kennedy era - Cameron Wiggins HIS 131-02 Charlotte Brow The Kennedy Era The 1960s opened up with much uncertainty which caused concern and fear in the

Cameron Wiggins HIS 131-02 Charlotte Brow 4/12/2013 The Kennedy Era The 1960’s opened up with much uncertainty, which caused concern and fear in the citizens of America. Even though the day of McCarthyism were over there was still a fear of communism that was embedded in the hearts of many of Americans, especially as the Soviet Union was increasing in economic and military power. Not only were there fears of communism overseas, there were protest and all sorts of trouble that began to happen in the southern United States, as the civil rights movement was in full effect, which often caused tension and sometimes violence between the African Americans and the white southerners (Ayers 761). However, with all of the uneasiness of the American people, there seemed to be a glimmer of hope that entered into “the turbulent years” of the 1960’s and that hope rested upon the jovial shoulders of President John F. Kennedy. The Election of 1960 was a historical event for all of American politics, as John F. Kennedy won and became the youngest person ever elected as President of the United States. Not only was he the youngest person ever elected as president, he was also the first and so far the only member of the non-Protestant religious tradition to be elected as President of the United States. Kennedy a devout Catholic was praised by many in the Catholic community for making Catholicism more acceptable throughout the nation. However, even though a devout Catholic, Kennedy did not mix his religion with his politics; he actually shifted from his identification as a Catholic as he began his venture to become the president (Carty 53). The presidency of Kennedy uncritically accepted United States globalism, and this demonstrated through the determination of Kennedy to be an activist president, which was manifested through his foreign and defense policies (Kennedy, John F.). Kennedy and his

administration inherited their first national crisis and that was to overthrow Fidel Castro and the Marxist government that was in control in Cuba (Schaff). On April 17, 1961, the United States tried to invade Cuba at the Bay of Pigs, however nothing went according to plans and the invasion was a failure and in an interview with Steve Wiggins, who was a teenager during the