USH 17-3 The Great Society 36 th President: Lyndon B. Johnson ( ) – Kennedy’s V.P. – Took oath of office aboard Air Force One – Wanted to continue what Kennedy started

War on Poverty President Johnson concerned with the poor Calls economic program “War on Poverty” – Economic Opportunity Act Attacked three main causes of poverty – Inadequate public services – Illiteracy – Unemployment – “Upward Bound” Tutoring to high school students Prepare for college

The Great Society More than 60 government programs between Medicare – Healthcare for senior citizens Medicaid – Healthcare for low-income Head Start – Disadvantaged pre-school children

Legacy of the Great Society Initial success – Helped millions of Americans Later years – Programs extremely expensive – States and cities expect federal money – The Question: How much can government help people before it begins to hurt them? – Relying too much on government welfare