LBJ`s Great Society
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LBJ’s Great Society
Lyndon B. Johnson
Unlike JFK
Older, political experience, “burly”
Background
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
Smooth transition into presidency
Continued JKF’s “New Frontier”
ideas
LBJ’s focus was the “War on Poverty”
After reading Michael Harrington’s
1962 book The Other America
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
Great Society: term for LBJ’s domestic programs
He was able to do more than JFK; more ambitious
Goal of Great Society was a better life
Election of 1964
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
Education = key to Great Society
Elementary & Secondary Act
Higher Education Act
1st large-scale gov’t aid to public schools
1st federal scholarship for needy college students
Housing:
Omnibus Housing Act > HUD
*1st African American to head cabinet =
Robert Weaver
Great Society continued
Civil Rights
Civil Rights Act 1964
Outlawed discrimination in public, housing, etc
Voting Rights Act 1965
End requirements against African Americans for voting
Environment
Wilderness Preservation Act
Water Quality Act
Clean Air Act Amendments
Decline of the Great Society
Peak of Great Society 1965-1966 but
declined because of Vietnam War
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
Immigration Act of 1965
Act repealed national-origin immigration quotas of
the 1920s
Significance
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
Vietnam
Escalation:
Increased money & troops
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
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.