1. Chapter 20 Section 3: The Great Societypp

2. Objective… Describe LBJ’s political path to the White House.
LBJ’s Path to Power
Objective… Describe LBJ’s political path to the White House.

3. Q#1: How did FDR influence LBJ?
LBJ was a member of the US House of Reps when FDR was President. He was a “New Dealer” who FDR took under his wing and helped to secure key committee assignments. In those committee positions LB was able to direct much-needed electrification and water projects to his district back in Texas. Johnson idolized FDR and imitated his leadership style. Further along in his political career LBJ became a US Senator and ultimately became the Senate majority leader.

4. Q#2: How did LBJ persuade legislators to support his position?
Johnson was called a master of behind the scenes maneuvering – often called the “LBJ treatment”
His great powers of persuasion and mastery of party politics helped him to champion the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1957;JFK noted JBJ’s skill at moving things through Congress despite party divisions & decided to name him as his VP running mate in the 1960 election.
Side note…LBJ was a high school English teacher who taught public speaking and debate before getting into public service and eventually politics.

5. Q#3:What factors led JFK to ask LBJ to be his running mate?
Legislative results (Civil Rights Act)
Congressional connections
Southern Protestant
Ultimately Kennedy felt LBJ’s strengths compensated for his own weaknesses….making him the ideal VP running mate.

6. LBJ Finishes JFK’s term….
LBJ was sworn in as President hours after JFK’s death on Air Force One.
Recalling LBJ's swearing in
4 days after taking oath as President, LBJ addressed the nation & talked about carrying on JFK’s legacy. Listen to a brief part of that speech in the blank space at the bottom of page 23 in your packet, list the policies and initiatives started by JFK that LBJ pledged to move forward…
Space
Better foreign relations
Peace Corps
Educational opportunities
Jobs
Elder Care
Mental Illness care & support
EQUAL RIGHTS for all Americans
LBJ pushed through the passage of the Civil Rights Act; declared “unconditional war on poverty” & passed the Economic Opportunity Act – providing $1 billion for Job Corp training, Head Start programs & other anti-poverty measures.

7. Q#4: Who did Republicans nominate in the 1964 election?
Conservative Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona.

8. Q#5: What issues where the Republican’s attacking in the 1964 presidential campaign?
Big, intrusive federal government programs that tried to solve social and economic wrongs such as poverty, discrimination, and lack of equal opportunity.
For example Social Security and the Tennessee Valley Authority

9. Q#6: How did LBJ fair in the 1964 election?
Landslide victory and majority in Congress

10. Q#7: I & E: Great Society
This was LBJ’s vision for America. He envisioned a series of legislative programs that would not only create a higher standard of living and equal opportunity, but also promote a richer quality of life for all.
LBJ Explains the Great Society

11. Tax-cut bill of 1964
Implemented to facilitate economic growth – specifically to cause…
An increase in consumer spending
Increased business investment & revenue – which meant
More $ to the gov. in tax revenues – potentially leading to…
A reduction in the federal budget deficit

12. Civil Rights Act of 1964
Prohibited discrimination based on race, religion, national origin, and gender
Granted the federal government new powers of enforcement so they could prosecute civil rights abuses more successfully.

13. Economic Opportunity Act of 1964
Provided nearly $1 billion in funding for…
Youth programs
Antipoverty measures
Small business loans and job training
Created the Job Corps Home Page
The VISTA program (the Volunteers in Service to America – like a “Peace Corps” here at home) Home Page
Project Head Start Home Page
The Community Action Program – encouraging participation in Public Works programs. Home Page

14. Elementary & Secondary Education Act
Education “the key which can unlock the door to the Great society” LBJ
Provided federal aid to help public and parochial schools to purchase textbooks and new library materials
This was one of the earliest federal aid packages for education in the history of the nation.

15. Medicare
Provided hospital and low-cost medical insurance to most Americans age 65 or older

16. Medicaid
Extended health insurance to welfare recipients

17. Immigration Act of 1965
Replaced the national origins system with a new immigration quota system that allowed more non-European immigrants to settle in the U.S.

18. What effect did the publication of Rachel Carson’s book, Silent Spring have on the environmental movement?
This was the first book to expose the dangerous effect of pesticides on the environment. It led directly to the…
Water Quality Act of 1965 requiring states to cleanup rivers
Chemical and oil companies are targeted by the gov. – this was the basis of the modern environmental movement in this country.

19. What effect did the publication of Ralph Nader’s Book, Unsafe at Any Speed have on auto safety?
Nader was a lawyer & consumer advocate whose book led to …
Establishment of safety standards for cars and tires.
Additional Standards:
Truth-in-packaging laws set standards for labeling consumer goods
Wholesome Meat Act of 1967

20. Reforms of the Warren Court
Objective… Identify the reforms of the Warren Court

21. State sanctioned prayer in public schools was deemed unconstitutional;
What ruling did the Warren Court make regarding the practice of state sanctioned prayer in public school?
Earl Warren was the Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court during the Great Society years. During this time a number of liberal reforms occurred (so conservatives did not support the Warren Court decisions)…
State sanctioned prayer in public schools was deemed unconstitutional;
Brown v. Board of Education ruled segregation unconstitutional;
Protected free speech (censorship of books & film became limited)

22. Impact of the Great Society
Objective… Evaluate the impact of the Great Society.

23. Describe how the Great Society expand the power of government?
Americans disagree whether we’re better or worse
All agree that no other president in the post-WWII era did more to expand the power of the federal government

24. How effective was the War on Poverty?
Succeeded in decreasing poverty from 21% in 1962 to 11% in 1973

25. What was the reaction of Republicans regarding the Great Society and the War on Poverty?
Contributed to growing budget deficit
Spurred debates over the program’s effectiveness and the role of the federal government
Conservative backlash grows

26. What event compromised the Great Society?
The growing U.S. involvement in Vietnam against communism