1. John F. Kennedy

2. Space Race
NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) (1958) – formed to compete with the Soviet Union’s space program
Space Programs – Kennedy was a huge advocate in increasing America’s Space Program
John Glenn – became the first American to orbit the Earth on Feb. 20th 1962

3. Buzz Aldrin (and Neil Armstrong) first humans on the moon

4. Education
National Defense Education Act (1958) – act that increase funding in education, especially in math, science, and civics

5. Music Rock n’ Roll – new musical era that
combined blues, jazz, and Southern gospel
Ex: Elvis Presley and Little Richard
British Invasion ( ) – term referring to the popularity of British musicians like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones

6. Election of 1960
Election of 1960 – election held between Democrat Kennedy and Republican Nixon
This election was the first to have televised debates

7. New Frontier
New Frontier – name given to JFK’s domestic and foreign programs
Focused on the economy, education, poverty, crime, military, medical care, and women’s rights

8. Peace Corps
Peace Corps – organization that sent young men and women to perform humanitarian aid to nations in need

9. Response to Communism
Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev takes over after Stalin’s death in 1953
He constructs the Berlin Wall to block out U.S. in 1961
Now have physical barrier marking the “Iron Curtain” (all nations East of the Berlin Wall)

10. Fidel Castro Fidel Castro – Communist Cuban Dictator
Cuba only 90 miles away from Florida, too close for American comfort
Castro formed alliance with Khrushchev

11. Bay of Pigs Invasion, 1961
C.I.A. began training Cuban exiles for invasion of Cuba at a place called the Bay of Pigs
JFK approves invasion by Cuban exiles to overthrow Castro’s government and set up a new government that was not communist
Invasion fails horribly

12. Cuban Missile Crisis 1962: U.S. spy planes discovered missiles in Cuba
Kennedy televised announcement stating the Soviet Union had placed long-range missiles in Cuba
Kennedy issued a naval blockade of Cuba
After 7 days, Soviet leader Khrushchev offered to remove their missiles if U.S. removed their missiles from Turkey

13. JFK Assassination President Kennedy was assassinated in 1963 in Dallas
Lee Harvey Oswald found guilty