MYP Unit Question: How can the contributions of one person affect the direction of an entire nation?

 

Guiding Question: How did Culture and the Role of the President Shape Post-WWII America?

 

The 1960s

Featuring President Lyndon B. Johnson

By: Brandy Byrd, Sekani Johnson, Prasanna Parasurama, Rhea Shah

 

 

• Business & the Economy

 

During the years of 1962-1968, the stock market’s development overtook the flourishing market. Unlike previous years, the stock market’s boom was not followed by a depression. Corporations and businesses began merging and small farms became extinct. Manufacturers began opening factories in foreign countries in order to take advantage of cheap labor.

 Throughout the 60’s there was a decline in power of unions and less reliance on industrial and manufacturing industries as the rapid development of high-tech electronics led to the rise of the information age. Also, the presence of women in the workforce increased and the feminist movement escalated.

 

 

• ·Education

 

 

 

 

 

 

     Both John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson lobbied congress to enhance the federal aid to education which would lead to the creation of new programs. The education policy was a vital and passionate topic as it related to the fight for equal rights for Black Americans, and the government refused to offer funds to private and unsophisticated schools.

     Education changed as students studied old subjects in new ways and the bilingual education programs increased. At universities, students’ protests began with the 1964 “free speech” movement as thousands actively demonstrated on campus in order to change the world, and the rules and regulations on campus.

 

 

• · Fashion

 

 

 

 

 

 

     Fashion changed drastically, becoming more exciting and freer. Women became influenced by Jacqueline Kennedy's wardrobe and style. The youth and materialist movement came into place as youth began wearing mini-skirts, brightly colored shifted dresses, dark eye makeup, wild ties, blouses and stockings. For women, pants became the biggest fashion revolutions. Changes in men were also prevalent as men were more concerned with their hair and clothing.

      During the 60's, as the money supply became unlimited, it was spent on material goods, such as outfits, futuristic armchairs, and high-performance cars. Corporations began showing off their success with modernist buildings. Important influences during this decade were the hippies who spread the sentiment of "anti-fashion", and that any type of fashion was viewed as moral failing.

 

 

• Film and Theatre

 

               During the beginning of the 1960s the film industry was not at its finest. In a response to that, moviemakers tried to come up with new strategies to boost the industry. As a result, the top moviemakers decided to invest big money in movies. For example, the movie, Cleopatra (released in 1963), needed a staggering $37 million dollars to make the move, which included lavish and luxurious sets, striking locations.

            During the same period, movies started to include sexual contents, violence etc. Mature content in the movies soon encountered opposition from religious groups such as Catholic Legion of Decency. As a compromise, Motion Picture Association of America came up the movie rating system, which interestingly, is still in use until today.

 

• Commerce:

 

              The commerce boomed during the 1960s. From Budweiser beer to Nike athletic shoes, all these huge businesses flourished raising the median family income from $8,540 in 1963 to $10,770 by 1969. Although the commerce was flourishing, they were the big American companies that dominated the market. For example, the five largest companies accounted for 12 percent of American manufacturing assets. As a result, big industries such as Coca-Cola, Budweiser, GM, and IBM started to expand internationally.  

 

 

•  Print Culture:

          

               As people were moving towards pop culture in the 1960s, the print culture during that time got extremely “jazzy”. During this time, American literature that question values of adults was encouraged. As a result, some “trashy” novels were written. This included To Kill a Mocking Bird- a story based on extreme racism, Stranger in a strange Land etc. In addition to these, some realistic novels were written. Some popular realistic novels include, Catcher in the Rye- a novel about adolescence in America, Slaughterhouse Five- an anti-war novel.

                During the same time magazine companies were losing their stance towards American print culture. Instead, TVs and Radios filled the needs of magazines. For instance, The Saturday Evening Post, a former popular magazine, closed its doors in 1969. In spite of the downfall of the magazines, comics started to boom the print culture. The famous Spider-Man comic was created by Marvel Comics in 1962.

