Question 4Progress in the struggle for equality

“Between 1960 and 1975, there was great progress in the struggle for

political and social equality.” Assess the validity of this statement with

respect to TWO of the following groups during that period.

What is your task?

Assess the amount of progress made by two groups in the period 1960-1975.

How successful were they in making gains in this period?

African Americans Methods & leaders – Martin Luther King, Jr., Black

Panthers, Freedom Rides – but don’t focus on these Civil Rights Act of 1964 – forbade discrimination in the

workplace or public accommodations based on race or sex

Voting Rights Act of 1965 – outlawed discriminatory voting practices

Civil Rights Act of 1968 – forbade discrimination in housing

Equal Employment Opportunities Commission – To investigate non-compliance

Affirmative action Thurgood Marshall, 1st African American Supreme

Court justice

BRAINSTORM!

Asian Americans Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 –

lifted quotas, allowing more to emigrate from Asia

Anti-miscegenation laws overturned in 1967 San Francisco State (1968-1969) and other

strikes led to extension of Ethnic Studies and Asian Studies courses

Shared in gains from African American civil rights struggle (like the EEOC)

Latinos Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta form United

Farm Workers & join the Grape Boycott (1965) Cuban American Adjustment Act (1966) offers

Cubans the ability to become permanent residents

L.A. high school walkout results in school reform and increased college enrollment (1968)

Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund opens (1968)

Equal Educational Opportunity Act of 1974 makes bilingual education more widely available

Voting Rights Act expanded to require language assistance at polling stations (1975)

Native Americans National Indian Youth Council formed to foster pride among

young Native Americans (1961) Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968 required states to obtain tribal

consent prior to extending any legal jurisdiction over an Indian reservation

American Indian Movement formed to pursue militant activism (1968)

1969 occupation of Alcatraz Nixon delivered a speech calling for Indian self-determination

(1970) 1972 BIA seige (“Trail of Broken Treaties”) Indian Education Act (1972) authorized funding for special

bilingual/bicultural programs 1973 Seizure of Wounded Knee led to government

investigation of conditions on reservations 1975 Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act

called for Indian participation in services and programs for Indian communities

Women Equal Pay Act (1963) outlawed wage

discrimination based on gender Feminine Mystique (1963) proposed

alternatives to housewife status for women Roe v. Wade (1973) and increased

availability of birth control gave women greater reproductive control

Shared in gains from African American civil rights struggle (like the EEOC)

Are there any connections between the groups?

Do any two have similar motives, backgrounds, or gains?

Which two made the greatest progress in this time period?

What two groups would you choose?

1st paragraph – ◦ Introduction – define terms introduce the time period◦ thesis

2nd Paragraph◦ Transition sentence◦ Topic◦ Evidence to support claims◦ transition

3rd paragraph◦ Same as paragraph 2

4th paragraph◦ transition◦ Compare the oppositions◦ Similarities /differences in groups or gains

5th paragraph◦ transition◦ Conclusion◦ Yes/but statements◦ Confirm argument

Outine your essay

This is a must in writing – ◦Keeps you focused on the topics – need to

focus on one idea in each paragraph◦Without taking the time to organize your essay

you could make the following mistakes:◦Leave out information from brainstorming◦Make too many generalizations◦Wander off topic

Outlining is important part of prewriting!!!

Formulate your thesis -

ALWAYS check your thesis Does it answer the question? Did you address all parts of the question in your thesis?Did you simply restate the question?Does it provide a structure for the rest of your essay?

Introduction – define terms or time period◦ From 1960 to 1975, social changes set the stage

for significant progress in the struggle for equality. The Vietnam War affected the American public’s views concerning peace and equality. Many organizations planned and carried out protests that raised awareness of discrimination and inequality.

Simply starting your essay with a thesis can lead to confusion and indicate lack of knowledge of time period

NOW you are ready to start writing

INTRO and THESIS – which one is better?

From 1960 to 1975, social changes set the stage for significant progress in the struggle for equality. The Vietnam War affected the American public’s views concerning peace and equality. Many organizations planned and carried out protests that raised awareness of discrimination and inequality. African Americans and women benefited greatly as sympathetic government officials responded to these calls for change by passing new legislation granting greater political and social equality.

Political and social equality had been demanded for centuries. African Americans, having achieved freedom, were still denied their rights. Similarly, women had been given greater access to roles in society since the beginning of the 20th century, but many still did not acknowledge their rights.

Most common mistakes Thesis statements (and

essays) addressed tactics and leaders, but not progress

Specifics from outside the prescribed time period (i.e., Rosa Parks, Brown v. Board of Education)

Lack of organization No correlation between

groups/movements – no connections

How can I improve? Thesis test – Make sure

you know what is being asked!

Support your essay with outside information

Make sure you have a clear understanding of time period

ORGANIZE your thoughts in pre-writing – create an outline!

Never use first person in writing – you are writing about the past

Never use contractions in formal writing

Never use quotes – make inferences

Never use rhetorical questions

Never make generalizations you cannot defend

Never use simple language – use academic language of the course

Never use ( ) – either include it in your writing or not confusing to reader – shows indecisiveness

Avoid phrases – on the other hand, as seen in document B, the statement is true because, in conclusion

Avoid specific dates and numbers if you are not sure ◦ – in the early 1900s – mid 1900s

or late 1900s ◦ Substantial, the minority, the

majority, a small number Avoid abbreviations without

first giving definition or explanation◦ MLK (Dr. Martin Luther King,

Jr.), “AA” is not an acceptable abbreviation for African Americans

Avoid FLUFF – stick to the facts that support main idea – BE SPECIFIC◦ write lean, logical, precise