Teaching
American History
For All
A series of lessons incorporating literacy strategies for
Mt Diablo Unified School District
5th, 8th, and 11th grade teachers,
in partnership with
University of California, Berkeley
History-Social Science Project
11th Grade Lesson: The Legacy of the Civil Rights Movement
How did the black civil rights movement influence other activist
movements of the late 1960s and 1970s?
Joshua Bream, MDUSD 10th Grade Teacher
Elizabeth Ennis, MDUDS 10th, 11th, 12th Grade Teacher
Teaching American History for All
MDUSD/UCB H-SSP
11th Grade Lesson: “Title/ Topic listed here”
Developed by: Joshua Bream, teacher (Olympic H.S./MDUSD)
Elizabeth Ennis, teacher (Mt. Diablo H.S./MDUSD)
Teaching American History Grant Focus Question:
How did definitions of citizenship change from the 17th century to the 20th century?
11th Grade Yearlong Focus Question:
How have the powers of the United States federal government expanded or been limited since the Civil War?
Unit Focus:
The Civil Rights Era
Unit Focus Question:
What forms of social change resulted from the civil rights movement?
Unit Working Thesis:
Although the 1960s saw many subordinated groups pursuing different goals, those groups were united in
their demands for social change, political empowerment, and enforceable equal rights under the law.
Lesson Focus Question and / or Writing Prompt Question:
How did the black civil rights movement influence other activist movements of the late 1960s and 1970s?
Lesson Working Thesis:
Due to an organized and disciplined grassroots strategy and exposure from the media, the civil rights
movement forced a policy change by the federal government and empowered other minority groups to take
advantage of blacks’ successes.
Reading Strategy:
Sentence Level Deconstruction: pp. 6-8 (Key: pp. 9-10) [correlates with CH 23.2, p777]
Analyzing Perspectives: pp. 11-12 (Key: pp. 13)
Graphic Organizer – Point of View, Message, Debate: pp. 17 (Key: pp. 18)
Writing Strategy:
Evidence Practice: pp. 19 (Key: pp. 20)
Analysis Practice: pp. 21 (Key: pp. 22)
Suggested Amount of Time:
4-5 classes
Textbook:
Danzer, Gerald et al. The Americans: Reconstruction to the 21st Century. Evanston, Illinois: McDougal
Littell Inc., 2006, pp. 768 – 780.
Other Resources:
Primary Sources:
“NOW: Statement of Purpose” Betty Friedan, Published in 1966.
pp. 14-15
“What is La Raza Unida? Jorge Lara Braud, Published in 1968. pp. 16
Context of the lesson in the unit:
For this lesson, it is imperative that chapter 21 is covered in the textbook. The students need to
understand how the civil rights movement was formed by a bottom-up strategy, while also knowing
the key events of the movement.
This lesson would be used at the end of the unit to show the connections of the black civil rights
movement to other civil right movements of the 60’s and 70’s.
Concept of citizenship embedded in the lesson:
Many minority groups were not treated as full citizens, i.e. whites, and during the Civil Rights Era,
many of the groups rights began to expand and are now considered full citizens.
Lesson Procedure:
Day One:
1. Introduction:
Have students brainstorm their ideas on the women’s rights movement. Discuss those ideas as a
class before moving on to the Sentence Deconstruction practice.
2. Reading Strategy
Sentence Level Deconstruction
 Step One: Pass out worksheet with the selected passage on it. Have the students read the passage to
themselves. Ask them to answer the comprehension question based on what they have read.
 Step Two: As a class, share the answers that the students have given. Discuss their responses.
 Step Three: Pass out Sentence-Level Deconstruction, part 1 and part 2.
 Step Four: Have students circle all the verbs in the passage; give them 5 minutes.
 Step Five: Go over with students what the verbs are, putting verbs in the “action words” box in part
2.
 Step Six: Have students underline all the nouns in the passage; give them 5 minutes
 Step Seven: Go over with students what the nouns are, putting the nouns in the “who” box in
part 2.
 Step Eight: Have the students complete the chart, filling in any questions that they have in the final
column.
 Step Nine: As a class, re-evaluate the answers to the comprehension questions based on their new
understanding of the passage.
Day Two:
 Step One: Divide the class into groups of four.
 Step Two: Pass out one of the two primary sources with comprehension questions to each group.
 Step Three: Have students read silently amongst groups.
 Step Four: Have students answer questions independently, and then report out to their group.