 

 

 

The fictional character, Spider-Man, was created in 1962 by Marvel Comics

 

 

 

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  Sports &  Games 

   

   

   

   

       Throughout the 1960's the ideal of sports is changing a lot, with the change in heros from those in paid leagues to amatuer players who stated that they played for the love of the game, the sports becoming a method of relief from the long, drawn out, and gruesome Vietnam War, the increase in popularity of college sports as they were now televised, and the rise of some of the greatest athelets such as Cassius Clay; better known as Muhammed Ali.      

       This time period was the start of intergrations of African-Americans on the same teams as white players, which was a major deal at the time being that it was the peak of the Civil Rights movement. Other political hassels such as these sparked and changed the world of sports during this time period for most players and their fans; The Cold War, change in a hero basis, the olympics, media coverage, money, and drugs.

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  Music

   

   

   

   

       The music of the 1960’s was very much favored by the youth as soulful and stirring. Jazz, pop, and folk music gathered devoted listeners and rock and roll grew. Folk music was reborn, and songs addressed civil rights problems and the Vietnam War. Bob Dylan and Simon and Garfunkel led the way in folk rock, as Bob Dylan’s adopted style filled with political commentary and contemporary issues. In rock and roll, the Beatles dominated since they were the most popular through the decade.  Some of the rock bands shaped light music with pleasing lyrics whilst others persuaded rock music as a form of protest or artistic exploration. The music of the decade matured with the audience and reflected a range of issues, emotions, and experiences and also mirrored the political consciousness of the young generation. Some of the most popular music originated after Motown records in Detroit, where gospel, jazz, rhythm, blues and rock and roll merged. The biggest hits of the 1960’s were from Berry Gordy Jr., founder of Motown, and his songwriters. 

 

Click HERE if you are too interested in this topic

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

• "They Way We Lived" 

  A lot of ideals and fads came out within the 1960's: Apple computers debuted, chia pets and pet rocks were all the rage, communes and cults, the belief in divorces, enviromentalism and protestes, equal rights for African-Americans and women, the horrific Kent State Massacre, the fight between practicallity and religion in the Roe v. Wade court case, tanning and being able to show it off by streaking later that day, a mass of serial killers and general murdereres, and the overall joy of sex and a sexual revolution with the backfire of STD's.  

• ·

• Government & Politics

• Most of the governmental policies within the 1960's where a string of branch offs from Kennedy's administration being passed on to the Johnson administration and Johnson pulling together his own ideals. From the Kennedy Administration there was a general push for equal civil rights and helping the civil rights movement along, the "diplomatic Cold War" and the Cold War which entailed that there was a race to who could capture more countries of their ideals and beliefs: America with its democracy or The Soviet Union with its communism.

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  ·  Law &  Justice

       The judicial era of the 1960's was a disaster and a nightmare; numerous killings, civil rights movements, religious sayings, the threat of communism and a war that was tearing the nation apart. The majority of judicial ruling fell into the category of civil rights and religious sanctions. Though the cases that fell into the other categories were small but also quite large such as; the Boston Strangler where a man raped and killed 13 women, the Clutter family killing where Perry Smith and Richard Hitckock murdered the Clutter family for money that was non-existent, the assassinations of Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, and Lee Harvey Oswald, and cases such as Malloy v. Hogan and Escobedo v. Illinois which question the constitution and its amendments.

      The main judicial rulings were primarily on civil rights and religious sanctions, such as separation of church and state. Most of the bills and laws pushed for civil rights were a main affiliation with the Northern states and the Southern states ignored them until absolutely necessary; The Civil Rights Act, The Voting Rights Act, and the college emission cases of James Meredith. Kennedy and Johnson were big supporters of the Civil Rights movement and helped pass most of the legislation for the acts and bills to be approved. Of religious sanction, most pertained to the separation of church and state, mainly due to the president’s position as being catholic and fear from the public that Kennedy would take commands from the Pope and the Vatican. One of the bigger cases was prayer in school first brought up in the case of Engel v. Vitale; this case was ruled that it was a violation in the constitution to have prayer in schools.

