Study GuideU.S. History II–The New Frontier and the Great Society1. Johnson and the Great SocietyLyndon B. Johnson was very different from John F. Kennedy in personality and style. While Kennedywas polished and intellectual, Johnson was a blunt, forceful Texan who relied on political pressure andpersonal persuasion—often called the“Johnson Treatment.”Having grown up poor, Johnsonstrongly believed the federal government should help the disadvantaged.After Kennedy’s assassination, Johnson used his political skills to pass Kennedy’s stalled legislationand launch his own ambitious reform agenda called theGreat Society, which aimed to eliminatepoverty, racial injustice, and inequality. Although many of these programs succeeded, theescalatingVietnam Wardrained money and public support from Johnson’s domestic goals.1.1The Great Society and the War on PovertyIn1964, Johnson declared aWar on Poverty, leading to the passage of theEconomic OpportunityAct. This act created several major programs:•Job Corps–job training for disadvantaged urban youth•Head Start–early childhood education for low-income preschoolers•VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America)–a domestic Peace CorpsAfter winning alandslide victory in the 1964 electionover conservative RepublicanBarryGoldwater, Johnson expanded the Great Society even further.1.2Major Social and Economic ReformsBetween1965 and 1967, Congress passed a wide range of legislation, including:Health Care•Medicare (1965)–medical insurance for Americans over 65•Medicaid (1965)–federal aid to states to provide health care for the poorEducation and Housing•Increasedfederal funding for public schoolsPreview Mode
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