Chapter 22 A New Frontier

Election of 1960  A televised debate between Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy had a significant effect on the outcome.  Kennedy ended up winning a very close election.  &q=kennedy+nixon+debate&total=40&start=10&num=10&so=0&type=sea rch&plindex= &q=kennedy+nixon+debate&total=40&start=10&num=10&so=0&type=sea rch&plindex= &q=kennedy+nixon+debate&total=40&start=10&num=10&so=0&type=sea rch&plindex=8  In Illinois, there were accusations of voter fraud.

Kennedy’s Domestic Programs  JFK was not afraid to interfere with the economy. (U.S. Steel)  His plan to end an economic slump was to make tax cuts.

Poverty and Inequality  Initiatives that were passed… –Increase in minimum wage –Housing Act of 1961 –24 th Amendment (outlawed poll tax) –Equal Pay Act (employees doing substantially the same work should have equal pay) –Other initiatives are listed on page 739.

The Space Program  April 1961The USSR announced that Yuri Gagarin had circled the earth in a Soviet spacecraft.  May 5, 1961Alan Shepard made a 15 minute flight in space.  May 25, 1961Kennedy challenged the nation to put a man on the moon.  Feb 20, 1962John Glenn successfully orbited the earth three times.  July 20, 1969Neil Armstrong walks on the moon.

Kennedy’s Assassination  November 22, 1963  JFK rode through Dallas with Texas governor John Connally.  As they passed by the Texas School Book Depository, Lee Harvey Oswald fired shots that would mortally wound JFK.  Oswald was eventually picked up but was killed by Jack Ruby while in police custody.  The Warren Commission, headed by Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren, looked into the incident and decided that Oswald had acted alone. 

LBJ’s Great Society  Legislative Agenda –Poverty relief –Education aid –Health care –Voting rights –Conservation and beautification projects

Election of 1964  Barry Goldwater was the Republican nominee.  He was against civil rights legislation.  He believed nuclear weapons should be used in war.  LBJ won 61% of the popular vote.

LBJ’s Initiatives  Tax cuts  War on Poverty  Head Start: pre-school program for children from low income families that also provides other services for those children.  VISTA (Volunteers in Assistance to America): sent volunteers to help in poor areas.  Aid to Education (provided 1.3 billion to states – based on number of low-income homes in state)

More LBJ Initiatives  Medicare: affordable health care insurance for people 65 and over.  Medicaid: low-cost health insurance to poor Americans who cannot afford their own.  Immigration Reform (1965): Set limits on number of immigrants from different countries and areas of the world.

The Warren Supreme Court  Supreme Court Decisions are decided based on the judges’ interpretation of the __________________.  These rulings in effect become ________.  Name some important Supreme Court decisions.

Decisions of the Warren Court  Roth v. United States  Engel v. Vitale  Griswold v. Connecticut  Mapp v. Ohio  Gideon v. Wainwright  Escobedo v. Illinois  Miranda v. Arizona  Baker v. Carr  Reynolds v. Sims

Criticisms of the Great Society Program  unreal expectations.  Some people had a problem with their taxes being spent on the poor (redistribution of income).  Creation of generations of Americans that would come to depend on handouts.  Too much authority in hands of federal government.  Didn’t go far enough to eliminate poverty.