Final answer:
Executive Order 10925 established affirmative action to promote equal employment opportunities for underrepresented groups, aiming to address discrimination in hiring and employment practices, and expanding equal opportunity to areas like education and public services.
Step-by-step explanation:
The purpose of Executive Order 10925, which established affirmative action, was to promote equal employment opportunities and to curtail ongoing problems with discrimination. This directive was particularly aimed at providing support to underrepresented groups such as women and minorities, who had historically faced unjust treatment in hiring, employment, and wage practices. The order required that entities doing business with the federal government not only cease discriminatory practices but also take positive steps to ensure that job applicants and employees are treated without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin.
Affirmative action policies expanded to cover various areas including education, public services, and health programs, ensuring that opportunities were provided more equitably. While the policies sought to rectify past injustices, they also generated controversies over perceived reverse discrimination, leading to further legal and societal debates on the approach to achieving workplace and educational diversity.