The war on poverty.

During the presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-1969), the President and Congress created many new programs as part of his "war on poverty" campaign. Between November 1964 and June 1969, Congress allotted nearly $7 billion to antipoverty programs. Did that have any effect on needy Americans? Judge for yourself. Study this graph, then answer the questions on a separate sheet of paper.

1. What was the poverty level in the year(s) shown before the first antipoverty programs were created?

2. Which year shown on this graph is the first after the antipoverty programs were created? What was the poverty level in that year?

3. What happened to the poverty rate between 1970 and 1980?

4. Which year shown had the lowest rate of Americans below the poverty level?

5. What happened in the following year shown?

Americans Living Below the Poverty Level
(percent of the population)

1960     22.2
1966     14.7
1970     12.6
1976     11.8
1980     13.0
1986     13.6
1990     13.5
1996     13.7
2000     11.3
2002 *   12.1

SOURCE: Bureau of the Census, Statistical Abstract of
the United States (1995, 2001, and 2004-2005 editions)

* latest year figures available

Note: Table line made from line graph.

ANSWERS

1. 22.2 percent (in 1960)

2. 1966; 14.7 percent

3. It went down, then rose again.

4. 2000 (11.3 percent)

5. The poverty level increased slightly.