Welfare State Wars Presentation Welfare State Wars
Comparing the New Deal & the Great Society
Warm Up: The Safety Net
Brainstorm
What government programs do you know that help citizens in need?
• Retirement support?
• Healthcare for the elderly?
• Food assistance?
The Origins
Which of these do you think came from the 1930s (FDR) vs. the 1960s (LBJ) ?
Social Security ?
Medicare ?
Food Stamps ?
Focus: The Great Society
Embedded media
Watch For:
• The "War on Poverty" focus
• Training vs. Direct Income
Key Programs:
• Medicare & Medicaid
• Head Start / Education
Activity: Policy Clash
The New Deal
Relief for the unemployed
Direct jobs (WPA/CCC)
1930s Depression context
The Great Society
War on Poverty
Training and Services
1960s Prosperity context
The Mission
"Use the template to compare target audiences, philosophies (jobs vs. training), and the final legacies."
Work Period: 20 Minutes
"The 1960s changed what Americans expected from their government —from clean air and water to medical coverage in old age."
— Eric Foner, Historian
Final Discussion
Do you agree? Has the government become too involved in our lives, or is this "safety net" essential for a modern democracy?
Welfare State Wars Worksheet Welfare State Wars
Comparative Analysis: New Deal vs. Great Society
Student:
Date:
Warm Up: Brainstorming
List government programs you are familiar with. Then, circle the year you think they were established (FDR/1930s or LBJ/1960s).
Program Name Origin Era 1. Social Security 1930s / 1960s 2. Medicare 1930s / 1960s 3. Food Stamps 1930s / 1960s 4. ____________________ 1930s / 1960s
Reflect
"The Great Society expanded the New Deal's promise by moving from physical survival to quality of life."
Video Analysis: LBJ's Vision
1. Why did LBJ characterize his programs as a "War on Poverty"? What was the specific focus of these initiatives compared to FDR's direct relief?
2. What were the two primary health insurance programs established?
3. According to the video, what was a key criticism of focusing on "training"?
The Legacy
"The 60s changed what Americans expected from their government." — Eric Foner
Evaluate this quote. How did the shift from "providing jobs" to "providing services" change the relationship between the citizen and the state?
Critical Thinking Task Unit: The 1960s
Welfare State Wars Venn Diagram Policy Clash Analysis
New Deal (1930s) vs. Great Society (1960s)
Activity Template
Name:
The New Deal
F.D. Roosevelt
Common Ground
Shared Legacy
Great Society
L.B. Johnson
Distinct Features
Distinct Features
1. Target Audience
Who was the priority? (The unemployed? The elderly? Minorities? The rural poor?)
2. Philosophy
What was the goal? (Direct relief/jobs? Social training? Improving quality of life?)
3. Economic Context
What was the state of the economy? (Global depression vs. post-war prosperity?)
Use historical evidence from the class lecture and the video segment. Focus on contrasting the "Three R's" (Relief, Recovery, Reform) with the "War on Poverty" and the "Rights Revolution."
Welfare State Wars Teacher Guide Facilitation Guide
Lesson: Welfare State Wars
Teacher Resource
Duration
45-50 Minutes
Grade Level
High School (9-12)
Subject
U.S. History / Civics
5 MIN
Warm-Up: Brainstorming
Goal: Activate prior knowledge regarding the "Safety Net."
Prompt: "Look at the list of programs on your worksheet. Which of these are part of your daily life or your family's life?"Key for Check:
Social Security (1935 - New Deal)
Medicare/Medicaid (1965 - Great Society)
Food Stamps (Pilot in 30s, Permanent in 1964)
10 MIN
Video Viewing
Focus Segment: 5:12 - 6:26 (Crash Course #40).
"Pause at 5:40: Ask why Green says treating poverty as a social problem (training) rather than economic (direct aid) was a limitation."
20 MIN
Venn Diagram Activity
Comparison Points (Answer Key Highlights):
New Deal (FDR) Shared Great Society (LBJ) Focus on "Relief" (immediate food/jobs). Expanded federal power & bureaucracy. Focus on "Quality of Life" & Civil Rights. Context: Economic Survival. Democratic Presidencies. Context: Prosperity/Abundance. Labor unions/Infrastructure. Created lasting social safety net. Healthcare (Medicare/Medicaid) & Education.
10 MIN
Closure: Discussion
Debrief: Revisit the Eric Foner quote. Challenge students to think about how modern expectations (like student loan forgiveness or universal basic income) are continuations of this 1960s shift.
Common Misconceptions
Myth: The Great Society was just a continuation of the New Deal.Fact: It was more radical in its social engineering (Civil Rights, Immigration) whereas the New Deal was largely about economic recovery.Myth: LBJ's programs were universally popular.Fact: They triggered a conservative backlash (Barry Goldwater, Richard Nixon) that argued the government was overreaching. 
