Lyndon Johnson and the Great Society

Generalization: Lyndon Johnson did everything in his power to turn America into a "Great Society." Unfortunately, his well-intended programs did little to alleviate the problems American society faced, and may actually have increased the turmoil of the 1960's. Comment.

Potential ID’s: LYNDON JOHNSON, THE GREAT SOCIETY, BARRY GOLDWATER, WAR ON POVERTY, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTS OF 1964 AND 1965, BROWN VS. BOARD OF EDUCATION, MARTIN LUTHER KING, BLACK PANTHERS, ELDRIDGE CLEAVER, ELIJAH MUHAMMAD, MALCOLM X, GULF OF TONKIN RESOLUTIONS, TET OFFENSIVE

I.   Introduction

II.   Johnson’s Background

III.   The Great Society

IV.   The 1964 Campaign
A.   Rockefeller vs. Goldwater for the Republican nomination
B.   Goldwater vs. Johnson

V.   The War on Poverty

VI.   Education

VII.   Civil Rights
A.   Black problems
B.   Civil rights efforts prior to Johnson
C.   Martin Luther King, Jr.
D.   Johnson’s push for civil rights
E.   Results
1.   Positives
2.   Riots?
3.   Emergence of more extreme black leadership?
a.   Black Panthers
b.   Nation of Islam

VIII.   Vietnam
A.   Alternatives facing Johnson
B.   Strategy actually adopted: gradual escalation of the war
C.   The media turns on Johnson
D.   The Tet offensive
E.   Negative impact of the anti-war movement