Question

Evaluate the effectiveness of the Great Society legislation at responding to the political, economic, and social problems of the United States in the period 1960 to 1970. Use all the documents for evidence and state which document the evidence came from.

Answer 1

Based on the documents, one could argue that the Great Society programs were highly effective in addressing the social, economic, and political problems of the 1960's.

For example, Document 1 shows that since Lyndon B. Johnson took over president (in 1963) the number of poor persons and poverty rate both decreased steadily during this era. This shows that Lyndon B Johnson was on the right track in terms of solving the issue of poverty, which he references in Document 2.

He also helps from a political standpoint, as he helps to get the Voting Rights Act of 1965. His work with individuals like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (shown in Document 3) lead to a federal law that outlawed poll taxes, grandfather clauses, and other obstacles blacks faced when trying to vote.