President Lyndon B.Johnson (AQA GCSE History)

What Were the Main Causes of Poverty in 1960s America? - Summary 

Poverty in 1960s America was caused by several key factors. Economic inequality was a major issue, with a large gap between the rich and the poor. Many people worked in low-paying jobs with little security and few opportunities to improve their situation. Changes in the economy, such as fewer manufacturing jobs and more service jobs, left many workers, especially those without advanced skills or education, struggling.

Racial discrimination made things worse, as African Americans and other minorities faced significant barriers in employment, housing and education. Additionally, poverty was more severe in rural areas and inner cities, as there were fewer job opportunities and poor infrastructure.

The social safety net was not strong enough to help everyone in need. Programmes like Social Security and unemployment insurance existed but didn't fully address the widespread economic challenges. Additionally, a lack of accessible, affordable healthcare added to the financial struggles of low-income families.

Johnson and the Great Society

• President Lyndon B. Johnson became President in 1963 after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated

• Johnson was an experienced politician and had a more favourable political position than Kennedy, which helped him to pass many bills

  • Johnson had 26 years of experience, in the House and the Senate when he became president

  • Congress had a two-thirds democratic majority 

  • Johnson was very persuasive and understood the needs of those politicians who were reluctant to support his bills

• Johnson announced the “Great Society” in January 1965

• The Great Society was a series of laws and government programs to achieve his aim of ending poverty and racial discrimination in America 

• Johnson’s Great Society built on the areas that Kennedy’s New Frontier failed to complete or improve, including:

  • Medical care 

  • Reducing racial discrimination in employment and education 

• Despite his successes, Johnson and his Great Society faced criticism, including:

  • The amount of money spent

  • His handling of inner-city problems

  • His escalation of the Vietnam War

Johnson and the War on Poverty 

• Johnson declared war on poverty and aimed to end poverty and economic inequality through federal law and funding

• In 1964, Johnson cut taxes to provide more money for consumers to spend, which:

  • Helped businesses grow 

  • Created more jobs

• In 1966, Johnson increased the minimum wage from $1.25 to $1.40 an hour 

• Johnson introduced the following acts: 

Johnson and Healthcare 

• Johnson wanted to improve the health of all Americans and increase their access to healthcare

• In 1965, Johnson passed the Medical Care Act

  • This introduced Medicare 

  • Which gave medical care to anyone over the age of 65

• The Social Security Amendments of 1965 introduced Medicaid, which provided medical care for the unemployed and poor

• Medicare was extended in 1972 to include disabled people under 65 years old 

• Johnson’s healthcare plans cost over $10 billion 

  • They were very popular 

  • Over 19 million people signed up for Medicare in 1965

Johnson and Education

• Education was a key part of Johnson's war on poverty

  • He believed that education gave Americans the opportunity to escape poverty

• In 1965, Johnson successfully introduced the following new laws: 

  • The Elementary and Secondary Act: aimed to standardise education across the country and make education more equal for all students 

  • The Head Star Program: aimed to give teachers the ability to provide children from low-income families extra teaching

  • The Higher Education Act: gave universities more money to provide student aid to more students 

Johnson and the Civil Rights Movement 

• Johnson wanted “an immediate end to racial injustice” and was more successful in passing Civil Rights legislation in comparison to Kennedy due to his relationship with Congress