JFK Flashcards
Who did Jackie Kennedy marry after JFK was assassinated? What was his occupation?
Aristotle Onassis, a Greek business tycoon
What was JFK’s dad’s name? Why was he notable?
Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. He made a large fortune as a stock market speculator and by investing in real estate and other industries, including bootlegging during Prohibition. He was inaugural Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
What was the Kennedy era later known as?
Camelot
Name JFK’s siblings
Robert (Bobby) F. Kennedy, Edward (Teddy) Kennedy, and Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. [killed in WWII]
Who was the Democratic nominee in 1960?
JFK
Who was the Republican nominee in 1960?
Richard Nixon
What was Richard Nixon’s position before 1960?
He was Eisenhower’s Vice President
What 2 factors helped JFK win the election in 1960?
1) Televised Debate 2) Civil Rights
How did Nixon and JFK’s reaction to MLK’s arrest differ?
Eisenhower administration refused to intervene; JFK phone King’s wife and Bobby Kennedy worked for King’s release
What was notable about the 1960 election?
It was closest since 1884
What was Bobby Kennedy’s position?
Attorney General
What did JFK do militarily?
tripled nuclear capability, increased troops, ships and artillery, and strengthened the Green Berets (Special Forces)
Name four reasons why the Bay of Pigs failed
- strong Cuban counterattacks
- absence of a popular revolt in Cuba
- lack of U.S. air strikes
- lack of U.S. naval support
Name four results of the Bay of Pigs
1. significant military debacle (this exercise was a huge mistake!) 2. drove Castro closer to the Soviets 3. JFK looks weak on the national stage early in his presidency; Khrushchev amused 4. JFK trusts the CIA less and less and relies more on his brother, RFK
How many days before the Cuban Missile Crisis was resolved?
13
What did the US do in response to the Cuban Missile Crisis?
Cuban blockade
What was the Limited Test Ban Treaty? Who signed it?
it served to ban nuclear testing in the atmosphere; US and USSR
What were the 8 sections of JFK’s New Frontier?
- A higher minimum wage
- Bolster the national defense
- More federal aid to education
- Income tax cuts (from 20-90% to a range of 14-65%) and corporate tax cuts (from 52 to 47%)
- Civil rights
- Medical care for the elderly
and the poor - Rebuild urban areas
- Space exploration
Who launched the Peace Corps? What areas was it in?
JFK; Asia, Africa, and Latin America
Who was the first human in space?
Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin
Where did NASA build its launch facilities?
Cape Canaveral, Florida
Where did NASA build its mission control center?
Houston, Texas
What did JFK order Bobby Kennedy to do?
to investigate racial injustice in the South
What else did JFK do to combat poverty?
presented Congress with a sweeping civil rights bill and a sweeping tax cut bill to spur the economy