 Step Five: Go through the questions as a class and have groups report out to the whole class.
 Step Six: Pass out the complete primary sources to the groups based on their previous primary
source (La Raza  La Raza etc.) and the “Point of View” charts.

Step Seven: Have the students work as a group to begin filling in their charts based on their primary
source information. Continue practice on the next day as needed.
Day Three:
 Step One: Give students sufficient time to complete the “Point of View” chart for their primary
source.
 Step Two: Have each group report out on their answers to the class, while students fill in or revise
their charts based on other students’ answers.
 Step Three: Discuss as a whole class the primary sources, the messages of each of the groups, and
their connection to the black civil rights movement.
Day Four:
 Step One: Hand out the “Evidence Practice” worksheet to the students. Have them evaluate the
statements on their own and determine which statements best support the thesis.
 Step Two: Have students share their answers as a class. If the students have different answers,
discuss those differences.
 Step Three: Clarify any questions the students have about using supportive evidence with topic
sentences.
 Step Four: Hand out the “Analysis Practice” worksheet.
 Step Five: Go over the example with the students and have them complete the two prompts on their
own.
 Step Six: As a class, share answers, and evaluate the statements that the students have made. Show
the strengths and weaknesses in various responses.
Day Five:
 Step One: Hand out the essay prompt. It is possible to differentiate the prompt for various student
levels. (High – Native Americans; Middle – Mexican Americans; Low – Women)
 Step Two: Hand out the “Five Paragraph Essay Outline.” Have students use this as a template
during their assignment. It is possible to make this a requirement of the essay.
 Step Three: Have students work on their thesis in class and begin to gather research from the book
in class (use library or computer labs if possible).
 Step Four: Circulate among the students to assist them with their research and thesis. Have essay
due in a reasonable amount of time.
History-Social Science Content Standards:
11.10.5 - Discuss the diffusion of the civil rights movement of African Americans from the churches of the
rural South and the urban North, including the resistance to racial desegregation in Little Rock and
Birmingham, and how the advances influenced the agendas, strategies, and effectiveness of the quests of
American Indians, Asian Americans, and Hispanic Americans for civil rights and equal opportunities.
11.10.7 - Analyze the women's rights movement from the era of Elizabeth Stanton and Susan Anthony and
the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the movement launched in the 1960s, including differing
perspectives on the roles of women.
11.11.3 - Describe the changing roles of women in society as reflected in the entry of more women into the
labor force and the changing family structure.
Historical and Social Sciences Analysis Skills:
Historical Interpretation
2. Students recognize the complexity of historical causes and effects, including the limitations on
determining cause and effect.
3. Students interpret past events and issues within the context in which an event unfolded rather than
solely in terms of present-day norms and values.
Reading/Language Arts Content Standards:
1.0 Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development
1.3 Discern the meaning of analogies encountered, analyzing specific comparisons as well as
relationships and inferences
2.0 Reading Comprehension
2.1 Analyze both the features and the rhetorical devices of different types of public documents (e.g.,
policy statements, speeches, debates, platforms) and the way in which authors use those features and
devices
Literary Response and Analysis
3.2 Analyze the way in which the theme or meaning of a selection represents a view or comment on
life, using textual evidence to support the claim
1.0 Writing Strategies
Students write coherent and focused texts that convey a well-defined perspective and tightly reasoned
argument. The writing demonstrates students' awareness of the audience and purpose and progression
through the stages of the writing process.
Organization and Focus
1.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the elements of discourse (e.g., purpose, speaker, audience,
form) when completing narrative, expository, persuasive, or descriptive writing assignments
1.2 Use point of view, characterization, style (e.g., use of irony), and related elements for specific
rhetorical and aesthetic purposes..
Name:_____________________________________________
Period:_________
Sentence-Level Deconstruction
Part 1 Directions: Read the following passage and circle the verbs/verb phrases. Read the comprehension question,
but do not write your answer yet. Then, fill out the chart on the following page. Once you have completed the chart,
go back to the comprehension question and answer it in complete sentences.
Many women felt the sting of discrimination when they became involved in the civil rights and antiwar movements—movements
that toted the ideological banner of protecting people’s rights. Within some of these organizations, such as SNCC and SDS, men led most
of the activities, while women were assigned lesser roles. When women protested this arrangement, the men usually brushed them aside.
Such experiences led some women to organize small groups to discuss their concerns. During these discussions, or
“consciousness-raising” sessions, women shared their lives with each other and discovered that their experiences were not unique. Rather,
they reflected a much larger pattern of sexism, or discrimination based on gender.
