Unit 24: Politics from Camelot to Triangular Diplomacy
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The Artios Home Companion Series Unit 24: Politics from Camelot to Triangular Diplomacy Teacher Overview When John F. Kennedy defeated Richard Nixon in 1960, the United States was at the apex of its postwar optimism. The 1950s economy raised the American standard of living to a level second to none. Although communism was a threat, the rebuilt nations of Western Europe proved to be solid Cold War allies. The Soviet Union had the technology to send a nuclear missile across the North Pole, but the United States maintained a superiority that could obliterate any nation who dared such an attack. Across the world, newly independent nations looked to the United States for assistance and guidance. Few Americans would have believed that by the end of the decade the nation would be weakened abroad and divided against itself. Kennedy embodied that early ebullience. The youthful President and his wife evoked parallels to the magical time of King Arthur and Camelot. His New Frontier program asked the nation’s talented and fortunate to work to eliminate poverty and injustice at home while projecting confidence overseas. Although Congress blocked many of his programs, his self-assurance was contagious, and the shock of his untimely death was nothing less than devastating. Leading Ideas The Bible provides the ethics upon which to judge people and nations. — Exodus 20:1-17 God is sovereign over the affairs of men. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place. — Acts 17:26 Vocabulary Lesson 1: Lesson 2: Lesson 3: ebullience none none John F. Kennedy’s youthful good looks helped him obliterate win the White House in 1960 and usher in an era of American politics remembered as “Camelot.” The Lesson 4: Lesson 5: dream turned to a nightmare in 1963 when Kennedy indelible exacerbate was cut down by an assassin’s bullet. Modern: Middle School Unit 24: Politics from Camelot to Triangular Diplomacy Page 384 Reading and Assignments In this unit, students will: Complete five lessons in which they will learn about the Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon presidencies, journaling and answering discussion questions as they read. Define vocabulary words. Make a notebook page for each of the three Presidents they will be reading about. On each notebook page, they will list some of the events and accomplishments of the presidencies. Select five quotes by President John F. Kennedy. A list of quotes can be found at http://en.proverbia.net/citasautor.asp?autor=14002.They will put the quotes they select, and their insights and opinions into the relevancy of each quote in today’s society, into their notebook, and be prepared to share them. Watch JFK’s inaugural address at: http://voicesofdemocracy.umd.edu/deliberative-topics/u-s- internationalism-2/john-f-kennedy-inaugural-address-20-january-1961/ Watch the video summary of the Cuban Missile Crisis at: http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/cuban-missile- crisis/videos/cuban-missile- crisis?m=528e394da93ae&s=undefined&f=1&free=false Watch Walter Cronkite’s announcement of the JFK assassination at: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/jfk-assassination-cronkite-informs-a- shocked-nation/ Visit www.ArtiosHCS.com for additional resources. Key People, Places, and Events President John F. Kennedy Jack Ruby President Richard M. Nixon Chief Justice Earl Warren Sputnik Robert Kennedy Peace Corps Medicare First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy The Warren Court Yuri Gagarin Hubert Humphrey Alan Shepherd Sirhan John Glenn Martin Luther King Jr. Neil Armstrong George Wallace Peace Corps Mao Zedong Alliance for Progress Leonid Brezhnev Nikita Khrushchev President Lyndon Baines Johnson The Cuban Missile Crisis Secretary of State Henry Kissinger Lee Harvey Oswald Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 Governor John Connally Office of Economic Opportunity National Aeronautics and Space Administration Modern: Middle School Unit 24: Politics from Camelot to Triangular Diplomacy Page 385 L e s s o n O n e History Overview and Assignments The Election of 1960 The election of 1960 was one of the closest elections in American history. However, when the votes were tallied in November, Kennedy received only about 100,000 more votes than Nixon out of over 68 million votes cast. The Electoral College awarded the election to Kennedy by a 303-219 margin, despite Nixon winning more states than Kennedy. Vocabulary ebullience obliterate Key People, Places, and Events President John F. Kennedy Richard M. Nixon Discussion Questions 1. What were some of the challenges that Kennedy faced in the 1960 election? 