Lyndon B. Johnson
Great Society
Background
 LBJ was a teacher at a segregated school for
Mexican Americans
 Senator
 Joined Kennedy’s ticket when he lost
Democratic nomination in 1960
 Took office when Kennedy was assassinated in
1963
Civil Rights Act of 1964
 Outlawed discrimination
in voting, education, and
public accommodations
 Hospitals, restaurants,
theaters, and other public
places
 Equal Employment
Opportunity Commissionfought discrimination in
hiring processes
 Title VII- prohibited
discrimination on the
basis of sex
War on Poverty
 Economic Opportunity Act- created the Job Corps to train young
men and women between 16 and 21 in work skill to get better jobs
 Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA)- sent American volunteers
into poor American communities
 Head Start- provided play groups, day care, ad activities for
underprivileged children to prepare for school
Election of 1964
 Johnson v. Barry Goldwater
 Goldwater wanted to reduce
federal government and cut
spending and taxes
 Johnson won more than 60% of
popular vote
 Democrats won both houses of
Congress
Great Society
Healthcare
 Medicare- provided healthcare to elderly
 Medicaid- provided basic medical services to
poor and disabled that were not a part of the
Social Security system
Education
 Elementary and Secondary Education Act- gave
funds to poor communities to build libraries,
learning centers, language laboratories, and
services
Environment
 Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring discussed the
damage done by chemical fertilizers and
pesticides
 Ralph Nader’s Unsafe at Any Speed addressed
passenger safety
 Water Quality Act and Clean
Water Restoration Act- improved
water and air standards in the US
 National Traffic and Motor Vehicle
Safety Act- established safety
standards for vehicles
Immigration
 Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965- altered
America’s quota system
 Many immigrants came from all parts of the world
The Warren
Court
The Warren Court
 Led by Chief Justice, Earl Warren
 The most liberal in history
 Baker v. Carr- “one man, one vote” approved reapportionment of voting districts
 Mapp v. Ohio- illegally obtained evidence could not be used in court
 Gideon v. Wainwright- all accused had right to lawyer
 Escobedo v. Illinois- every accused had to be offered access to lawyer before
questioning
 Miranda v. Arizona- accused had to be informed of Fifth and Sixth Amendment
rights
 Engel v. Vitale- public schools could not require students to recite prayer
 Abington v. Schempp- Bible reading in public schools violated First Amendment