6.5 – LBJ & THE GREAT

SOCIETY Unit 6 – The Cold War and Cultural Change

Section 5 – LBJ and the Great Society

Learning Targets & Key Words

The Students Will Be

Able To (TSWBAT):

• Understand the political

agenda of Lyndon B.

Johnson during his

presidency

• Evaluate the lasting

impact of LBJ’s

accomplishments while

in office

Key Words:

Great Society

War on Poverty

Environmental Reform

EQ: How did LBJ attempt

to reform American

society during his

presidency? Were his

attempts effective?

Lyndon B. Johnson

• Terms:1963-1969 • Becomes president when JFK is

assassinated • Party: Democrat

• Seen as very liberal (on par with FDR – creates government programs to help society)

• 36th President • Long time politician

• US House of Reps • US Senate – Senate Majority Leader

and Senate Majority Whip

• Reputation for helping with compromises

• Tried to move the country past the assassination

LBJ’s Inaugural Address in 1965:

http://www.history.com/topics/us-

presidents/lyndon-b-johnson

LBJ’s Political Agenda

• Revenue Act of 1964 • Reduces individual

income taxes

• Civil Rights Act of

1964 • Desegregating US

• Works with MLK, Jr. to

get the law passed

… We will talk about this

much more later!

LBJ’s Political Agenda, cont.

•“The War on Poverty” • Introduced at 1962 State of the Union Address • LBJ sets the goal that ALL Americans will be able to support their families

• Economic Opportunity Act • Established the Office of Economic Opportunity • Provided financial assistance, education, and jobs to America’s poor

LBJ’s Political Agenda, cont.

• Great Society • Name for legislative program to win

the war on poverty • His goal for all Americans

• Create a higher standard for everyone (jobs, education, healthcare, etc.) so that we can become a Great Society

• Housing:

• HUD (Housing and Urban Development)

• Education: • Head Start, Secondary Education Act

• Jobs: • AmeriCorps, Job Corps

• Subsidized Healthcare: • Medicare - Healthcare for elderly • Medicaid - Healthcare for poor

LBJ’s Political Agenda, cont.

• Immigration Act of 1965

• A.k.a. Naturalization Act

• Abolished early quota system based on nationality; Opens up immigration into US

• Water Quality & Clean Air Act

• Environmental protection

• Inspired by Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring (published in 1962)

• Fair Packaging and Labeling Act

• Consumer protection

Earl Warren’s Supreme Court

• Made many monumental and controversial decisions

Decisions:

• Brown v. Board of Education (1954) • Ended legal segregation

• Overturned Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

• Mapp v. Ohio (1961) • Protection from illegal search and seizure

• Gideon v. Wainwright (1962) • Right to an attorney

• Miranda v. Arizona (1966) • Defendants’ rights

LBJ’s Legacy

• Extension of federal power

• Liberal social programs (War on Poverty/Great Society)

• Rate of poverty did decrease

• Growing budget deficit

• Conservative backlash

• Conflict in Vietnam

The Great Society Primary Source Activity

• EQ: Was the Great Society successful?

Part 1: LBJ’s “Great Society” speech

Answer the following questions:

• Source: What type of document is this and who is the audience?

• Close reading: What is the message of this document?

• Context: What sorts of government programs do you think President Johnson would support based on this document?

The Great Society Primary Source Activity

• EQ: Was the Great Society successful?

Part 2: List of Great Society Programs

Answer the following questions:

• Which of these programs have you heard of?

• Which programs do you think have been successful?

• How would you measure whether these programs were successful?

• How is the Great Society like the New Deal? How is it different?

The Great Society Primary Source Activity

• EQ: Was the Great Society successful?

Part 4: Pros and Cons

• Complete the graphic organizer with a partner

using the information you learned in steps 1-3

Source –

Who wrote

it?

What is the

author’s

main

argument?

What

evidence to

they use?

Pros

Cons

The Great Society Primary Source Activity

• EQ: Was the Great Society successful?

Part 4: LBJ Introduces the Great Society

Answer the following questions:

• http://www.history.com/topics/us-

presidents/lyndon-b-johnson/videos/johnson-

introduces-great-society

• What types of programs does LBJ support?

• Was the Great Society a success or a failure?

The Great Society Primary Source Activity

• EQ: Was the Great Society successful?

Part 5: Discussion

Answer the following questions:

• What is Califano’s main argument? What is Sowell’s

main argument?

• What evidence does each use to support his claim?

• Who do you find more convincing? Why?

• How are some of these arguments being played out

in today’s debates over economic recovery?