The New Frontier and The Great Society

These flashcards cover key concepts, events, and figures related to the New Frontier and the Great Society era in the United States.

Who was John Fitzgerald Kennedy?

The 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963.

What major event was John F. Kennedy associated with upon taking office in 1961?

The Cold War.

Who were the major candidates in the 1960 presidential election?

John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon.

What was the policy of massive retaliation?

A strategy relied on by the Eisenhower administration to deter Soviet aggression.

What did the policy of flexible response involve?

A variety of military responses to international crises instead of focusing solely on nuclear weapons.

Who seized control of the government of Cuba in 1959?

Fidel Castro.

What event did the Bay of Pigs invasion relate to?

The failed CIA-backed invasion of Cuba by Cuban exiles in 1961.

What was the result of the Bay of Pigs invasion?

It was a disaster that left President Kennedy embarrassed and publicly accepting the blame.

What triggered the Cuban Missile Crisis?

Photographs taken by American U-2 planes revealing Soviet missile bases being built in Cuba.

What agreement ended the Cuban Missile Crisis?

The Soviets would dismantle their weapons in Cuba in exchange for a U.S. declaration to never invade Cuba.

What significant act did Lyndon B. Johnson sign in July 1964?

The Civil Rights Act of 1964.

What did LBJ’s 'War on Poverty' entail?

Legislation designed to help impoverished Americans, including the Economic Opportunity Act.

What programs were established to improve health care under the Great Society?

Medicare and Medicaid.

What did the Warren Court accomplish regarding illegal evidence?

In Mapp v. Ohio (1961), it ruled that illegally obtained evidence cannot be used in state courts.

What rights must be read to suspects according to Miranda v. Arizona (1966)?

The right to remain silent, the right to have an attorney present, among others.

How did the Great Society impact poverty rates in the U.S.?

The percentage of poor people fell from 25% in 1962 to 11% in 1973.

What caused a conservative backlash against the Great Society?

The costs of funding the Great Society and emerging new Republican leaders.

What major conflict took attention away from the Great Society?

The Vietnam War.