Overview of the Topics
Kennedy's AssassinationPresident John F. Kennedy was assassinated on 22 November 1963 in Dallas, Texas on his way to speak as a luncheon from the airport. He was killed at the age of 46 years old and only three years into his presidency.
|
Lyndon Johnson's "Great Society"Lyndon Johnson ran for President of the United States after Kennedy was assassinated and finished many of the things that Kennedy started in office. His presidency lasted from 1963 - 1969.
|
The Civil Rights ActSigned by Lyndon Johnson, it outlawed segregation in public places, and unfair employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin across the United States.
|
The Assassination of John F. Kennedy
22 November 1963 Dallas, Texas.
Grief swept through the nation on 22 November of 1963 when John F. Kennedy, the President of the United States, was shot in the head on his way to speak in Dallas, Texas. Even thought he was surrounded, his assassin shot him from a window of the Texas School Book Depository in Dealey Plaza where Kennedy's car was driving through. Kennedy was accompanied by John Connally, the governor of Texas. He was also badly injured but not as bad as Kennedy. Both of them were taken to the nearest hospital but Kennedy was dead within minutes after he was hit. His wife, Jacqueline Kennedy, was in the car with them (as seen above in the pink).
His killer, named Lee Harvey Oswald, was arrested on the charges of murder and it was later found that he was a avowed communist who spent three years living in the Soviet Union. A few days after his arrest, he was being transferred from one prison to another when Jack Ruby, the owner of a night club, shot Oswald at point blank, leaving many unanswered questions. The whole event was caught on television. With all of the unanswered questions came the conspiracies surrounding John F. Kennedy's murder. Many people believe that there were more than one shooter that acted while others think that he was shot by someone hiding in the sewer on the street. Not enough evidence has been gathered for any of these theories but nothing is impossible.
His killer, named Lee Harvey Oswald, was arrested on the charges of murder and it was later found that he was a avowed communist who spent three years living in the Soviet Union. A few days after his arrest, he was being transferred from one prison to another when Jack Ruby, the owner of a night club, shot Oswald at point blank, leaving many unanswered questions. The whole event was caught on television. With all of the unanswered questions came the conspiracies surrounding John F. Kennedy's murder. Many people believe that there were more than one shooter that acted while others think that he was shot by someone hiding in the sewer on the street. Not enough evidence has been gathered for any of these theories but nothing is impossible.
Lyndon Johnson's Great Society
His presidency lasted from November 22, 1963 to January 20, 1969.
Lyndon B. Johnson quickly went into action after Kennedy's assassination to become the next president of the United States. Because of the fact that Kennedy got shot with a year left in his presidency meant that he has a lot of unfinished work that had to get done. That is where Lyndon B. Johnson steps in to help. With such a short time span to get elected, he didn't have time to waste to prove to the people of the United States that he was the right person for them. He ran against Barry Goldwater in 1964 as a Democrat which he eventually won and became president. In his campaign, he actually declared "war on poverty". His presidency was very important to history because he did what he said he was going to do and finished what John F. Kennedy started: the Civil Rights Act. He signed many acts listed below:
- The Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 that established the Office of Economic Opportunity and the Jobs Corp to help create new jobs for Americans.
- The Wilderness Protection Act that saved 1.9 million acres of forest.
- The Elementary and Secondary Education Act that provided funding for public schools.
- The Voting Rights Act that outlawed literacy tests or any other discriminatory acts against African Americans for voting.
- Medicare to help of set the cost for elderly Americans for health care.
- The National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities to use public money to fund artists and galleries.
- The Immigration Act ended discriminatory quotas based on ethnic origin.
- An Omnibus Housing Act provided funds to construct low-income housing.
- He made Congress tightened pollution controls with stronger Air and Water Quality Acts.
- And the standards were raised for safety in consumer products.
However, by 1966, Johnson's hope to leave a legacy was crushed by the Vietnam war and domestic policies. He had to throw most of the money that he planned to fight poverty with into the war to ensure victory. By 1969, his presidency was over and Richard Nixon took his place.
- The Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 that established the Office of Economic Opportunity and the Jobs Corp to help create new jobs for Americans.
- The Wilderness Protection Act that saved 1.9 million acres of forest.
- The Elementary and Secondary Education Act that provided funding for public schools.
- The Voting Rights Act that outlawed literacy tests or any other discriminatory acts against African Americans for voting.
- Medicare to help of set the cost for elderly Americans for health care.
- The National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities to use public money to fund artists and galleries.
- The Immigration Act ended discriminatory quotas based on ethnic origin.
- An Omnibus Housing Act provided funds to construct low-income housing.
- He made Congress tightened pollution controls with stronger Air and Water Quality Acts.
- And the standards were raised for safety in consumer products.
However, by 1966, Johnson's hope to leave a legacy was crushed by the Vietnam war and domestic policies. He had to throw most of the money that he planned to fight poverty with into the war to ensure victory. By 1969, his presidency was over and Richard Nixon took his place.
The Civil Rights Act
The Civil Rights Act went into action on 2 July 1964.
The Civil Rights Act was a very important act the John F. Kennedy started working on with Martin Luther King that Lyndon B. Johnson had to finish. It was enacted on 2 July 1964 to outlaw discrimination of any kind for jobs based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. One of the challenges was getting the South to accept the idea of equality for everyone because they still enforced things like Jim Crow laws and literacy tests. The act had a relatively easy move through the House of Representatives and Congress to be established as an actual act as John F. Kennedy intended. When it was passed, Martin Luther King described it as nothing less than a "second emancipation". The act was later expanded to disabled Americans, the elderly, women, and collegiate athletics. It also helped the Voting Rights Act and the Fair Housing Act come along. The Voting Rights Act ban discrimination in voting while the Fair Housing Act ban discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing for properties.