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  ·  Religion

  At this time in the 1960's religion was a skeptical idea. In this manner most of the mainstream religions lost their gusto, being questioned and prodded, cults forming in rebellion to the mainstream religions, churches joining to become mega churches, the rise of Pentecostalism, black Muslims taking a hold among the noticeable religions and disowning Christianity as being anything but a way to enslave those of black and African descent, Israel is annexed by and Israeli army and Israelites are in control again of Israel, the separation of the church and state, a catholic president running and winning in an era of nothing but Protestant presidents, and the rise of the atheist movement claiming that "God is dead."

 

Presidents Name

 

Lyndon Johnson

 

 

 

 

Where I Live(ed):

Stonewall, Texas

Website: Official White House Biography

 

Date of Birth:

August 27, 1908 Stonewall, Texas

Date of Death:

January 22,1973 in Stonewall, Texas

Political Views:

I support the Democratic Party

 

Religious Views:

Disciplines of Christ

 

Years Served as President:

November 22,1963- January 20,1969

Occupations:

Teacher, Politician

 

Interests/Hobbies:

• Writing memoirs

• Creating equal rights

• Smoking

 

Education:

• Was taught by mother to read by age 4

• Attended public schools in Johnson City

• Graduated from Johnson City High School in 1924

• Attended southwest Texas State Teachers College

   

Friends:

• John F. Kennedy

• Franklin D. Roosevelt

• John Nance Garner 

 

Literature:

•  

  The Vantage Point: Perspectives of the Presidency

• Lengthy state and personal papers (Located at Lyndon Baines Johnson Library in Texas) 

 

 

 

 

President Johnson Lyndon talks about his personal life

 

During my stint as president, the political, social and economic factors and challenges that I had to deal with (at home) included:

 

Political

• My biggest political challange was passing of the Civil Rights Bills and Acts as it was constenty deinied. I felt strongly in equallity but could prove nothing if it was not passed, but soon three Civil Rights Bills of 1957,1964, and 1968 were passed with a Voting Rights Act.

• My other political challange was getting backing to help out with the Vietnam war. Constently depicted in cartoons as a violent and useless war, lobbiest, and protesters with anti-war movements, especially at the 1968 democratic convention

• My last challange was medicare and medicade health programs for health issurance, i had some backing on it but not a lot and needed more support to get it through. My purpose was to help those that were poor and/or elderly. I had conjoined this with the Social Security Act of 1935 for the best result in helping those that could not help them selves in terms of keeping onesself healthy.

 

Social

• In order to change how the government works and reduce poverty, Lyndon Johnson created the Great Society program. The Great Society Program’s main purpose was to eliminate poverty, improve the environment, provide security for the elderly, and rebuild the nation’s cities. Johnson’s motive for constructing the program was to enhance the quality of life without having to redistribute the income, or ask a sector of the economy to give up.

 

• Northern city ghettos began moving towards militancy as Malcolm X proclaimed would be a better approach to gain rights, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was put together. It was of major importance to America’s political and social progress and often considered to be Johnson’s greatest achievements. The act introduced a variety of changes, one being that no more money would be given to segregated schools, and also the Equal Employment Commission was created in order to further emphasize the end of mistreatment and equality for all races.

   

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  Violence broke out into the south in response to the 1964 Civil Rights Act. White racists fought against the victory of Martin Luther King Jr., who got African Americans the right to vote. Johnson formed the 1965 Voting Rights Act which outlawed literacy tests and poll taxes that were used to evaluate whether a person could vote or not. Once the law was passed, African Americans began becoming elected into public offices and the percent of registered African American voters in states began to increase.

   

   

   

The Great Society 

 

An Informational video about The Great Society 

 

 

 

Economic

 

·         The Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 was Lyndon Johnson’s first step in the war on poverty, an important, growing issue during the sixties which was passed in August of 1964. The intention of the act was to help the poor, allowing the poor to get away from poverty. An additional aim was to improve the role of the federal government and improve education.  Lastly, the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, provided job training, adult education, and gave loans to businesses to get rid of the unemployment and poverty.