The Americans, McDougal Littell, Chapter 23, An Era of Social Change, p. 777
Comprehension Question: What experiences led women to begin fighting for equal rights?
Name: ___________________________________________________
Period:____________
Part 2 Directions: Using the passage in Part 1, fill out the participant column and other columns as needed. As a class, complete the
conclusions/questions column. After class discussion, answer the comprehension question
Time marker/
connector words
Who (subject)
Participants
Action words
(verbs/ verb
phrases)
Who, What, Where
Message
Questions or conclusionsWhat connections can you
make from this information?
when
toted –
Within some of these
organizations, such
as SNCC and SDS,
while
When
Time marker/
connector words
Who (subject)
Participants
Action words
(verbs/verb
phrases)
Who, What, Where
Message
During these
discussions or
“consciousnessraising sessions,
and
rather
Lesson Question: What experienced led women to begin fighting for equal rights?
Questions or conclusionsWhat connections can you
make from this information?
consciousness-raising -
Time marker/
connector words
when
Sentence Deconstruction (Teacher Key)
Who (subject)
Action words Who, What, Where
(verbs/ verb
Participants
Message
phrases)
Many women
felt
the sting of discrimination
they (women)
became
involved
in the civil rights and anti-war
movements
(civil rights and
anti-war)
movements
that toted
the ideological banner of
protecting people’s rights.
Within some of these men
organizations, such
as SNCC and SDS,
led
most of the activities
while
women
were assigned
lesser roles.
When
women
protested
this arrangement
The men
usually
brushed
them aside. (the women)
Such
experiences
led
Questions or conclusionsWhat connections can you
make from this information?
toted – to convey or carry
During these
discussions or
“consciousnessraising” sessions,
some women
to organize
small groups to discuss their
concerns.
women
shared
their lives with each other
discovered
that their experiences were not
unique
reflected
a much larger pattern of
sexism, or discrimination
based on gender.
and
rather
they (their
experiences)
Lesson Question: What experiences led women to begin fighting for equal rights?
“consciousness-raising” – to
become aware of new things,
an attempt to get women to
recognize the problems of their
social status
Name: __________________________________
Period:__________
Analyzing Perspectives
Directions: Read each passage and answer the questions below in complete sentences.
Passage 1: From Betty Freidan, “National Organization for Women Statement of Purpose”, Published in 1966
Despite all the talk about the status of American women in recent years, the actual position of women in the United States
has declined, and is declining, to an alarming degree throughout the 1950's and 60's. Although 46.4% of all American
women between the ages of 18 and 65 now work outside the home, the overwhelming majority -- 75% -- are in routine
clerical, sales, or factory jobs, or they are household workers, cleaning women, hospital attendants. About two-thirds of
Negro women workers are in the lowest paid service occupations. Working women are becoming increasingly -- not less - concentrated on the bottom of the job ladder. As a consequence full-time women workers today earn on the average only
60% of what men earn, and that wage gap has been increasing over the past twenty-five years in every major industry
group. In 1964, of all women with a yearly income, 89% earned under $5,000 a year; half of all full-time year round
women workers earned less than $3,690; only 1.4% of full-time year round women workers had an annual income of
$10,000 or more…
WE REJECT the current assumptions that a man must carry the sole burden of supporting himself, his wife, and family,
and that a woman is automatically entitled to lifelong support by a man upon her marriage, or that marriage, home and
family are primarily woman's world and responsibility -- hers, to dominate -- his to support. We believe that a true
partnership between the sexes demands a different concept of marriage, an equitable sharing of the responsibilities of
home and children and of the economic burdens of their support. We believe that proper recognition should be given to
the economic and social value of homemaking and child-care. To these ends, we will seek to open a reexamination of
laws and mores governing marriage and divorce, for we believe that the current state of `half-equity" between the sexes
discriminates against both men and women, and is the cause of much unnecessary hostility between the sexes.
1) According to Betty Freidan, what has happened to the status of American women to an alarming degree
throughout the 1950’s and 60’s?
2) What group of women experienced the worst scenarios?
3) Women who worked full-time earned _______% of what men earned in 1966. Why?
4) What is NOW rejecting? Why?
5) According to NOW, what should be shared? Do you agree? Why or why not?
Name: __________________________________
Period:__________
Analyzing Perspectives
Directions: Read each passage and answer the questions below in complete sentences.
