The Great Society (College Board AP® US History): Flashcards
0Still learning
Know0
Define Great Society.
Was this flashcard helpful?
Cards in this collection (27)
Define Great Society.
The Great Society was Lyndon Johnson's series of social reform programs, a 1960s version of the New Deal, designed to improve the welfare of Americans, especially those in poverty.
Which domestic problems did the Great Society target?
The Great Society targeted racism and poverty.
How did liberals and conservatives differ on citizens' welfare in the 1960s?
Liberals believed government action could fix society's problems, while conservatives saw welfare as the responsibility of private groups such as churches and charities.
Why was Johnson able to pass so many programs?
A Democratic supermajority in Congress supported his plans.
In 1964, President Johnson declared an "unconditional war on ."
In 1964, President Johnson declared an "unconditional war on poverty."
Which self-help programs did the Office of Economic Opportunity sponsor?
The Office of Economic Opportunity sponsored Head Start, the Job Corps, literacy programs, legal services, and the Community Action Program.
What did the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (1965) do?
It gave federal money to poor school districts and funded special education.
What did the Higher Education Act (1965) provide?
It provided federal scholarships for post-high school education.
What did the Immigration Act of 1965 do?
It ended discriminatory quotas based on immigrants' place of birth.
Define Medicare (1965).
Medicare is health insurance for all Americans aged 65 and older.
Define Medicaid (1965).
Medicaid gives federal money to states to pay for medical care for poor and disabled people.
What did the Food Stamp Act (1964) do?
It helped low-income families and individuals buy food.
Which two new cabinet departments did Johnson create?
Johnson created the Department of Transportation and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
What were the main criticisms of the Great Society?
Critics said it was too expensive, promised too much, and that ending poverty was an unrealistic goal.
True or False?
The Great Society ended poverty in the United States.
False.
The Great Society did not end poverty or its root cause, but its supporters pointed out that millions of people benefited from its programs.
The idea that the state provides services for the welfare of citizens is the basis of political .
The idea that the state provides services for the welfare of citizens is the basis of political liberalism.
What was the aim of US immigration laws before 1965?
They aimed to keep the population mostly White and of European descent.
Define quota (immigration).
A quota was a specific number of people of each nationality allowed into the country each year.
Where did most immigrants come from before the 1960s?
Most immigrants came from Canada and Europe.
Which groups did the Immigration Act of 1965 give preference to?
The Immigration Act of 1965 gave preference to family members of people already living in the US, people in desirable professions or with exceptional ability in the sciences or arts, and people who would benefit the economy, culture, or welfare of the US.
True or False?
Workers such as farmers and retail clerks benefited from the preferences in the Immigration Act of 1965.
False.
The Act favored people with desirable professional skills, so workers such as farmers and retail clerks did not benefit from it.
How had the origins of immigrants changed by the 1980s?
By the 1980s, 47% of immigrants came from Latin America, 37% from Asia, and under 13% from Europe and Canada.
Besides the 1965 Act, what caused this shift in immigrant origins?
Refugees leaving the communist governments of Cuba and Vietnam also drove the shift.
How did undocumented immigration change in the mid-to-late 20th century?
The number of undocumented immigrants rose.
Define Immigration Reform and Control Act (1986).
The Immigration Reform and Control Act penalized employers for hiring people who entered the US illegally or overstayed their visas.
By the mid-1970s, up to people were living in the United States without legal documentation.
By the mid-1970s, up to 12 million people were living in the United States without legal documentation.
True or False?
Before 1965, the quota system allowed only 100 visas a year from Asian countries.
True.
The quota system allowed only 100 visas from Asian countries each year, which helped keep the US population mostly White and of European descent.
Sign up to unlock flashcards
or