HIST 173 Quiz 8-9 Identifications
Harry S Truman, The Truman Doctrine (1947)
"At the present moment in world history nearly every nation must choose between alternativeways of life. The choice is too often not a free one."One way of life is based on the will of the majority, and is distinguished by free institutions,representative government, free elections, guarantees of individual liberty, freedom of speechand religion, and freedom from political oppression."The second way of life is based upon the will of the minority forcible imposed upon themajority. It relies upon terror and oppression, a controlled press and radio, fixed elections, andthe suppression of personal freedoms."I believe that it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resistingattempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures."I believe that we must assist free peoples to work out their own destinies in their own way." The Truman Doctrine was a policy initiative announced by President Harry S. Truman on March 12, 1947. It marked a key shift in U.S. foreign policy during the early years of the Cold War. Truman delivered a speech before a joint session of Congress, outlining the principles of the doctrine. The primary focus of the Truman Doctrine was to contain the spread of communism, particularly in Europe. Truman's speech was a response to the growing influence of the Soviet Union in Eastern Europe and the fear that communism could spread to other nations through a domino effect. The doctrine aimed to provide economic and military assistance to countries resisting communist aggression. Truman argued that the United States had a moral and strategic obligation to support nations facing the threat of communism. The doctrine set the stage for the Marshall Plan, which provided significant economic aid to help rebuild war-torn European nations and prevent the spread of co
The National Organization for Women (1966)
"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 woman 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 individual 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 union, in education, science, medicine, law, religion and every other field of importance in American society." The National Organization for Women (NOW) was founded in 1966 and is one of the most prominent and influential feminist organizations in the United States. It was established to advocate for women's rights and equality in various aspects of life, including the workplace, education, and legal rights. The founders of NOW, including Betty Friedan, sought to address issues such as workplace discrimination, unequal pay, and limited opportunities for women. NOW played a key role in the feminist movement of the 1960s and 1970s, advocating for legislative changes and social reforms to improve the status and rights of women.
Malcolm X, "The Ballot or the Bullet" (1964)
"No, I'm not an American. I'm one of the 22 million black people who are the victims of Americanism. One of the 22 million black people who are victims of democracy, nothing but disguised hypocrisy. So, I'm not standing here speaking to you as an American, or a patriot, or a flag-saluter, or a flag-waver—no, not I. I'm speaking as a victim of this American system. And I see America through the eyes of the victim. I don't see any American dream; I see an American nightmare." "The Ballot or the Bullet" is a speech delivered by Malcolm X on April 3, 1964, in Cleveland, Ohio. Malcolm X was a prominent African-American Muslim minister and a key figure in the civil rights movement during the 1960s. Malcolm X discusses the importance of political and economic empowerment for African Americans. He emphasizes the need for black people to use their voting power strategically to achieve meaningful change and to be aware of their economic power as consumers. The speech reflects Malcolm X's shift towards a more inclusive approach to civil rights, advocating for black unity across different ideologies and religious affiliations. He encourages African Americans to critically evaluate political candidates and parties, urging them to support those who align with their interests.
"Declaration of Continuing Independence" (1974)
"The United States of America has continually violated the independent Native Peoples of this continent by Executive action, Legislative fiat, and Judicial decision. By its actions, the UnitedStates has denied all Native people their International Treaty rights, Treaty lands, and basic human rights of freedom and sovereignty...." The "Declaration of Continuing Independence" refers to a document drafted in 1974 by the American Indian Movement (AIM) during the occupation of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) headquarters in Washington, D.C. AIM is a Native American advocacy group that emerged in the 1960s to address issues such as treaty rights, discrimination, and economic inequality faced by Native Americans. This declaration was part of a series of events and protests during the 1970s that brought attention to Native American issues and contributed to a broader awareness of the challenges faced by indigenous communities in the United States.
