FREE ESSAY ON YEARS 1954 TO 1968

YEARS 1954 TO 1968

Question 1. The years 1954 to 1968 were particularly turbulent and important times in
American history. In an essay of no less than four full pages and no more than five,
explain the major events, movements, and trends of this fourteen-year span; discuss the
most prominent political and social leaders who brought about these changes, evaluating
the decisions they made and their successes/failures. 50 points.
The period from 1954 to 1968 was filled with major changes that greatly influenced
American history. During these years the United States encountered major changes from the
civil rights movement, the space race, the influence of several different leaders and a
prosperous economy. The changes that happened during this time all had a significant
impact in its own way. Everyone in society directly felt the results of the new movement
they encountered. The products of this time period can still be seen very clearly in the
world today.
One major change was the Civil Rights movement. This movement became very apparent from
the publicity of the Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka in 1954.
The Civil Rights movement gained extreme power by the widespread unity in the black
community and the influence of Civil Rights leaders. The arrest of Rosa Parks in
Montgomery and the bus boycott helped Martin Luther King Jr. become a major leader in the
movement. His idea of a peaceful movement was seen in many of the Civil Rights actions.
One of King's views claim, "We will match your capacity to inflict suffering with our
capacity to endure suffering. We will meet your physical force with soul force. We will
not hate you, but we will not obey your evil laws. We will soon wear you down by pure
capacity to suffer." His view on the attitude of the Civil Rights movement helped keep
the Civil Rights less violent and more successful.
The Civil Rights did contain a large amount of violence despite the peaceful approach of
some powerful leaders. On several occasions strong notional guard presence had to be in
place to carry out Supreme Court orders. Those in favor of an extreme violent movement
sometimes joined groups such as the Black Panthers and the Ku Klux Klan. Assassinations
became prevalent during the movement that claimed the lives of Medgar Evers, Malcolm X,
and Martin Luther King Jr.. The violent acts seemed to open the eyes of those that did
not give the Civil Rights movement the attention it deserved.
The first president to be involved during this time period was the republican Dwight D.
Eisenhower. His presidential period experienced some new obstacles that had never been
encountered. He dealt with the introduction of the television, extreme transportation
system improvements, growth of suburbs and the new lifestyles of the citizens. Eisenhower
ran an election based on the fight against communism but he did not act as strongly as he
had led many people to believe. Eisenhower was extremely focused on the educational
programs even though he had to deal with a rebellious generation. Eisenhower was
president during a growing period for the United States that was beginning.
Kennedy's administration set its own legacy but the actual presidency only lasted about
three years until his assassination in 1963. Kennedy's goal was to try and raise the
economic growth rate that had been slowed by the Eisenhower administration. The actual
stimulation of the economy came from the greatly increased budgets for the defense and
space programs. Kennedy's defense programs had some reasoning because of the Cuban
missile crisis in October of 1962. He campaigned on the support of Civil Rights and his
extreme beliefs in equality rights by appointing African Americans to important high
government positions. A major accomplishment of the Kennedy administration was the
development of the Peace Corps. This program sent Americans to third world countries to
help educate and assist those in need. Kennedy's foreign policy was not as successful as
the traditional "domestic policy". The administration of Kennedy was known for its
flexible response and not a clear and dominating action.
Lynden B. Johnson took over the presidential position after Kennedy's assassination.
Johnson's main obstacle was the Vietnam War. The Vietnam problem took a lot pride and
strength from the American government. The protesters claimed that the Vietnam War was a
war of prestige and a waste of taxpayer money. A desire for peace and unity was reflected
in the new counter culture of the baby boomers. The baby boomers showed a new view that
came along with the introduction of rock N' roll and the use of illegal drugs. Johnson's
weaknesses came from the Vietnam War, the war gave the country the exact opposite that he
had desired for it. Johnson's ambitions had been drowned out by the Vietnam's toll on the
United States.
The Nixon presidency started in 1968 and clipped the very end of this time period. The
Supreme Court played a major role in the early 1960's. During this time the Supreme Court
was under the leadership of Earl Warren. The Supreme Court played a major role in the
desegregation of schools, the scandals in the communism trials, and the ruling of
representations in legislative bodies. Some of the Court's power was put into question
when they made powerful decisions. Without the presence of the Supreme Court the
desegregation of the public school system would have been a much greater challenge.
