LBJ’s Great Society
Lyndon B. Johnson
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Unlike JFK
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Older, political experience, “burly”
Background
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High School Teacher, Congressmen, Senator
(Majority leader after only 1 year)
Vice President
*Concern for poor & underprivileged
JFK’s Legacy
“JFK told his countrymen that our national work
would not be finished ‘in the… life of this
administration, nor perhaps in our lifetime… But
let us begin.’ Today, in this new moment of
resolve, I would say to all my fellow Americans,
let us continue. This is our challenge – not to
hesitate, not to pause, not to turn about & linger
over this evil moment, but to continue on our
course so that we may fulfill the destiny that
history has set for us” - LBJ
Continuing JFK’s Agenda
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Smooth transition into presidency
 Continued JKF’s “New Frontier”
ideas
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LBJ’s focus was the “War on Poverty”
 After reading Michael Harrington’s
1962 book The Other America
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Economic Opportunity Act
 Funded antipoverty programs
 Job Corps: Work training
programs for unemployed
youth
 VISTA: Volunteers In Service
to America; domestic version
of Peace Corps
Great Society
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Great Society: term for LBJ’s domestic programs
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He was able to do more than JFK; more ambitious
Goal of Great Society was a better life
Election of 1964
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Chooses running mate Hubert Humphrey as Vice President
Republican candidate: Barry Goldwater
 Considered extremist; wanted to use nuclear weapons to
end Vietnam War)
LBJ won in the biggest landslide of the century
Election of 1964
Great Society programs
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Education = key to Great Society
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Elementary & Secondary Act
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Higher Education Act
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1st large-scale gov’t aid to public schools
1st federal scholarship for needy college students
Housing:
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Omnibus Housing Act > HUD
*1st African American to head cabinet =
Robert Weaver
Great Society continued
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Civil Rights
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Civil Rights Act 1964
 Outlawed discrimination in public, housing, etc
Voting Rights Act 1965
 End requirements against African Americans for voting
Environment
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Wilderness Preservation Act
Water Quality Act
Clean Air Act Amendments
Decline of the Great Society
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Peak of Great Society 1965-1966 but
declined because of Vietnam War
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By 1966, we had 385,000 U.S. combat troops in
Vietnam & spent $2.5 billion/month
One congressmen said “you can’t have guns &
butter”
LBJ chose guns because committed to preventing
the spread of communism
Also declined because American public &
Congress thought there was too much reform too
fast
Immigration Issues
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Immigration Act of 1965
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Act repealed national-origin immigration quotas of
the 1920s
Significance
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Triggered a new wave of immigration from Asian
& Latin American nations
Created ethnic diversity in the U.S.
1st wave of immigrants: 1800 - 1880
2nd wave of immigrants: 1880 - 1910
National Origin Act of 1924
Immigration Act of 1965
LBJ’s Foreign Policy
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Vietnam
 Escalation:
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Increased money & troops
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Johnson Doctrine
 Prevent the spread of communism to Latin America
 Improve relations with the Soviet Union

Pueblo incident
 U.S. spy ship captured by North Korea who refused to
return
 North Koreans eventually returned the crew but kept the
ship
Compare & Contrast
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To Do:
(1) Label your paper “Double Bubble Map”
(2) JFK & LBJ are the 2 presidents you will compare
(3) Contrast JFK’s & LBJ’s characteristics, policies,
strengths
(a) in the middle, identify what is common to both
(4) Write up (min. 1 paragraph): Discuss the
similarities & differences of JFK & LBJ’s
presidencies.