their goals, and for their future. Imagine if you were put in a situation like that; what would you do? These people were not looking to be feared, but to be looked at as equals. They protested peacefully, marched, and used the legal system. They did this all for equality.

In case study 4, we were asked to identify and research three different laws that has help us or our colleagues. Three different laws stood out to me as being an African American man and a Uniformed Service Member were Civil Rights Act 1964, Affirmative Action Plan and the Uniformed Service Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). Each one of these laws have tried to even the playing fields for African Americans and Service members. As you read through this case, I will go in to detail of each law and relate these laws to my life experiences

Civil the rights of citizens of a country to political and social freedom and equality. Americans didn't always have civil rights they had to fight hard just to earn these freedoms. Even after all these beliefs of freedom Americans mistreated people of different skin colors for man years, even to the extent of slavery itself.Even after slavery was ended the mistreatment continued to the workplace,schools,and public areas such as parks and buses. The Civil Rights Act if 1964 was a major factor in finally eliminating various kinds of discrimination based on things such as race,sex,and country of origin.