 

·         Within the Great Society program, Johnson waged war on poverty and declared it within the bill of War on Poverty Bill, but with the Vietnam War going on; it fell short of its highly acclaimed promises. 

 

·         Throughout most of the Kennedy administration, President Kennedy had been trying to cut taxes but could never get the idea to be passed. But Johnson took up the torch to this idea and passed the legislation, convinced that it would do a world of good, and it did. When it was passed in 1964 it made a great deal and there was a short period of prosperity within the country up until about the end of the decade.

 

 

During my stint as president, the political, social and economic factors and challenges that I had to deal with (abroad) included:

 

Political

·         My main focus was first at home and secondly the world. In doing so this was a contradiction between my advancement of my Great Society and the Vietnam War. Though I still felt it was necessary to do something within this region of foreign policy, so I continued from the Kennedy administration; fighting the "diplomatic Cold War." I wished to "capture" countries that where debating or warring with the ideals of democracy or that of communism and I felt it in my power to "persuade" their choice.

 

·         With my view, I felt it necessary to win the Vietnam War, as a shadow of former glory to Kennedy. I was also using it as a tactic to gain popularity and complete my "diplomatic Cold War" policy. I also saw it as weakness for America to pull out of the war, and a country aspiring to become one of the great nations of the world display weakness in this predicament. And upon winning the war we would have claim to, well, winning the war.

 

·         A major part of the Cold War was that everyone was afraid that their would be a nuclear war because the countries fighting this war had nuclear capabilities, i.e. the Soviet Union and us. So it was decided to postpone any quick and rash movements to use said nuclear weapons by having a backup of force with Britain, West Germany, France, and any other nation willing to comply with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

 

Social

·      My main focus on foreign social reforms was the Cold War and its battle of democracy versus communism. It was this fact that drove me to battle communism and prevent its hold on any country that would undergo its treachery and false appeals. This is part of the reason for going in Vietnam, to help decide the countries fate of being a communist or democracy.

 

·       In this time I wished to make the country a neutral imperialistic country. I did this because overall i did not entirely care about foregin affairs and was focused on problems at home, but in following the Kennedy administration. it was thus that i needed to act by making countries democratic or having more base values of the American way of life within their own systems.

 

·         It was my goal also to make the country a powerhouse, established as a #1 country in the eyes of the world. This was accomplished by methods of imperialistic influences, nuclear advancements, helping nations, Peace Corps, and boosting the economy.

 

Economic

 

·         One of my main economic challenges that I had to deal with outside of the country was the funding of Vietnam War.  The defense expenditure at the peak of the Vietnam War amounted to 10 percent of GNP (Gross National Product) and 45% of the federal budget. This had a big impact back in America as there was a huge inflation due to the increasing cost of the Vietnam War. 

 

·         During my presidential period, I encouraged big businesses to expand internationally. These businesses included Coco-Cola, IBM (International Business Machine), GM (General Motors. The investment of American companies overseas increased from $11.8 billion in 1950 to $49.2 billions in 1965. As a result, some major companies dominated foreign countries. This includes IBM, which was a major firm in every country it operated. Coco-Cola was also expanding so rapidly that some said the business expansion was "Coco-Colonization of the world"

 

·         The NATO (The North Atlantic Treaty Organization) is an alliance that included and defended Germany, Britain, U.S and other countries against any potential threats from USSR. During the 1960s USSR was a constant threat to the U.S due to the cold war. The funding during that period to defend went down as it was a bad economic time for Britain and Germany. Germany experienced its first recession after the war, while Britain's currency value was plunging. As a compromise, I initiated the Trilateral Negotiation between U.S, Britain, and Germany in order to readjust the financial burdens of Britain and Germany.

 

 

Looking back at my presidential career, I had to wear several "hats."  Wearing these different "hats," these were my most significant achievements and failures:

 

Commander-in-Chief

As Commander-in-Chief of the army, I dictated tactics and moves of the Vietnam War. I helped fight against the communist regime, but in the end it was for naught and we ended up losing the war with a high amount of casualties and deaths.

