Lyndon B. Johnson was the 36th president, sworn into office after the JFK assassination. He launched an ambitious slate of reforms to create a "Great Society" for Americans. Some of the programs- Medicare, Head Start, Voting Rights Act, and Civil Rights Act had a big impact on the society. Despite all of his achievements, it was overshadowed by his failure to lead the nation out of the Vietnam War. He never ran for a second term and retired to his Texas ranch in 1969.
He was born on August 27, 1908 in Texas. He graduated from Southwest State Teachers College (now Texas State University) in 1930. To help pay for college, he taught at a disadvantaged Mexican-American school. In 1934 he married Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Taylor. She was a critical part of his political success. In 1935, he became the Texas director of the National Youth Administration, a New Deal program president FDR created during the Great Depression.
In 1937, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as a democrat. He was re-elected 5 times, but after failing to be elected to the Senate in 1941, he became the first member of Congress to volunteer for active duty in the military during WW2.
In 1960, JFK the democratic presidential nominee, asked Johnson to be his vice president. He helped lift JFK to a narrow victory over republican candidate Richard M. Nixon. After JFK was killed in Dallas, he was sworn in later that day aboard Air Force 1.
After taking office, Johnson pushed congress to pass legislation aimed at illiteracy, unemployment, and discrimination. He won the 1964 election by 15 million votes. He created Medicaid programs to give free health insurance for the old and poor Americans. He signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
He is most known for his failure of his policies toward Vietnam. He wanted to prevent the communist North Vietnam from taking control of the U.S.-backed South Vietnam. He believed that if South Vietnam would fall then communism would spread all over the world. This was known as the "domino theory". He increased the number of American troops in Vietnam from 16,000 in 1963 to over 500,000 in 1968. But the war was still in a stalemate. With war casualties rising, the number of anti-war protests across America arose as well. With his popularity plummeting he decided not to run for reelection. He retired to his Texas ranch until he died of a heart attack in 1973.
He was born on August 27, 1908 in Texas. He graduated from Southwest State Teachers College (now Texas State University) in 1930. To help pay for college, he taught at a disadvantaged Mexican-American school. In 1934 he married Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Taylor. She was a critical part of his political success. In 1935, he became the Texas director of the National Youth Administration, a New Deal program president FDR created during the Great Depression.
In 1937, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as a democrat. He was re-elected 5 times, but after failing to be elected to the Senate in 1941, he became the first member of Congress to volunteer for active duty in the military during WW2.
In 1960, JFK the democratic presidential nominee, asked Johnson to be his vice president. He helped lift JFK to a narrow victory over republican candidate Richard M. Nixon. After JFK was killed in Dallas, he was sworn in later that day aboard Air Force 1.
After taking office, Johnson pushed congress to pass legislation aimed at illiteracy, unemployment, and discrimination. He won the 1964 election by 15 million votes. He created Medicaid programs to give free health insurance for the old and poor Americans. He signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
He is most known for his failure of his policies toward Vietnam. He wanted to prevent the communist North Vietnam from taking control of the U.S.-backed South Vietnam. He believed that if South Vietnam would fall then communism would spread all over the world. This was known as the "domino theory". He increased the number of American troops in Vietnam from 16,000 in 1963 to over 500,000 in 1968. But the war was still in a stalemate. With war casualties rising, the number of anti-war protests across America arose as well. With his popularity plummeting he decided not to run for reelection. He retired to his Texas ranch until he died of a heart attack in 1973.