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2. Chapter 20: The New Frontier and the Great Society
Objective: To understand the achievements and challenges of the Kennedy and Johnson administrations

3. Time covered in this chapter: 1960-1967
John F. Kennedy (D):
Lyndon B. Johnson (D):

4. Section 2: The New Frontier
Why it matters now: Kennedy’s space program continues to generate scientific and engineering advances that benefit Americans
Main idea: While Kennedy had trouble getting his ideas for a New Frontier passed, several goals were achieved

5. The Promise of Progress
John F. Kennedy had a vision for progress he called the New Frontier; this new frontier referred to:
“Uncharted areas of science and space”
“Unconquered pockets of ignorance and prejudice”
“Unanswered questions of poverty and surplus”
However, JFK had difficulty getting Congress to vote for his proposals
Majority of Congress was made up of conservative Republicans and Southern Democrats
Kennedy also lacked a popular mandate: a clear indication that the voters approved of his plans

6. -why couldn’t he get his proposals passed by Congress?
Why did Kennedy have difficulty achieving many of his New Frontier goals?
-why couldn’t he get his proposals passed by Congress?

7. Stimulating the Economy
Kennedy addressed the economic recession with deficit spending: government spends more than the revenue it gets
Increase defense spending by 20%
Extend unemployment insurance
Provide assistance to cities with high unemployment
Increase the minimum wage to $1.25/hr

8. Addressing Poverty Abroad
The Peace Corps was created by the Kennedy administration
A program of volunteer assistance to the developing nations of Asia, Africa, and Latin America
By 1968, 35,000 volunteers had served in 60 nations around the world
To show the world that Americans cared; to deter them from turning to the Soviet Union

9. Addressing Poverty Abroad
Another foreign aid program established by the JFK administration was the Alliance for Progress
Offered economic and technical assistance to Latin American countries
U.S. invested $12 billion in Latin America; in part to deter these countries from picking up Fidel Castro’s revolutionary ideas

10. Why did Kennedy want to invest in foreign aid?

11. Race to the Moon
October 1961: Soviet Yuri A. Gagarin became the first human in space. Kennedy saw this as a challenge and decided that America would surpass the Soviets by sending a man to the moon
Kennedy challenged Americans to put a man in the moon in that decade (60s) [This was achieved on July 20, 1969]
Space program was expanded
As result of the space program, universities expanded their science programs; new technologies were developed; space and defense related industries sprung up in the Southern and Western states, creating jobs; education was improved, especially in math and science.

12. NASA inventions you might use everyday
Scratch-resistant lenses
Invisible braces: TPA
Michael Phelps’ swimsuit
Memory foam

13. -think benefits to Americans besides having a man land on the moon
What effect did the space program have on other areas of American life?
-think benefits to Americans besides having a man land on the moon

14. Addressing Domestic Problems
In 1962, 20% of Americans lived in poverty
Demonstrators began to rise up against segregation
John F. Kennedy responds:
Called for a “national assault on the causes of poverty”
Ordered his brother, who was attorney general, to investigate racial injustices in the South
Proposed a civil rights bill and a tax cut of aver $10 billion
By 1963, public opinion polls showed that JFK was losing popularity because of his support of civil rights; still, most American supported their president

15. What issues did President Kennedy seem to be focusing on before his assassination?

16. Tragedy in Dallas
President Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963 in Dallas, Texas
He was shot, Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested for the murder
In 1963 the Warren Commission investigated the murder of president Kennedy
Concluded that Oswald had been working alone
A reinvestigation in 1979 concluded that Oswald was part of a conspiracy

17. Assassination Breaking News
Nation Mourns

18. Why do you think there are so many conspiracy theories about the assassination of President JFK?

19. LBJ Becomes President
JFK’s Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as President abroad the Air Force One hours after Kennedy’s dead