LBJ: The Great Society

1. LBJ: The Great Society Ch 15.3

2. Thursday, May 17, 2012 • Daily goal: Understand the main points of LBJ’s Great Society including: Medicare, Medicaid, HUD, Head Start and the War on Poverty.

4. LBJ replaces JFK • The death of JFK made Vice President Lyndon Johnson the President, and he was better known as LBJ.

6. President Johnson • LBJ’s agenda was called the Great Society – A more perfect and equal America. • LBJ took over where JFK had left off and began his “war on poverty” which created many programs to help America’s poor.

7. VISTA • Volunteers in Service to America was similar to the Peace Corps, but it sent people to aid the poor and within the US. • VISTA is today known as AmeriCorps.

10. Medicare • Social Security had protected the elderly from poverty, but less than half had Health Insurance. • LBJ created Medicare which provided free government Health Insurance for people over 65.

12. Medicaid • Medicare’s twin program was Medicaid. • The program was created to provide Health insurance for the poor.

14. Head Start • LBJ valued education and started the Head Start program to give disadvantaged kids an opportunity to attend preschool.

17. HUD • Housing and Urban Development Administration created subsidies to help low income people afford housing.

18. Think About it… • Which Great Society program do you think was the most important to America? Why?

19. Think About it… • LBJ grew the government in size, expense and responsibility. • How much help can the gov’t give its people before the lose the motivation to fight hardships themselves?