THE GREAT SOCIETY

CHAPTER 28, SECTION 3

MAJOR EVENTS

1963: LBJ becomes President after JFK’s assassination

1964: • LBJ Elected President

• Civil Rights Act of 1964

• Economic Opportunity Act

• 24th Amendment passes 1965:

• Medical Care Act

• Voting Rights Act

LYNDON B. JOHNSON Background:

• Politics: House of Reps., Senate, then VP

• Party: Democratic

• Region: Texas

• Experience: 1937 – 60 in Congress, until elected VP

• Achievements:• Civil Rights Act of 1957: 1st Civil Rights

legislation since Reconstruction

• Southern connections help JFK win 1960 election

LYNDON B. JOHNSON

LBJ Taking

Presidential

Oath of Office,

Nov. 22, 1963

LBJ’s DOMESTIC POLICIES Goals:

• Continue / get approval for JFK’s civil rights & tax-cut bills

• Tax cut: $11 billion

• Civil Rights Act of 1964: Did what?

•Prohibited discrimination based on race, gender, ethnic origin, & religion

• Attack Poverty:

• 1964: Economic Opportunity Act: Did What?

• $1 billion for youth programs, job training, small business loans, antipoverty measures

• GET RE-ELECTED

1964 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION Who’s running?

• Democrats: LBJ

• Republicans: Sen. Barry Goldwater, (AZ) Platform:

• LBJ:

• “BIG” GOVERNMENT. ; Gov’t should solve society’s problems

• No commitment to sending combat troops to Vietnam

• Goldwater:

• “SMALL” GOV’T.: gov’t had no business trying to solve all of society’s problems

• Hard-line Anti-Communist Results?

• LBJ wins: 61% of popular vote, 90% of electoral vote

SEN. BARRY GOLDWATER, REP. - AZ

THE GREAT SOCIETY, 1964-68

“THE GREAT SOCIETY DEMANDS AN END TO POVERTY AND RACIAL INJUSTICE.”

•Lyndon B. Johnson

THE GREAT SOCIETY

Define: LBJs political agenda to improve America (his version of JFKs “New Frontier”)

Goals:• Attack education needs

• Attack poverty

• Attack urban problems

• Attack Civil Rights problems

• Attack environmental issues

• Attack unethical business practices

The Great Society Did What? See chart, p. 847 Major legislation:

• 1964: Tax Reduction Act • Did What?

• 1964: Civil Rights Act• Did What?

• 1965: • Medical Care Act• Dept. of Housing & Urban Development created• Elementary & Secondary Education Act• Higher Education Act• Voting Rights Act• Immigration Act• Clean Air Act Amendment

• 1966: Department of Transportation created

LBJ ON TIME MAGAZINE COVER, 1965

CONSUMER ADVOCACY Early 1960’s: Concern for environment &

consumer safety / product safety issues grows Why?

• 1962: Rachel Carson: Silent Spring•Book outlines the dangers of pesticides &

chemicals on the environment• Ralph Nader: Unsafe at Any Speed

•Book criticizes auto industry for ignoring safety issue in car production

Result?• Johnson Administration passes laws

requiring more safety standards for U.S. businesses

Rachel Carson Ralph Nader

JUDICIAL EVENTS 1960’s: Supreme Court headed by Chief

Justice Earl Warren

• Known as the “Warren Court”

• Famous for variety of issues: examples?

•1954: Brown v. Board of Education

•Banned prayer in public schools

•The Warren Commission

•1966: Miranda v. Arizona

•“Reapportionment” ; See p. 848-49

MIRANDA v. ARIZONA When? 1964-66 Where? Arizona Who? Ernesto Miranda Why? Miranda suspected of kidnap / rape Issue? What rights does a detainee have? Court decision? Any detainee must be given the following

rights:

• All suspects must be “read their rights” before questioning

• What are “Miranda Rights”?

• Right to remain silent

• Anything they say may be used against them in a trial

• They have the right to an attorney before and during questioning

• If they cannot afford an attorney, the state will appoint one