Passage 2: From Jorge Lara Braud, “Mexican-Americans Form La Raza Unida,” 1968
1. What is La Raza Unida? It is a ground swell movement of Mexican-American solidarity throughout the Southwest
comprising of a loose fellowship of some two or three hundred civic, social, cultural, religious, and political groups.
2. What has brought this about? The need deeply felt among Mexican-Americans to dramatize their plight as a
disadvantaged minority, to assert their rights as first-rate citizens, and to assume their rightful share of social, economic,
educational, and political opportunities guaranteed by the American democratic system…
Since then (World War II) Latin America has been rediscovered south and north of the Rio Grande, following the tremors
set off by the Cuban Revolution. Spanish is once again a prestige language, and being bilingual is somehow no longer unAmerican. Then came the radiation fall-out of the Negro civil rights struggle which made even the most disillusioned
Mexican-American begin to dream large dreams again. But if anyone thought the new vision borrowed from this
struggle would give way to violence, there emerged in 1965 the most inspirational of all, Cesar Chavez. It is he, more
than anyone else, who has contributed to La Raza Unida the mystique of the pursuit of justice through non-violent means.
His recent 24-day penitential fast was undertaken to signify the Christian determination of himself and his followers not to
be driven into acts of violence by the obdurate grape-growing firms near Delano, California, which refuse to enter into
contract negotiations with his fledgling union, while using every conceivable means to discredit it.
1) Define what “La Raza Unida” is in your own words.
2) What is this group fighting for?
3) Who became the leader of this movement? Why did he fast?
4) How did the Civil Rights Movement affect La Raza and their cause?
Analyzing Perspectives (Teacher Key)
Passage 1: From Betty Freidan, “National Organization for Women Statement of Purpose”, Published in 1966
1) According to Betty Freidan, what has happened to the status of American women to an alarming degree
throughout the 1950’s and 60’s?
According to Freidan, American women have been dealing with a decline of position and are at the bottom of the job
ladder.
2) What group of women were receiving and dealing with the worst scenarios?
African-American women, who are in the lowest paid service occupations.
3) Women who worked full-time earned _______% of what men earned in 1966. Why?
Women are earning 60% of what men earned due to the wage gap increasing over the past 25 years in every major
industry group.
4) What is NOW rejecting? Why?
NOW is rejecting the notion that men must be the sole provider and that women should be dominated by men.
5) According to NOW, what should be shared? Do you agree? Why or why not?
NOW believes in an equitable sharing of all the responsibilities including child rearing and working between the man and
woman. Yes/No I don’t agree with this because…
Passage 2: From Jorge Lara Braud, “Mexican American Form La Raza Unida,” 1968
1) Define what “La Raza Unida” is in your own words.
La Raza is a conglomeration of groups is the southwest United States.
2) What is this group fighting for?
La Raza is fighting for equality under the law because they feel they are a disadvantaged minority and should share the
same rights as everyone else.
3) Who became the leader of this movement? Why did he fast?
Cesar Chavez became the leader of the Mexican Farm Workers. He fasted to show the grape-growing firms that he and
his followers were dedicated to the Christian principle of non-violence in their struggle against the firms.
4) How did the Civil Rights Movement affect La Raza and their cause?
The success of the Civil Rights movement showed La Raza that it was possible for Mexican Americans to be able to
achieve equality.
Primary Sources
Betty Friedan, “National Organization for Women Statement of Purpose”, Published in 1966
We, men and women who hereby constitute ourselves as the National Organization for Women, believe that the time has
come for a new movement toward true equality for all women in America, and toward a fully equal partnership of the sexes, as
part of the world-wide revolution of human rights now taking place within and beyond our national borders.
The purpose of NOW is to take action to bring women into full participation in the mainstream of American society now,
exercising all the privileges and responsibilities thereof in truly equal partnership with men.
We believe the time has come to move beyond the abstract argument, discussion and symposia over the status and special
nature of women which has raged in America in recent years; the time has come to confront, with concrete action, the
conditions that now prevent women from enjoying the equality of opportunity and freedom of choice which is their right, as
individual Americans, and as human beings.
NOW is dedicated to the proposition that women, first and foremost, are human beings, who, like all other people in our
society, must have the chance to develop their fullest human potential. We believe that women can achieve such equality only
by accepting to the full the challenges and responsibilities they share with all other people in our society, as part of the
decision-making mainstream of American political, economic and social life.
