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Johnson Takes the Reins

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Johnson Takes the Reins Johnson Takes the Reins . Shortly after Johnson took over as President, he urged Congress to enact Kennedy’s New Frontier to work for the poor of America by saying, “Let us continue.” . Although America was in a boom, there were many Americans who lived in poverty . 1/5th of American families earned less than $3,000/year . Mostly those who lived in hidden slums, Appalachia, the Deep South, and Native American reservations . Johnson will launch an antipoverty crusade known as the Great Society. Although Johnson had similar beliefs to Kennedy, his style of leadership was quite different. He spoke directly and convincingly. He became president at age 55 and already had 26 years of congressional experience. He had a reputation for a man that got things done. He was able to build coalitions very successfully. He was one of the most powerful and effective leaders in Senate history. LBJ had grown up in hard times and he had been a teacher in a low-income area for a time. Very shortly after he gained office, LBJ was up for election as president. The Republican candidate running against him was Senator Barry Goldwater from Arizona . Goldwater was known for his strong conservatism and said “Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. Moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.” . This made people nervous because it seemed to aggressive for a nation on the verge of nuclear war. Johnson won in a landslide and saw it as a mandate for his dream of a “Great Society.” . Goal was to improve the quality of life for everyone in America. This created several important programs Assignment: Complete your assigned Great Society program on the Google Classroom document. New Deal Great Society . Response to an economic depression . Enacted during a period of economic prosperity . Also included legislation to protect civil liberties & voting rights of African Americans . Watch this video: The Great Society’s triumphs and tragedies https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_cont inue=8&v=EClpFLDrK0g&feature=emb_log o Both . Used power of the federal government to promote social justice, fight poverty & solve social problems . Increased federal spending for social services . Encourage housing construction, helped the elderly and government-sponsored employment programs “ That war killed the lady I really loved – the Great Society.” LBJ Both the War on Poverty and the Great Society were sacrificed to the war on Vietnam. Characterized the Great Society and its attempts to end discriminatory practices. Earl Warren . Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from 1953 to 1969 . Oversaw substantial number of landmark decisions in civil rights, individual liberties and expansion of federal power. Remember…? . Brown v. Board of Education, Topeka, KS 1954 Assignment: Complete your assigned court case on the Google Classroom document. The New Left . Activist student moment at Big 10 and Ivy League universities . Expressed disillusionment with materialistic values of American society, Cold War Polices and lack of action on racial and economic inequality . Formed Students for a Democratic Society in 1962 . Port Huron Statement: In 1967, 70% of Americans saw war protests as acts of disloyalty. •Antiwar Protests – Most college students did not share the radical political view of the New Left but they did participate in the national debate over the Vietnam War and US involvement – College professors organized “teach- ins” to discuss American policy in Vietnam convincing many students that the war was immoral – Led to thousands of students organizing/participating in demonstrations across the country Protests became more widespread as war continued: including MLK, Mohammad Ali, actress and singers like Joan Baez and even high school students Many protests centered on the draft which was taking 50,000 men (ages 18-26) each month in 1967 for 1 Year Tours 1.7 million men drafted to fight (1965-1973) 80% =Lower class whites and minorities 20% combat deaths were African American 50,000 left the county to avoid draft Hippies or Flower Children Rejected the values of the mainstream society of their parents- hard work, neat appearance & economic success Believed they were leading America into a new age of harmony & understanding Long hair, jeans, sandals, beads, free love, peace, and drugs characterized the counterculture Summer of Love in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district in 1967 LSD, marijuana, speed & heroine became popular Singers like Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Jefferson Airplane & Jimi Hendrix The Counterculture WOODSTOCK What was it: “three days of peace, music, and love” When was it: August 1969 Where was it: upstate New York 300,000 to 400,000 people attended Watch “5 Rockin’ Facts about Woodstock” https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_co ntinue=11&v=uUpHakmt93s&feature=emb_l ogo Watch Jimi Hendrix play the National Anthem at Woodstock https://www.youtube.com/w atch?v=MwIymq0iTsw . Its commitment to liberation inspired both the women’s movement and gay rights movement later. It’s rejection of traditional values and lack of trust of authority figures became important strands in the national mindset of the 1960s. Stunned and repelled Americans who embraced the nation’s traditional values. This group would be dubbed “the silent majority,” who would becomes part of the cultural/political backlash that rejuvenated the conservative movement, playing a key role in electing Ronald Reagan as president in 1980..
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