John F. Kennedy 1960-1963

The Election of 1960

The election of 1960was the closest since1884; Kennedy defeated RichardNixon by fewer than119,000 votes.Clip Debate

Did You Know?• He was a decorated naval officer in World War II.• He received the Pulitzer Prize for his book, "Profiles in Courage."• He served exactly 1,000 days in office.• He was the first president born in the 20th century and the youngest president ever elected.•He is the only Roman Catholic president•He could read 1600 words a minute.

Kennedy’s Inaugural AddressKennedy was the youngest person ever to be elected president. Hisyouth helped provide the theme to his inaugural address:“Let the word go forth…That the torch has beenpassed to a new generation of Americans…The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bringto this endeavor will lightour country and all who serve it…And so, my fellowAmericans-ask not whatyour country can do for you-ask what you can dofor your country.”Ask not...speech

The Camelot YearsWith JFK’syouthful glamourand his talentedadvisors, the Kennedy WhiteHouse remindedmany of a modern-day Camelot, themythical court ofKing Arthur.

Kennedy and the Cold War

John Kennedy meeting with Nikita Khrushchev in Vienna, June, 1961

During the Kennedy Administration, ongoing tensions with the Soviet Union led to crises over Cuba and West Berlin. To contain communism and stay ahead of the Soviet Union in technology, President Kennedy created aid programs for developing nations and expandedthe space program.

Crisis Over CubaThe first test of Kennedy’sforeign policy came in Cuba,just 90 miles off the coast ofFlorida. Revolutionary leader,Fidel Castro, openly declaredhimself a communist and welcomed aid from the Soviet Union.

The Bay of PigsOn the nights of April 17,1961,some 1500 Cuban exiles supported by the U.S. militarylanded on the island’s southern coast at Baja deCochinos, the Bay of Pigs. The CIA and the exiles hoped itwould trigger a mass uprisingthat would overthrow Castro.It didn’t! Cuban forces, backedby Soviet tanks and jet aircraft,easily repelled the exile invasion.Some of the exiles were killed,others imprisoned.

Cuban Missile CrisisIn October, 1962, photographs takenby American planesrevealed Soviet missile bases in Cuba-and somecontained missilesready to launch.They could reachU.S. cities in minutes.Kennedy Addresses the Nation

On October 22,Kennedy ordereda naval blockadeof Cuba to preventfurther deliveriesof Soviet weapons.He also demandedthat the Sovietsremove the missiles.Khrushchev promised tochallenge the blockade,calling it “outright banditry.”

For a few days, nuclear war and massive destruction was a distinct possibility for every American. In schools, childrenpracticed air raid drills, a common occurrence during the ColdWar. People who had built bomb shelters began stockingthem with food and other provisions. Even the president calledhis family to the White House where they could be protected inthe presidential nuclear shelter. Do it Yourself Fallout Shelter

Suddenly, on October 24, many of the Soviet ships stopped shortof the blockade line, turned, and sailed home. “We’re eyeball toeyeball,” said Secretary of State Dean Rusk, “and I think the other fellow just blinked.” On October 28 Khrushchev agreedto dismantle the missile bases in response to Kennedy’s promisenot to invade Cuba.

Kennedy and BerlinOne of the high pointsof Kennedy’s foreigntravels was a trip hemade to Berlin in 1963to dramatize America’scommitment to WestBerlin and West Germany.In a speech at the BerlinWall, Kennedy electrifiedan audience of about 150,000Germans by stating , “Ich binein Berliner” (I am a Berliner),thus declaring the solidarity of all free people with the peopleof West Berlin. Ich bin ein Berliner Speech

Kennedy and the New FrontierCan Government Fix Society?

President John F. Kennedy andPresident Lyndon B. Johnsonsupported programs intendedto end poverty and racism at home and promote democracyabroad. The War on Povertyand the Great Society programsmarked the greatest increase inthe federal government’s rolein society since the New Deal.Kennedy’s aid programs for developing nations also markeda dramatic shift in Americanforeign policy towards promotingeconomic development abroad.

President Kennedy shakes hands with future President of the United States Bill Clinton

The New Frontier

President Kennedy’slegislative program toprovide medical carefor the elderly….

To rebuild blightedurban areas….

To aid education….

To bolster the nationaldefense….

To increase international aid….

To expand the space program.

JFK and Moon Landing

And to promote civil rights.

To provide volunteer assistance to developingnations in Asia, Africa,and Latin America.

Warren Court ReformsUnder Chief Justice Earl Warren,the Supreme Court issued a number of decisions that altered the votingsystem, expanded due process, and reinterpreted aspects of the FirstAmendment.

A sampling of major decisions of the Warren CourtCivil Rights•Brown v. Board of Education (1954) Declared segregation in public schools unconstitutionalDue Process•Mapp v. Ohio (1961) Ruled that unlawfully seized evidence cannot be used in a trial•Gideon v. Wainwright (1963) Established suspect’s right to court-appointed attorney if suspects were unable to afford one•Escobedo v. Illinois (1964) Affirmed right of the accused to an attorney during police

questioning•Miranda v. Arizona (1966) Required police to inform suspects of their rights during the

arrest processFreedom of Speech and Religion•Engel v. Vitale (1962) Banned state-mandated prayer in public schools•Abington School District v. Schempp (1963) Banned state-mandated Bible reading in public schools

Tragedy in DallasIn the fall of 1963, public opinion polls showed that Kennedy was losing popularity because of his advocacy of civil rights. On November 22,1963, President andMrs. Kennedy wentto Texas to mendpolitical fences withmembers of the state’s DemocraticParty.

Crowds lined thestreets of Dallasto greet the President. In frontof them sat TexasGovernor JohnConnally and hiswife Nellie.

As the car approached a state building known as the Texas State BookDepository, rifle shots rang out.

Kennedy wasshot in the head.His car raced toa nearby hospital, wheredoctors frantically triedto revive him,but it was toolate. PresidentKennedy wasdead.News of Kennedy Assassination

In 1963, the WarrenCommission investigatedand concluded thatLee Harvey Oswaldhad shot the presidentwhile acting on his own.

Lee Harvey Oswald

Chief Justice Earl Warren presenting the Warren Report to President Johnson

On Sunday, Nov. 24,as millions watchedlive television coverage of Oswaldbeing transferredbetween jails, anightclub ownernamed Jack Rubybroke through thecrowd and shot andkilled Oswald.

http://Jack Ruby is Shot