Notes compiled from a range of resources that helped me to gain an A* in A Level History
Includes
The presidential election of 1960 and reasons for Kennedy’s victory; the policies and personalities of the Kennedy administration; the ideas behind the ‘New Frontier’
Challenges to American po...
What was JFKs background? Rich/ Poor? Ethnicity? Region? Wife? Health?
• Wealthy, ambitious Irish- American family
• Kennedy had Addison’s disease (hormone imbalance) and colitis (inflation of colon)
compression fractures of the spine and chronic prostates (inflation of prostate gland)
required a lot of medicine, had to be injected with painkillers by ‘Dr Feelgood’ and
amphetamines
• Anti-Catholic attitude
• Kennedys ethnicity was American
• Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis
War Record:
• Military service in the us navy in 1941
• Commanding Patrol Torpedo Craft
• Campaigns in allies struggle to roll back Japanese from conquests
• Earnt a Navy and Marine Corps medal and a purple heart
Who were his family? Were they influential?
• Jacqueline Kennedy – wife
• John F. Kennedy Jr. - son
• Caroline Kennedy – Daughter
• Patrick Bouvier Kennedy - Son
• Joseph P. Kennedy – Father
• Rose Kennedy - Mother
• Robert F. Kennedy – brother
, • Ted Kennedy - Brother
• Eunice Kennedy – Sister
• Rosemary Kennedy – Sister
• Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. - brother
• Jean Kennedy – Sister
• Patricia Kennedy – Sister
• Kathleen Cavendish – sister
What was his career before he became president?
• Worked as a reporter in Hearst newspapers after the navy and in 1946 won election to
Kennedy won election to the US congress representing working –class Boston district
• Served three terms in US house of representatives earning the reputation as a
conservative democrat
• Re-elected in 1948 and in 1950
• 1952 ran for US Senate and defeated Republican incumbent for another
Massachusetts family with a long political history
• 1956 ran for the vice presidency but lost, but gained exposure
• Re-elected to the senate in 1958 and became a member of foreign relations committee
• 1960 democratic presidential nomination
What is the Kennedy Curse?
• Assassinations of President Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy
• Plane crash in 1999 and other plane crashes such as one in 1948 in France
• 1969 car crash
• RFKs son died of a drug overdose after struggles of watching his dad's assassination
on tv and a skiing accident in 1997
,• Another accused of rape and another accused of murder
• JFKs sister rosemary died after failed brain surgery
• JFKS infant's son born early and died on a lung condition
• Ted Kennedy lost a leg to cancer
, Why did Kennedy win the 1960 presidential election?
• Realized the importance of effective marketing
• ‘Kennedy for me campaign’
• Adverts
• Merchandise/ badges/ hats
Nixon:
• Kitchen debate
• Tricky-dicky
• Vice-president
• Checkers speech – accusations of fraud
• Slush funds
• Accused a female opponent of being communist
• Impeached
• Venezuela
• Goodwill ambassador
• Eisenhower 1953-61
• Senator of California- West coast not produced a president- chip on shoulder and
paranoia
• Stepped in twice due to Eisenhower's illness – experienced
Who was JFK? - Background:
Strengths Weakness
• Wealthy family • Illness – Addison's disease, colitis,
• Wartime service fractures of spine and chronic
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller Annabel21. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £3.99. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
