JFK and domestic affairs: The New Frontier

For homework:  Carefully read each of these slides. This presentation is designed to take you through the domestic, social, and economic landscape of the brief (but extraordinarily important) Presidency of John F. Kennedy.  Take a look at your Enduring Vision, p if you need clarification. These five pages cover many of the same things seen here.  Depending on timing, you will either watch the youtube clips found on some of these slides for homework or in class, and will receive a video guide for most of them. Pay attention to what is said in class and noted on the website.  Carefully read each of these slides. This presentation is designed to take you through the domestic, social, and economic landscape of the brief (but extraordinarily important) Presidency of John F. Kennedy.  Take a look at your Enduring Vision, p if you need clarification. These five pages cover many of the same things seen here.  Depending on timing, you will either watch the youtube clips found on some of these slides for homework or in class, and will receive a video guide for most of them. Pay attention to what is said in class and noted on the website.

The New Frontier  “We stand at the edge of a New Frontier- the frontier of unfulfilled hopes and dreams, a frontier of unknown opportunities and beliefs in peril. Beyond that frontier are uncharted areas of science and space, unsolved problems of peace and war, unconquered problems of ignorance and prejudice, unanswered questions of poverty and surplus.”  -JFK’s 1960 acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention  “We stand at the edge of a New Frontier- the frontier of unfulfilled hopes and dreams, a frontier of unknown opportunities and beliefs in peril. Beyond that frontier are uncharted areas of science and space, unsolved problems of peace and war, unconquered problems of ignorance and prejudice, unanswered questions of poverty and surplus.”  -JFK’s 1960 acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention

JFK’s cabinet and advisors: “The Best and the Brightest”  JFK’s cabinet was populated by many young, Ivy League- educated men  Bobby Kennedy: 35 yr. old Attorney General  Robert McNamara: Defense Secretary  Dean Rusk: Secretary of State  McGeorge Bundy: National Security Advisor  Ted Sorensen: speechwriter  Pierre Salinger: Press Secretary  JFK’s cabinet was populated by many young, Ivy League- educated men  Bobby Kennedy: 35 yr. old Attorney General  Robert McNamara: Defense Secretary  Dean Rusk: Secretary of State  McGeorge Bundy: National Security Advisor  Ted Sorensen: speechwriter  Pierre Salinger: Press Secretary

The Kennedy Economy  There was a brief economic slowdown at the end of the Eisenhower administration  Economic growth doubles: 5.5% yearly from !  Unemployment decreases dramatically  Only 1.3% inflation rate on average  Longest uninterrupted period of growth in American history- all the way through 1966! (the record until President Clinton)  There was a brief economic slowdown at the end of the Eisenhower administration  Economic growth doubles: 5.5% yearly from !  Unemployment decreases dramatically  Only 1.3% inflation rate on average  Longest uninterrupted period of growth in American history- all the way through 1966! (the record until President Clinton)

The Reality of JFK’s First Term  “There’s no sense in raising hell and then not being successful.” -JFK  JFK defeated Richard Nixon in 1960 in closest election since 1888 (less than 1%)  Congress was dominated by Republicans and Southern Democrats; it was difficult for JFK to get much done!  “There’s no sense in raising hell and then not being successful.” -JFK  JFK defeated Richard Nixon in 1960 in closest election since 1888 (less than 1%)  Congress was dominated by Republicans and Southern Democrats; it was difficult for JFK to get much done!

Modest achievements?  Minimum wage raised to $1.25  Housing Act of 1961: created the Department of Housing and Urban Development; $4.9 billion for urban renewal, mass transit, and housing  Federal support for the disabled and mentally ill: after jp after jp  Equal Pay Act, 1963: gender equality in pay  Clean Air Act, 1963: tougher air pollution standards  Proposed many other plans for Medicare, education, etc. but few were passed  Minimum wage raised to $1.25  Housing Act of 1961: created the Department of Housing and Urban Development; $4.9 billion for urban renewal, mass transit, and housing  Federal support for the disabled and mentally ill: after jp after jp  Equal Pay Act, 1963: gender equality in pay  Clean Air Act, 1963: tougher air pollution standards  Proposed many other plans for Medicare, education, etc. but few were passed

Space… the final frontier  $25 billion invested in the Apollo project  "First, I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him back safely to the earth. No single space project in this period will be more impressive to mankind, or more important for the long-range exploration of space; and none will be so difficult or expensive to accomplish.”  "No nation which expects to be the leader of other nations can expect to stay behind in this race for space."  "We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard."  $25 billion invested in the Apollo project  "First, I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him back safely to the earth. No single space project in this period will be more impressive to mankind, or more important for the long-range exploration of space; and none will be so difficult or expensive to accomplish.”  "No nation which expects to be the leader of other nations can expect to stay behind in this race for space."  "We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard."

The civil rights revolution continues  JFK concentrated more on enforcing existing civil rights laws than passing new ones (through Attorney General Bobby Kennedy)  He appointed record numbers of African Americans to federal government posts, but also appointed racist federal judges in the South  Stalled until 1962 on his campaign pledge to end federal housing segregation  Kennedy's political strategy was to delay sending a civil rights bill to Congress until his second term  JFK concentrated more on enforcing existing civil rights laws than passing new ones (through Attorney General Bobby Kennedy)  He appointed record numbers of African Americans to federal government posts, but also appointed racist federal judges in the South  Stalled until 1962 on his campaign pledge to end federal housing segregation  Kennedy's political strategy was to delay sending a civil rights bill to Congress until his second term

The following slides…  Watch only the specific segment of each of these videos from YouTube.  For homework on Monday night, watch the clip on slide 11 and use the video sheet provided to you.  Watch only the specific segment of each of these videos from YouTube.  For homework on Monday night, watch the clip on slide 11 and use the video sheet provided to you.

The Freedom Rides  Click here: Click here:  _XKBBAM _XKBBAM  26:03-54:51

The story of James Meredith  Click here: Click here:  Uc1oP7s Uc1oP7s  31:50-54:43

The Birmingham Campaign, 1963  Click here: Click here:  wMdV5g wMdV5g  21:19-42:42

JFK’s civil rights address to the nation: June 11, 1963  es/jfkcivilrights.htm es/jfkcivilrights.htm  We will read this in class.

The murder of Medgar Evers: June 12, 1963  We will look at this in class: We will look at this in class:  ar-Evers ar-Evers

The March on Washington  wMdV5g wMdV5g  42:43-end  We will watch this in class, too.

16th Street Baptist Church bombling; 4 Little Girls murdered; September 15, 1963 

This concludes…  … our brief look at the domestic, social, political, and economic aspects of JFK’s time in office. Next week we will examine his role in The Cold War and of course, most famously, his tragic assassination.