Preview

John F Kennedy's Accomplishments

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1971 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
John F Kennedy's Accomplishments
In the United States, the president has a very important role. As head of the government, the president is in charge of enforcing laws, appointing a cabinet, negotiating and signing treaties with other countries, issuing executive actions, and being Commander in Chief for the military. In this essay, I will be explaining who I think the best president was and why I think that. John F. Kennedy is one of the most well known presidents and in my opinion one of the best presidents of the United States because all of his accomplishments, his agenda, his ideals, the challenges he faced but overcame, his assassination, and the lasting impact he has made on our country. Before becoming the 35th president of the United States in 1961, John Fitzgerald …show more content…
One of his best accomplishments was preventing a nuclear war between the U.S., the Soviet Union, and Cuba. After the U.S. failed to overthrow Fidel Castro, the Soviet Union made an agreement with Cuba. The Soviets placed their nuclear weapons in Cuba to prevent the U.S. from invading again. On October 22, 1962, many days after debating what to do, Kennedy decided to create a naval block around Cuba, this was to stop the Soviet Union from bringing in nuclear weapons and other military supplies. At this point, they were on a brink of a nuclear war. However, with Kennedy’s leadership and firmness, peace was reached. Kennedy proved to be a great leader in a time of crisis. Another great achievement was when Kennedy established the Peace Corps in March 1961. This program sent volunteers to other countries to promote world peace. This program promoted the spirit of service and getting the younger generation involved in doing good for the world. Since it’s creation, the Peace Corps now has over 210,000 volunteers in 138 countries. The volunteers have been working on important issues such as AIDs, education, and economic growth. Another one of Kennedy’s great accomplishments was putting man on the Moon. After setting his goal with Congress, Kennedy said, “No single space project in this period will be more impressive to mankind or more important for the long-range …show more content…
Kennedy was a democrat and even considered liberal which to he said, “If by a liberal they mean someone who look ahead not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people- their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, their civil liberties… if that’s what they mean by a liberal then I am proud to be a liberal.”. He took office in the middle of a recession. He proposed his ideas to Congress which included, tax cuts, a minimum wage raise, and an improvement of education, healthcare, and mass transit. Congress only approved tax cuts and a raise of minimum wage. The biggest issue of his presidency was civil rights. African-Americans were fighting for their rights and activism against racism was growing. Kennedy focused more on enforcing already existing laws instead of creating new ones. It seemed as though the African-Americans were against him at the time because he wouldn’t create a new bill for civil rights. The southern Democrats were opposed to his civil rights act as well. Because of his assassination, Kennedy had only 34 months in office and was unable to achieve all of his

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Kennedy received opposition from three main groups: Protestant Christians, older members of Congress and Southern Democrats. Each of these groups had a problem with the way Kennedy was going about his job. The Protestants were suspicious of Kennedy because he was Catholic, and the majority of presidents before him were Protestant. Older members of Congress felt Kennedy was too young and inexperienced to handle the job he had been given; this distrust was amplified by the fact that Kennedy never made much of an effort to persuade members of Congress to support his policies. But Kennedy received the most opposition from Southern Democrats, who were opposed to black Civil Rights. Kennedy hoped to be re-elected in 1964 and needed the support of these Congressman, and as a result did not play a leading role in the Civil Rights Movement for fear of losing their support.…

    • 613 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Kennedy was more of a playboy in the public’s viewpoint. He had the support of many young voters and minorities. He was charming, motivational and influential. At first, he did not seem so daring and revolutionary. He came out to be a modest, passive politician who was interested in certain reforms. Along with his charm, he had a substantial amount of wealth to back him. He made massive donations all around the country to not only gain support, but to show that there is a direct influence…

    • 1186 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Although his life was filled with conflict and tragedy JFK’s presidency was led with the utmost optimism and strong patriotic drive. His presidency was one that strived to perfect and hone democracy. Because of his efforts and those who followed in his footsteps, a potential nuclear holocaust was avoided. His presidency had setbacks but then again, which presidency hasn’t had one? Despite these setbacks, JFK managed to establish care for the elderly and proposed the civil rights act which eventually led to the end of racial segregation, unfortunately he was unable to witness the end of segregation due to his assassination. His presidency was short but his accomplishments affected the U.S. in the most beneficial of ways, in my opinion he was…

    • 142 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    John Fitzgerald Kennedy served as the 35th president of the United States. He succeeded Eisenhower’s presidency in 1960. Seeing as Eisenhower served an 8 year reign in the White House, it was readily accepted by the public. Many of the young folks sought after a new, young vibrant presidential candidate. John F. Kennedy was able to promise all of the things that many desired. At a whopping 35 years of age, many didn’t believe that he possessed enough experience to carry out a successful presidential legacy. Fortunately for Mr. Kennedy his election was full of positive outcomes. Running against Richard Nixon, John F. Kennedy was forced to use more intense strategies, because he inspiring speeches wouldn’t get him everywhere. Richard…

    • 229 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    John F. Kennedy will always and forever be one of America's greatest presidents. Hey not only risked his life for what he believed in, but ended up paying the ultimate price with his life to change America for the better. Before his death in Dallas, Texas on November 22nd 1963 he made changes that will forever be in the hearts and minds of Americans. In his short-lived presidential term JFK accomplished a lot for this country and gave his people hope for equality. He accomplished a lot but his greatest achievements include his promotion of the “New Frontier" program, signing the civil rights act of 1964, and launching Project Apollo. All of these would help shape…

