John F. Kennedy

Richard M. Nixon

Election of 1960 In 1960, the Republicans

chose Richard M. Nixon as their candidate for President

Nixon was known for his strong feelings against the Soviet Union and communism

Nixon was the Vice President under Dwight D. Eisenhower

He was a very experienced politician

Election of 1960 The Democrats had chosen John F.

Kennedy to run for President; he had served in the House of Representatives

Kennedy told Americans that the United States was at a New Frontier

This became the name of Kennedy’s ideas, goals, and programs for America’s future

Kennedy said that the United States had not spent enough on the military. He promised to spend more on defense and on science education in schools

The Television Debates Nixon and Kennedy met face to face on

TV Kennedy seemed calm and friendly; Nixon seemed tired & nervous People who listened to the debates

thought the two candidates came out even

The Television Debates Those who saw the debates on television

thought Kennedy had won them Historians believe people starting making

voting decision based upon appearances since TV

In the 1960 election, Kennedy won by fewer than 120,000 votes; this was the closest election in U.S. history

1st Televised Presidential Debates

Kennedy Becomes President

Election Results

• Kennedy wins by slim margin

• Closest election since 1884

Kennedy Years

President John F. Kennedy gave a famous speech – his inaugural speech

In part, it said: “And so my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.”

The Kennedy Years

“Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for

your country”

Kennedy’s Agenda Kennedy’s “New Frontier”

• Improve economy• Help the poor• Speed up space program• Cut taxes

Congress’s Support•Increased minimum wage $1.00 to $1.25•Extended unemployment pay•Helped cities with high unemployment•Did not cut taxes

The Kennedy Years Congress passed some of Kennedy’s

bills which included

Sending money to places where people were jobless

Giving money to build housing for older Americans

Making it easier for young people to get loans for college

Passing laws to control pollution and to give more Americans Social Security benefits

The Kennedy Years Kennedy also provided money for

urban renewal, which involves rebuilding run-down areas of cities

Kennedy set ambitious goals for the Space Program

He believed it was important for the United States to get to the moon before the Soviet Union

The Soviets put the 1st man in space, so Kennedy wanted to put the 1st man on the moon

Life in the White House or “Camelot”

This family portrait taken in Hyannisport, Mass., illustrates much of what Americans loved about the Kennedys: a young, vivacious family who projected a sense of warmth and fun, despite their wealth and connections. [Photo by Cecil Stoughton]

Life in the White House or “Camelot”

Camelot – legendary kingdom of King Arthur

• Broadway musical opened in 1960

• Represented Kennedy White House• energetic, idealistic• grace, elegance, fun, warmth

Trouble in Cuba President Kennedy

believed in fighting communism by making the U.S. military stronger than the Soviet Union

Kennedy felt the U.S. should give money, technology and advice to help developing countries

Fidel Castro was the Communist leader of rebel forces in Cuba who took over the country

Fidel Castro

Trouble in Cuba Castro asked the Soviet Union for

weapons to defend Cuba because he was afraid the U.S. would attack their country

President Eisenhower made secret plans to train Cuban exiles to invade Cuba and overthrow Castro Eisenhower thought the Cuban people would rise up against Castro.

Trouble in Cuba On April 17, 1961, the Cuban exiles landed

at the Bay of Pigs in Cuba and were attacked

More than 100 exiles were killed and the rest were put in prison

Cuban rebels captured

Berlin Wall In 1961, Kennedy met with Soviet leader, Nikita Khrushchev, who believed that the Communists should control all of Berlin

Kennedy did not want the Communists to control all of Berlin, and both leaders left the meeting ready to build up their countries’ military power

The East German government began to build a wall between East and West Berlin

Berlin Wall The Berlin Wall

was built to keepEast Germans from escaping to freedom in West Berlin

Many people died trying to escape East Berlin

Checkpoint Charlie

Kennedy at the Berlin Wall – 1963

"There are some who say that Communism is the wave of the future. Let them come to Berlin."--President John F. Kennedy, Berlin, Germany, June 26, 1963

Berlin Wall Coming Down - 1989

Cold War Crises In 1962, the Soviet

Union decided to send missiles to Cuba

Cuba was close to the United States and the missiles could easily hit U.S cities

On October 22, Kennedy announced that Cuba was under quarantine, which meant that Cuba was isolated, or cut off, from all other countries

Cold War Crises Kennedy said that if the missiles were used

to attack the United States, the U.S. would attack the Soviet Union

In October, Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles from Cuba if the United States promised never to invade Cuba

Kennedy Assassination On November 22, 1963, President Kennedy

was shot dead while riding in an open car in Dallas, Texas

After the death of Kennedy, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, was sworn in as President

Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested and charged with the assassination of President Kennedy

A nightclub owner, Jack Ruby , shot and killed Oswald

Kennedy Assassination

Motorcade in Dallas, TX

Kennedy Assassination

Texas Schoolbook Depository

Kennedy Assassination

Kennedy Assassination

Lee Harvey OswaldJack Ruby shoots Oswald

Kennedy Assassination

Nightclub owner Jack Ruby

Warren Commission

President Johnson appointed a commission to investigate the assassination

Warren Commission• Determined Oswald acted alone

1979 reinvestigation – Oswald part of conspiracy

Still debated today – Why?• People don’t want to believe a

President’s death could be so random

Kennedy’s Funeral

Kennedy’s Tomb

Arlington National Cemetery

President Lyndon B. JohnsonPresident Johnson

• Strong politician• Highly experienced• House of

Representatives – 1937

• Pushed legislation Punish enemies Reward friends

Action on Civil Rights Lyndon B. Johnson

worked hard to get votes for a bill called the Civil Rights Act of 1964

The Civil Rights Act desegregated public places and gave African Americans a better chance at getting jobs

Johnson also helped to get the Voting Rights Act passed in 1965

War on Poverty Many African

Americans were unable to get jobs because of unfair hiring practices

The young, elderly and new immigrants were also likely to be poor and without jobs

War on Poverty In August, 1964,

lawmakers passed Johnson’s Economic Opportunity Act

This act created programs such as the Jobs Corps, Project Head Start and VISTA, a program in which young people worked in cities and on Indian reservations

Planning the Great Society Lyndon Johnson won a landslide presidential

election against Republican Barry Goldwater

Johnson called his ideas, goals and programs for America’s future the Great Society

Johnson wanted to help homeless people, older Americans, low-income people and new immigrants

In 1968, a new immigration law allowed more immigrants from Asia, Latin America and ________________________ ____________________________ into the United States. This law would change the __________________________ of the U.S.

Planning the Great Society In 1968, a new immigration law allowed

more immigrants from Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe into the United States

This law would change the population of the U.S.

Planning the Great Society One of Johnson’s Great Society programs

is Medicare, a health insurance program for people over age 65 that helps pay for doctors’ services and hospital bills

Another program under Johnson’s Great Society program is Medicaid, which helps low-income people and people with disabilities pay for many kinds of health care