The Great Society Chapter 28 Section 3 Johnson
- Slides: 8
The Great Society Chapter 28 Section 3
Johnson Takes the Reins • Lyndon B. Johnson b/c president after Kennedy’s assassination • Hard for him to gain public acceptance after JFK’s death • More rough around the edges than JFK • Remained dedicated to continuing w/ plan • He had a reputation for getting things done
The Great Society • 1964 – Johnson elected for his own presidential term • B/g to create the “Great Society” he had promised during his campaign • Civil Rights Act of 1964 • Barred discrimination of many kinds • Voting Rights Act of 1965 • Ensured African Americans’ right to vote
War on Poverty • Johnson’s administration declared an “unconditional war on poverty in America. ” • 1964 – Economic Opportunity Act • Goal –create jobs and fight poverty • Created a new govt. agency the Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) • To coordinate new programs • Mostly focused on young Americans living in the inner city
Great Society Goals 1. Civil rights and equality for all 2. Healthcare • Medicare – health care for the elderly population • Medicaid – health care for welfare recipients (for those who live b/l the poverty line)
Goals (2) 3. Education • Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 • Granted millions of dollars to public and private schools (textbooks, library materials and special education programs) • Head Start • For preschoolers • Directed at disadvantaged children who had never been exposed to books, crayons, etc.
Goals (3) 4. Department of Housing and Urban Development 1965 • Robert Weaver – secretary of the dept. • 1 st African American to serve in a cabinet position • To improve the conditions of inner cities • Transportation • Housing
Legacy of the Great Society • Many debate over whether or not the “Great Society” was a success • In his rush to get as much done as possible Johnson did not calculate exactly how his programs might work • Some of them did not work as well as he had hoped • Some programs grew so quickly they were unmanageable • Lack of funds hurt the effectiveness of the programs
