21.1.1

Segregation & Discrimination

Test yourself on Segregation & Discrimination

After reading these notes, test your knowledge with free interactive questions on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

Segregation and Discrimination of Black People in the USA

Black Americans faced discrimination and segregation solely because of their race.

The North of America

The North of America

  • Black Americans faced discrimination and segregation solely because of their race.
  • In the North, this was by discrimination in jobs, education and housing.
  • Black people were limited to having badly paid jobs, so they could only afford to live in the poorest areas, called ghettos.
The South of America

The South of America

  • In the South, segregation was enforced by Jim Crow laws.
  • These separated black and white people in all aspects of life such as education, housing and transport.
  • African Americans could be arrested, beaten and lynched (murdered) both if they did and if they did not follow these laws.
  • Southern states were allowed to enforce these laws because states could have their own laws, separate from federal (national) laws.
Racism in the Deep South

Racism in the Deep South

  • Many white people saw blacks as lazy, stupid and criminal and would not socialise with them in any way.
  • In the Deep South, policemen and judges were racist; black people could be beaten to confess to crimes they didn’t commit or imprisoned for no reason.
  • Black people were not allowed to sit on juries, and if a black person was murdered it was often not investigated.
Assistance in wars

Assistance in wars

  • WW2 saw one million black soldiers fighting in segregated units, including a group called the Harlem Hellfighters.
  • At home, many worked alongside whites in factories to produce weapons.
  • The reliance on its black labour force embarrassed the US during the Cold War for claiming to be the leader of the free world while still treating their own black citizens so badly.
Jump to other topics
1

Empires East & West: 1000 AD

1.1

The Rise & Fall of Ancient China’s Empire

1.2

The Medieval Greatness of the Byzantine Empire

1.3

The Golden Age of the Islamic Empire

1.4

The Politics & Power of the Holy Roman Empire

1.5

Medieval Religion

1.6

The Influence of the Church in Medieval Times

1.7

How Religion Tested the Power of Kings

1.8

Dynastic Challenges to Medieval Monarchs

1.9

Challenges to Medieval Monarchs

1.10

Revolts, Rebellions & Rights

1.11

Medieval England & Her Neighbours

1.12

European Renaissance

1.13

Norman Conquest & Control

1.14

Historical Skills

2

The Medieval World: 450-1450 AD

2.1

Anglo-Saxon England

2.2

The Contest for the English Throne

2.3

Conquering the Holy Land, 10-96-1396 AD

2.4

King John

2.5

The Magna Carta & Parliament

2.6

The Black Death

3

Worldviews

4

The Empire of Mali: 1076-1670 AD

5

The Renaissance & Reformations: 1500-1598 AD

6

The British Empire: 1583-1960 AD

7

The Peasants' Revolt: 1381 AD

8

Religion in the Middle Ages

9

Slavery: 1619-1833 AD

10

The English Civil War: 1642-1660 AD

11

The Industrial Revolution: 1750-1840 AD

12

US Independence: 1775-1783 AD

13

The French Revolution: 1789-1815 AD

14

The British Empire: 1857–1930 AD

15

Suffrage: 1840-1928 AD

16

World War 1: 1914-1918 AD

17

The Russian Revolution: 1917 AD

18

The Inter-War Years: 1919-1939 AD

19

World War 2: 1939-1945 AD

20

The Cold War: 1947-1962 AD

21

Civil Rights in the USA: 1954-1975 AD

Practice questions on Segregation & Discrimination

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
Answer all questions on Segregation & Discrimination

Unlock your full potential with Seneca Premium

  • Unlimited access to 10,000+ open-ended exam questions

  • Mini-mock exams based on your study history

  • Unlock 800+ premium courses & e-books

Get started with Seneca Premium