The USA by 1963 (1960-1963) Flashcards
1
Q
When was Kennedy killed?
A
November 22nd 1963 by Lee Harvey Oswald
2
Q
What was the USA’s position as a world power by 1963?
A
- The CMC led to improved relations with Khrushchev and in October 1963, a Limited Test Ban Treaty was signed
- Kennedy created programmes like ‘Food for Peace’ (based off Ike’s 1954 Agricultural Trade and Development and Assistance Act) which focused on humanitarian goals
- JFK asked for $1,700 million to get an American on the moon by 1970 on a televised speech before his 1961 Vienna summit (this was achieved in 1969 by Neil Armstrong)
- The CIA became more involved in operations like the Bay of Pigs incident (resulted in the firing of Allen Dulles)
3
Q
Why did economic issues seem to be Kennedy’s main area of weakness by the end of 1962?
A
- He seemed anti-business (his dispute with the president of US Steel led to increased steel prices)
- Unemployment remained at 6%
4
Q
How much did Kennedy cut taxes by in 1963?
A
- Income tax fell from 20-91% to 14-65%
- Corporation tax fell from 52% to 47%
- It led to increased spending
5
Q
How did women pressure for social change during JFK’s presidency?
A
- The Presidential Commission for the Status of Women was created in 1961 and released a commission which showed that 95% of managers were men, only 4% of lawyers and 7% of doctors were women, and women earned around 55% of wages that men did for the same job
- In 1963, Betty Friedan released her book “The Feminine Mystique” which is credited with starting the Second Wave of American Feminism
- Kennedy introduced the Equal Pay Act in 1963 which banned discrimination in terms of wages
6
Q
How did the youth pressure for social change during JFK’s presidency?
A
- Gangs began to develop based on ethnicity or fashion (like Greasers)
- The formation of the SNCC in 1960 was one of the first instances of organised youth protest