2. What were some of the challenges that Nixon faced in the 1960 election? Coming into the first televised Presidential debate, 3. How did Kennedy overcome these John F. Kennedy had spent time relaxing in Florida challenges? while Richard Nixon maintained a hectic campaign schedule. As a result, Kennedy appeared tan and 4. How did Nixon try to overcome these relaxed during the debate while Nixon seemed a bit challenges? worn down. Radio listeners proclaimed Nixon the 5. What do many people believe was the better debater, while those who watched on decisive battle in the campaign? television made Kennedy their choice. 6. What were the results of the 1960 election? Reading and Assignments Review the discussion questions and vocabulary, then read the article: The Election of 1960. Narrate about today’s reading using the appropriate notebook page. Be sure to answer the discussion questions and include key people, events, and dates within the narration. Watch JFK’s inaugural address at: http://voicesofdemocracy.umd.edu/deliberative-topics/u-s- internationalism-2/john-f-kennedy-inaugural-address-20-january-1961/ Modern: Middle School Unit 24: Politics from Camelot to Triangular Diplomacy Page 386 Make a notebook page for each of the three Presidents you will be reading about. On each notebook page, list some of the events and accomplishments of their presidencies. A list of quotes by President John F. Kennedy can be found at: http://en.proverbia.net/citasautor.asp?autor=14002. During the lessons in this Unit, select five quotes and record them in your notebook with your insight and opinions into the relevance of each quote in today’s society. Be prepared to share them. Define the vocabulary words in the context of the reading and put each word and its definition in the vocabulary section of your history notebook. Be sure to visit www.ArtiosHCS.com for additional resources. Adapted for Middle School from the book: U.S. History Online Textbook source: ushistory.org The Election of 1960 It was one of the closest elections in He pledged a solid commitment to American history. separation of church and state. Despite his The Republican insider was Richard assurances, his faith cost him an estimated Nixon of California, relatively young but 1.5 million votes in November 1960. Nixon experienced as the nation’s Vice President decided to leave religious issues out of the for eight years under Dwight Eisenhower. campaign and hammer the perception that The Democratic newcomer was John F. Kennedy was too inexperienced to sit in the Kennedy, senator from Massachusetts, who Oval Office. at the age of 43 could become the youngest Nixon stressed his steadfast person ever to be elected President. commitment to fighting communism and Regardless of the outcome, the United the record of his eight years as Vice States would for the first time have a leader President. The Soviet Union and China were born in the 20th century. always pressing concerns, and America Age was not the only factor in the could ill afford a President who had to learn election. Kennedy was also Roman Catholic, on the job. and no Catholic had ever been elected Kennedy stressed his character, assisted President before. This raised serious by those in the press who reported stories questions about the electability of a Catholic about his World War II heroism. While he candidate, particularly in the largely was serving in the South Pacific aboard the Protestant South. Questions were also PT109, a Japanese destroyer rammed his raised about Kennedy’s ability to place ship and snapped it in two. Kennedy national interests above the wishes of his rescued several of his crewmates from pope. certain death. Then he swam from island to To mollify these concerns, Kennedy island until he found a group of friendly addressed a group of Protestant ministers. natives who delivered a distress message Modern: Middle School Unit 24: Politics from Camelot to Triangular Diplomacy Page 387 Kennedy had carved into a coconut to an tanned and well-rested from Florida, while American naval base. Courage and Nixon was recovering from a knee injury he character became the major themes of suffered in a tiresome whistle-stop Kennedy’s campaign. campaign. The Democrat was extremely “telegenic” and comfortable before the camera. The Republican was nervous, sweated profusely under the hot lights, and could not seem to find a makeup artist who could hide his five o’clock shadow. Radio listeners of the first debate narrowly awarded Nixon a victory, while the larger television audience believed Kennedy won by a wide margin. When the votes were tallied in November, Kennedy received only about 100,000 more votes than Nixon out of over 68 million votes cast. The Electoral The combination of New Englander John F. Kennedy College awarded the election to Kennedy by and Texan Lyndon B. Johnson created what some called a 303-219 margin, despite Nixon winning a “Boston-Austin connection” that helped balance the 1960 Democratic ticket geographically. more states than Kennedy. Although both candidates were seen as moderates on nearly every policy issue of the time, they hailed from different backgrounds.