Ch. 22 the Kennedy and Johnson Years
President Kennedy won the election of 1960 by a very narrow margin. He then proposed a number of changes
in domestic policy, many of which were defeated in Congress.
I.
The New Frontier
A. During the 1960 Presidential campaign JFK promised to get the American economy moving
again.
B. JFK won the 1960 election by a very narrow margin.
C. Once President, JFK was rarely successful at pushing legislation through Congress.
D. 1961 JFK committed NASA and the nation to landing a man on the moon within the decade.
E. JFK’s Presidency is cut short when he is assassinated on November 22, 1963 in Dallas Texas.
F. The Warren Commission declared that Kennedy’s assassination was the work of a lone assassin.
President Johnson’s Great Society programs aimed to improve America’s economy. The Great Society also
aimed at providing substantial government aid to its citizens, especially the poor.
II.
The Great Society
A. As Senator and President, LBJ was famous for accomplishing his political goals.
1. Because of his landslide election in 1964 had a mandate from the American people.
2. His Experience in congress made him highly skillful at getting bills passed.
3. Congress also realized the American people needed swift action to help heal the wounds of
President Kennedy’s assassination.
B. As a result of passing LBJ’s tax cut bill, GNP rose steadily, and unemployment fell.
C. A major part of Johnson’s Great Society legislation was the passing of a health care bill.
D. The Great Society legislation won passage of New Frontier goals and added to them. It included
aid to public education, political reforms, and medical care for older Americans.
E. Critics of The Great Society argued that it gave the Federal government too much power.
F. In the case of Reynolds vs. Ferguson the Supreme Court decides that state voting districts
should be reapportioned to reflect “one person, one vote.”
JFK and LBJ both wanted to improve America’s conditions at home, but they were drawn into the idea of
containing Communism around the world. The Cold War intensified as President Kennedy and Johnson became
involved in anti-communist conflicts in Latin America, Europe, and Southeast Asia.
III.
Foreign Policy in the Early 1960’s
A. Kennedy’s foreign policy was consistent with the US goal of containing Communism
1. Kennedy supported the Bay of Pigs to contain communism in Cuba.
2. Kennedy support building up the US military to confront the USSR around the world, and
especially in Europe.
3. Kennedy supported the quarantine of Cuba during the missile crisis.
B. The US supported the Bay of Pigs invasion by attempting to destroy Cuba’s air power.
C. The US authorizes a huge military buildup, and the USSR responds by building the Berlin Wall.
D. The Soviets built the Berlin wall in order to prevent East Germans from fleeing to the West.
E. The USSR begins to install missile launchers in Cuba.
F. JFK responds by establishing a quarantine of Cuba, effectively blocking Cuba off from the rest of
the world.
G. The USSR promises to remove missiles from Cuba if the US will remove the quarantine
(Blockade) of Cuba. This brings and end to the Cuban Missile Crises.
H. JFK establishes the Alliance for Progress in the Western Hemisphere to discourage the spread of
Communism.
I. One task of the Peace Corp was to help raise the standard of living in poor areas.
J. JFK tried to encourage stability in Latin America by promoting economic development.