    • 272 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    JFK’s presidency has always coexisted with conspiracy, which has hurt the Americans publics trust in the government. His external affairs as well as his internal were major sources of distrust in our society. While JFK while a great man and great president he did not always make the best decisions. His devotion to putting an end to communism affected his ability to think clearly in some…

    • 1671 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Kennedy’s presidency was short lived but his administration achieved major goals on both domestic and foreign frontiers. When Kennedy took office the…

    • 1221 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In terms of the space race and the Cuban Missile Crisis, Kennedy succeeded in accomplishing America's goals while also harming the image of the USSR. In the Bay of Pigs invasion and his involvements in Latin America, Kennedy faced failures and mixed results as his invasions failed and his involvements failed to promote much successful change and engendered much local resentment of the US. 4. President Kennedy's attempts to combat communism were different from those of previous presidents in that they incorporated multiple parts of his predecessors' strategies, such as brinksmanship in the Cuban Missile Crisis, covert operations in Cuba and Latin American, and containment in Germany and Latin…

    • 658 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    John F. Kennedy's presidency may have been short-lived, but his impact on the equal rights movement solidified his reputation as an effective leader within just two years. Throughout the John F. Kennedy presidency, he was a huge supporter of civil rights and making efforts amongst all for equal rights. Advocating for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. According to The American Presidency Project, “Executive Order 11114 (Equal Opportunity in Federally Conducted Education Programs): Signed on June 22, 1963, this order prohibited discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in federally conducted education and training programs.” (“Executive Order 11114—Extending the Authority of the President’s Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity…

    • 365 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The 1960s in America

    • 1331 Words
    • 6 Pages

    | Section 1: John F. Kennedy’s New Frontier-A. The Election of 1960: Democrats retained control of Congress for Ike’s last two years.1. Nixon: Nixon unanimously nominated by Republicans. He was known for being a tough and seasoned campaigner.2. Kennedy: Barely had enough delegates to win nomination. He chose Lyndon B. Johnson as his vice president.3. Campaign: Television brought another element to campaigns with televised debates. Kennedy’s Catholicism lost him votes in the rural Protestant areas.4. Results: Kennedy defeated Nixon by the closest victory in popular votes by 100,000 votes but won 303-219 in the electoral college.B. Domestic Policy: Kennedy was the youngest ever to be elected President, which was reflected in his more youthful approach to his presidency.1. New Frontier Programs: Kennedy called for aid to education, federal support of health care, urban renewal and civil rights but few became law during his thousand-day administration. He faced down big steel executives over inflation price increase and achieved price rollback.C. Foreign Affairs: In 1961 Kennedy set up the Peace Corps and Alliance for Progress.1. Bay of Pigs Invasion 1961: Kennedy made a failed CIA invasion of Cuba…

    • 1331 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    John F Kennedy was very hesitant in the issue of Civil Rights. Kennedy's main issue was if he helped African Americans, then he would lose white supporters. Many people remember Kennedy for his crucial part in the space program and his assassination, but few people remember his role in the advancement of equality and the desegregation of the schools. Despite the fact the Kennedy was hesitant to act he did however support The Civil Rights legislation.…

    • 877 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Blast

    • 337 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The United States of America has had 44 presidents, all with various strengths and weaknesses. In a multi-paragraph essay, explain who you think was the best American president and why. Make sure to include specific examples and details to support your argument and why.…

    • 337 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Although President Kennedy wasn't in office for very long, his actions in and out of the whitehouse are legendary. When President Kennedy took the oath of office in 1960 he wasted no time in cleaning up America. Several bills were enacted in President Kennedy's tenor. A lot of the major ones had to do with crime control. A lot of President Kennedy's bills were targeted at organized crime. Bill S1653 was singed into action on September 13 1961. This was an interstate travel bill. The bill made it a crime to travel or use any facilities in interstate commerce with intent to conduct violent crimes to further illegal gambling, liquor, narcotics, or prostitution business. This bill had a major effect shutting down a lot of "speakeasy's" which took care of gambling, and betting. Customs got a lot tighter which had a great impact on the running of liquor to foreign countries such as Canada and Mexico. A lot of drug pushers were arrested and many Bordellos' were also shut down. The senate passed Bill S1653 on July 28 and House on Aug 21. This was one of many anti-crime Bills that President Kennedy would enact throughout his term. A lot of his primary goals were oriented towards organized crime.…

    • 1721 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    There have been forty four U.S. presidents over the past two hundred and twenty years. What president has served the best for our country? None other than Abraham Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln is the greatest president ever because he did great things such as ending slavery, getting the us through the Civil War, and helped our country a lot.…

    • 1084 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    One of my favorite persons in history is President John F. Kennedy. He has always been my favorite president and always will be. I love him for several reasons; he was hero during his time in the military, he stayed strong during the cold war, and he fought for civil rights. Kennedy elisted in the military not long after he graduated from Harvard. He was assigned to command a torpedo control boat in the south Pacific. On August 2, 1943, the PT-109 was struck by a Japanese ship and split in two. Even though his back had been injured, Kennedy lead his men to safety on an island. Amazingly, he had pulled a fellow crew member by his life vest to safety. Kennedy was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal of Honor as well as the Purple Heart.…

    • 256 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays