Question

what action prompted president kennedy to focus on helping the poor?

a. he received letters from poor people asking for help.
b. he saw poor people on the news every night.
c. during his travels he saw many people were hungry and had very little to eat.
d. he grew up poor and wanted to help people like him.

Explanation:

Analyze Kennedy's exposure to poverty

During his 1960 presidential campaign, particularly while traveling through the impoverished coal-mining regions of West Virginia, John F. Kennedy witnessed firsthand the severe hunger, malnutrition, and deprivation faced by local families.

Evaluate the options

• Option (a) is incorrect because personal letters were not the primary catalyst.
• Option (b) is incorrect because television news was not his primary source of exposure to this issue.
• Option (c) directly aligns with his campaign travels in West Virginia, where seeing hungry families deeply affected him and shaped his domestic policy agenda.
• Option (d) is historically false; Kennedy grew up in an extremely wealthy and privileged family.

Answer:

• a. He received letters from poor people asking for help.
• b. He saw poor people on the news every night.
• c. During his travels he saw many people were hungry and had very little to eat. (Correct answer)
• d. He grew up poor and wanted to help people like him.