Transcript Aim: How did domestic and foreign policy change under the

AIM: HOW DID DOMESTIC
AND FOREIGN POLICY
CHANGE UNDER THE
ADMINISTRATION OF JOHN F.
KENNEDY?
Objective
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Student will be able to list the major events of the
Kennedy administration.
Introduction
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The 1960s opened with a spirit of hope among the
American people.
Unlike the years following World War 1, the United
States was now willing to address the problems
both foreign and domestic. The United States
Congress along with Presidents Truman and
Eisenhower made much progress on both fronts.
However, by the end of the decade, growing
tensions would rip the United States apart due to
problems in foreign and domestic issues.
Truman and Eisenhower (1953)
Eisenhower and Kennedy (1961)
1. The New Frontier
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The Eisenhower years were a time of peace and prosperity.
However, the nation faced certain challenges at the end of
the 1950s.
Some of the major issues facing the United States included
(1) widespread poverty, (2) strained relations between
whites and blacks and (3) people believed that we were
losing the Cold War.
John F. Kennedy, a Senator from Massachusetts, was
elected President. Dwight Eisenhower would serve two
terms because of ratification of the 22nd Amendment-the
amendment that limits the President to two terms.
John F. Kennedy’s course of action for the United States
would be called the New Frontier.
22nd Amendment (1953)
AMENDMENT XXII Passed by Congress March 21, 1947. Ratified February 27, 1951.
Section 1.
No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who
has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to
which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of President more
than once. But this Article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President when this
Article was proposed by Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the
office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this Article becomes
operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of
such term.
Section 2.
This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the
Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from
the date of its submission to the States by the Congress
Question 1
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What was the New Frontier?
1.1 The Election of 1960
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. The Election of 1960 was one of the closest elections
in American history.
The American people loved President Eisenhower, but
people were not in love with the Republican Party. The
Democrats began to slowly win seats in the House and
Senate elections of 1956 and 1958.
In 1960, the Republican Party nominated Richard
Nixon, Eisenhower’s vice president. Nixon had also had
experience in both the House and Senate.
The Democrats selected Senator John F. Kennedy from
Massachusetts as their nominee
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One of the most important points of the election of
1960 was the use of television, especially by John F.
Kennedy.
Kennedy’s advisors scheduled four televised debates
with Nixon. People were impressed by the charisma
and optimism of Kennedy.
In the election, JFK won the popular vote by some
100,000 votes while winning the electoral college 303
to 219.
Kennedy would become the first Catholic to become
President while being the youngest to have been
elected.
The Election of 1960
Question 2

What was unique about the Election of 1960?
Kennedy Debates Nixon on TV
1.2 Program at Home
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Once he took office in January 1961, JFK began his
New Frontier program immediately.
Unlike Eisenhower, JFK believed that the President
should play a more active role in the daily affairs of
the nation.
In his inaugural address, Kennedy told the
American people:
“And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your
country can do for you-ask what you can do for
your country”
J.F.K’s Inauguration-January 20, 1961
“Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”
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Kennedy begins his New Frontier program concentrating on domestic issues such
as education and social welfare.
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Within two years, the US Congress raises the minimum wage from $1 to $1.25.
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Kennedy is able to get more people insured and protected under social security.
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May 1961, Kennedy passes the Area Redevelopment Act to provide loans and
federal grants to low-income areas.
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June 1961, Kennedy passes the Housing Act of 1961, which provided money for
urban renewal programs in urban areas.
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June 1963, Kennedy passes the Higher Education Facilities Act, which gives federal
aid to colleges so they could improve their facilities.
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Kennedy was also interested in space exploration.
In 1957, the Soviet Union launched the first
satellite, Sputnik, into outer space.
In 1961, the Soviet Union’s Yuri Gagarin would
become the first man to be launched into outer
space.
These two events led many Americans to believe
that the Soviet Union had more scientific
knowledge during the Cold War.
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Eisenhower, before leaving office, passed the National
Defense Education Act.
The National Defense Education Act gave federal
money to colleges for studies in math and science.
Eisenhower would also create NASA (National
Aeronautics and Space Administration).
JFK followed Eisenhower’s lead and stated that by the
end of the decade, the United States would land a man
on the moon.
In July of 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin would
be the first two men to land on the moon.
Soviet Accomplishments in Space
Alan Shepard-1st American in Space
Men Reach the Moon (1969)
“That’s one small step for man, one
giant leap for mankind”
Neil Armstrong (1969)
The three Apollo 11 Astronauts in 2004.
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In terms of the American economy, JFK wanted the
economy to grow without causing inflation.
JFK set up wage-price controls. This policy meant
that if wages increased, businesses had the right to
increase prices to make up for it. This was a
problem for JFK because it caused more inflation.
JFK increased domestic business investment when
he gave tax breaks to businesses.
In 1963, JFK and Congress cut taxes to stimulate
the economy.
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Kennedy also moved carefully regarding civil rights.
Kennedy wanted to keep his good reputation in the
south, so he signed very few measures in regards
to civil rights. He did not want to anger the
southern Democrats in Congress.
With the help of Robert Kennedy, who was the
Attorney General, JFK brought cases against
anyone who violated the Civil Rights Laws of 1957
and 1960.
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In 1962, the United States Supreme Court
overturned a decision regarding discrimination at
the University of Mississippi.
Following the example of Eisenhower, JFK used the
military to allow James Meredith the right to
attend the university in 1962.