We organize to initiate or support action, nationally, or in any part of this nation, by individuals or organizations, to break
through the silken curtain of prejudice and discrimination against women in government, industry, the professions, the
churches, the political parties, the judiciary, the labor unions, in education, science, medicine, law, religion and every other field
of importance in American society.
Enormous changes taking place in our society make it both possible and urgently necessary to advance the unfinished
revolution of women toward true equality, now. With a life span lengthened to nearly 75 years it is no longer either necessary
or possible for women to devote the greater part of their lives to child- rearing; yet childbearing and rearing which continues
to be a most important part of most women's lives -- still is used to justify barring women from equal professional and
economic participation and advance…
Despite all the talk about the status of American women in recent years, the actual position of women in the United States has
declined, and is declining, to an alarming degree throughout the 1950's and 60's. Although 46.4% of all American women
between the ages of 18 and 65 now work outside the home, the overwhelming majority -- 75% -- are in routine clerical, sales,
or factory jobs, or they are household workers, cleaning women, hospital attendants. About two-thirds of Negro women
workers are in the lowest paid service occupations. Working women are becoming increasingly -- not less -- concentrated on
the bottom of the job ladder. As a consequence full-time women workers today earn on the average only 60% of what men
earn, and that wage gap has been increasing over the past twenty-five years in every major industry group. In 1964, of all
women with a yearly income, 89% earned under $5,000 a year; half of all full-time year round women workers earned less than
$3,690; only 1.4% of full-time year round women workers had an annual income of $10,000 or more…
Official pronouncements of the advance in the status of women hide not only the reality of this dangerous decline, but the fact
that nothing is being done to stop it. The excellent reports of the President's Commission on the Status of Women and of the
State Commissions have not been fully implemented. Such Commissions have power only to advise. They have no power to
enforce their recommendation; nor have they the freedom to organize American women and men to press for action on them.
The reports of these commissions have, however, created a basis upon which it is now possible to build. Discrimination in
employment on the basis of sex is now prohibited by federal law, in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. But although
nearly one-third of the cases brought before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission during the first year dealt with
sex discrimination and the proportion is increasing dramatically, the Commission has not made clear its intention to enforce
the law with the same seriousness on behalf of women as of other victims of discrimination. Many of these cases were Negro
women, who are the victims of double discrimination of race and sex. Until now, too few women's organizations and official
spokesmen have been willing to speak out against these dangers facing women. Too many women have been restrained by the
fear of being called `feminist." There is no civil rights movement to speak for women, as there has been for Negroes and other
victims of discrimination. The National Organization for Women must therefore begin to speak.
WE BELIEVE that the power of American law, and the protection guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution to the civil rights of
all individuals, must be effectively applied and enforced to isolate and remove patterns of sex discrimination, to ensure equality
of opportunity in employment and education, and equality of civil and political rights and responsibilities on behalf of women,
as well as for Negroes and other deprived groups.
We realize that women's problems are linked to many broader questions of social justice; their solution will require concerted
action by many groups. Therefore, convinced that human rights for all are indivisible, we expect to give active support to the
common cause of equal rights for all those who suffer discrimination and deprivation, and we call upon other organizations
committed to such goals to support our efforts toward equality for women…
WE BELIEVE that it is as essential for every girl to be educated to her full potential of human ability as it is for every boy -with the knowledge that such education is the key to effective participation in today's economy and that, for a girl as for a boy,
education can only be serious where there is expectation that it will be used in society. We believe that American educators are
capable of devising means of imparting such expectations to girl students. Moreover, we consider the decline in the proportion
of women receiving higher and professional education to be evidence of discrimination. This discrimination may take the form
of quotas against the admission of women to colleges, and professional schools; lack of encouragement by parents, counselors
and educators; denial of loans or fellowships; or the traditional or arbitrary procedures in graduate and professional training
geared in terms of men, which inadvertently discriminate against women. We believe that the same serious attention must be
given to high school dropouts who are girls as to boys.
WE REJECT the current assumptions that a man must carry the sole burden of supporting himself, his wife, and family, and
that a woman is automatically entitled to lifelong support by a man upon her marriage, or that marriage, home and family are
primarily woman's world and responsibility -- hers, to dominate -- his to support. We believe that a true partnership between
the sexes demands a different concept of marriage, an equitable sharing of the responsibilities of home and children and of the
economic burdens of their support. We believe that proper recognition should be given to the economic and social value of
homemaking and child-care. To these ends, we will seek to open a reexamination of laws and mores governing marriage and
divorce, for we believe that the current state of `half-equity" between the sexes discriminates against both men and women,
and is the cause of much unnecessary hostility between the sexes.
