Lyndon B. Johnson on "The Great Society" (1964): List 3

On May 22, 1964, the graduating students of the University of Michigan were personally asked by President Lyndon B. Johnson to join him in a battle to make America great. Here are some of the words used by the president to inspire a commitment to end poverty and injustice. Read the full text of his remarks here.

This list covers vocabulary in paragraphs 33-42 of the speech.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. cooperation
    the practice of working together on a common enterprise
    They require us to create new concepts of cooperation, a creative federalism, between the National Capital and the leaders of local communities.
  2. federalism
    government divided between central and regional powers
    They require us to create new concepts of cooperation, a creative federalism, between the National Capital and the leaders of local communities.
  3. realm
    a domain in which something is dominant
    Within your lifetime powerful forces, already loosed, will take us toward a way of life beyond the realm of our experience, almost beyond the bounds of our imagination.
  4. appoint
    assign a duty, responsibility, or obligation to
    For better or for worse, your generation has been appointed by history to deal with those problems and to lead America toward a new age.
  5. morality
    the quality of being in accord with right or good conduct
    You can help build a society where the demands of morality, and the needs of the spirit, can be realized in the life of the Nation.
  6. enjoin
    give instructions to or direct somebody to do something
    So, will you join in the battle to give every citizen the full equality which God enjoins and the law requires, whatever his belief, or race, or the color of his skin?
  7. enduring
    unceasing
    Will you join in the battle to make it possible for all nations to live in enduring peace—as neighbors and not as mortal enemies?
  8. foundation
    the basis on which something is grounded
    Will you join in the battle to build the Great Society, to prove that our material progress is only the foundation on which we will build a richer life of mind and spirit?
  9. timid
    showing fear and lack of courage
    There are those timid souls that say this battle cannot be won; that we are condemned to a soulless wealth.
  10. civilization
    a society in an advanced state of social development
    We have the power to shape the civilization that we want.
  11. exploit
    a notable achievement
    So let us from this moment begin our work so that in the future men will look back and say: It was then, after a long and weary way, that man turned the exploits of his genius to the full enrichment of his life.
Created on Tue Jun 03 17:50:31 EDT 2025 (updated Tue Jun 03 17:57:59 EDT 2025)

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