The Road to Equality (1865-1964)
The period following the Civil War saw significant changes in American society, as the nation grappled with the aftermath of the conflict and worked towards greater equality for all citizens.
In 1865, the Ku Klux Klan was founded, a racist organization that would continue to terrorize African Americans well into the 20th century. This highlighted the ongoing struggle for civil rights despite the legal end of slavery.
Vocabulary: "Jim Crow" laws were state and local statutes that enforced racial segregation in the Southern United States.
Progress towards equality was slow but steady. In 1870, the 15th Amendment to the Constitution gave all citizens the right to vote, regardless of race or color. However, in practice, many African Americans were still denied this right through various discriminatory practices.
Highlight: It wasn't until 1924 that Native Americans were granted US citizenship, highlighting the gradual expansion of rights to marginalized groups.
The early 20th century saw significant social and economic changes. The Great Depression of the 1930s led to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal, which established a basic national system of social security and work creation programs.
Example: The Social Security Act of 1935 provided unemployment insurance and pensions for the elderly, marking a significant expansion of the federal government's role in social welfare.
The Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s marked a turning point in the struggle for equality. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 finally achieved full legal equality for African Americans, ending segregation and discriminatory voting practices.
Quote: Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963 encapsulated the spirit of the Civil Rights movement: "I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.'"
This period saw the American Dream evolve from a purely economic concept to a broader ideal of social equality and opportunity for all Americans, regardless of race or background.
