Final answer:
The Great Society was a set of programs and policy initiatives led by President Lyndon B. Johnson, focusing on eliminating poverty and racial injustice, with a significant expansion of federal government's role in education and other social services.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Great Society was an ambitious series of policy initiatives, legislation, and programs spearheaded by President Lyndon B. Johnson with the main goals of eradicating poverty and racial injustice. These reforms marked a significant expansion of the federal government's role in domestic affairs. Notably, President Johnson envisioned the Great Society as a response to the issues of social injustice and aimed to foster significant improvements in the lives of all Americans, particularly in education, healthcare, and voting rights.
On May 22, 1964, Johnson presented his vision for the Great Society during a commencement speech at the University of Michigan. He emphasized the importance of education, describing it as the "key which can unlock the door to the Great Society." The introduction of the Higher Education Act was one of the cornerstones of the initiative, helping to make college education more accessible to young adults through expanded work-study programs, loans, and low-interest rates backed by the federal government.
Moreover, Johnson's Great Society aimed to build improvements in urban cities, rural areas, and educational institutions, recognizing that the efforts to achieve this society required the collaboration between the federal government and local communities. Despite the efforts, it was understood that the Great Society was not a final goal but an ongoing challenge—a vision that would require continual effort and innovation in order to address the evolving issues facing the nation.