LBJ - Great Society

Question 1

Civil Rights Act

Answer 1

1964
Ended Jim Crow
Removed discrimination in public places
Most important piece of CR legislation since the emancipation
de facto racism was still an issue

Question 2

Voting Rights Act

Answer 2

1965
Eliminated strategies in place to stop women/minorities from voting - registrars, literacy tests
By the end of the year a quarter million new black voters registered

Question 3

Model cities programme

Answer 3

1966
Originally six cities chosen
However due to pork-barreling, 150 cities ended up splitting the money and the programme totally failed

Question 4

Office of Economic Opportunity

Answer 4

1964
Local community actions fell apart because of conflict around the federal government being involved
Set up Job Corps - which failed
Failed to eliminate poverty and unemployment

Question 5

Social Security Act

Answer 5

1965
Set up Medicare (for the elderly) and Medicaid (for those who couldn’t afford insurance)
19 million people enrolled when the programme began
There were expensive gaps in coverage
Cost 8 times more than predicted

Question 6

Head Start Program

Answer 6

Part of the OEO
Launched 1965
Helped a million children

Question 7

Higher Education Act (HEA)

Answer 7

1965
Federal scholarships for poor students
Made university more accessible
25% of students received federal aid

Question 8

Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)

Answer 8

1965
Federal financial aid to states to help the poorest schools
$8 billion spent
Funded instructional materials and resources as well as development and promotion of parental involvement
13 million children helped

Question 9

Expenditure on Vietnam vs Great Society

Answer 9

$15.5 billion on the Great Society, $120 billion on Vietnam War
“torn between the woman I loved and the bitch of war”