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Year 11 - History

The Civil Rights Act (1964) and Voting Rights Act (1965)

The USA, 1954–75 conflict at home and abroad

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils study a modern society and the issues that affected it in great depth over a shorter period. They learn about the key events, developments, people and stories that shaped this modern society over a period of around twenty to thirty years.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to explain the importance of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act, including the role of both Kennedy and Johnson.

Key Notes

  • President Kennedy was instrumental in the successes of the civil rights movement in the early 1960s.
  • Johnson was able to pass the Civil Rights Act in 1964: considered one of the greatest successes of the movement.
  • The march from Selma began in March 1965, protesting against continued voting restrictions for black Americans.
  • The success of the march from Selma led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965 which directly addressed voting restrictions.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • act: an act is a law passed by the government
  • registration: registration is the act of signing up to do something - for example, voting

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • The passing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 marked the end of the civil rights movement.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Summarise this historical learning in two key ideas.

President Kennedy was instrumental in the successes of the civil rights movement in the early 1960s. Johnson was able to pass the Civil Rights Act in 1964: considered one of the greatest successes of the movement.

2. Define this history term and explain why it matters in this topic. 'act'

an act is a law passed by the government.

3. Correct this common history misconception using evidence language.

Mistake: The passing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 marked the end of the civil rights movement. Correction: While the Civil Rights Act (1964) was a landmark moment, bringing significant change, it left much to campaign for - particularly issues of voter registration amongst black Americans.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 11 History guide library.