All About Lyndon Johnson

Let’s pretend like your class is voting on which type of ice cream to eat. Here are the rules you have to follow to vote: If you have curly hair then you must pass a reading test before you can vote.

antidisestablishmentarianism Only people with curly hair must read the following word. If you can’t read it, then you don’t get to vote on the type of ice cream. antidisestablishmentarianism

Discuss what you think with your class. Do you think it’s fair that only people who look a certain way have to take a special test to vote? Why, or why not? Do you think that you should have to pass a reading test in order to vote? Why, or why not? Discuss what you think with your class.

Years ago, many states had voting rules known as voting restrictions that kept African Americans from being able to vote. The voting restrictions were unfair.

Many people who did not agree that African Americans should have the same rights as white people, but they had to make changes in order to meet the demands of the civil rights protests that were happening at the time.

Lyndon Johnson was president when many of these changes were made! Hi! I’m Lyndon Johnson!

Yoichi R. Okamoto, White House Press Office (WHPO)

EQ: Who was Lyndon Johnson? Lyndon Johnson was born in Stonewell, Texas on August 27, 1908. EQ: Who was Lyndon Johnson?

EQ: Who was Lyndon Johnson? On the day Lyndon Baines Johnson was born, August 27, 1908, his grandfather rode his horse through the town shouting, "A United States Senator was born this morning!" It seems that Lyndon Johnson was destined to have a political future.

Photo via LBJ Library

EQ: Who was Lyndon Johnson? When Lyndon Johnson was a young man, he taught poor Mexican Americans who faced prejudice. Prejudice is the act of judging people harshly without knowing them.

EQ: Who was Lyndon Johnson? Lyndon became the youngest Congressman in Washington when he was elected to the House of Representatives. Lyndon B Johnson joined the navy during World War II.

Photo via LBJ Library

EQ: Who was Lyndon Johnson? Johnson wanted to continue his political career so he decided to run for senator. Lady Bird, Johnson’s wife, helped Johnson campaign. Lyndon B Johnson became a senator 1948.

Author - US Senate

EQ: Who was Lyndon Johnson? In 1955 Johnson had a heart attack. He stayed at his Texas ranch during his recovery. He conducted business from there. He created plans for programs to benefit the poor and to build schools and roads.

EQ: Who was Lyndon Johnson? Johnson dreamed of being president. He thought his time had come in 1960, but a popular man named John F. Kennedy dashed his presidential hopes. Kennedy was elected President and Johnson was his Vice-President.

White House Press Office (WHPO)

EQ: Who was Lyndon Johnson? All that changed on November 22, 1963 when President Kennedy was shot and killed by Lee Harvey Oswald. When the president dies while in office, the vice-president becomes president.

After the assassination, the oath of office for the President was taken by Lyndon B. Johnson aboard Air Force One as they were flown back to Washington D.C.

He was sworn in by Federal Judge Sarah T He was sworn in by Federal Judge Sarah T. Hughes, a family friend, making him the first and only President sworn in by a woman. He is also the only President to have been sworn in on Texas soil.

Cecil W. Stoughton, White House Press Office (WHPO)

President Lyndon B. Johnson and his family walking from the White House as part of the funeral procession accompanying President Kennedy's casket to St. Matthew's Cathedral. Abbie Rowe, 1905-1967, Photographer

EQ: Who was Lyndon Johnson? President Johnson was responsible for designing the "Great Society.” The “Great Society” included laws that upheld civil rights, Medicare, Medicaid, environmental protection, and aid to education.

EQ: Who was Lyndon Johnson? The “Great Society” was Johnson way of describing our country. He said, “The Great Society rests on abundance and liberty for all. It demands an end to poverty and racial injustice.”

EQ: Who was Lyndon Johnson? Johnson inherited civil unrest caused by unequal rights for citizens. When Johnson was a Congressman in 1937, he voted against every civil rights bill. Until 1957 he had consistently opposed civil rights laws.

EQ: Who was Lyndon Johnson? Many southern states had laws that kept African Americans from voting. People did not think that Johnson would change the voter restrictions since he had always voted against civil rights laws.

EQ: Who was Lyndon Johnson? Civil rights activists placed pressure on Johnson to make changes to the voting laws. Johnson saw that this changed had to happen in order to keep the nation at peace.

