Final answer:
The teach-ins of 1965 were organized to protest U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, facilitate discourse, and inspire other forms of student-led advocacy for social change on university campuses.
Step-by-step explanation:
The purpose of the teach-ins organized by campus activists in 1965 was to protest U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War and foster public debate about the conflict. These teach-ins employed a nonviolent form of protest that encouraged education and dialogue on critical issues of the time. In April 1965, following the deployment of U.S. combat troops to Vietnam, the faculty at the University of Michigan suspended classes to conduct a 24-hour teach-in on war, an event that quickly inspired the first national teach-in across 122 colleges and universities. The teach-ins that first focused on debate ultimately transformed into significant antiwar rallies. The momentum of these teach-ins continued to grow, symbolizing the widespread discontent among students regarding the war, and reflecting an era where colleges became hotbeds for social and political advocacy.
Teach-ins provided a platform for participatory democracy, where grassroots campaigns encouraged active citizenship as influenced by civil rights activist Ella Baker. Much like the various nonviolent protests of that era like sit-ins and pray-ins, teach-ins were participatory and exemplified student-led advocacy for systemic change on social issues including environmental and climate change. These educational efforts showcased the unique role university campuses played in producing societal change.