Outline

1. The Lincoln Park Riots and the violent police crackdown during the 1968 Democratic National Convention shined a spotlight on the growing anti-Vietnam War sentiment, and negatively affected the public perception of Chicago.

2. The late 1960s was a period of civil and social unrest in the United States. 

a. A small group of young rebels who garnered a lot of media attention wanted to overthrow the American establishment and change American democracy.

b. These rebels strongly protested America's involvement in the Vietnam War, and viewed it as a loss of control of the political system in the United States.

c. These groups of radicals chose Chicago as the perfect place to protest the war and bring their message to the American public.  Chicago hosted the 1968 Democratic National Convention as it had many times in the past, and these rebels knew there would be a lot of media coverage, and their protests could potentially be broadcast across the country.

3. During the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, anti-war protesters and police interferences dominated the city.

a. Mayor Richard J. Daley took a lot of pride in holding the convention in Chicago, and did everything in his power to make sure the protests did not disturb the peace.

b. The police used excessive force to stop the protest from ruining the Democratic National Convention, and suppress the demonstration.  They were given permission to use violent force if necessary to calm the streets of Chicago.

c. The riots had become so out of hand the Chicago Police Department called the National Guard.  Many protesters were worried they may start shooting protesters and starting an all-out war with the protest.

4. The police riots damaged Chicago's reputation and disrupted the Convention much more than if the protesters had actually been allowed to march to the convention center.

a. In the immediate aftermath of the riots, people in the U.S. and around the world were shocked and dismayed by the police's violent reaction to the demonstrators. 

b. The broad media attention paid to the bloody events of the convention prompted the U.S. government to commission a study, led by Illinois businessman Daniel Walker, to analyze the cause of the riots.

c. After the 1968 Democratic National Convention, Chicago was so embarrassed; the next convention wasn't until 1996.

5. The Lincoln Park Riots and the violent police crackdown during the 1968 Democratic National Convention shined a spotlight on the growing anti-Vietnam War sentiment, and negatively affected the public perception of Chicago.