The Civil Rights Act (1964) and Voting Rights Act (1965)
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain the importance of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act, including the role of both Kennedy and Johnson.
Key learning points
- President Kennedy was instrumental in the successes of the civil rights movement in the early 1960s.
- Johnson was able to pass the Civil Rights Act in 1964: considered one of the greatest successes of the movement.
- The march from Selma began in March 1965, protesting against continued voting restrictions for black Americans.
- The success of the march from Selma led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965 which directly addressed voting restrictions.
Keywords
Act - an act is a law passed by the government
Registration - registration is the act of signing up to do something - for example, voting
Common misconception
The passing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 marked the end of the civil rights movement.
While the Civil Rights Act (1964) was a landmark moment, bringing significant change, it left much to campaign for - particularly issues of voter registration amongst black Americans.
Teacher tip
When working through the changes introduced as a result of the acts, make sure to emphasise that changes in law do not always mean changes in people's everyday experiences - as they may already know from learning about previous Supreme Court rulings and Civil Rights Acts.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Temporary schools set up in Mississippi to help overcome the inequalities in schooling were known as .
Q2.Who ordered his officers to use dogs and powerful fire hoses on the protesters in the Birmingham campaign?
Q3.At which famous march did Martin Luther King give his 'I have a dream speech'?
Q4. Starting with the earliest, sort the following events into the order in which they happened. Use numbers to show the correct order.
Q5.Which two of the following statements are correct?
Q6.Which of the following statements is the best definition of direct action?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.An is a law passed by the government.
Q2.Why was Kennedy expected to address the issue of civil rights?
Q3.Which president successfully passed the Civil Rights Act in 1964?
Q4.Why did Southern opposition become less of an obstacle when Johnson attempted to pass the Civil Rights Act?
Q5.Which issue did the march on Selma address?
Q6.Starting with the earliest, sort the following events relating to Selma into the order in which they happened. Use numbers to show the correct order.
To help you plan your 11 history lesson on: The Civil Rights Act (1964) and Voting Rights Act (1965), download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 history lesson on: The Civil Rights Act (1964) and Voting Rights Act (1965), download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 history lessons from the The USA, 1954–75 conflict at home and abroad unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.