Chapter 20 The New Frontier and The Great Society

John F. Kennedy

35th president of the United States, taking office in January 1961.

1960 Debate

The first televised debate between JFK and Nixon.

Flexible defense strategy

A defense strategy championed by JFK to counter Eisenhower's rigid response policy.

Fidel Castro

Cuban leader who declared himself a communist and welcomed Soviet aid.

The Berlin Wall

A concrete wall topped with barbed wire that separated East and West Berlin.

Cuban Missile Crisis

A 13-day confrontation between the US and Soviet Union during the Cold War, considered closest to nuclear war.

The Bay of Pigs

A failed attempt by US-backed Cuban exiles to overthrow Fidel Castro's government.

Nikita Khrushchev

First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and Chairman of the Council of Ministers.

Limited Test Ban

An agreement that barred nuclear testing in the atmosphere.

The New Frontier

A program introduced by JFK aiming at economic and social reform.

Peace Corps

A program that offered volunteer assistance to developing nations in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Alliance for Progress

A program providing economic and technical assistance to Latin America.

Space Race

The competition between the US and Soviet Union to demonstrate technological superiority.

Warren Commission

A commission established to investigate the assassination of President JFK.

Lyndon B. Johnson

36th president of the United States (1963-1969) who succeeded JFK after his assassination.

The Great Society

A legislative program launched by LBJ aimed at ending poverty and racial injustice.

Economic Opportunity Act

Legislation passed in August 1964 that allocated funds for youth programs, anti-poverty measures, small-business loans, and job training.

Medicare

A federal program providing hospital insurance and low-cost medical insurance to Americans aged 65 and older.

Medicaid

A health insurance program that extends coverage to welfare recipients.

Immigration Act of 1965

Legislation that eliminated discriminatory quotas favoring countries outside of Western Europe.

Warren Court

The US Supreme Court under Chief Justice Earl Warren, notable for significant rulings on civil rights.

Mapp v. Ohio

A landmark Supreme Court case ruling that illegally seized evidence cannot be used in court.

Miranda v. Arizona

A landmark case requiring law enforcement to inform individuals of their constitutional rights before interrogation.