WE BELIEVE that women must now exercise their political rights and responsibilities as American citizens. They must refuse
to be segregated on the basis of sex into separate-and-not-equal ladies' auxiliaries in the political parties, and they must demand
representation according to their numbers in the regularly constituted party committees -- at local, state, and national levels -and in the informal power structure, participating fully in the selection of candidates and political decision-making, and
running for office themselves.
IN THE INTERESTS OF THE HUMAN DIGNITY OF WOMEN, we will protest, and endeavor to change, the false
image of women now prevalent in the mass media, and in the texts, ceremonies, laws, and practices of our major social
institutions. Such images perpetuate contempt for women by society and by women for themselves. We are similarly opposed
to all policies and practices -- in church, state, college, factory, or office -- which, in the guise of protectiveness, not only deny
opportunities but also foster in women self-denigration, dependence, and evasion of responsibility, undermine their
confidence in their own abilities and foster contempt for women…
WE BELIEVE THAT women will do most to create a new image of women by acting now, and by speaking out in behalf of
their own equality, freedom, and human dignity - - not in pleas for special privilege, nor in enmity toward men, who are also
victims of the current, half-equality between the sexes - - but in an active, self-respecting partnership with men. By so doing,
women will develop confidence in their own ability to determine actively, in partnership with men, the conditions of their life,
their choices, their future and their society.
Jorge Lara Braud, “Mexican-Americans Form La Raza Unida,” From “What is La Raza?” Published in 1968
1. What is La Raza Unida? It is a ground swell movement of Mexican-American solidarity throughout the
Southwest comprising of a loose fellowship of some two or three hundred civic, social, cultural, religious, and
political groups.
2. What has brought this about? The need deeply felt among Mexican-Americans to dramatize their plight as a
disadvantaged minority, to assert their rights as first-rate citizens, and to assume their rightful share of social,
economic, educational, and political opportunities guaranteed by the American democratic system.
3. Are Mexican-Americans a disadvantaged minority? The most recent study, the Mexican-American Study
Project conducted by UCLA and funded by the Ford Foundation, has disclosed that in the Southwest, as
compared to the Negro, the Mexican-American is on generally the sane level economically, but substantially
below educationally. As for the dilapidated housing and unemployment, the Mexican-American is not too
much better off than the Negro.
4. Why this sudden awakening? Actually, it is not as sudden as it looks. Its first manifestations begin in the
period following the Second World War. Mexican-Americans emerged from that conflict with a new
determination to make their sacrifice count. No ethnic group has received a larger proportion of decorations,
and few had sustained as large a share of causalities. There veterans challenged in and out of court the blatant
legacy of discrimination still prevailing in the Southwest, often displayed by the glaring signs or the brutal
words “No Mexicans allowed.” The G.I. Bill made it possible for quite a few to obtain college degrees, better
jobs, and positions of leadership…
Since then Latin America has been rediscovered south and north of the Rio Grande, following the tremors set
off by the Cuban revolution. Spanish is once again a prestige language, and being bilingual is somehow no
longer un-American. Then came the radiation fall-out of the Negro civil rights struggle which made it even the
most disillusioned Mexican-American begin to dream large dreams again. But if anyone thought the new vision
borrowed from this struggle would give way to violence, there emerged in 1965 the most inspirational of all,
Cesar Chavez. It is he, more than anyone else, who has contributed to La Raza Unida the mystique of the
pursuit of justice through non-violent means. His recent 24-day penitential fast was undertaken to signify the
Christian determination of himself and his followers not to be driven into acts of violence by the obdurate
grape-growing firms near Delano, California, which refuse to enter into contract negotiations with his fledgling
union, while using every conceivable means to discredit it.
5. Are all members of La Raza Unida non-violent? The vast majority abhor violence. Indeed, one of their most
persistent criticisms is that they have been the victims of too much violence, and they are sick of it… An
unbiased looks at this vigorous awakening of the Mexican-American will make us realize it is a tremendous
affirmation of faith in the American dream. They actually believe, unlike many other sectors, that this society is
still capable of undergoing a reformation of “freedom and justice for all.”
Name:_______________________________________
Period:_______________
Points of View, Message, Debate
Analyze the similarities and differences in the passages from the National Organization for Women and La
Raza Unida:
What they thought, said
or believed about:
How they are being
discriminated against?
