John F. KennedyBy Lauren Miller and David Hunter

Key Terms

Election of 1960

Trade Expansion Act

Peace Corps

Vietnam War

Alliance for Progress

Bay of Pigs

Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965

Outline

I. Life and Death

II. Change in Culture

III. Influence on US Economy

IV. Military and National Security

V. Cuba and Soviet Union

VI. Social Equality

Life

Born into a rich family

Was a Roman Catholic

Was the senator of Massachusetts prior to becoming president

Went to Harvard

Youngest man ever to be elected president

Death

Died on November 22, 1963 while riding in an open limousine in Dallas, Texas. He was shot in the brain and died within seconds.

He was allegedly killed by Lee Harvey Oswald.

After death, some accused Kennedy of being a “womanizer” and being involved in relations with organized crime figures.

Election of 1960

Kennedy won the election with 303 electoral votes to 219

He appealed to workers, Catholics, and African-Americans

Even though Kennedy won the electoral vote, he only won the popular vote by 118,574 votes out of over 68 million

Change in Culture

Had high expectations especially for youths

Influenced a sexual revolution, which was caused mainly due to the introduction of the pill

A culture based more around youths

The beginning of a feminist revolution during his presidency

Influence on Economy

Wanted to pass bills for medical assistance for elders and increased federal financial aid for education

Campaigned on revitalizing the economy and was against inflation

Kennedy negotiated a non-inflationary wage agreement in the steel industry

Stimulated economy by cutting taxes and putting more money in general public’s hands

Influence on Economy

Kennedy promoted the multi-billion dollar project of landing an American on the moon. This happened $24 billion later, but Kennedy was not alive.

Trade Expansion Act in 1962 cut tariffs by up to 50%. It promoted trade with Common Market countries.

JFK, in 1963, cut about $11.1 billion in taxes for individuals and corporations. These proved to beneficial for US economy.

Military and National Security

Deployed 1,000 FBI agents for “internal security”

JFK proposed the Peace Corps, in which the US sent an army of mostly youthful volunteers to bring American skills to third world countries

JFK increased spending on conventional military forces

Peace Corps

Program was established under Executive Order 10924 on March 1, 1961

Purpose of the program was to provide technical assistance and to help people outside the US understand US culture and the US to understand the cultures of other countries.

The program worked towards social and economic development.

Opponents of JFK thought the Peace Corps would be used by Draft dodgers to avoid going to war.

The Vietnam War

Corrupt Diem government in Saignon had ruled since 1954 and was supported by American dollars.

Communists in Vietnam had begun to revolt against the democratic government

In 1961, Kennedy ordered an increased number of troops in South Vietnam to prevent a communist revolutionary government from taking over.

By his death, Kennedy had order 15,000 American troops to fight in Vietnam

Cuba and the Soviet Union

Kennedy proposed the 1961 Alliance for Progress with Cuba.

The goals of this was to narrow the gap between the rich and poor, to attempt to quite communists

JFK wanted Fidel Castro out of power in Cuba. To do this, JFK wanted the US to invade Cuban with anti-communist exiles. He believed this would trigger an uprising to get Castro out of power. However, this did not work out.

Bay of Pigs

The Bay of Pigs was created by the CIA and organized by Anti-Castro Cubans.

April 17th, 1961, 1,200 exiles landed at Cuba’s Bay of Pigs

This was a failure for the US because most exiles either died or were ransomed away for drugs.

JFK’s Bay of Pigs and attempted assassination of Castrol created high tensions between the US and Cuba. This caused Cuba to become closer with the Soviet Union.

Bay of Pigs

In October of 1962, American spies found that the Soviets had nuclear missiles in Cuba.

On the 22nd, JFK demanded Soviets leave Cuban and take their nuclear weapons away.

JFK stated that an attack on the US from Cuba was an attack from the USSR.

On the 28th, Khrushchev removed the weapons from Cuba.

As a result, the US removed some missiles from Turkey that were aimed at the USSR.

Soviet Union

August 1963, Kennedy and the Soviets signed the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. This was an agreement to stop testing nuclear weapons in the atmosphere.

August 1963, a Moscow-Washington hotline was created to increase communication between the US and USSR

1963, JFK gave a speech in an attempt to decrease tension. In his speech, he stated that he supported positive relations with the Soviet Union.

Civil Rights

JFK took 2 years to follow his promise of eliminating racial discrimination in housing.

JFK was fearful of stimulating a black revolution because it would lose him support from Southern Democrats.

Kennedy created a civil rights bill that was not passed until after his death.

Social Equality

JFK proposed the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, but it did not pass until after his death.

The act shifted emphasis of immigration from European nations to Latin American and Asian countries. This allowed these immigrants to come to the US as easily as European immigrants.

The selection of immigrants was more based on reunifying families than meeting per country quotas.

Social Equality

JFK worked towards affordable housing and equal pay for women.

Promoted integration, but believed it should be done slowly in order to not enrage the South.