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John F. Kennedy (p. 63-64)

Election of 1960
John F. Kennedy–Dem.
promised active leadership
Richard Nixon Rep . ran on
Eisenhower’s popularity
religious issue: JFK Roman
Catholic—fear of stronger church/state relationship
impact of television first televised debate, shows
Kennedy as charismatic
Kennedy wins very close election by approx. 100,119 takes a hard line on communism http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/1960/jingle

Camelot
Grace, Elegance, and Wit
-”ask not what your country can do for you-ask what you can do for your country.”
-special focus on American culture
-Jackie Kennedy fashion
Public is fascinated with first family
-The Best and the Brightest team of advisors, relied heavily on brother Robert Kennedy
-feelings of hope and prosperity were offered by Kennedy and his family—these idyllic years became known as the Camelot
Years

Cuban Revolution
-1959 Fidel Castro leads revolution , he welcomes
Soviet aid
-turns to communist system— Castro is dictator
-confiscated lands of large corporations (American owned)
-trade barriers set
-seen as threat to the U.S.
-many Cubans go into exile fleeing to Miami, FL and
Guatemala

Bay of Pigs
-Cuban exiles to try to overthrow Castro with help from CIA, JFK weary, but approved
-U.S. gives exiles military aid, nothing goes as planned
-Attack at the Bay of
Pigs is a great failure greeted by 25,000 troops and tanks with
Soviet support
-embarrassment to the
U.S. and Kennedy
-Cuba turns to USSR for more aid

Berlin Wall
-millions of East Germans moved
West— trying to escape the oppression of Communism
-Soviets want East Germany recognized as new nation, both want to avoid war
-wall built to separate East and West, roads to Western Europe still open for supplies/food, built in a matter of days
-seem as symbol of communism— keeps
Eastern Berlin residents from leaving
-over 200 people died trying to flee
Kennedy says we must support West
Berlin
-wall remained up for 28 years, its fall in 1989 helped mark an end to the
Cold War

Cuban Missile Crisis
-Soviets place missiles in Cuba
-Oct. 1962
-U.S. spy planes get intelligence, missiles found, they are set and ready to be launched
Kennedy’s response:
1. demanded removal: any attack will result in war with Soviets
2. U.S. blockades Cuba-500 mile radius
Example of brinkmanship— on verge of war
USSR backs down if US agrees not to invade Cuba
Both countries agree, crisis ends peacefully.

Easing Tensions
Two events under
Kennedy helped ease
Cold War tensions:
1. Hotline established between leaders-direct phone connection between White House and Soviet Capital
(Kremlin)
2. Kennedy and
Khrushchev: signed treaty banning nuclear testing above ground

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How did television help Kennedy win the election of
1960?
Who ran against JFK?
The time period of JFK being in office was known as
___________ .
What leader had come into power in Cuba and what kind of gov’t was implemented there?
What attempt to overthrow the communist regime in
Cuba was a failure?
What happened in the city of Berlin that was seen as a symbol of communism?
How did Kennedy react to the formation of the Berlin
Wall?
What two things did Kennedy do to deal with the Cuban
Missile Crisis?
In what two ways was Kennedy able to ease tensions with the Soviet Union?

New Frontier
New Frontier—name of Kennedy’s legislative program
Focus was on: medical care for the poor, urban renewal
(improvements in cities), education improvements
-Congress resisted his programs like they had Truman’s — coalition between S. Democrats and Republicans
-Kennedy took very few political risks in beginning because he lacked a voter’s mandate or clear sign of voter’s support did very little for poverty or civil rights in first years b/c he wanted the public’s support

New Frontier
-deficit spending to boost economy much like FDR, spend more than you make
-increased defense spending flexible response, 20% increase, expanded armed forces
-Peace Corp created, 1961 volunteer program to help poverty stricken nations
Many college grads
-Alliance for Progress- program designed to give aid to poverty stricken Latin American nations
-1963 saw a new Kennedy that pushed for civil rights, end to poverty, lower taxes

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Appointed African
Americans to federal positions
Supported Freedom
Riders
Ended discrimination in housing
Ordered federal protection of James
Meredith in integrating
Univ. of Mississippi
Civil Rights Act of 1964 passed within on year of assassination

Race to the Moon
-Sputnik satellite started space race in 1957— launched by USSR
-1961 USSR sends first man to space
-Kennedy challenges national leaders to get us to the moon— he expresses the “spirit of the space race” to the people
-creation of NASA
Alan Shepard-first American in space
John Glenn -first to orbit
-program had several setbacks
-goal of the moon reached July, 1969
(after JFK’s death)
Neil Armstrong- first on the moon

Tragedy
Fall of 1963, JFK losing popularity b/c of his support of Civil Rights
Nov. 22, 1963 go to Dallas to mend fences with the Dem. Party in TX
-Kennedy assassinated while riding in a parade
-Texas School Book Depository (state building where shot came from)
-Lyndon B. Johnson became president sworn in on Air Force One
-Lee Harvey Oswald arrested for the crime rifle with fingerprints shady past
-Jack Ruby kills Oswald just days after his arrest for Kennedy’s assassination on television

Here's a little part of US history which makes you sit up and go hmm...
Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846.
John F. Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946.
Abraham Lincoln was elected President in
1860.
John F. Kennedy was elected President in
1960.
The names Lincoln and Kennedy each contain seven letters.
Both were particularly concerned with civil rights.
Both wives lost children while living in the
White House.
Both Presidents were shot on a Friday.
Both Presidents were shot in the head.
Lincoln's secretary was named Kennedy.
Kennedy's secretary was named Lincoln.
Both were assassinated by Southerners.
Both were succeeded by Southerners.
Both successors were named Johnson.
Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Lincoln, was born in 1808.
Lyndon Johnson, who succeeded Kennedy, was born in 1908.
John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated
Lincoln, was born in 1839.
Lee Harvey Oswald, who assassinated
Kennedy, was born in 1939.
Both assassins were known by their three names.
Both names are comprised of fifteen letters.
Lincoln was shot at the theater named
"Ford's".
Kennedy was shot in a car called "Lincoln made by Ford Motor Co".
Booth ran from the theater and was caught in a warehouse.
Oswald ran from a warehouse and was caught in a theater.
Both John Wilkes Booth and Lee Harvey
Oswald were assassinated before their trials.

Unanswered Questions
-Conspiracy theories— skeptic beliefs that attempt to explain a plot or cover-up of an event lone assassin magic bullet theory
Grassy Knoll
-Warren Commission:
Chief Earl Warren investigated the event and pronounced Oswald the lone assassin
1979-Congressional investigation suggested other involvement by unknowns and that Oswald had been part of a conspiracy theory

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What was the name of Kennedy’s program?
What did his program aim to do?
What was the purpose of the Peace Corp?
What was designed to designed to give aid to poverty stricken Latin
American nations?
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What are three ways Kennedy showed support of Civil Rights?
Who are:
Alan Sheppard
John Glen
Neil Armstrong
Who killed JFK ?
Who killed JFK’s assassin?
What was the name of the court who pronounced JFK’s killer?
What did the 1979 Congressional investigations reveal about the JFK assassination?
What other presidential assassination is similar in various ways to the
JFK assassination? Name two similarities.

 Complete matching 1-15 on other side of JFK Quick Review
 Study guide