Student: The New Frontier and
the Great Society, 1960s
John F Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson
The Expanding Liberal State: The New
Frontier and the Great Society
John F. Kennedy (d)
1961-1963
Lyndon B. Johnson (d)
1963-1970
Televised Presidential Debates, 1960
JFK as President
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“The Kennedy Mystique”
1000 Days
Vice Pres=Lyndon Johnson
“Camelot”
Wealthy and educated
Young and Attractive
“The Best and the
Brightest”
Decorated War Veteran
Pulitzer Prize
Profiles in Courage
http://www.history.com/shows/america-thestory-of-us/videos/jfk-a-new-generation#jfk-anew-generation
Kennedy Faced Major Challenges at
Home and Abroad (1961-1963)
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1. Bays of Pigs—invasion of Cuba that failed (1961)
2. Cuban Missile Crisis with the Soviet Union (1962)
3.Berlin Wall divides East and West Berlin
4. Problems in Vietnam
5. Racism and push for civil rights at home
Ole Miss Riots
Freedom Riders
March on Washington
6. Poverty in the U.S. , decay of inner cities,
unemployment, need to improve education, drug use
7. Youth movement growing in the U.S.
8. COLD WAR ---nuclear arms race with the Soviet Union
continued
John F Kennedy
Domestic Policy, 1961-1963
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Domestic Program:The New Frontier
1. Increasing government spending, believed in very active government
2. Cut taxes
3. Raised the minimum wage to $1.25 an hour
4. Supported Civil Rights (limited at first)
5. Extended unemployment insurance
6. Provided funds to cities with high unemployment
7. He was elected by a narrow margin and struggled to gain political
power and support from Congress
8. He was assassinated on Nov 22, 1963, by Lee Harvey Oswald in
Dallas
“Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your
country.” –John Kennedy
John F Kennedy
Foreign Policy, 1961-1963
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Foreign Policy Issues:
Cold War –to stop the spread of Communism
-Nuclear arms race with the Soviet Union
1. Bay of Pigs (Cuba)
2. Cuban Missile Crisis (Cuba)
3. Berlin Wall went up
4. Vietnam—early stages
5. Space Program
6. Established the Peace Corps
7. Met with Soviet leader Khrushchev
“It is an unfortunate fact that we can secure peace only by
preparing for war. “ JFK
http://www.history.com/videos/historyrocks-castro-must-die
The Assassination of John F. Kennedy
 November
22, 1963
 Dallas Texas
 Shooter: Lee Harvey Oswald
 Jack Ruby shot Lee Harvey Oswald
 Warren Commission Report: study of
the assassination concluded Oswald acted
alone
http://www.history.com/videos/john-f-kennedyassassinated
JFK Assassination, 1963
Lyndon Johnson's “Great Society”
The LBJ Treatment
Johnson’s Domestic Program:
Great Society-- “War on Poverty”
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Set up Medicare and Medicaid
Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO)
Community Action Programs (CAP)
Head Start –education
Job Corps –create jobs for the poor
Cities—Urban Renewal, Housing Act of 1961
Funding for Education, funding rose $5 billion to $12
billion
***Immigration Act of 1965---impact felt today
Accomplishments of Johnson’s
“Great Society”
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Reduced hunger in America
Medical care for elderly and poor
Greatest reduction in poverty in American
history from 21% in 1959 to 12% in 1969
Government spending doubled in 10 years
Spending on Education Increased
Low income housing built for poor
Laws to protect the environment passed
Laws to protect consumers passed
Reformed immigration laws
***Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Warren Court, 1950s and1960s
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Supreme Court Justice Earl Warren
Decisions increased the rights of individuals in society
Brown v Board of Education (1954)—Ruled school segregation was
unconstitutional. Led to the desegregation of schools and all public
facilities—parks, transportation
Banned prayer in schools-separation of church and state
Protected rights of those accused of crimes
Miranda Case-must be informed of rights
Mapp Case-could not use evidence seized
illegally
Gideon v. Wainwright— right to an attorney even if
you cannot afford one (free legal representation)