The Johnson Administration

The Kennedy Assassination November 22, 1963 President Kennedy was assassinated while in a motorcade parade in Dallas, Texas More than 90% of American homes turned on their televisions to watch Kennedy’s funeral.

The Assassin Within hours of the assassination, police arrested former U.S. marine Lee Harvey Oswald. Two days later as Oswald was being moved to another jail, nightclub owner Jack Ruby pushed his way through a crowd and killed Oswald.

The Warren Commission With Lee Harvey Oswald dead, this left many unanswered questions. The Warren Commission spent months studying the evidence. The conclusion of the Warren Commission was that Lee Harvey Oswald was the assassin and he had acted alone.

President Lyndon B. Johnson

Lyndon B. Johnson in Office Kennedy and Johnson were different in many ways. Kennedy’s family was wealthy and powerful, Johnson grew up poor in rural Texas. Kennedy attended Harvard University and Johnson worked his way through a local teacher’s college Vs.

Johnson in Office Johnson was determined to continue Kennedy’s work by trying to pass an education and civil rights legislation. In 1964 Johnson started the War on Poverty. War on Poverty- a series of programs to help the poor. This led to the creation of Job Corps (teaching young adults basic job skills.) Also, led to Head Start. (an educational program to prepare less fortunate children for school.)

Head Start

Johnson re-elected in 1964 Gained popularity because of these programs. Johnson won the presidential election against republican Barry Goldwater. Johnson set out to create a new set of domestic reforms know as the Great Society.

Great Society Johnson viewed his Great Society an expansion of Roosevelt’s New Deal of the 1930’s during the Great Depression. The Great Society focused on improving health care, establishing Medicare and Medicaid.

Medicare Includes people 65 years and over in a government health plan.

Medicaid Provides health insurance for people with low incomes.

Additional program in the Great Society 1 billion dollars to local schools to help students with special needs. Created the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which originated in the New Deal programs.

Johnson Foreign Policy Johnson like Kennedy and Eisenhower view communism as a threat to American democracy. He sent U.S. marines to the Dominican Republic fearing a communist take over. He also began increasing troops to Vietnam to protect the South from the communist North.

Science and Technology Soviet sent Yuri Gagarin into space in 1961. It appeared the Soviets were once again winning the space race. However, shortly after the United States sent Alan Shepard Jr. to space. He became the first American launched into space. John Glenn became the first American to orbit the earth.

First Men in Space

July 20th, 1969 Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin landed on the moon.

Apollo Program Impacts The Apollo program led to new technologies: Improved building materials. Computers. Medical Devices Communication Systems.

Scientists at Home Biologist Rachel Carson studied the increase in the death rate of birds in Massachusetts. Her book Silent Spring concluded that DDT-an insecticide- had caused the death. The birds had eaten the bugs that had been poisoned by the leaves sprayed with DDT. In 1972-The United States limited the use of DDT.