 

Chief Executive

As Chief Executive I passed laws, acts, and bills of Civil Rights movements so that African Americans could receive full rights as citizens and be treated as such. Though in a Supreme Court case of Escobedo v. Illinois, the original confession was overturned as it came to the Supreme Court by the state court.

 

Chief Diplomat

As Cheif Diplomat I cut ties with all communist nations and fought a Cold War in an attempt to display to the world that democracy is a better way of living than that of communism, but at the cost of many lives.

 

Ceremonial Head of State

As Ceremonial Head of State I personally have reviewed the soldiers going into Vietnam, but at the downfall of knowing that it was I that sent them to Vietnam.

 

Manager of the Economy

     As the Manager of the Economy, I passed the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964. This act helped to eliminate poverty from the Great Depression, by giving people the opportunity for education, training, and work.  At its peak in 1966, the budget exceeded 4 billion USD.  

Party Leader

 

As a president, Lyndon Johnson was a major leader of the Democratic Party. Through the many civil rights laws he passed, the African American support grew stronger as they were a major minority being helped. Due to the Vietnam War and the different points of view regarding it, conflicts were caused in the party, shattering the party during elections. The Vietnam War was an important and vital event during the 1960’s which Johnson continued to escalate and make a significant issue. Johnson was an effective party leader, bringing in new supporters to the Democratic Party which was necessary as it’s’ supporters were being lost whilst gaining.

 

National Leader 

 

I created the Great Society in order to diminish the “war on poverty”. Poverty was a very important and rising issue, and the Great Society reduced the population of America under the poverty line. Along with poverty, racial injustice was an imperative problem. I used my political skills in order to push the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which put together one of the most significant set of civil rights laws following the Civil War.

 

 

 

 

 

Favorite Quote About Me by a Famous Historian:

"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds..." - Emerson

 

 

Quotes by Me

           " We can draw lessons from the past, but we cannot live in it."

 

" A man without a vote is man without protection."

 

"Education is not a problem. Education is an opportunity."

 

 

 "If the American people don't love me, their descendants will."

 

My Medical Problems:

 

                    It all started when I had my first serious heart attack in the summer of 1955 before I ran for presidency. Although I always tried to convince myself that it was not my fault I had a heart attack, the contrary was the reality. Due to heavy smoking, drinking, unhealthy diet, and major stress, my heart conditions were extremely bad. In fact, I used to smoke 3 packs of Cigarettes per day and at sever conditions I weighed a staggering 225 pounds. When someone asked me to quit smoking, I used to say, "I'm an old man, so what's difference? My body is just aging in its own way" (Johnson). Due to my ignorance and unhealthy habits, I had a massive heart attack on January 22 1973, which put me to death at the age of 64. 

 

 

 

 Lyndon Johnson on the phone while smoking cigarette 

 

 

Positive Political Cartoon

 

 

Negative Political Cartoon

 

 

 

How did Culture and the Role of the President Shape Post-WWII America?

 

 

• How did the President Shape Post-WWII America?     

 

 

             During the 1960s American became more equal in social and ecomical aspects. This was possible through Lyndon Johnson's presidential powers, which he used to introduce new reforms including Civil Rights Act, Voting act etc. Through these reforms, the nation was changed into a more equal society for people of all races and economic statuses. 

 

                          America became a more equal country from a social standpoint through Lyndon Johnson's social reforms , such as the Civil Rights Act, Voting Act, and the Immigration Act. The purpose of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was ending slavery, and therefore further developing and resolving America’s social concerns regarding African Americans and segregation. Under the Civil Rights Act, the federal government discontinued providing money to segregated schools in order to discourage the inequality and separation between races. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 followed as a response to the Civil Rights Act of 1965, outlawing literacy tests and poll taxes. The literary tests and poll taxes prevented poor and illiterate blacks from voting. Through the Voting Rights Act, African American’s became elected into public office, further changing and improving the racial issues prevalent in America. Lastly, the Immigration Act of 1965 changed how immigrants were admitted to America, allowing more individuals from foreign countries to enter the US. The importance of this act was to welcome future immigrants regardless of their countries of origin, but based on their career and skills. The Immigration Act made post World War II America more open minded and welcoming towards all races and cultures. Before, racial segregation and discrimination was a continuous, significant issue which had not been fully dealt with. All in all, the Civil Rights Act, Voting Act and Immigration Act focused on social reform and an idea of equality where everyone would be treated the same, and have an open mind.

