U.S. History II - The New Frontier and the Great Society - Quick Guides | History

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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 schools

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Study Guide•Housing subsidiesfor low-income families•Model Cities Programto improve deteriorating urban neighborhoods•Appalachian Regional Development Act (1965)to reduce poverty in AppalachiaGovernment and Culture•Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)–led byRobert C. Weaver, thefirst African American cabinet member•Department of Transportation•National Endowment for the ArtsandHumanitiesEnvironment•Water Quality Act (1965)•Air Quality Act (1967)•These laws marked thefirst serious federal effort to protect the environment.1.3Civil Rights Under JohnsonJohnson played a crucial role in advancingcivil rights, building on the momentum of the civil rightsmovement.Civil Rights Act of 1964•Ended segregation in public accommodations•Allowed the federal government to desegregate schools•Created theEqual Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)Voting Rights Act of 1965Triggered by violence during theSelma-to-Montgomery marches, this law:•Suspended literacy tests•Allowed federal officials to register voters•Authorized lawsuits against poll taxes•(Thepoll taxwas fully outlawed by the Supreme Court in 1966.)

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Study Guide1.4Impact:African American voter registration in the South rose from about1 million in 1964 to over 3 millionby 1968, dramatically changing Southern politics.1.5Urban Unrest and the Rise of Black PowerDespite these legal victories,economic inequality and discriminationremained widespread,especially in Northern cities. Major urban riots broke out in:•Los Angeles (Watts), 1965•Detroit, Newark, Cleveland, and Chicago•Over100 cities after MLK’s assassination in 1968At the same time, new leaders challenged Martin Luther King Jr.’s nonviolent integration approach:•Malcolm Xpromoted Black pride and self-defense•Stokely CarmichaelpopularizedBlack Power•TheBlack Panther Party(founded 1966) advocated militant resistance and communityprogramsThis shift towardseparatism and militancycaused the movement to lose white support.1.6Other Minority Movements•Cesar Chavezorganized farm workers, leading grape and lettuce boycotts•Chicano activistsdemanded bilingual education and Chicano studies•American Indian Movement (AIM)(1968) fought for Native American rights•Occupation of Alcatraz (1969)highlighted demands for tribal sovereignty and landrestoration1.7Johnson and the Vietnam WarAfter reported attacks on U.S. ships, Congress gave Johnson broad authority to use military force inVietnam. This resolution led to major escalation without a formal declaration of war.

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Study GuideEscalation•Operation Rolling Thunder (1965–1968)–sustained bombing of North Vietnam•First combat troops sent inMarch 1965•By1968, nearly500,000 U.S. troopswere in Vietnam1.8Growing Opposition to the WarOpposition developed gradually:•Teach-inson college campuses•Protests spread nationwide•Criticism from political leaders likeWilliam FulbrightandRobert Kennedy•Television coverage exposed the brutality of warThe Tet Offensive (1968)Although amilitary failurefor North Vietnam, the Tet Offensive shocked Americans:•Attacks on over 100 cities•Brief occupation of the U.S. embassy in Saigon•Undermined confidence that the war could be wonConsequences:•Johnson’s approval ratings collapsed•He announced he wouldnot seek reelection•Bombing was reduced•Peace talks began in Parisin May 19681.9Big Picture SignificanceTheGreat Societygreatly expanded the role of the federal government and produced lastingprograms likeMedicare, Medicaid, and Head Start. However, theVietnam WarovershadowedJohnson’s domestic achievements, divided the nation, and weakened support for liberal reform.Johnson’s presidency shows how foreign policy can undermine domestic reform—even whenintentions are ambitious and humanitarian.

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