The freedom of minority groups became real during this time period. The Voting Rights Act
of 1965 ensured the votes of the minority groups. This act banned literacy test that many
of the black voters could not pass. Acts to provide highway safety, clean air and water,
funds for higher education, public housing, and the necessary funds to fight the poverty
level all became available during this time period. The majority of these acts indirectly
affected the entire citizen population. These acts helped to ensure the continuing
prosperity of the United States government. With a more prosperous government the lower
class had the opportunity to grow out of their less successful lifestyle.
The American government during this time period started out with not a great economic
difference while the world was recovering from the earlier great depression. After the
United States was able to send a satellite in to orbit, the prosperity of the democratic
nation was revealed to the rest of the world. Our prosperity and growth as a nation made
the other communist nations see us as a more prosperous and successful enemy. The
confusion that our prosperity caused in other countries possibly helped other communist
countries come to their downfall. The gained strength of our government during these
times has been crucial to the survival of tough times in the United States. Even though
the benefits were not immediately seen in many of the new ideas, both socially and
politically, the success of many of the programs were really actually good compared to
the reaction that they received when they were originally introduced. During this
fourteen-year span the United States was able to confront and settle some of its most
damaging problems. 
2. A. In an essay of no less than three full pages and no more than four, discuss the
growth of the United States as an imperialist power from the Spanish-American War to the
Persian Gulf War. 50 points.
The time period from the Spanish-American War to the Persian Gulf War consisted of many
different types of struggles and victories for the United States. Battles determining the
future of communism and the strength of the United States government were very apparent
during this time period. The results of this time period are very present in the world
today. This time period consisted of different social and economic challenges not only
for the American government but for the world. The way that the United States has adapted
and strengthened from of almost every obstacle faced during this period has been the
greatest contribute to the growth of the United States as "the world power".
As the Spanish-American War drew to an end, the United States was working on the
introduction of new political parties and the improvement of American industry. The
growth of new parties ensured that many new ideas would be heard and taken into
consideration. The improvement of American industry was a problem that persisted but no
one in government could come up with a plan that would make the system much better. It is
vital that one understands that the American system enables the government to grow and
learn as a whole instead of one class or party hogging all of the benefits. 
The post Spanish American War time period had World War I right behind it. The United
States decision to remain at a neutral position throughout the beginning of the war was
one of the main factors that contributed to the growth of the United States as an
imperialist power. Had the American forces gone into the war and lost much of its
military power, the outcome of the war might have been very different. When the United
States became involved in the war they had the fresh troops and had an accurate account
for the positions taken by others in the war. The late entrance into the war proved to be
too much for the opposition. The end of the war helped form the League of Nations that
later helped create the United Nations. In all of the positions, the United States at
some point had to assume the leading role and make some of the important decisions
protecting others by giving the majority of military support when needed.
Soon after World War I the United States and the rest of the world encountered economic
disaster. The Great Depression was challenging for everyone, but it proved to be a
learning tool for other economic situations. Because of the stock market crash in 1929
and another drop in 1987, the government has allowed stock market intervention to help
prevent extreme drops in the stock market. After the depression many people learned the
importance of inflation control and how to maintain their economic freedoms properly. The
things that have been learned from the depression and stock market problems has allowed
the United Stated citizens to stimulate and make their own economy grow and prosper.
After the Great Depression the United States soon encountered World War II. This war
helped bring the United States economic situation back to more beneficial levels. World
War II enabled women to gain their political freedoms in America. The United States
showed a strong unity when they had nationwide conservation and rationing programs. The
introduction of nuclear weapons in the United States arsenal showed the potential for
disaster but also the strength and development of the United States armed forces. 
By the time the war had drawn to an end, the economy had begun to boom. Large
corporations created new jobs, and new technologies that transformed the way people
lived. The economy continued to grow as the United States began to fund and dominate the
space program. When the American flag flew on the moon in 1969, every nation could see
the developments and power of the strongest nation. The satellite program that has
developed because of the space program has enabled the United States to monitor and have
superior devices to work with. Since the United States passed others trying to win the
space race, the main competition has been slowed by the downfall of their government.
The Korean War and the Vietnam War cast a shadow on the American government. With no
strong finish in the Vietnam War the power of the United States came into question. The
lack of a good reason for being involved in the war did not go over well with many of the
citizens back home. With new technological advances the power of the United States is not
questioned very often. When the government is put to the test the power is demonstrated
very quickly and efficiently.
The continuing power of the United States was recently demonstrated in the Persian Gulf
War. Even though the American troops were not the only military force fighting against
Iraq, the dominance of the United States was felt and seen throughout the war. As the
Persian Gulf War came to an end the United States and Russia signed a treaty that
officially ended the Cold War. The United States desire for world peace is clear, but the
power and strength of the American government is still strong and continuously gaining
strength.