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John F. Kennedy
Richard M. Nixon
Election of 1960 In 1960, the Republicans
chose Richard M. Nixon as their candidate for President
Nixon was known for his strong feelings against the Soviet Union and communism
Nixon was the Vice President under Dwight D. Eisenhower
He was a very experienced politician
Election of 1960 The Democrats had chosen John F.
Kennedy to run for President; he had served in the House of Representatives
Kennedy told Americans that the United States was at a New Frontier
This became the name of Kennedy’s ideas, goals, and programs for America’s future
Kennedy said that the United States had not spent enough on the military. He promised to spend more on defense and on science education in schools
The Television Debates Nixon and Kennedy met face to face on
TV Kennedy seemed calm and friendly; Nixon seemed tired & nervous People who listened to the debates
thought the two candidates came out even
The Television Debates Those who saw the debates on television
thought Kennedy had won them Historians believe people starting making
voting decision based upon appearances since TV
In the 1960 election, Kennedy won by fewer than 120,000 votes; this was the closest election in U.S. history
1st Televised Presidential Debates
Kennedy Becomes President
Election Results
• Kennedy wins by slim margin
• Closest election since 1884
Kennedy Years
President John F. Kennedy gave a famous speech – his inaugural speech
In part, it said: “And so my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.”
The Kennedy Years
“Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for
your country”
Kennedy’s Agenda Kennedy’s “New Frontier”
• Improve economy• Help the poor• Speed up space program• Cut taxes
Congress’s Support•Increased minimum wage $1.00 to $1.25•Extended unemployment pay•Helped cities with high unemployment•Did not cut taxes
The Kennedy Years Congress passed some of Kennedy’s
bills which included
Sending money to places where people were jobless
Giving money to build housing for older Americans
Making it easier for young people to get loans for college
Passing laws to control pollution and to give more Americans Social Security benefits
The Kennedy Years Kennedy also provided money for
urban renewal, which involves rebuilding run-down areas of cities
Kennedy set ambitious goals for the Space Program
He believed it was important for the United States to get to the moon before the Soviet Union
The Soviets put the 1st man in space, so Kennedy wanted to put the 1st man on the moon
Life in the White House or “Camelot”
This family portrait taken in Hyannisport, Mass., illustrates much of what Americans loved about the Kennedys: a young, vivacious family who projected a sense of warmth and fun, despite their wealth and connections. [Photo by Cecil Stoughton]
Life in the White House or “Camelot”
Camelot – legendary kingdom of King Arthur
• Broadway musical opened in 1960
• Represented Kennedy White House• energetic, idealistic• grace, elegance, fun, warmth
Trouble in Cuba President Kennedy
believed in fighting communism by making the U.S. military stronger than the Soviet Union
Kennedy felt the U.S. should give money, technology and advice to help developing countries
Fidel Castro was the Communist leader of rebel forces in Cuba who took over the country
Fidel Castro
Trouble in Cuba Castro asked the Soviet Union for
weapons to defend Cuba because he was afraid the U.S. would attack their country
President Eisenhower made secret plans to train Cuban exiles to invade Cuba and overthrow Castro Eisenhower thought the Cuban people would rise up against Castro.
Trouble in Cuba On April 17, 1961, the Cuban exiles landed
at the Bay of Pigs in Cuba and were attacked
More than 100 exiles were killed and the rest were put in prison
Cuban rebels captured
Berlin Wall In 1961, Kennedy met with Soviet leader, Nikita Khrushchev, who believed that the Communists should control all of Berlin
Kennedy did not want the Communists to control all of Berlin, and both leaders left the meeting ready to build up their countries’ military power
The East German government began to build a wall between East and West Berlin
Berlin Wall The Berlin Wall
was built to keepEast Germans from escaping to freedom in West Berlin
Many people died trying to escape East Berlin
Checkpoint Charlie
Kennedy at the Berlin Wall – 1963
"There are some who say that Communism is the wave of the future. Let them come to Berlin."--President John F. Kennedy, Berlin, Germany, June 26, 1963
Berlin Wall Coming Down - 1989
Cold War Crises In 1962, the Soviet
Union decided to send missiles to Cuba
Cuba was close to the United States and the missiles could easily hit U.S cities
On October 22, Kennedy announced that Cuba was under quarantine, which meant that Cuba was isolated, or cut off, from all other countries
Cold War Crises Kennedy said that if the missiles were used
to attack the United States, the U.S. would attack the Soviet Union
In October, Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles from Cuba if the United States promised never to invade Cuba
Kennedy Assassination On November 22, 1963, President Kennedy
was shot dead while riding in an open car in Dallas, Texas
After the death of Kennedy, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, was sworn in as President
Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested and charged with the assassination of President Kennedy
A nightclub owner, Jack Ruby , shot and killed Oswald
Kennedy Assassination
Motorcade in Dallas, TX
Kennedy Assassination
Texas Schoolbook Depository
Kennedy Assassination
Kennedy Assassination
Lee Harvey OswaldJack Ruby shoots Oswald
Kennedy Assassination
Nightclub owner Jack Ruby
Warren Commission
President Johnson appointed a commission to investigate the assassination
Warren Commission• Determined Oswald acted alone
1979 reinvestigation – Oswald part of conspiracy
Still debated today – Why?• People don’t want to believe a
President’s death could be so random
Kennedy’s Funeral
Kennedy’s Tomb
Arlington National Cemetery
President Lyndon B. JohnsonPresident Johnson
• Strong politician• Highly experienced• House of
Representatives – 1937
• Pushed legislation Punish enemies Reward friends
Action on Civil Rights Lyndon B. Johnson
worked hard to get votes for a bill called the Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act desegregated public places and gave African Americans a better chance at getting jobs
Johnson also helped to get the Voting Rights Act passed in 1965
War on Poverty Many African
Americans were unable to get jobs because of unfair hiring practices
The young, elderly and new immigrants were also likely to be poor and without jobs
War on Poverty In August, 1964,
lawmakers passed Johnson’s Economic Opportunity Act
This act created programs such as the Jobs Corps, Project Head Start and VISTA, a program in which young people worked in cities and on Indian reservations
Planning the Great Society Lyndon Johnson won a landslide presidential
election against Republican Barry Goldwater
Johnson called his ideas, goals and programs for America’s future the Great Society
Johnson wanted to help homeless people, older Americans, low-income people and new immigrants
In 1968, a new immigration law allowed more immigrants from Asia, Latin America and ________________________ ____________________________ into the United States. This law would change the __________________________ of the U.S.
Planning the Great Society In 1968, a new immigration law allowed
more immigrants from Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe into the United States
This law would change the population of the U.S.
Planning the Great Society One of Johnson’s Great Society programs
is Medicare, a health insurance program for people over age 65 that helps pay for doctors’ services and hospital bills
Another program under Johnson’s Great Society program is Medicaid, which helps low-income people and people with disabilities pay for many kinds of health care