Did JFK’s New Frontier Programme Achieve Its Aim? Flashcards
When did John F. Kennedy become president?
20 January 1961
What was the margin of victory for JFK in the presidential election?
13,000 votes
What challenges did JFK face in Congress after his election?
Considerable opposition from Republicans and conservative Democrats
What was the aim of JFK’s New Frontier program?
To achieve significant social change
What qualities did JFK emphasize as the nation moved into the 1960s?
Courage and conviction
What period did JFK describe as the most challenging and dynamic in American history?
The 1960s
Who was the first Roman Catholic president of the United States?
John F. Kennedy
What was JFK’s family background?
Came from a wealthy Boston family
What distinguished position did Joseph Kennedy, JFK’s father, hold?
US ambassador to Britain
What educational institutions did JFK attend?
- Choate School
- Harvard University
What act of bravery did JFK perform during World War II?
Saved crew members of his torpedo boat, PT 109
What political positions did JFK hold before becoming president?
- Congressman (1947)
- US Senator (1953)
What was JFK’s role in the 1956 Democratic Party election?
Vice-presidential candidate
Who did JFK narrowly defeat in the 1960 presidential election?
Richard Nixon
What major foreign policy crises occurred during JFK’s presidency?
- Failed invasion of Castro’s Cuba (April 1961)
- Berlin Wall Crisis (August 1961)
- Cuban Missile Crisis (October 1962)
What was a significant outcome of the Cuban Missile Crisis for JFK?
Established a reputation as an international statesman
How did JFK’s presidency fare in terms of domestic issues?
Less successful due to a hostile Congress and civil rights crises
When and where was JFK assassinated?
22 November 1963 in Dallas, Texas
Who assassinated JFK?
Lee Harvey Oswald
What has developed since JFK’s assassination?
Innumerable conspiracy theories
Who succeeded JFK as president?
Lyndon Johnson
What did Lyndon Johnson achieve in relation to JFK’s proposals?
Persuaded Congress to pass many of them
What is a recession?
A downturn in economic activity usually associated with rising unemployment.
What was an important part of Kennedy’s New Frontier?
Kennedy’s welfare programme aimed to help the poor and unemployed.
What was the unemployment rate when Kennedy took office?
Unemployment had risen to 6.5 percent of the workforce.
What area in the USA was noted for high levels of poverty during the 1960s?
Appalachia, which includes West Virginia and parts of eastern Kentucky and Tennessee.
What did Kennedy propose regarding the minimum wage?
He proposed to increase the minimum wage from $1 per hour to $1.25.
Who ensured that certain groups of workers were excluded from the minimum wage increase?
Southern Democrats, led by Carl Vinson of Georgia.
What was the purpose of the Equal Pay Act proposed by Kennedy?
To get women equal pay to men for the same job.
What was the outcome of the Equal Pay Act?
It did not cover all women in work and had no enforcement powers.
What did JFK plan to do to help healthcare for the elderly?
He planned to increase social security taxes by 0.25 percent to help pay for Medicare.
What happened to JFK’s proposal for Medicare?
It was killed off by the House Ways and Means Committee.
What was the Area Development Act of 1961?
An Act that provided $394 million over four years to aid areas like Appalachia.
How many new jobs were created by the Area Development Act?
Around 26,000 new jobs were created.
What was the manpower Development and Training Act of 1962?
An Act that provided job training for the poorly educated.
What was one of JFK’s greatest successes in domestic legislation?
The Housing Act of 1961, which funded housing projects for the poor.
How much funding did Congress vote for the Housing Act of 1961?
$4.8 billion.
What did JFK’s School Assistance bill propose?
To ask for $2.3 billion over three years to help construct new schools and raise teachers’ salaries.
What was the outcome of JFK’s School Assistance bill?
It was defeated in the House of Representatives.
What did JFK achieve through executive orders regarding education?
He increased school lunch and milk programmes for the poor.
How many children benefited from the increased school lunch programme?
700,000 children enjoyed a daily free school lunch and free fresh milk.
What was the Trade Expansion Act?
An Act that led to cuts in tariffs on average of around 35 percent between the USA and the European Economic Community.
What did the Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity (CEEO) aim to do?
Allocate a proportion of federal jobs to black Americans.
Who was placed in charge of the CEEO?
Vice President Lyndon Johnson.
What was the first attempt by the federal government regarding affirmative action?
It ensured that minorities like black Americans received the opportunity of federal employment.
What did Johnson achieve with the ‘Plans for Progress Program’?
