Chapter 20:Chapter 20:The New Frontier The New Frontier and Great Societyand Great Society

Section 2:Section 2:The New FrontierThe New Frontier

California Academic Standards:California Academic Standards: 11.11.511.11.5

11.11 Students analyze the major 11.11 Students analyze the major social problems and domestic social problems and domestic policy issues in contemporary policy issues in contemporary American society. American society.

.5 .5 Trace the impact of, need for, and Trace the impact of, need for, and controversies associated with controversies associated with environmental conservation, environmental conservation, expansion of the national park system, expansion of the national park system, and the development of environmental and the development of environmental protection laws, with particular protection laws, with particular attention to the interaction between attention to the interaction between environmental protection advocates environmental protection advocates and property rights advocates.and property rights advocates.

Objectives:Objectives:Following lecture and reading of Following lecture and reading of

this section, this section, students will be students will be able to:able to:

1.1.Explain the public’s fascination Explain the public’s fascination with the Kennedys.with the Kennedys.

2.2.Summarize the domestic and Summarize the domestic and foreign agenda of Kennedy’s foreign agenda of Kennedy’s New Frontier.New Frontier.

3.3.Describe the tragic and Describe the tragic and controversial chain of events controversial chain of events surrounding Kennedy’s surrounding Kennedy’s assassination.assassination.

May 5, 1961 Alan Shepard May 5, 1961 Alan Shepard becomes the first American to becomes the first American to travel into spacetravel into space

The trip took 15 minutes but The trip took 15 minutes but stood for the American spirit stood for the American spirit that said anything is possiblethat said anything is possible

JFK inspired many Americans, JFK inspired many Americans, and shook the nation when he and shook the nation when he was assassinatedwas assassinatedWhat was the public’s What was the public’s fascination with the fascination with the Kennedy’s?Kennedy’s?

At his inauguration Kennedy At his inauguration Kennedy invited people from all walks of life invited people from all walks of life and all races to join himand all races to join him

““And so my fellow Americans ask And so my fellow Americans ask not what your country can do for not what your country can do for you-ask what you can do for your you-ask what you can do for your country.”country.”

Kennedy gives special recognition Kennedy gives special recognition to American art and culture to American art and culture inviting several artists, musicians, inviting several artists, musicians, and celebrities to the White house and celebrities to the White house to give performancesto give performances

JFK appeared frequently on TV, JFK appeared frequently on TV, which suited his personality which suited his personality

The public is fascinated by the The public is fascinated by the president and his familypresident and his family

People enrolled in speed reading People enrolled in speed reading classes because JKF read 1,600 classes because JKF read 1,600 words per minutewords per minute

Jacqueline influenced fashion of Jacqueline influenced fashion of the daythe day

The daughter Caroline and son The daughter Caroline and son John had their pictures John had their pictures throughout newspapersthroughout newspapers

JFK and his advisers reminded JFK and his advisers reminded Americans of a play called Americans of a play called CamelotCamelot, which opened in 1960 , which opened in 1960 portraying King Arthur’s courtportraying King Arthur’s court

Kennedy surrounds himself Kennedy surrounds himself with young, bright advisers with young, bright advisers who happened to be leaders of who happened to be leaders of huge companies and knew huge companies and knew how to get the job donehow to get the job doneWhat was the domestic and What was the domestic and foreign agenda of Kennedy’s foreign agenda of Kennedy’s New Frontier?New Frontier?

Kennedy outlines his New Kennedy outlines his New Frontier proposals that Frontier proposals that included medical care for the included medical care for the aged, rebuilding the inner city aged, rebuilding the inner city and aid to educationand aid to education

But JFK has difficulty fulfilling But JFK has difficulty fulfilling many of them because he has many of them because he has to deal with a congress that is to deal with a congress that is conservative, very similar to conservative, very similar to the congress Truman had to the congress Truman had to deal with when attempting to deal with when attempting to pass through his Fair Dealpass through his Fair Deal

He also lacked a popular He also lacked a popular mandate- or clear indication mandate- or clear indication that voters approved of his that voters approved of his plans- because he won the plans- because he won the presidency by so little a presidency by so little a marginmargin

