12 New Frontier and Great Society

1964 Presidential Election

Election Lyndon B. Johnson defeated Barry Goldwater in a landslide, securing support for the Great Society.

24th Amendment

Constitutional amendment that banned poll taxes in federal elections, expanding voting rights. It did not address literacy tests. It did not address poll taxes for state or local elections.

A Silent Spring

Book by Rachel Carson that raised awareness about environmental damage and led to modern environmental movements. She warned about pesticides and pollution.

Affirmative Action

Originally a federal policy implemented by Kennedy and continued by Johnson to bring more African Americans into government positions. It eventually expanded to include women. Businesses and colleges also began to follow this policy.

Astronaut

An American trained for space travel.

Barry Goldwater

Conservative senator and 1964 Republican presidential candidate who opposed the expansion of federal government programs. He believed in segregation, and many viewed him to be too radical.

Bay of Pigs

Failed 1961 invasion of Cuba by U.S.-backed Cuban exiles attempting to overthrow Fidel Castro. He was a foreign policy embarrassment for President Kennedy.

Berlin Wall

Barrier built by East Germany in 1961 as a barbed wire barrier but then expanded into a permanent cement wall in 1961. It divided East and West Berlin until 1989 and became a symbol of the Cold War.

Buzz Aldrin

An American astronaut and the second human to walk on the moon during the 1969 Apollo 11 mission.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Landmark law that banned discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in employment. It also said that segregated public facilities were illegal.

Clean Air Acts

Laws passed to regulate air pollution and improve public health and environmental standards. They were influenced by Rachel Carson's Silent Spring.

Cuba

Island nation near Florida that became a communist state under Fidel Castro. They become closely allied with the Soviet Union and became central to Cold War tensions in the 1960s.

Cuban Missile Crisis

1962 confrontation between the U.S. and USSR over Soviet missiles in Cuba. It was the closest the world came to nuclear war. A U.S. spy plane discovered missile silos being built on the island. President Kennedy ordered a naval blockade to prevent more missiles from arriving. Negotiations were delayed due to bureaucratic channels. The U.S. agreed to remove its missiles from Turkey and to never invade Cuba. The Soviet Union agreed to remove its missiles from Cuba. A hotline was established between the Kremlin and White House to increase efficiency for communication between the two superpowers.

Economic Opportunity Act of 1964

Legislation that launched the War on Poverty by funding education, job training, and community programs. It was part of the Great Society.

Escobedo v. Illinois

Supreme Court case ruling that suspects have the right to an attorney during police interrogations as part of their 6th Amendment rights.

Executive Order 10925

JFK's order requiring government contractors to take affirmative action in hiring to prevent discrimination.

Executive Order 11246

LBJ's order requiring affirmative action by federal contractors and prohibiting employment discrimination.

Federal Housing Authority

Agency that provided mortgage insurance and promoted affordable housing during the New Deal and beyond.

Fidel Castro

Communist leader of Cuba who seized power in 1959 and aligned with the Soviet Union.

Gideon v. Wainwright

Supreme Court case guaranteeing the right to a court-appointed attorney in criminal trials as a 6th Amendment right.

Great Society

LBJ's domestic agenda to eliminate poverty and racial injustice through expanded federal programs. The Vietnam War drew money and attention away from Great Society programs, causing many of them to be unsuccessful.

Griswold v. Connecticut

Supreme Court case that established a constitutional right to privacy, legalizing contraceptives (birth control) for married couples.

Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

Federal department created in 1965 to address housing needs and improve urban living conditions.

Connecticut

Supreme Court case that established a constitutional right to privacy, legalizing contraceptives (birth control) for married couples.

Immigration Act of 1965

Abolished the quota system based on national origin and allowed more immigrants from Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Job Corps

Great Society program offering education and vocational (job) training to young people from low-income families. It was part of the Great Society.

John F. Kennedy (JFK)

35th U.S. President who promoted the New Frontier, founded the Peace Corps, approved the Bay of Pigs Invasion, and navigated the Cuban Missile Crisis. He was assassinated in 1963 by Lee Harvey Oswald.

John Glenn

First American Astronaut to orbit the Earth in 1962; part of the Space Race against the USSR.

Kennedy Assassination

President Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963, by Lee Harvey Oswald in Dallas, Texas while campaigning for re-election.

Kremlin Hotline

Direct communication link established between the U.S. and USSR after the Cuban Missile Crisis to prevent misunderstandings and speed up communication.

Lee Harvey Oswald

Accused assassin of President Kennedy. He was killed before standing trial.

Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ)

36th U.S. President who launched the Great Society, was known for escalating the Vietnam War, and signed major civil rights and social welfare legislation. He was Kennedy's Vice President.

Mapp v. Ohio

Supreme Court case ruling that illegally obtained evidence cannot be used in court.

Medicaid Act of 1965

Created a federal-state program to provide health insurance for low-income individuals and families. It was part of the Great Society.

Medicare Act of 1965

Established a federal health insurance program for Americans 65 and older. It was part of the Great Society.

Miranda v. Arizona

Supreme Court case that required police to inform suspects of their rights upon arrest (Miranda rights). Ex. Right to remain silent, right to a lawyer, etc.

NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration led U.S. space exploration during the Space Race.

National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966

Law requiring automobile safety standards (seatbelts and padded dashboards) to reduce traffic fatalities and improve consumer safety.

Neil Armstrong

An American Astronaut, and the first person to walk on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969.

New Frontier

JFK's domestic agenda focused on science, education, civil rights, and poverty relief.

Nikita Khrushchev

Soviet leader during the Bay of Pigs, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and major Cold War figure.

Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

1963 agreement between the U.S., USSR, and Britain to stop above-ground nuclear testing.

Office of Economic Opportunity

Federal agency created to administer programs of the War on Poverty.

Peace Corps

Volunteer program launched by JFK to provide aid and promote goodwill in developing countries. It was used to spread American democracy while fighting the spread of communism in underdeveloped nations.

Rachel Carson

Environmentalist and author of Silent Spring, which raised awareness about the dangers of pesticides.

Richard Nixon

Vice president under Eisenhower and 1960 presidential candidate. He lost the 1960 Presidential Election to Kennedy but later became president in 1969.

Space Race

Cold War competition between the U.S. and USSR to achieve dominance in space exploration. It was sparked when the Soviets launched Sputnik I in 1957.

Sputnik I

The first artificial satellite, launched by the USSR in 1957. It started the Space Race.

Title IX

Law (emerging from the era's momentum) banning sex discrimination in federally funded education programs.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Landmark legislation banning literacy tests and other barriers to voting for African Americans in all elections federal, state, and local.

War on Poverty

LBJ's initiative to reduce poverty through education, healthcare, and economic support programs. It was part of the Great Society.

Water Quality Act

Law passed to regulate water pollution and protect public health.

Water Quality Act and Clean Air Acts

Environmental legislation to reduce pollution and protect natural resources. The passing of the legislation was influenced by Rachel Carson's Silent Spring.

Yuri Gagarin

Soviet cosmonaut who became the first human in space in 1961.