He got a majority of the largest federal contractors to sign up to the program.
What did the New York Times report about black American unemployment by the end of 1961?
It stated that little change had taken place, with black American unemployment twice as high as white unemployment.
What was President Kennedy’s message on the Minimum Wage bill?
He expressed satisfaction in signing the bill to increase the minimum wage to $1.25 an hour and extend coverage to 3.6 million people.
When was the Minimum Wage bill signed?
It was signed on May 5, 1961.
What was significant about the Minimum Wage bill since 1938?
It was the first expansion of coverage since the act’s inception under President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
What did Kennedy emphasize about workers in his speech?
He stated that no American should work for less than $1.25 an hour or $50 a week.
What environmental issues gained national attention by the time JFK became president?
Pollution, environmental degradation, and destruction of wildlife habitats.
What was the impact of Rachel Carson’s ‘Silent Spring’?
It highlighted the impact of chemical insecticides on the food chain.
What legislation did Congress pass in 1963 related to environmentalism?
Kennedy’s proposal for a Clean Air Act, limiting pollution emissions from cars and factories.
What was an important feature of JFK’s domestic achievements?
The expansion of the National Park Service.
Who did Kennedy appoint as Secretary of the Interior?
Stewart Udall.
What did Stewart Udall accomplish during his tenure?
He made major improvements to the National Park Service and acquired 3.85 million acres of land.
What book did Udall publish in 1963?
The Quiet Crisis.
What did ‘The Quiet Crisis’ warn about?
It warned of the dangers of pollution and threats to the USA’s natural resources.
What national park was added during Kennedy’s administration?
Point Reyes National Seashore in California.
What did Udall help establish during his time as Secretary of the Interior?
He was responsible for the addition of six national monuments, nine national recreation areas, and 50 wildlife refuges.
What was one of the greatest achievements of the Kennedy administration?
The creation of the Peace Corps.
When was the Peace Corps created?
On March 1, 1961.
What was the purpose of the Peace Corps?
To send American men and women to developing countries to provide assistance.
How many volunteers did the Peace Corps have in its first two years?
5,000 volunteers.
Who was the first director of the Peace Corps?
Sargent Shriver.
What was the significance of the space programme during the Kennedy administration?
It aimed to land a man on the moon and was part of the ‘space race’ with the Soviet Union.
What event initiated the space race?
The USSR successfully launched the first satellite, Sputnik, in 1957.
What did JFK request from Congress on May 25, 1961?
An additional $7-9 billion for the US space programme over the next five years.
Who were the first two American astronauts to travel in space?
Alan Shepard and Virgil Grissom.
When did John Glenn orbit the earth?
On February 20, 1962.
What was the outcome of the USA’s efforts in the space race?
The USA was the first nation to land men on the moon in June 1969.
What was the impact of the space programme on research and development?
It stimulated advancements in computing, electronics, and aeronautical engineering.
What is the main focus of Kennedy’s presidency?
Kennedy is primarily remembered for his foreign policy achievements, while his domestic achievements were very limited.
What was a significant challenge Kennedy faced in domestic affairs?
Kennedy lacked a strong mandate from the electorate, having won the election by one of the smallest margins in history.
What were some of Kennedy’s high-priority domestic items?
Kennedy’s high-priority items included tax reform, federal aid to elementary and secondary education, and health insurance for the aged.
These items never got out of Congressional committees.
What coalition blocked many of Kennedy’s proposals?
A conservative coalition of southern Democrats and Republicans helped block many of JFK’s proposals.
What minor success did Kennedy achieve early in his presidency?
On 30 January 1961, Kennedy increased the membership of the House Rules Committee, which decided which proposals could be debated in the House of Representatives.
How did Kennedy’s proposals fare during his administration?
For most of his administration, Kennedy’s proposals were either rejected or watered down.
How were some of Kennedy’s important successes achieved?
Some of Kennedy’s important successes, such as the CEO and the Peace Corps, were made by Presidential Executive Order, not passed by Congress.
What was Kennedy’s approach to the civil rights movement?
Kennedy had limited success in dealing with the civil rights movement, moving cautiously and taking action only when absolutely necessary.
What was the economic situation when Kennedy died?
When Kennedy died in November 1963, the recession that had affected the US economy was over, and the country was experiencing economic prosperity.
What actions did Lyndon Johnson take after Kennedy’s death?
After Kennedy’s death, Lyndon Johnson implemented many of the stalled proposals thanks to his political skill and large Democrat majorities in both houses of Congress.
