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

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    Study Guide U.S. History II – The New Frontier and the Great Society 1. Johnson and the Great Society Lyndon B. Johnson was very different from John F. Kennedy in personality and style. While Kennedy was polished and intellectual, Johnson was a blunt, forceful Texan who relied on political pressure and personal persuasion — often called the “Johnson Treatment.” Having grown up poor, Johnson strongly believed the federal government should help the disadvantaged. After Kennedy’s assassination, Johnson used his political skills to pass Kennedy’s stalled legislation and launch his own ambitious reform agenda called the Great Society , which aimed to eliminate poverty, racial injustice, and inequality . Although many of these programs succeeded, the escalating Vietnam War drained money and public support from Johnson’s domestic goals. 1.1 The Great Society and the War on Poverty In 1964 , Johnson declared a War on Poverty , leading to the passage of the Economic Opportunity Act . 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 Corps After winning a landslide victory in the 1964 election over conservative Republican Barry Goldwater , Johnson expanded the Great Society even further. 1.2 Major Social and Economic Reforms Between 1965 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 poor Education and Housing • Increased federal funding for public schools

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    Study Guide • Housing subsidies for low - income families • Model Cities Program to improve deteriorating urban neighborhoods • Appalachian Regional Development Act (1965) to reduce poverty in Appalachia Government and Culture • Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) – led by Robert C. Weaver , the first African American cabinet member • Department of Transportation • National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities Environment • Water Quality Act (1965) • Air Quality Act (1967) • These laws marked the first serious federal effort to protect the environment . 1.3 Civil Rights Under Johnson Johnson played a crucial role in advancing civil rights , building on the momentum of the civil rights movement. Civil Rights Act of 1964 • Ended segregation in public accommodations • Allowed the federal government to desegregate schools • Created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Voting Rights Act of 1965 Triggered by violence during the Selma - to - Montgomery marches , this law: • Suspended literacy tests • Allowed federal officials to register voters • Authorized lawsuits against poll taxes • (The poll tax was fully outlawed by the Supreme Court in 1966.)

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    Study Guide 1.4 Impact: African American voter registration in the South rose from about 1 million in 1964 to over 3 million by 1968 , dramatically changing Southern politics. 1.5 Urban Unrest and the Rise of Black Power Despite these legal victories, economic inequality and discrimination remained widespread, especially in Northern cities. Major urban riots broke out in: • Los Angeles (Watts), 1965 • Detroit, Newark, Cleveland, and Chicago • Over 100 cities after MLK’s assassination in 1968 At the same time, new leaders challenged Martin Luther King Jr.’s nonviolent integration approach: • Malcolm X promoted Black pride and self - defense • Stokely Carmichael popularized Black Power • The Black Panther Party (founded 1966) advocated militant resistance and community programs This shift toward separatism and militancy caused the movement to lose white support. 1.6 Other Minority Movements • Cesar Chavez organized farm workers, leading grape and lettuce boycotts • Chicano activists demanded 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 land restoration 1.7 Johnson and the Vietnam War After reported attacks on U.S. ships, Congress gave Johnson broad authority to use military force in Vietnam. This resolution led to major escalation without a formal declaration of war.

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    Study Guide Escalation • Operation Rolling Thunder (1965 – 1968) – sustained bombing of North Vietnam • First combat troops sent in March 1965 • By 1968 , nearly 500,000 U.S. troops were in Vietnam 1.8 Growing Opposition to the War Opposition developed gradually: • Teach - ins on college campuses • Protests spread nationwide • Criticism from political leaders like William Fulbright and Robert Kennedy • Television coverage exposed the brutality of war The Tet Offensive (1968) Although a military failure for 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 won Consequences: • Johnson’s approval ratings collapsed • He announced he would not seek reelection • Bombing was reduced • Peace talks began in Paris in May 1968 1.9 Big Picture Significance The Great Society greatly expanded the role of the federal government and produced lasting programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and Head Start . However, the Vietnam War overshadowed Johnson’s domestic achievements, divided the nation, and weakened support for liberal reform. Johnson’s presidency shows how foreign policy can undermine domestic reform — even when intentions are ambitious and humanitarian.

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