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Topic 17: Civil rights and social movements in the Americas post-1945

This section examines the search for equality by those groups in America who experienced forms of discrimination and the extent to which they challenged established authority and attitudes.

There is overlap with this topic and Paper 1: Rights and Protest  - ATL: Civil rights in the United States (1954–1965) 

Specifically this unit covers:

  • the fight for civil rights by indigenous peoples
  • the fight for civil rights by African Americans
  • the role of federal government, Martin Luther King, the Black Panthers, Malcolm X and Black Power in the civil rights movement
  • the Hispanic American Movement in the US
  • the emergence, impact and significance of feminist movements
  • the youth protests of the 1960s and 1970s; the development of a counter-culture

6. Civil Rights and social movements: Essay frames and writing exercises

This page contains a variety of essay writing exercises and essay plans for this topic

7. Civil rights and social movements: Graded student examples

On this page you will find sample essays for this topic, written by students and graded by an examiner.

8. Civil Rights and social movements: Videos and activities

The main video page for videos on civil rights and African Americans can be found here: Videos: Civil Rights in the USAIn addition, there are videos as part of ATL on each of the relevant ATL pages.

9. Civil rights and social movements: Extra resources

On these pages you can find useful websites for this unit along with historians' texts that students might find enjoyable to develop their understanding further. There are also some suggestions for fiction...

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