Lyndon B. Johnson’s presidency started and ended with immense sorrow, being that he was one of four vice presidents sworn in after the death of a president. After the death of John. F. Kennedy, the nation needed continuity and stability. Johnson took charge and advanced not only the Kennedy legacy, but his own as well, becoming one of the most influential presidents in history.
In Johnson’s early years, he lived on a small farm with his family in Texas. Johnson had come from a long line of farmers, cattlemen, and just overall ranchers, but young LBJ dedicated his life to creating a better future for himself. Much like his father, Johnson had decided early in life to pursue a political career.
“When I was fourteen years old I decided I was
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Some of these reforms include Medicare and Medicaid, the Voting Rights Act, and the Civil Rights Act. These acts of his had a huge impact on American society. They are acts and programs that still live on today.
On July 2, 1964, The Civil Rights Act was signed by Johnson. The act would outlaw discrimination based on race or color, sex, religion or national origin. It also prohibited segregation in schools, employment, and public accomodation. Former President Kennedy’s plans were fulfilled thanks to Lyndon B. Johnson. Minorities finally had the same rights as any other person and were treated as an equal part in society. This law would have a lasting effect for future generations.
November 3, 1964 Johnson was elected as President of the United States. In January of the following year, he would be inaugurated as president. It would finish a legacy and create a new kind of power for Americans.
Lyndon B. Johnson also temporarily reduced poverty. He enacted the “war on poverty”. This symbolic war similar to that of President Bush’s “war on terrorism” started programs like Medicaid, Medicare, food stamps, Head Start, Job Corps, VISTA, and Title I. These programs help Americans live comfortably in life. Many Americans rely on these programs to get by or survive. Everyone has a right to life and Johnson paved a way for everyone to live
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The EOA attacked the roots of unemployment and poverty by providing training for jobs, issuing adult education, and giving loans to small businesses. The EOA started many Community Action Agencies (CAA’s) that are non-profit private and public organizations that help people help themselves in achieving self-sufficiency. By 1968 there were more than 1,600 CAA’s aiding the poor and unemployed in training for entry level jobs, food programs, housing services, child care, and health services.
The nation not only faced hardships in America, but with various countries. While dealing with life in the U.S., Johnson also had to address issues with other leaders. One of these issues would include the involvement with Latin America. When Cuban Communist Dictator Fidel Castro demanded back Guantanamo Naval Base and shut off the water to the installation, LBJ ordered the Navy to create its own water supply. This caused the Cubans to stand down against the Americans.
The Panamanians also brought attention to America controlling the Panama Canal Zone. Although they rioted with violence, Johnson dealt with the problem and agreed to return the zone back to the Panama, eventually ending the
In his state of the union address, he told Congress what he wanted to do. Johnson was influenced by Roosevelt’s New Deal to start the war on poverty. In March of 1965, the Congress passed the Appalachian Regional Development Act to assist the poorest in the nation. A month later, they passed the first major federal aid program for elementary and secondary education.
Johnson attended college and graduated. His first job was a teacher in Cotulla,Texas. In 1963 when president kennedy was assassinated Johnson took over. When re-election was going on he signed the civil the civil rights act, which I will show evidence that he signed based on principle. At his first job as a teacher Johnson cared for his students that were poor.
Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act for principle because he wanted to help those who couldn’t help themselves, do what is right at the risk of sacrifices, and the act was signed to o focus on further movement needed for the country. However, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was also signed by President Johnson for politics. The act was signed for politics because President Johnson wanted to please the citizens in the country. Like many people, President Johnson wanted to be approved and liked by the country. His want for approval led him to making efforts to please the country.
People who are desperate to become accepted by all the people in America, can do some pretty unpredictable things. Lyndon B. Johnson is an example of this. Before he became president, Johnson changed his mind about some things and signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Why did L.B.J. sign the Civil Rights Act of 1964? Lyndon B. Johnson signed the 1964 Civil Rights Act for political reasons like, gaining the approval of the public, showing people that he has changed, and to please the people of America.
