1. 04/25 warm-up: What approach did Kennedy take to address the civil rights movement? Place grade sheets and any missing work in the back of the room

2. The Civil Rights Act of 1964
outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It ended unequal application of voter registration requirements and racial segregation in schools, at the workplace and by facilities that served the general public
The bill was called for by JFK in June of 63] in which he asked for legislation.

3. The election of 1960 JFK Becomes President

4. Election of 1960
As his term came to an end, Eisenhower endorsed Nixon as the Republican nomination for president.
Democrats endorsed WWII hero and MA Senator, Kennedy.

5. TELEVISED DEBATE AFFECTS VOTE 1960
TV Debate Impacts Voters
JFK
wealthy, handsome, charismatic
Only 43
Roman Catholic
Kennedy looked and spoke better than Nixon, but weak against Communism
Nixon more experienced
8 years as Vice President
Former Governor
Huge Anti-Communist

7. 1960 Presidential Election

8. Kennedy and Civil Rights
King arrested
Nixon took no public position
JFK telephoned Coretta to express sympathy
Bobby Kennedy (RFK) persuaded the judge who had sentenced King to release him on bail (helps JFK appeal to the African-American community)
JFK won by fewer than 119,000 votes

9. Significance
the Nixon/Kennedy debates were the first to be televised and tilted many towards JFK because he looked better, introducing the idea that public image was highly influential in America choosing it's elected officials.

10. THE KENNEDY MYSTIQUE The first family fascinated the American public
For example, after learning that JFK could read 1,600 words a minute, thousands enrolled in speed-reading courses
Jackie, too, captivated the nation with her eye for fashion and culture

11. THE CAMELOT YEARS
During his term in office, JFK and his beautiful young wife, Jacqueline, invited many artists and celebrities to the White House
press portrayed the Kennedys as a young, attractive, energetic, and stylish couple; with attention to arts and culture and an average every-day family
The press loved the Kennedy charm and JFK appeared frequently on T.V.
The Kennedys were considered American “Royalty” (hence “Camelot” reference)

13. THE BEST AND THE BRIGHTEST
Of all of his elite advisors who filled Kennedy’s inner circle, he relied most on his 35-year-old brother Robert, whom he appointed attorney general
RFK was John’s closest friend and advisor

14. The New Frontier Bold, new domestic programs to fix: Education Welfare
Health Care
Elderly Assistance
Inner-Cities
Continue FDR’s social action

15. New Frontier Goals Provide medical care for elderly
Rebuild urban areas
Education (focusing on Math & Science)
Strengthen national defense
Increase international aid
Expand space program

16. JFK’s Problems Passing New Frontier
Small Democratic majority in Congress
Barely won the presidency
Congress didn’t support policies
Christian Southern Conservative Democrats didn’t like him
Republicans weren’t supportive either
Battled high inflation
Contending in conflicts in Cuba, Berlin, and Vietnam
Most legislation would NOT pass

17. RACE TO THE MOON
On April 12, 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space
Meanwhile, America’s space agency (NASA) began construction on new launch facilities in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

18. The Space Race
President Kennedy was also eager for the United States to lead the way in exploring space.
The Soviet Union was ahead of the United States in its space program and President Kennedy was determined to catch up.
Kennedy was the first president to ask Congress to approve more than 22 billion dollars for Project Apollo, which had the goal of landing an American man on the moon before the end of the decade.

19. Crises over Cuba The Cuban dilemma Fidel Castro comes to power in 1959
Puts on mass public trials and executions
U.S. denounces Cuba and accepts thousands of Cuban refugees
1960 – Cuba signs a trade treaty with the Soviet Union

20. The Bay of Pigs
In March 1960 Eisenhower orders CIA to train Cuban exiles for an invasion of their homeland
JFK notified of plan 9 days into his presidency
JFK continues with the plan and has CIA train 1000 Cuban exiles to invade Cuba.
The plan: day before the invasion, planes would attempt to wipe out Castro’s air force, then exiles would land at the beach, and the Cuban people would rise up against Castro and overthrow him

21. Bay of Pigs (Cont.)
Plan failed: JFK failed to provide the necessary resources.
It turned out to be a disaster when in April, 1961, 1,200 Cuban exiles met 25,000 Cuban troops backed by Soviet tanks and were soundly defeated

22. Operation Mongoose
JFK goes ahead with a plan called Operation Mongoose in which gov’t agents worked:
-to disrupt the island’s trade
-working with mobsters to assassinate Castro
Castro survives more than 600 assassination attempts created by the CIA
Examples: Exploding cigar, poisoned wetsuit, poisoned milkshake, exploding conch shell, etc.

23. The Cuban Missile Crisis
In an attempt stop American intervention, Castro and Kruschchev (USSR) devised a daring plan: installation of Soviet missiles and nuclear bombers in Cuba

24. Cuban Missile Crisis
13 day confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union nuclear missiles in Cuba. In 1962, the Soviet Union secretly placed nuclear-tipped missiles on the Communist-led island of Cuba. The world was on the brink of nuclear war

25. Cuban Missile Crisis (Cont.)
Eventually, the Presidents had worked out a secret agreement
The Cuban Missile crisis comes to a close as Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev agrees to remove Russian missiles from Cuba in exchange for a promise from the United States to respect Cuba's territorial sovereignty.

26. CRISIS OVER BERLIN
In 1961, Berlin, Germany was a city in great turmoil
In the 11 years since the Berlin Airlift, almost 3 million East Germans (Soviet side) had fled into West Berlin (U.S. controlled) to flee communist rule

27. SOVIETS SEEK TO STOP EXODUS
The Soviets did not like the fact that East Berliners were fleeing their city for the democratic west
Their departure hurt the economy and the prestige of the USSR
Soviets began construction of a 90-mile wall separating East and West Berlin
East Germany begins construction on the Berlin Wall, which becomes a primary symbol of the Cold War and Soviet oppression