Chapter 31:An Era of Social Change

Section 1: Latinos & Native Americans Seek Equality

-Latinos & Native Americans confronted injustices in the 1960’s.

*Cesar Chavez- as Mexican-Americans confronted injustices in the 1960’s, Chavez, a farm worker was trying to organize a union for California’s mostly Spanish-speaking farm workers.

-As AF’s were fighting for civil rights, Latino’s & NA’s rose up to assert their own rights & improved their lives.

-During the 1960’s Latino’s demanded not only equal opportunity, but also a respect for their culture & heritage.

-In 1962, Chavez & Dolores Huerta established the National Farm Workers Association.

-4 years later, this group merged with a Filipino agricultural union, founded by Huerta, to form the *United Farm Workers Organizing Committee (UFWOC).

-Chavez believed in using nonviolence to reach his goal.

-During the 1960’s, 8 Hispanic Americans served in the House, & one senator was elected.

NA Struggle for Equality

-NA’s groups had been the poorest of Americans & have suffered from the highest unemployment rate.

-IKE’s 1954 “termination policy”, which relocated NA’s from reservations into urban American life, was a complete failure.

-Most who moved to cities remained desperately poor.

-In 1968, LBJ established the National Council on Indian Opportunity, to help meet the needs of NA’s.

-Dissatisfied by the slow pace of reform, the American Indian Movement (AIM) was established as an often-militant Native American rights organization.

-1972 – NA’s fought against the govt treaty violations throughout history. They also sought the restoration of 110 million acres of land.

Reforms: 1972- The Indian Education Act

1975- The Indian Self-Determination &Education Assistance Act.

-These laws gave tribes greater control over their own affairs & over their children’s education.

-Land claims by natives of Alaska that were returned resulted in The Alaska Native Claims Settlement of 1971.

Section 2: Women Fight for Equality

-Through protests & marches, women confronted social & economic barriers in American society.

*Betty Friedan- a writer during the 1950’s seemed to be living the American dream. “The Feminine Mystique”- a book that was in favor of women rights.

*Feminism- the belief that women should have economic, political, & social equality with men.

-Feminist belief had gained momentum during the mid-1800’s & in the 1920’s when women won the right to vote.

-As women in the workplace grew during the 1960’s, certain jobs were still considered “men’s work” & women were shut out.

-In 1961, the Presidential Commission on the Status of Women reported that women were paid far less than men, even when doing the same jobs.

-They were also seldomly promoted to management positions, regardless of their education, experience, & ability.

-The women’s movement gained strength with the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibited discrimination based on race, religion, origin, & gender. It also created the *Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to handle discrimination claims.

*1966 The National Organization for Women (NOW)- was created to pursue women’s goals.

-It’s members pushed for the creation of childcare facilities that would enable mothers to pursue jobs & education.

*Gloria Steinem - a journalist, political activist, and ardent supporter of the women’s liberation movement, made her voice heard & on the subject of feminism & equality.

-In 1971 she helped found the National Women’s Political Campus- a moderate group that encouraged women to seek political office.

-In 1972, she & other women created a new women’s magazine, “Ms.”, designed to treat contemporary issues from a feminist perspective.

*Title IX(1972)- a ban on gender discrimination in “any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance”, as part of The Higher Education Act.

*Roe V Wade (1973)- stated that women do have the right to choose an abortion during the first 3 months or pregnancy.

*Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)- 1972 a proposed and failed amendment to the US Constitution that would have prohibited any govt discrimination on the basis of sex.

Conservative *Phllyis Schlafly (1972) -along with conservative religious groups, political organizations, & many anti-feminists, felt that the ERA would lead to “end laws for homemakers, the end of a husbands responsibility to provide for his family, and same-sex marriages.”

Section 3: Culture & Counterculture

-The ideals & lifestyle of the counterculture challenged the traditional views of Americans.

*Counterculture- a movement made up mostly of white middle-class college youths who had grown disillusioned with the war in Vietnam & injustices in America during the 1960’s.

-They turned their backs on traditional America & tried to establish a whole new society based on peace & love.

*Haight-Ashbury- in San Francisco, was known as the hippie capital mainly b/c California did not outlaw hallucinogenic drugs until 1966.

-Janis Joplin & Jimi Hendrix both died of drug overdoses in 1970.

-The 1960’s saw the rise of popular art.

*The Beatles- the band that, perhaps more than any other, helped propel rock music into mainstream America. Made up of four youths from England, they arrived in America in 1964 & took the country by storm. (broke up in 1970)

*Woodstock- a free music festival that attracted more than 400,000 young people to a farm in upstate NY in Aug 1969.

-For 3 days, the most popular bands & musicians performed.

-American attitudes toward sexual behavior became more casual & permissive, leading to what became known as the sexual revolution.

Conservation Backlash - many believed that the country was losing its sense of right & wrong.

-This growing conservative movement would propel Nixon into the White House & set the nation on a more conservation course.

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