America’s history has changed over the years and has shaped the country in many ways. Even though some of our past has been immorally humane we still are trying to correct our mistakes. One of the years that has defined our country is 1963 because it was the year where people stood up for change and equality. The movement for change in civil rights, women’s rights, changes in the justice system, and political leader’s influence made 1963 a crucial year in American History.
One of the most significant events during the civil rights movement took place in the city of Birmingham. Birmingham, Alabama was known as the steel city and was known for displaying racial hatred that was occurring mainly in the south. The scenes that were displayed around the country involved violence and …show more content…
Supreme Court case Gideon versus Wainwright. The case focused on Gideon who was “charged with breaking and entering into Florida poolroom, a felony in the state” (“Gideon v. Wainwright” 1). The defendant didn’t a counsel to defend him in his case because he couldn’t afford to pay for them. As a result, he was forced to defend himself on his own. After further investigation, a “unanimous court held that the Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, as applied to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment, required that counsel be appointed to represent poor defendants in criminal cases” (“Gideon v. Wainwright” 1) resulting in a retrial. During the new trail, Gideon was “acquitted after new defense witnesses were found and some of the state’s witnesses were discredited” (“Gideon v. Wainwright” 1) giving him a fair chance. This court case lead to the Supreme Court allowing defendants the opportunity to a counsel regardless of their income. They had to decide if sixth amendment should be extended to minor cases as well as felony cases. The Supreme Court believed that every citizen should have an equal opportunity to defend