John L. Lewis on Labor's Great Upheaval (1937)
"The organized workers of America, free in their industrial life, conscious partners inproduction, secure in their homes and enjoying a decent standard of living, will prove the finestbulwark against the intrusion of alien doctrines of government. Do those who have hatched thisfoolish cry of communism in the C.I.O. fear the increased influence of labor in our democracy?Do they fear its influence will be cast on the side of shorter hours, a better system of distributedemployment, better homes for the underprivileged, social security for the aged, a fairerdistribution of the national income?" John L. Lewis was a prominent labor leader who played a significant role in the labor movement in the United States. In 1937, he led the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) in a series of successful strikes that became known as the "sit-down strikes" or "Labor's Great Upheaval." The significance lies in several key aspects: Emergence of Industrial Unionism Recognition of Workers' Rights Growth of Union Power Formation of the United Auto Workers (UAW) Impact on National Labor Relations
Joseph R. McCarthy on the Attack (1950)
"The reason why we find ourselves in a position of impotency is not because our only powerful enemy has sent men to invade our shores, but rather because of the traitorous actions of those who have been treated so well by this Nation. It has not been the less fortunate or members of minority groups who have been traitorous to this Nation, but rather those who have had all the benefits that the wealthiest Nation on earth has had to offer--the finest homes, the finest college education and the finest jobs in Government we can give."This is glaringly true in the State Department. There the bright young men who are born with silver spoons in their mouths are the ones who have been worst...." In 1950, McCarthy delivered a speech in Wheeling, West Virginia, where he claimed to possess a list of 205 names of individuals within the State Department who he alleged were Communists. However, the number and nature of the list varied in subsequent statements. This speech is often considered the starting point of McCarthy's anti-communist campaign. McCarthy's accusations and tactics contributed to a period of intense anti-communist fervor in the United States, leading to investigations, blacklisting, and the damaging of reputations. The era of McCarthyism is now often remembered as a dark chapter in American history, characterized by the suppression of political dissent and the violation of civil liberties.
César Chavez, "Letter from Delano" (1969)
"This letter does not express all that is in my heart, Mr. Barr. But if it says nothing else it says that we do not hate you or rejoice to see your industry destroyed; we hate agribusiness system that seeks to keep us enslaved, and we shall overcome and change it not by retaliation or bloodshed but by a determined nonviolent struggle carried on by those masses of farm workers who intend to be free and human." The "Letter from Delano" was written during a pivotal moment in the Delano grape strike, a labor strike led by the UFW against grape growers in California. The strike aimed to protest poor working conditions, low wages, and the use of harmful pesticides in the grape fields. In the letter, Chavez outlines the goals of the UFW and describes the hardships faced by farmworkers. He emphasizes the importance of nonviolent protest and unity among workers. The letter played a significant role in garnering support for the farmworkers' cause and drawing attention to the issues they faced in the agricultural industry.
The Southern Manifesto (1956)
"This unwarranted exercise of power by the Court, contrary to the Constitution, is creating chaos and confusion in the States principally affected. It is destroying the amicable relations between the white and Negro races that have been created through 90 years of patient effort by the good people of both races. It has planted hatred and suspicion where there has been heretofore friendship and understanding."With the gravest concern for the explosive and dangerous condition created by this decision and inflamed by outside meddlers, we commend the motives of those States which have declared the intention to resist forced integration by any lawful means." The Southern Manifesto was a document written in 1956 by Southern members of the United States Congress in response to the Supreme Court's landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education, which declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students to be unconstitutional. The manifesto opposed racial integration and the end of segregation in public facilities. The Southern Manifesto was signed by 101 members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, all of whom were Democrats with the exception of one Republican. The document argued that the Supreme Court had overstepped its constitutional powers and asserted the principles of states' rights, defending the right of Southern states to maintain racial segregation in public institutions.
The Port Huron Statement (1962)
"We are people of this generation, bred in at least modest comfort, housed now in universities, looking uncomfortably to the world we inherit."When we were kids the United States was the wealthiest and strongest country in the world; the only one with the atom bomb, the least scarred by modern war, an initiator of the United Nations that we thought would distribute Western influence throughout the world. Freedom and equality for each individual, government of, by, and for the people—these American values we found good, principles by which we could live as men. Many of us began maturing in complacency."As we grew, however, our comfort was penetrated by events too troubling to dismiss." The Port Huron Statement was a seminal document written in 1962 by members of the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), a student activist organization in the United States. The Port Huron Statement expressed the concerns, ideals, and goals of the SDS and the broader New Left. It critiqued what the authors perceived as the shortcomings of American society, including issues such as racial inequality, economic injustice, and the lack of political participation among young people. The statement called for a more participatory democracy, civil rights, and an end to the Cold War arms race.
Allen Ginsberg, "Howl" (1955)
"What sphinx of cement and aluminum bashed open their skulls and ate up their brains and imagination?"Moloch! Solitude! Filth! Ugliness! Ashcans and unobtainable dollars! Children scream under the stairways! Boys sobbing in armies! Old men weeping in the parks!"Moloch! Moloch! Nightmare of Moloch! Moloch the loveless! Mental Moloch! Moloch the heavy judger of men!" "Howl" is a long and intensely emotional poem that addresses a variety of social and personal issues. It critiques what Ginsberg saw as the conformity and materialism of American society, and it delves into themes such as the struggles of the individual, the impact of industrialization, and the alienation of the individual in a mass society.