By now the economy was in recession By now the economy was in recession so Kennedy tried to stimulate so Kennedy tried to stimulate economic growth by increasing economic growth by increasing government spending (deficit government spending (deficit spending, the basis for Roosevelt’s spending, the basis for Roosevelt’s New Deal) and lowering taxes for New Deal) and lowering taxes for companies and individualscompanies and individuals

The thought was: more public The thought was: more public spending would pump money into the spending would pump money into the economy and lowering taxes would economy and lowering taxes would give people the freedom to spend give people the freedom to spend even more moneyeven more money

JFK passed a 20% expansion of JFK passed a 20% expansion of military, raise of minimum wage to military, raise of minimum wage to $1.25/hr and assistance to cities w/ $1.25/hr and assistance to cities w/ high unemploymenthigh unemployment

The President creates the Peace The President creates the Peace Corps to aid developing nations, Corps to aid developing nations, not not liked at first because all the liked at first because all the workers were young but eventually workers were young but eventually turned out to be very valuableturned out to be very valuable

Alliance for Progress, helped Latin Alliance for Progress, helped Latin American countries improve their American countries improve their living standards and prevented living standards and prevented Castro (Cuba) from having Castro (Cuba) from having influence in Latin Americainfluence in Latin America

Alliance for Progress built schools Alliance for Progress built schools and improved sanitation and health, and improved sanitation and health, tried to break up large estates and tried to break up large estates and give land to farm workersgive land to farm workers

$12 billion later development $12 billion later development occurred but fundamental occurred but fundamental reform failedreform failed

The Soviet-manned launch in The Soviet-manned launch in 1961 spurs the development of 1961 spurs the development of the U.S. space program (NASA)the U.S. space program (NASA)

On July 20, 1969 Neil Armstrong On July 20, 1969 Neil Armstrong fulfilled JFK’s dream of landing a fulfilled JFK’s dream of landing a man on the moonman on the moon

Kennedy turned his attention Kennedy turned his attention toward the issues of poverty and toward the issues of poverty and civil rights, especially in the civil rights, especially in the southsouth

What was the tragic and What was the tragic and controversial chain of controversial chain of events surrounding events surrounding Kennedy’s assassination?Kennedy’s assassination?

In the fall of 1963 JFK had a In the fall of 1963 JFK had a 60% approval rating60% approval rating

He went to Dallas to meet He went to Dallas to meet with democrats to “mend with democrats to “mend fences” with themfences” with them

Unexpectedly he received a Unexpectedly he received a warm greeting from the warm greeting from the conservative republican stateconservative republican state

Then Then JFK was assassinated by a rifle JFK was assassinated by a rifle shot while riding in the back seat of shot while riding in the back seat of an open air limousinean open air limousine

People react with grief to Kennedy’s People react with grief to Kennedy’s assassination and are glued to their assassination and are glued to their TVs watching the imagesTVs watching the images

Viewers watched as LBJ somberly Viewers watched as LBJ somberly took the oath of office of presidenttook the oath of office of president

The alleged assassin, Lee Harvey The alleged assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, is shot and killed by Jack Oswald, is shot and killed by Jack Ruby on live television during a Ruby on live television during a prison transferprison transfer

The Warren Commission concludes The Warren Commission concludes the Oswald acted alonethe Oswald acted alone

Recent investigations have Recent investigations have turned up conspiracies, the turned up conspiracies, the truth is nobody knows for truth is nobody knows for suresure

Americans learned how Americans learned how sturdy the government was sturdy the government was in its smooth transition to in its smooth transition to the next presidentthe next president

An assassination in a An assassination in a dictatorship would have dictatorship would have crippled a country but the crippled a country but the U.S. was able to endureU.S. was able to endure

CloseCloseAided by his talented band Aided by his talented band of advisers, Kennedy worked of advisers, Kennedy worked to boost the economy, to boost the economy, address poverty abroad, and address poverty abroad, and develop the U.S. space develop the U.S. space program.program.

After an assassin’s bullet After an assassin’s bullet killed the President, the task killed the President, the task of pushing through an of pushing through an ambitious domestic agenda ambitious domestic agenda fell to Lyndon Johnson.fell to Lyndon Johnson.