Twenty-five questions designed to help students review for the annual exam and that relate to a set of domestic programs launched by Democratic President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964–65 and that sought, above all else, the total elimination of poverty and racial injustice.
AP KC-9.1.I.A, B, C - Ronald Reagan’s victory in the presidential election of 1980 represented an important milestone, allowing conservatives to enact significant tax cuts…They argue that liberal programs were counterproductive in fighting poverty and stimulating economic growth. Some of their efforts to reduce the size and scope of government met with inertia and liberal opposition, as many programs remained popular with voters… Intense political and cultural debates continued over issues of diversity…
Objective: Students will use primary and secondary source material to make a historically defensible claim on the impact of Reagan’s policies on African American communities.
These key concepts in an Antiracist classroom:
“Instead of a War on Poverty, they got a War on Drugs so the police can bother me.” - Tupac Shakur
No other country in the world imprisons more of its citizens than the United States. This can be traced back to Reagan era policies. The same policies also significantly exacerbated the wealth gap between white and African Americans. During the 1980’s, the lyrics of a new American art form sharply contrasted the message from Reagan’s famous re-election campaign, “It’s Morning in America.”
Notes
The audiovisual aspect adds to the effectiveness of this DBQ and will keep your students engaged as they analyze Reagan era polices. It’s not a traditional DBQ, as there is not a lot of nuance in the documents, but it effectively summarizes an African American critique of the Reagan era. [No other US president has received so much attention from popular music. Popular artists like Jay Z “[Reagan turned me into a monster.”] and Kendrick Lamar [“Blame Reagan.”] have commented on his legacy. Killer Mike dedicated an entire song to Reagan a few years ago.]
By the end of the lesson, I am confident that your students will be able to explain 9.2 key concepts “goals of the Conservative Revolution” and “debates over ethnicity continue.”
American Periodicals Series Online [1740-1900] contains full-text articles from over 1,100 American magazines and journals published between 1741 and 1900. Contents include America's first scientific journal, Medical Repository, popular magazines like Vanity Fair and Ladies' Home Journal, early professional journals such as the Publications of the American Economic Association, major literary works like Uncle Tom's Cabin that first appeared in serialized form, as well as articles of investigative journalism and social commentary. Because the database contains digitized images of periodical pages, researchers can see all of the original typography, drawings, graphic elements, and article layouts exactly as they were originally published. In addition, a Search for Periodicals function in APS Online leads to bibliographic information and a summary of the historical significance of all the periodicals represented in the database.
On November 22, 1963, JFK was assassinated in Dallas, Texas when Lee Harvey Oswald assassinated while riding in a motorcade in downtown Dallas.
The American people were bewildered by the rapid sequence of events: the brutal killing of their young president, the televised slaying of Oswald by Jack Ruby, the composure and dignity of Jackie Kennedy at the state funeral and the hurried Warren Commission report, which identified Oswald as the lone assassin.
The Warren Commission, headed by Chief Justice Earl Warren, concluded that Oswald had acted alone. For years afterward, however, unanswered questions about the events in Dallas produced dozens of conspiracy theories pointing to possible involvement by organized crime, Castro, the CIA, and the FBI.
🏆Trivia: AP US History - 1950s and 1960s
Resources:
LBJ Comes to Power
LBJ’s assets were very real – he possessed an intimate knowledge of Congress, incredible energy and determination to succeed, as well as a fierce ego. When a young marine officer tried to direct him to the proper helicopter, saying “This one is yours,” Johnson replied “Son, they are all my helicopters.” LBJ’s height and intensity gave him a powerful presence, but he lacked Kennedy’s wit and charm. However, he possessed a far greater ability than Kennedy in dealing with Congress. He entered the White House with more than 30 years of experience in Washington as a legislative aide, congressmen and senator. He was famed for the “Johnson treatment,” a legendary ability to use personal persuasion and getting in the personal space of the person he was pressuring to reach his goals.
The War on Poverty
The best-selling book on poverty, The Other America, helped to focus national attention on the 40 million Americans still living in poverty. Johnson responded in 1964 by declaring an unconditional war on poverty.
The Democratic Congress gave the president almost everything that he asked for by creating the Office of Economic Opportunity and providing this antipoverty agency with a billion-dollar budget. The OEO sponsored a wide variety of self-help programs for the poor, such as Head Start for preschoolers, the Job Corps for vocational education, literacy programs, and legal services.
Johnson unleashed a program of domestic policy, which he called the Great Society, leaning on one of his greatest heroes, FDR. Hundreds of laws and programs would be passed as a part of the Great Society.
mandated health insurance under the Social Security program for Americans over age 65 and a supplemental Medicaid program for the poor.
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
provided more than $1 billion in federal aid, the largest going to school districts with the highest percentage of impoverished students.