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Year 11 - History

Martin Luther King and peaceful protest

America 1920–1973, Opportunity and inequality

Unit Summary

In this unit pupils undergo a period study that provides an unfolding narrative which tells a story about a period that shaped the world we live in today. They look at the key events, developments, people and stories that defined the chosen period.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to assess the impact of Martin Luther King's peaceful protest movements between 1963 and 1966.

Key Notes

  • Major civil rights protests took place in Birmingham, Washington and Selma.
  • Martin Luther King Jr hoped to pressure lawmakers into taking action on civil rights.
  • The federal government passed the Civil Rights Act in 1964 and the Voting Rights Act in 1965.
  • King's Chicago Freedom Movement achieved little success.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • disenfranchisement: when the right to vote is taken away from a group of people
  • ghetto: an area of a city where people of a particular race or religion live, especially a poor area

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Martin Luther King wanted to avoid violent reactions from opponents of the Civil Rights Movement.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Summarise this historical learning in two key ideas.

Major civil rights protests took place in Birmingham, Washington and Selma. Martin Luther King Jr hoped to pressure lawmakers into taking action on civil rights.

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

when the right to vote is taken away from a group of people.

3. Correct this common history misconception using evidence language.

Mistake: Martin Luther King wanted to avoid violent reactions from opponents of the Civil Rights Movement. Correction: King stuck to peaceful protest but deliberately campaigned in locations like Birmingham where it was believed opponents were likely to react violently.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 11 History guide library.