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Year 11 - History

The Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955-6)

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 significance of the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Key Notes

  • Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat for a white man.
  • Black Americans came together to boycott the buses in Montgomery.
  • Martin Luther King Jr became the leader of the Montgomery bus boycott.
  • The boycott ended in the successful desegregation of buses in Montgomery.
  • The boycott was one of the first successful mass non-violent protests.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • boycott: when you refuse to use a service as a form of protest it is known as a boycott
  • carpool: a carpool is an arrangement where a group of people agree to share a vehicle from one place to another, usually as an alternative to public transport
  • direct action: direct action is the use of demonstrations or protests to achieve a goal, rather than negotiation

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • The Montgomery Bus Boycott was a successful, peaceful boycott that was carried out with minimal resistance.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Summarise this historical learning in two key ideas.

Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat for a white man. Black Americans came together to boycott the buses in Montgomery.

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

when you refuse to use a service as a form of protest it is known as a boycott.

3. Correct this common history misconception using evidence language.

Mistake: The Montgomery Bus Boycott was a successful, peaceful boycott that was carried out with minimal resistance. Correction: The boycott was a peaceful means of protest, but continued despite huge resistance throughout Montgomery. Those who participated risked arrest, unemployed and sometimes their lives.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 11 History guide library.