Which of the following were the three aims of the New Frontier?

• A. Civil Rights—Appointed a Black federal judge, threatened legal action against Louisiana for closing schools, sent 23,000 troops to ensure one Black student could go to university.
• B. The Economy—Cut taxes, built public works worth $900 million, increased spending on defence and technology in space.
• C. All of the above
• D. Social Reform—Increased minimum wage from $1 to $1.25, started Medicare, Manpower and Training Act 1962, Area Redevelopment Act 1961, Housing Act 1961, Social Security Act 1961.

Answer: (C)

The question tests the three-pronged aims of Kennedy’s New Frontier: civil rights, economic growth, and social reform. Civil rights were pursued through federal action to enforce desegregation and protect Black Americans’ rights, such as supporting integration efforts and using federal authority when states resisted. The economic aspect focused on boosting growth through tax cuts, large-scale public works, and investments in defense and technology to drive innovation and employment. Social reform targeted a broader welfare and skills agenda, with measures like raising the minimum wage and establishing manpower and training programs, area redevelopment, and housing initiatives.

Because the three areas—civil rights, the economy, and social reform—are all represented by the items listed, the answer that encompasses all of them best reflects the New Frontier’s aims.