 

     America was becoming a nation where it held up its slogan as "The land of the free," in terms of equallity, econmic equiality. Over the course of the Johnson and Kennedy administrations, they both sought to make the nation one by the strings that held their purses; tax reforms, the Great Society Plans, and Civil Rights movements. The nation was coming together. Plus overall the wealth of the economy was being spread easier and slightly more equally throught the country but not by a whole lot. It was this attempt though that made a benifit and reflected through the value of income in America and their average standard of living.

 

 

 

 

 

 

• How did Culture Shape Post-WWII America? 

 

               The sixties were also called the Age of Youth as more than 70 million children became teenagers as a result of Baby Boom. These baby boomers greatly influenced the culture during the 1960s, which greatly affected the nation itself. During that period culture gave the people to express their feeling in various ways, including movies, books, music etc.

               The print culture was one of the main mediums through which moderninsts were able to express their feelings towards society. During that time American literature that questioned the value of adults was encouraged. As a result some authors opposed the traditional ideas and were able to express their feelings. For example, Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Conneguy Jr. is an antiwar narration which was written after World War II. Keeping World War II in mind, Kurt Conneguy ridiculed the nature of wars. Through his novel, Conneguy was able to express his own feelings and many other's feelings towards war. During the same period, The film industry corresponded the print industry as they were introducing new ideas and values into the society. One of the main notable points of movies during that time was that some movies incuded sexual contents and violence, which were considered taboo. These new film industries, however, considered it to be a part of culture while religious groups saw that as a decline in American values. This portrays how both film industries and other religious groups were able to express their ideas towards a problem in society. In fact, a compromise was made between them by creating a movie-rating system, which is still in use to this day.

 

          Music is often defined by the era that it occurred in and the great artist that performed and made their name known within those years. This is no different of the 1960's with its emergence of the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, reformations of some music, and the total branching of the rock genre. Music gave the nation a voice by listening and enjoying what it heard. All the same it was this new era of music that strayed  from the 50's type of music, indulging in stirring fires of the rebellious youths and setting a path for the too come hippies and revolutionist. It gave voice to protest and activist in psychedelic rock, letting an outlet for feelings with the slow steady beat of pop and melancholy jazz, reminiscing in guitars, horns, and percussion. And all telling a story of the people who listened. With this it described who it was, shaping stereotypes, influencing experimentations, creating idols, and tearing it all apart at the same time. It shaped America   because it gave an outlet and it gave a voice and it gave an image to culture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited:

 

 

 

Cooke, Jacob E. "Washington, George." Presidents: A Reference History. Ed. Henry F. Graff. 3^rd ed. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2002. 1-     21. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Gale. International Academy High School. 30 Apr. 2008 <http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?         p=GVRL&u=lom_inac>. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"1960s: Film and Theater." Bowling, Beatniks, and Bell-Bottoms: Pop Culture of 20th-Century America. Eds. Sara Pendergast and Tom Pendergast. Vol. 4: 1960s-1970s. Detroit: U*X*L, 2002. 815-816. 5 vols. 

 

 

 

 

 "1960s: Commerce." Bowling, Beatniks, and Bell-Bottoms: Pop Culture of 20th-Century America. Eds. Sara Pendergast and Tom Pendergast. Vol. 4: 1960s-1970s. 

 

 "The Lyndon B. Johnson Administrations." Presidential Administration Profiles for Students. Online Edition. Gale Group, 2002. Reproduced in History Resource Center. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale.<http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/HistRC/>