National Organization for Women
La Raza Unida
What is their connection to
the African-American Civil
Rights Movement?
What do they believe in?
What are their goals?
Content Question: How did the black civil rights movement influence other activist movements
of the late 1960s and 1970s?
Points of View, Message, Debate (Teacher Key)
Analyze the similarities and differences in the passages from the National Organization for Women and La
Raza Unida
What they thought, said or
believed about:
How they are being
discriminated against?
National Organization for
Women
 Unequal pay. Less
by about 60%
 Bottom of the job
ladder
 Problems
particularly for
minority women
La Raza Unida
What is their connection to
the African-American Civil
Rights Movement?
“There is no civil rights
movement to speak for
women, as there has been
for Negroes and other
victims of discrimination.
The National Organization
for Women must therefore
begin to speak.”
After the African-American
Civil Rights Movement,
Mexican Americans could
imagine a better country.
What are their goals?
Guaranteed protection and
enforcement and civil rights
for all women




Unfair labor
practices
Not being treated as
first-class citizens
Social, economic,
educational, and
political equality
“Freedom and
justice for all”
Content Question: How did the black civil rights movement influence other activist movements
of the late 1960s and 1970s?
Name:______________________________________________
Period:_____________
Evidence Practice
Directions: Read the thesis statement below and circle the evidence which best supports it.
Essay Question:
Thesis:
How did the black civil rights movement influence other activist movements of the
late 1960’s and 1970’s?
Due to an organized and disciplined grassroots strategy and exposure from the media, the civil
rights movement forced a policy change by the federal government and empowered other
minority groups to take advantage of their successes.
Evidence Choices:
1.
In 1950, only one out of three women worked for wages. By 1960, that number had increased to about
40 percent.
2.
Chávez and his fellow organizers insisted that California’s large fruit and vegetable companies
accept their union as the bargaining agent for the farm workers. Chávez, like Martin Luther King, Jr.,
believed in nonviolence.
3.
In 1972, AIM leader Russell Means organized the “Trail of Broken Treaties” march in
Washington, D.C., to protest the U.S. government’s treaty violations throughout history. Native
Americans from across the country joined the march.
4.
The New Right and the women’s movement debated family-centered issues such as whether the
government should pay for daycare, which the New Right opposed.
5.
A Chicano community action group called the Brown Berets formed under the leadership of David
Sanchez. In 1968, the Brown Berets organized walkouts in East Los Angeles high schools.
Evidence Practice (Teacher Key)
Directions: Read the thesis statement below and circle the evidence which
supports it.
Essay Question:
Thesis:
best
How did the black civil rights movement influence other activist movements of the
late 1960’s and 1970’s?
Due to an organized and disciplined grassroots strategy and exposure from the media, the civil
rights movement forced a policy change by the federal government and empowered other
minority groups to take advantage of their successes.
Evidence Choices: (** marks correct answers)
1.
In 1950, only one out of three women worked for wages. By 1960, that number had increased to about
40 percent.
**2. Chávez and his fellow organizers insisted that California’s large fruit and vegetable companies
accept their union as the bargaining agent for the farm workers. Chávez, like Martin Luther King, Jr.,
believed in nonviolence.
**3. In 1972, AIM leader Russell Means organized the “Trail of Broken Treaties” march in
Washington, D.C., to protest the U.S. government’s treaty violations throughout history. Native
Americans from across the country joined the march.
4.
The New Right and the women’s movement debated family-centered issues such as whether the
government should pay for daycare, which the New Right opposed.
**5.
A Chicano community action group called the Brown Berets formed under the leadership of David
Sanchez. In 1968, the Brown Berets organized walkouts in East Los Angeles high schools.
Name:_______________________________________
Period:_______________
Analysis Practice
Analysis is the explanation that clarifies for the reader why the evidence cited is relevant and how it supports and
proves the topic sentence of the paragraph. These sentences answer the question: “Why is this significant?”
Essay Question: What kinds of discriminatory experiences motivated minority groups to fight for their
civil rights?
Example: In the example below, notice how the analysis sentence provides the “so what?” for the
evidence and helps to prove the topic sentence.
(TS): Many minority groups faced numerous discriminatory experiences before fighting for equal rights..
(EV): In 1950, only one out three women worked for wages. By 1960 that number had increased to 40 %. Still
during this time, certain jobs were considered “men’s work” and women were shut out.
