8817605
Description
Flashcards by Courtney Ward, updated more than 1 year ago
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Created by Courtney Ward
almost 7 years ago
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| Question | Answer |
| How close was Kennedy's victory against Nixon in 1960? | Very close! One of the closest in history: JFK: 49.9% Nixon: 49.6% |
| How did television help Kennedy's win? | Nixon came across badly; he was tired & recovering from an operation, whilst suffering the flu JFK fresh & well prepared For those watching JFK clear winner - for those listening Nixon won (more had been watching) |
| What type of President did Kennedy see himself as? | A Foreign Policy President |
| What did Kennedy make his domestic priority? | Economic Growth He saw it as essential for America to strengthen its position in the world |
| What did Kennedy believe would get the economy moving? | Tax Cuts |
| Why did it take him so long to put forward legislation for this? | Faced resistance from his own party on the topic - he knew a bill would fail making him look weak He waited til 1963 for his $10b tax cut was put to Congress |
| This bill was passed after his assassination. How do many historians & economists view this bill? | Many view it as the basis of the economic success for the rest of the 1960s |
| What did the Revenue Act do? | Cut taxes for business, which gave $1b in tax credits for new equipment & investment |
| How did Kennedy's foreign policy impact on the domestic American economy? | Increased spending on defense & NASA helped encourage prosperity at home Major factor in the sustained economic growth 1960s |
| What did Kennedy promise to do by 1969? What steps did he take to achieve this? | To put a man on the moon Doubled the NASA budget |
| What helped reduce unemployment to 5.3% by the start of 1964? | States were encouraged to apply for, and then spend, federal grants for housing, schools, highways etc. He didn't allocate new money but instead encouraged federal & state authorities to spend what they could to create employment |
| What brought Kennedy into conflict with the US Steel? | He asked for price and wage rises to be in line with increased productivity Steel industry had a 3% rise in productivity & workers accepted a 2.5% wage increase US Steel then increased its prices & other companies followed suit |
| Why did this cause problems? | Steel was vital to the car and defence industries, this would lead to higher inflation |
| How did Kennedy respond? | He threatened an FBI investigation & the denial of government contracts He also put pressure on other steel companies not to increase prices |
| How did this issue with US Steel end? | Faced with a tremendous amount of pressure, US Steel backed down & inflation stayed below 1.3% |
| What did the 1962 Manpower Development and Training Act do? | Provided $435 million for school and job-based training 200,000 people went through these schemes |
| What act gave grants and loans for training, development and community facilities? | 1961 Area Redevelopment Act |
| What was a negative and a positive for the 1963 Equal Pay Act? | - Did not cover all women & there were no powers of enforcement + 171,000 women benefited & it passed with little opposition |
| Kennedy was the first President to tackle which particular issue that is huge today? | Environment Clean Air Act 1963 - limited pollution from cars & factories |
| Why was Kennedy slow to act on Civil Rights? | 1. Victory in election narrow 2. Opinion polls showed Americans favoured gradual approach 3. Polls showed Civil Rights at bottom of list of voter concerns 4. He needed Dixiecrat support |
| What did the EEOC aim to do & how successful was it in achieving this? | Aimed to ensure fair employment for federal employees It succeeded in promoting greater equality at an aircraft plant but otherwise met with limited successs |
| How did the Justice Department help with civil rights under Kennedy? | They believed that legal challenges were the way to improve civil rights Brought 57 suits against obstructions to Black voting (only 6 under Ike) They helped speed up desegregation in New Orleans, Atlanta, Memphis |
| How did Kennedy and American's react to the Freedom Rides of 1961? | 63% of Americans opposed them JFK reluctant to act against the mobs that attacked the protesters - he feared upset from Dixiecrats whilst felt that the rides were unpatriotic as they publicised domestic issues to the rest of the world (USSR) |
| How did Kennedy help integrate universities in Alabama in 1963? | Alabama was the last state to start desegregating its universities Kennedy sent in National Guard Kennedy declared black inequality immoral, referenced the Bible & constitution |
| How did Kennedy react to the March on Washington 1963? | Was opposed - saw it as criticism of his civil rights record Feared it'd antagonise Congress - jeopardise Civil Rights bill Eventually endorsed the march |
| What sort of critique did Kennedy gain for his involvement in the March on Washington? | Some argued he had taken over the March Malcolm X called it the 'farce on Washington' |
| Who was Dean Rusk & Robert McNamara? | Kennedy's Secretary of State Kennedy's Defence Secretary |
| How much was the defence budget increased in 1961? | By 15% |
| How much did ICBMs increase between 1961 to 1963? | 1961 - 63 1963 - 424 |
| What was the Peace Corps? | Established in 1961 Young people volunteered to work in poor areas of the world Aim was that LEDCs would be deterred from looking for Communist aid |
| What was the 'Brain Drain'? | 4,000 people a day were using it as an escape route from East to West These were often skilled & educated workers Caused economic problems for East |
| How did Khrushchev try an solve this issue? | Met with Kennedy in Vienna - June 1961 JFK refused to end free movement Khrushchev raised the same ultimatum he gave Ike - Kennedy stood firm Berlin Wall was created |
| What were the main consequences of the Cuban Missile Crisis? | Closest the world had been to WWIII Both sides realised relations needed improvement = Detente period 'Hotline' between Washington & Moscow Nuclear Test Ban Treaty - USSR, USA, UK - future testing underground to stop fallout |
| What was the issue with Laos under Kennedy? | After the Geneva Accords, North hadn't fully withdrawn from Laos JFK had to be cautious - feared Chinese provocation The North never did withdraw & so this had a major impact for later; the key Ho Chi Minh trail remained open |
| Why was the Ho Chi Minh trail so important? | It was the main supply route from North to South Vietnam Its continued effectiveness was a key reason why America was never able to win the conflict |
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