The Great Society

Thursday/Friday, Mar. 6-7, 2008 TSWU: How did LBJ’s Great Society impact U.S. society then and now?

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Lyndon Johnson and the Great Society As President, Lyndon Johnson became determined to leave an enduring mark on the nation, much in the spirit of his hero, Franklin Roosevelt. He committed himself not only to civil rights, but also to liberal tax cuts, aid to education, health benefits for the elderly and poor, job training, housing, urban renewal, the environment, and more. He called his program "The Great Society" and with it surpassed Roosevelt's legislative achievements. In beating conservative Barry Goldwater in the 1964 presidential race, Johnson also bested Roosevelt's landslide victory in Johnson's vision proved heady indeed. In whirlwind fashion, he passed laws affecting almost every area of life, including health, education, jobs, immigration, auto safety, equal rights, and the environment. Many of the initiatives had a higher price tag than he or his supporters imagined. Inefficiency, corruption, soaring costs, and political infighting dogged many Great Society programs. But more than flawed legislation or political corruption, the Vietnam War shattered Johnson's hopes to create his Great Society. While the executive branch expanded its role in the lives of Americans, the judiciary also took an active approach during the 1960s. The Supreme Court under Justice Earl Warren handed down a series of landmark decisions in the areas of civil liberties and civil rights. These cases protected the due process rights of accused criminals, banned prayer in schools, promoted a right to privacy that protected the purchase and sale of contraceptives and narrowed the legal definition of obscenity, and forced the reapportionment of legislative districts to follow the principle of "one person, one vote."

Great Society Program Description of the program Must include at least 5 key points Explain how this program impacts the U.S. today

Arts and Cultural Institutions

Transportation

Education

Environment

Healthcare

Civil Rights

Consumer Protection

War on Poverty

Economy

Student Response Create a promotional poster for the Great Society. You must include visual depictions and written information for at least 3 programs created during LBJ’s time as President.