The New Frontier and the Great Society

Flexible Response

strategy adopted by the Kennedy administration of keeping a range of options open for dealing with international crises

Peace Corps

Program begun by President John F. Kennedy to send volunteers to work in developing nations for two years

Alliance for Progress

President Kennedy's program which gave economic aid to Latin America

Berlin Wall

Barrier built between East and West Berlin; widely recognized symbol of the Cold War

Cuban Missile Crisis

Standoff between John F. Kennedy and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev in October 1962 over Soviet plans to install nuclear weapons in Cuba. Although the crisis was ultimately settled in America's favor and represented a foreign policy triumph for Kennedy, it brought the world's superpowers perilously close the brink of nuclear confrontation.

Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

agreement signed by John F. Kennedy and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev which ended above-ground testing of nuclear weapons

Bay of Pigs

An unsuccessful invasion of Cuba in 1961, which was sponsored by the United States. Its purpose was to overthrow Cuban dictator Fidel Castro.

New Frontier

President John F. Kennedy's program to revitalize the stagnant economy and enact reform legislation in education, health care, and civil rights.

Area Redevelopment Act

Law passed in 1961 that provided financial assistance to economically distressed regions

War on Poverty

President Lyndon B. Johnson's program in the 1960's to provide greater social services for the poor and elderly

Office of Economic Opportunity

Government agency formed in 1964 to coordinate antipoverty programs

Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA)

domestic version of the Peace Corps. Helped bring jobs to poor communities and performed community service.

Great Society

1964, LBJ's policies of fighting poverty and racial injustice

Medicare

A federal program of health insurance for persons 65 years of age and older

Medicaid

Federal program that provides medical benefits for low-income persons.

Elementary and Secondary Education Act

1965 - Provided federal funding for primary and secondary education and was meant to improve the education of poor people. This was the first federal program to fund education.

Corporation of Public Broadcasting

nonprofit organization created during the Johnson administration which offered educational television programming

lyndon baines johson

great society leader

head start

provides early education, health, nutrition, and parent involvement service sto low-income children and their families