US History - Unit 5 - LBJ's Great Society

Lyndon Johnson (LBJ)

U.S. president from 1963–1969 who launched the Great Society programs. His goal was to reduce poverty, improve education, and expand civil rights. LBJ also escalated the Vietnam War, which affected his popularity.

Great Society

Lyndon Johnson’s major set of programs in the 1960s designed to end poverty and improve quality of life in America. It expanded federal involvement in education, healthcare, and civil rights. Many Great Society programs still exist today.

Job Corps

A Great Society program that provides job training, education, and work experience for young people. It focuses on helping low-income youth gain skills to enter the workforce. Job Corps centers still operate across the country.

Food Stamps

A federal program that helps low-income families buy groceries. Expanded during the Great Society to reduce hunger and improve nutrition. Today it is known as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program).

Medicare

A major health program created in 1965 as part of the Great Society. Medicare provides health insurance for people 65 and older.

Medicaid

A major health program created in 1965 as part of the Great Society. Medicaid offers health coverage for low-income individuals and families.

Elementary & Secondary Education Act (ESEA)

A 1965 law that provided federal funding to improve public schools, especially those serving low-income students. It aimed to close educational gaps and expand equal access. ESEA became a foundation for later laws like No Child Left Behind.

Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB)

A nonprofit created in 1967 to support educational and public media such as PBS and NPR. Its mission is to provide high-quality, noncommercial programming to the public. CPB helped expand children’s and educational programming nationwide.

Child Nutrition Act

A 1966 law that expanded school lunch and breakfast programs to fight childhood hunger and malnutrition. It provided federal funding to ensure students had access to nutritious meals. The act strengthened ties between health and education.

Head Start

A Great Society program that provides early childhood education, health services, and nutrition support for low-income preschool children. Its goal is to prepare children for school and break the cycle of poverty. Head Start remains one of the most important early-education programs in the U.S.

Clean Air Act

A 1963 environmental law strengthened during the Great Society era. It allowed the federal government to set air-quality standards and reduce pollution from factories and cars. The act marked a major step in protecting public health and the environment.