The Great Society
The Great Society
What is the Great Society? Lyndon Johnson came up with the Great Society of the 1960s. It helps with education and people in poverty. Medicaid and Medicare are also two big parts of the Great Society during the 1960s.
Lyndon Baines Johnson was born on August 27, 1908. Johnson graduated from high school, at the age of 15, as a valedictorian, in 1924. When Johnson finally went to college, his tuition was only forty-five dollars per year. He went to South West Texas State Teachers College. He graduated at age 21, on August 17, 1930 (Morgan Reynolds Inc.).
Once Johnson graduated, he taught at the school. He was the principal and coach of the Debate Team. Johnson was offered a job as a US Representative and he accepted. Sadly, December 7, 1931, Johnson walked out of Union State in Washington D.C. He married Lady Bird three years later on November 24, 1934 (Morgan Reynolds Inc.).
What started Johnson to help society is when he saw his seventh and eighth graders digging in the trash, looking for something to eat. He decided to start a school’s lunch program after seeing that. He also came up with the idea of building “Roadside Parks” (Morgan Reynolds Inc.). Johnson combined Civil Rights Act of 1964 and federal programs into a vision and that is how “The Great Society” all started. Johnson asked students to fight for four battles: Civil Rights, against poverty, and finally for the Great Society, which seeks a “richer life of mind and spirit” (LBJ Launches 1).
July 30, 1965, one of the 90 laws for his Great Society, that was passed was Medicare (Devaney 100). Medicare became as much a part of America as Social Security (Devaney 116). President Truman said, “I’ve wanted the Medicare Act you’ll sign today for a long time.” when Johnson passed the law. Medicare Act will help pay medical bills for Americans of the age 65 or older (Wilmore 15). The Medicare program was a first step toward creating the system of national insurance. It
What is the Great Society? Lyndon Johnson came up with the Great Society of the 1960s. It helps with education and people in poverty. Medicaid and Medicare are also two big parts of the Great Society during the 1960s.
Lyndon Baines Johnson was born on August 27, 1908. Johnson graduated from high school, at the age of 15, as a valedictorian, in 1924. When Johnson finally went to college, his tuition was only forty-five dollars per year. He went to South West Texas State Teachers College. He graduated at age 21, on August 17, 1930 (Morgan Reynolds Inc.).
Once Johnson graduated, he taught at the school. He was the principal and coach of the Debate Team. Johnson was offered a job as a US Representative and he accepted. Sadly, December 7, 1931, Johnson walked out of Union State in Washington D.C. He married Lady Bird three years later on November 24, 1934 (Morgan Reynolds Inc.).
What started Johnson to help society is when he saw his seventh and eighth graders digging in the trash, looking for something to eat. He decided to start a school’s lunch program after seeing that. He also came up with the idea of building “Roadside Parks” (Morgan Reynolds Inc.). Johnson combined Civil Rights Act of 1964 and federal programs into a vision and that is how “The Great Society” all started. Johnson asked students to fight for four battles: Civil Rights, against poverty, and finally for the Great Society, which seeks a “richer life of mind and spirit” (LBJ Launches 1).
July 30, 1965, one of the 90 laws for his Great Society, that was passed was Medicare (Devaney 100). Medicare became as much a part of America as Social Security (Devaney 116). President Truman said, “I’ve wanted the Medicare Act you’ll sign today for a long time.” when Johnson passed the law. Medicare Act will help pay medical bills for Americans of the age 65 or older (Wilmore 15). The Medicare program was a first step toward creating the system of national insurance. It
Cited: Devaney, John. Lyndon Baines Johnson President. New York: Walker and Company, 1986. Print. Wilmore, Kathy and Merlin Hernandez. “LBJ and The Great Society.” Junior Scholastic 107.8 (2005):12. History Reference Center. Web. 5 Sept. 2013. Brikley, Alan. “Great Society.” Reader’s Companion to American History (1991): 470-472. History Reference Center. Web, 5 Sept. 2013. Naples, Nancy A. “Great Society/War on Poverty.” Reader’s Companion to US Women’s History. 248-250. Houghton Miffin in Harcourt Publishing Company, 1998. History Reference Center. Web. 6 Sept. 2013. Califano, Jr., Joseph. “What was Really Great About the Great Society.” Washington D.C.: The Washington Monthly, 1991. History Reference Center. Web. 9 Sept. 2013. Morgan Reynolds, Inc. :Great Society: The Story of Lyndon Baines Johnson.” Great Society: The Story of Lyndon Baines Johnson (2002): 8-42 History Reference Center. Web. 13 Sept. 2013. “LBJ Launches the Great Society.” Washington D.C. The Heritage Foundation Leadership for America, 1964. Google. Web. 16 Sept. 2013. Johnson, Lyndon B. “Commencement Address at the University of Michigan.” Washington DC: The Heritage Foundation Leadership for America, 1964. Google. Web. 17 Sept. 2013. Sherrow, Victoria. The US Health Care Crisis: The Fight Over Access Quality and Cost. Connecticut: The Millbrrok Press, Inc., 1994. Print.