JFK also outlawed discrimination in federal housing
projects.
The Kennedy Brothers
JFK Desegregates University of Mississippi
(1962)
Question 3
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What accomplishments were made by the
Kennedy administration in regards to:
a) the minimum wage?
b) space exploration?
c) the economy?
d) civil rights?
1.3 Program Abroad
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As the United States concentrated on the
blossoming of the civil rights movement, JFK also
had to address the problems facing the United
States abroad.
Kennedy wanted to take a hard stance against
communism while improving our image and
reputation with other nations in the world.
In 1961, JFK established the Peace Corps and sent
its members to nations in need of improving their
standard of living.
More than 13,000 people join the Peace Corps.
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Kennedy also worked to improve our relationship
with Latin America by establishing the Alliance For
Progress in 1961.
The organization would foster better relationships
among the nations of the Western Hemisphere,
while allowing Americans the right to help
industry, education, agriculture and public service
in the region.
Question 4
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What steps did Kennedy take to improve our
relations with the nations of the world?
The Peace Corps
Alliance For Progress
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Meanwhile, trouble was brewing in Cuba.
When Castro seized power in 1959, many exiled
Cubans wanted to return back to Cuba to get rid of
Castro.
Eisenhower, before leaving office, gave the green
light to start the process. Kennedy put this plan
into action after taking office.
On April 17, 1961, more than 1,000 Cuban
refugees landed at the Bay of Pigs. They hoped
their presence would lead to a revolution.
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That did not happen. The failure of the invasion
hurt the reputation of the United States in the
world, it brought Castro closer to the Soviet Union
and it hurt our reputation in Latin America.
After the Bay of Pigs, Fidel Castro turned to the
Soviet Union for help.
The Soviets, in return, began to assist Cuba with
military aid. This alarmed JFK and his advisors
because Cuba was 90 miles away from the US.
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Some of Kennedy’s closest advisors wanted to
bomb the missile sites, but Kennedy refused
because he feared a nuclear war with the Soviets.
On October 22, 1962, Kennedy announced that he
was ordering a quarantine on any Soviet military
goods heading towards Cuba. He alerted the
military and asked the Soviets to remove the
missiles. He gained the support of America’s allies
in Western Europe and in Latin America.
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Under the quarantine, the United States Navy
inspected all boats heading towards Cuba.
The first ship was stopped on October 25, but the
United States and the Soviet Union worked
together to solve the crisis.
On October 26th, the two nations reached an
agreement. The United States refused to invade
Cuba and the Soviets would remove the missile
sites.
In November, the missile sites were removed.
Question 5
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What was the Bay of Pigs invasion? What was the
outcome?
Question 6
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How was the Cuban Missile Crisis solved?
Cuban Missile Crisis (Oct. 1962)
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In addition to the problems over Cuba, the United
States and the Soviet Union disagreed over
Germany.
In 1961, Kennedy and Khruschev met in Vienna. At
the meeting, Khruschev told Kennedy that they
should negotiate a government in Berlin within a
year and if not, the Soviets would sign a separate
treaty.
Kennedy believed that the Soviets were going to
drive the Western powers out of Berlin.
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Kennedy did not want to be bullied by Khruschev
in Germany, so he asked Congress to give money
and equipment to counter the Soviet pressure. He
sent more men to Germany and increased the
number of people in the reserves.
In August, with the help of the Soviet government,
the East Germans constructed the Berlin Wall.
Kennedy promised the citizens of West Berlin that
the United States would protect their freedoms.
The Berlin Wall would stay until 1989 when the
people of East Berlin tore the wall down.
President Kennedy in Berlin
Question 7
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When was the Berlin Wall built? Why was it built?
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The Cuban Missile Crisis and the Berlin Wall led
many people to believe that the United States
would heading towards a nuclear war with the
Soviet Union.
Many Americans felt that the nuclear arms race
was also destroying the atmosphere due to the
number of weapons being detonated. Many
groups were formed to protest the nuclear arms
race.
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In 1963, the three major world powers, the United
States, the Soviet Union and England signed the
Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.
The treaty stated that the three nations would not
test weapons in space, in the atmosphere or
underwater.
The French and the Chinese were developing their
own nuclear weapons, but refused to sign the
treaty.
Americans were pleased with the treaty but
wanted the treaty to include underground testing.
Question 8
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What step in 1963 was taken to lessen the arms
race?
1.4 Assassination of the President
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On November 22, 1963, President Kennedy was
assassinated in Dallas, Texas.
On that day, JFK, his wife Jackie, Governor John
Connally, his wife Nellie and Vice President Lyndon
Johnson rode in an open motorcade when shots
came from the Texas Book Depository Building.
The President was taken to Parkland Hospital
where he was pronounced dead.
Within hours, Judge Sarah Hughes swore in Vice
President Johnson on his way back to Washington,
DC.
JFK’s Assassination 11-22-1963
JFK’s Assassination 11-22-1963
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Later, Lee Harvey Oswald was caught and accused
of killing President Kennedy.
Before Oswald could be brought to trial, he was
shot by Jack Ruby, a Dallas nightclub owner.
Many Americans believed that with the events,
Oswald could have been part of a conspiracy to kill
the President.
A commission led by Chief Justice Earl Warren
believed that Oswald had acted alone but years
later, the House of Representatives believed that
the report was inconclusive.
Lee Harvey Oswald
Jack Ruby
The Warren Commission
Question 9
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Why is the Kennedy assassination a subject of
controversy?