USA Topic 4 - Political change

Question 1

What were Kennedy’s policies called

Answer 1

The new frontier

Question 2

What policies did Kennedy introduce for civil rights

Answer 2

Introduced a civil rights bill to Congress in 1963
Sent 23,000 troops to support James Meredith

Question 3

What policies did Kennedy put towards the economy

Answer 3

Introduced a general tax cut
Increase defence and space technology spending

Question 4

What policies did Kennedy put towards social reform

Answer 4

Planned to start Medicare
Plan to increase minimum wage to US$1.25 an hour

Question 5

What was the opposition to the new frontier

Answer 5

- Many older members of Congress felt Kennedy was too young and inexperienced
- Southerners disliked his commitment to civil rights
- Kennedy won by a narrow margin in the election

Question 6

What did Johnson decide to do when he took over from Kennedy in 1963

Answer 6

Continue Kennedy’s plans in the new frontier

Question 7

What were Johnson’s policies known as

Answer 7

‘The great society’

Question 8

What were Johnson’s policies towards civil rights

Answer 8

1964 Civil Rights act which banned discrimination
1965 voting rights act

Question 9

What were Johnson’s policies towards economy

Answer 9

Johnson cut taxes to give more money to consumers

Question 10

What are Johnson’s policies towards social reform

Answer 10

Medical care act provided Medicare for old and Medicaid for the elderly
Minimum wage increase to US$1.4 per hour

Question 11

What was the opposition to the great society

Answer 11

Republicans accused him of wasting money on welfare programmes
The involvement in Vietnam was costly and heavily criticised



Question 12

Which elections did Nixon win

Answer 12

1968 and 1972

Question 13

When did Nixon resign

Answer 13

Eighth of August 1974

Question 14

Describe the events of the Watergate scandal

Answer 14

Nixon set up creep in 1972
Five members of creep were arrested for planting bugging devices In Republican offices
The burglars were convicted and McCord claimed a White House cover-up
Nixon’s tapes were revealed
Nixon resigned to avoid impeachment

Question 15

What are the effects of the Watergate scandal

Answer 15

- Reduced confidence in politicians
- Nixon’s reputation have been destroyed
- USA was made a laughing stock
- The Congressional budget act 1974 meant presidents could not use government money for their purposes

Question 16

What were the inherited economic problems Reagan faced

Answer 16

7.5% unemployment
15% inflation

Question 17

What system did Reagan use to improve the economy

Answer 17

‘Trickle down’ economics 

Question 18

How did Reagan carry out trickle down economics

Answer 18

Cut welfare programme spending for a US$20 billion each year
Medicare was cut
Slash taxes by US$33 billion

Question 19

What were the effects of Reaganomics

Answer 19

National debt rose to US$1 trillion
Severe stock market crash in 1987
Recession
Congress rejected Reagans budget for increased defence spending

Question 20

By 1989 how much was spent on AIDS research and prevention

Answer 20

US$2.3 billion

Question 21

What was the effects of the Star Wars program

Answer 21

Drained the economy by proving to be very expensive

Question 22

What was George Bush seniors effect on the economy

Answer 22

Budget deficit rose to US$300 billion
Recession

Question 23

What did Bush increase unemployment to

Answer 23

7.8%

Question 24

By 1992 what percent of Americans were living in poverty

Answer 24

14.2%

Question 25

What was the clean air act 1990

Answer 25

There was a focus on reducing smoke, acid rain and eliminating emissions of toxic chemicals

Question 26

What was Bush’s impact on drug tackling

Answer 26

Very little impact despite spending several billion dollars

Question 27

What are the effects of Clinton’s policies

Answer 27

Clinton balance the budget in 1998 for the first time since 1967
The value of the stock market tripled
22 million jobs are created
Unemployment dropped to 4%

Question 28

What are Clinton’s policies affect on national health

Answer 28

Infant mortality rate dropped to 7.2 deaths per thousand which was the lowest in US history
Clinton failed to introduce universal health insurance

Question 29

What are the events of the Whitewater scandal

Answer 29

Clinton was linked to the scandal but was not found guilty
However Clinton had been proven to having an affair with Monica Lewinsky