LBJ’s career went from the House of Representatives, the Senate, being the vice president and finally the president, “Johnson’s political career began in earnest in 1937, when he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democrat.... In 1948, Johnson was elected to the U.S. Senate following a bruising Democratic primary.... In 1960, John F. Kennedy, the Democratic presidential nominee, invited Johnson to be his vice-presidential running mate.... Johnson was sworn in as president later that day aboard Air Force One”. (History.com)
Further, Johnson’s experience as a legislator and as a political animal led him to convince Hubert Humphrey and Everett Dirksen to unite behind his bill (5). Through a culmination of his legislative experience and his method of leadership Johnson was able to form coalitions and convince high ranking leaders to back the Civil Rights Act of 1964. However, Johnson was not done with the
Lyndon B. Johnson’s efforts towards influencing Congress and the people of the United States to fight poverty helped the United States take one step closer to becoming a Great
“Presidents quickly realize that while a single act might destroy the world they live in, no one’s single decision can make life suddenly better or can turn history around for good.” - L.B.J Lyndon Baines Johnson’s presidency fabricated the Great Society, provided civil rights to African Americans, and involved the United States in the Vietnam War. Lyndon Baines Johnson was born on August 27, 1908 in Stonewall, Texas, not far from Johnson city. His parents were Sam and Rebekah Baines Johnson. Both his parents were very hard workers but didn’t end up making a living out of their success.
Moreover, “Johnson called for America to become a Great society, where no child will go unfed and no youngster will go unschooled.” He promised to make great outcomes for American people and that is why he truly won the election of November 1996. Johnson asked the congress to pass the Civil Rights Act to honor the memory of Kennedy. He was a man of great integrity, who truly wanted to end poverty and increase the
“The Great Society rests on abundance and liberty for all. It demands an end to poverty and racial injustice, to which we are totally committed in our time. But that is just the beginning.” Lyndon B. Johnson introduced his vision of a Great Society at a graduation commencement speech at the University of Michigan on May 22, 1964. In the next year, Johnson would use his ambition of a Great Society to build the most important development in public policy in the post-World War II era.
Lyndon B Johnson put into place many programs to combat poverty. During Lyndon B. Johnson presidency, he passed Medicaid, Medicare, food stamps (SNAP), head start, and job corps legislation to aid communities affected by poverty. The government created guidelines to evaluate a person or family income, to determine if they
Lyndon B. Johnson was a very effective president. He wasn’t given an easy America to deal with, he was forced into the Vietnam problem. He had the same views as FDR. He was able to get stuff passed that FDR couldn’t, due to World War 2. He signed the Civil Rights Act and a tax cut, into law, that Kennedy couldn’t pass before his death.
He never really put much thought into his decisions except for the fact of was he going to be liked. This is the third and final most important reason on why he signing of the Civil Rights Act was based purely on politics. In conclusion, The Civil Rights Act was signed through politics and he did win the election of 1964. America did benefit greatly from the new laws creating equal opportunity for all who lived there. In his new term, Johnson created the Great Society which allowed many unprivileged children have equal footing for school.
Some of these programs are; headstart which provided poorer families with education, medicare which provided healthcare to the elderly, and Medicaid which provided healthcare for the less fortunate. These programs also required the government to be very present in America’s economy and society. Johnson strongly believed that the government should use its power in order to promote such programs to create a better and more equal life in the United States. He also increased funding for education and social welfare programs. Johnson believed that government intervention was necessary to address the inequalities and injustices that existed in American society.
Why Did L.B.J Sign the Civil Rights Act of 1964? One July 2, 1964, pens were used to change the lives of every American citizen. L.B.J was born on a farm near Stonewall in the Hill Country of Central Texas and was really smart and had tons of energy; He decided to become a teacher. Why did L.B.J sign the civil rights act of 1964? If principle decisions are based on strongly-held beliefs, then Cotulla Teaching, Ignoring Southern Reaction, and Change of Heart show that President Johnson was motivated to sign by his principles.