EQ: Who was Lyndon Johnson? Johnson went before Congress and gave a speech. He asked Congress to pass the Voting Rights Act. This law would make it easier for everyone to vote.

EQ: Who was Lyndon Johnson? Johnson asked Congress to show respect for authority. Authority is the power to enforce rules or laws. Respect for authority is accepting the need for law. Johnson wanted Congress to accept that the Voting Rights Act needed to become law even if they didn’t personally agree with African Americans voting without restrictions.

EQ: Who was Lyndon Johnson? Other civil rights bills signed by Johnson banned racial discrimination in public facilities, interstate commerce, the workplace, and housing.

President Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act in 1965 President Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act in 1965. Can you spot the familiar face standing behind President Johnson? Cecil Stoughton, White House Press Office (WHPO)

Johnson talking about the signing of the Voting Rights Acts EQ: Who was Lyndon Johnson? Click the blue link below to watch a video of Lyndon Johnson discussing the Voting Rights Act. Teacher note: The video is about 20 minutes. Most likely you will just want to watch a few minutes of it. Johnson talking about the signing of the Voting Rights Acts By Miller Center of Public Affairs [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

EQ: Who was Lyndon Johnson? Lyndon Johnson died of a heart attack at his ranch in Texas on January 22, 1973. He is buried at his family’s cemetery in Stonewall, Texas.

Service Depicted: Air Force Camera Operator: JOEL MARTINEZ

EQ: How does our life compare and contrast to Johnson’s life? Think about your life today and Johnson’s life. How are things in your life different from Johnson’s life? How are things the same?

EQ: How does our life compare and contrast to Johnson’s life? Here are some things to think about: communication transportation hobbies homes food rights and freedoms clothing

Complete the Venn Diagram EQ: How does our life compare and contrast to Johnson’s life? Complete the Venn Diagram Write things that are different on the side. Write things that are the same in the middle.

EQ: What is the difference between a fact and an opinion? An opinion is how someone thinks or feels. It cannot be proven. Examples: Stonewell is the best city in Texas. Lady Bird Johnson is very pretty! Lyndon Johnson is the most interesting person in American history.

Lyndon Johnson. was born in EQ: What is the difference between a fact and an opinion? A fact can be proven by looking in a reliable source. Non-fiction books like encyclopedias, dictionaries, and school textbooks contain facts. Examples: Stonewell is a city in Texas. President Johnson wanted respect for authority. Lyndon Johnson. was born in Stonewell, Texas in 1908.

EQ: What is the difference between a fact and an opinion? Complete the fact and opinion sheet Can it be proven by looking in a reliable source? Is it telling how someone thinks or feels? If so, it is an opinion! If you can, it is a fact!

EQ: What locations are significant to President Johnson? Let’s use a map find some of the places that are important to Lyndon Johnson!

EQ: How can I put events in order? A timeline is a way of displaying a list of events in chronological order. Born in Stonewell, Texas Signs the Voting Rights Act events that happen earliest are towards the left of the timeline events that happen later are towards the right of the timeline

Complete the timeline on Johnson EQ: How can I put events in order? Complete the timeline on Johnson Cut out the events, place them in order, check your answers, then glue the events to the timeline.

Respect for authority means accepting the need for laws and rules. EQ: What character traits describe Lyndon Johnson? Respect for authority means accepting the need for laws and rules.

EQ: What character traits describe Lyndon Johnson? Determination is continuing to try to do or achieve something that is difficult.

EQ: What character traits describe Lyndon Johnson? Leadership is a person who rules, guides, or inspires others the power or ability to lead other people.

EQ: What character traits describe Lyndon Johnson? Complete the adjective bubble map on Lyndon Johnson. Write character traits and adjectives to the bubbles that describe Lyndon B Johnson.

EQ: What are the most important facts about Lyndon Johnson.? We have learned many important facts about Lyndon B Johnson!

EQ: What are the most important facts about Lyndon Johnson? We learned that he was born in Stonewell, Texas. As a young man, Johnson wanted to end prejudice he saw while he was a teacher. He became vice-president and then president after JFK was killed. President Johnson’s program was called “Great Society”.

EQ: What are the most important facts about Lyndon Johnson? When Lyndon Johnson became president, many southern states had voting restrictions that kept African Americans from voting. Lyndon Johnson spoke in front of Congress and asked them to pass the Voting Rights Act. Johnson wanted them to have respect for authority.