American History Discussion, Essay Example

The Civil Rights Movement

The Civil Rights Movement did much to change situations and conditions for African Americans, Native Americans, Latinos and women during the 1960s. This movement was mainly the focus of inequality for black people in America, led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He advocated for peaceful protests and demonstrations (e.g., the 1956 Montgomery bus boycott, precipitated by Rosa Parks) to put pressure on the public and the government to make changes to how black people were treated in the country, due to racial discrimination and segregation. Advocates and proponents of the Civil Rights Movement fought for freedom and equal opportunity, not only for black people but for other minority groups, such as Latinos and Native Americans. The Civil Rights Movement also sought equality for women as well (TLC, n.d.).

Significant social changes that came about as a result of the Civil Rights Movement such as African Americans gaining the right to vote and to have equality when patronizing establishments without being segregated to a “blacks only” section of the establishments. Additionally, the Movement brought about the desegregation of public schools and universities. In addition, society began to have more respect for people of color and women after the Civil Rights Movement, even though many had lost their homes, jobs, families and even their lives for the cause. However, the people of the Civil Rights Movement did not suffer or die in vain (USM, n.d.).

The Civil Rights Movement sparked other movements such as the Chicano Rights Movement for the equality of Hispanic Americans, which was organized in Philadelphia, Chicago and New York, according to the Library of Congress (LOC, n.d.). In addition, the Library of Congress reports that the fight for the rights of Native Americans was also spawned by the Civil Rights Movement.  These rights include the right of Native Americans to preserve their religious beliefs, cultural heritage, languages and social practices without being discriminated against (TLC, n.d.).

American Consumption

American consumption expanded so dramatically in the 1950s due to consumerism, which resulted from an increase in prosperity for many of the American people after World War II. In addition, the housing industry was flourishing and the production industry was as well. This stimulated the economy and helped to bring the country out of the depression. There were plenty of jobs and people were earning higher incomes, which meant they had more disposable income to spend. Increased consumer spending resulted in a rise in American consumption during this time. The most popular items or products purchased by consumers during this time were washing machines, television sets, cars, refrigerators and vacuum cleaners. These were all things that made people’s lives more modern. Consumerism was open to all people of different economic statuses, which affected society and culture dramatically, because there was such an abundance of prosperity in just about every aspect of American life (AE, n.d.).

No doubt, this period of American spending after the war was based on people wanting to live better lives and have better possessions, with soldiers coming home from the war and starting new lives with their families, as well as the rest of the people looking to enjoy better lives and becoming more upwardly mobile.  This is why American consumption expanded to the level that it did during this time.

References

(n.d.). The Rise of American Consumerism. Retrieved from PBS.org: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general-article/tupperware-consumer/

LOC. (n.d.). he Chicano Civil Rights Movement. Retrieved from Library of Congress: http://www.loc.gov/item/ihas.200197398

TLC. (n.d.). Civil Rights Expanded: Contemporary Efforts. Retrieved from The Leadership Conference: http://www.civilrights.org/resources/civilrights101/crexpanded.html

TLC. (n.d.). Native Americans. Retrieved from The Leadership Conference: http://www.loc.gov/item/ihas.200197398

USM. (n.d.). On the Impact of the Movement. Retrieved from Mississippi Department of Archives and History: http://www.usm.edu/crdp/html/cd/impact.htm