(EV): Many women felt the sting of discrimination when involved in the civil rights movement and when women
protested , the men usually brushed them aside.
(AN): This is important because these experiences shaped women’s desire for equality which emerged in the formation
of NOW and led to many legal and social gains.
Practice: Using the topic sentence above, fill in the two blanks below.
(EV): Thousands of Mexican-Americans working on California’s fruit and vegetable farms did backbreaking work
for little pay and few benefits.
(EV): The Latino jobless rate was nearly 50 percent higher than that of whites, as was the percentage of Latino
families living in poverty.
(AN): This shows that
(EV): Despite their cultural diversity, Native Americans as a group have been the poorest of Americans and have
suffered from the highest unemployment rate. They have also been more likely than any other group to suffer from
tuberculosis and alcoholism.
(EV): Native Americans were relocated from isolated reservations into mainstream urban American life. The plan
failed miserably. Most who moved to the cities remained desperately poor.
(AN): This is significant because
.
Analysis Practice (Teacher Key)
Analysis is the explanation that clarifies for the reader why the evidence cited is relevant and how it supports and
proves the topic sentence of the paragraph. These sentences answer the question: “Why is this significant?”
Essay Question: What kinds of discriminatory experiences motivated minority groups to fight for their
civil rights?
Example: In the example below, notice how the analysis sentence provides the “so what?” for the
evidence and helps to prove the topic sentence.
(TS): Many minority groups faced numerous discriminatory experiences before fighting for equal rights.
(EV): In 1950, only one out three women worked for wages. By 1960 that number had increased to 40 %. Still
during this time, certain jobs were considered “men’s work” and women were shut out.
(EV): Many women felt the sting of discrimination when involved in the civil rights movement and when women
protested , the men usually brushed them aside.
(AN): This is important because these experiences shaped women’s desire for equality which emerged in the formation
of NOW and led to many legal and social gains.
Practice: Using the topic sentence above, fill in the two blanks below.
(EV): Thousands of Mexican-Americans working on California’s fruit and vegetable farms did backbreaking work
for little pay and few benefits.
(EV): The Latino jobless rate was nearly 50 percent higher than that of whites, as was the percentage of Latino
families living in poverty.
(AN): This shows that Mexican-Americans faced harsh conditions and elements which forced a yearning in their
community to become organized and unionized.
(EV): Despite their cultural diversity, Native Americans as a group have been the poorest of Americans and have
suffered from the highest unemployment rate. They have also been more likely than any other group to suffer from
tuberculosis and alcoholism.
(EV): Native Americans were relocated from isolated reservations into mainstream urban American life. The plan
failed miserably. Most who moved to the cities remained desperately poor.
(AN): This is significant because the discrimination faced by Native Americans empowered them to become activists,
demanding that lands, burial grounds and timber rights be restored.
Name:_______________________________________________
Five Paragraph Essay Outline
(Use mainly words and phrases, not sentences)
Period:______________
How did the black civil rights movement influence other activist movements of the late 1960’s and
1970’s?
Introductory Paragraph:
Topic Sentence:
Background:
(Explain the time period)
Explanation of the basics:
(Introduce your topic and the events leading to them)
Thesis Statement – Write this sentence out:
Body Paragraph #1
Topic sentence:
(Write this sentence out)
Evidence:
Specific Evidence:
Evidence:
Specific Evidence:
Analysis:
Body Paragraph #2
Topic sentence:
(Write this sentence out)
Evidence:
Specific Evidence:
Evidence:
Specific Evidence:
Analysis:
Body Paragraph #3
Topic sentence:
(Write this sentence out)
Evidence:
Specific Evidence:
Evidence:
Specific Evidence:
Analysis:
Concluding Paragraph:
Restate your thesis:
Explain your analysis and the importance of your main points:
Relate your topic to a larger historical concept:
Effects of Civil Rights Argumentative Writing Prompt
Background: The Civil Rights Era brought about massive changes to minority groups within the United States.
Minority groups used the lessons learned from the black civil rights movement to achieve their goals of equality
and fair treatment under the law.
Question: How did the black civil rights movement influence other activist movements of the
late 1960’s and 1970’s?
Expectations: The best papers will include:
1. A multi-paragraph format with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
2. A clear thesis statement.
3. Three to five examples of accurate, detailed evidence in support of the thesis.
4. An analysis of the evidence explaining why it is relevant and significant.
5. Few or no errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation or syntax.
6. Page length, due date.