Lyndon B. JohnsonEarly lifeJohnson was born August 27, 1908, near Johnson City, Tex., the eldest son of Sam Ealy Johnson, Jr. and Rebekah Baines Johnson. His father, a struggling farmer and cattle speculator in the Texas hills, provided only an uncertain income for his family. Politically active, SamJohnson served five terms in the Texas Legislature. His mother had varied cultural interests and placed great value on education; she was extremely ambitious for her children. Johnson attended public schools in Johnson City and earned a bachelor's degree from Southwest Texas State Teachers College in San Marcos. He then taught for a year in Houston before going to Washington in 1931 as secretary to a Texas Democratic congressman, Richard M. Kleberg. Over the next 4 years Johnson developed an extensive network of political contacts in Washington, DC. On November 17, 1934, he married Claudia Alta Taylor, known as "Lady Bird." A warm, intelligent and ambitious woman, she was a great asset to Johnson's career. They had two daughters, Lynda Byrd, born in 1944, and Luci Baines, born in 1947. In 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt entered the White House. Johnson greatly admired the president, who appointed him, at age 27, to head the National Youth Administration in Texas. This work, which Johnson did from 1935 to 1937, involved helping young people find work and education. This confirmed Johnson's faith in the positive potential of government and earned him a group of supporters in Texas. In 1937, Johnson sought and won a Texas seat in Congress, where he supported public works, land reclamation, and public power programs. When the war came to Europe, he supported Roosevelt's efforts to help the Allies. During World War II he served briefly on active duty with the U.S. Navy in the Pacific (1941-42), but returned to Capitol Hill when Roosevelt recalled members of Congress from active duty. Johnson continued to support Roosevelt's military and foreign policy programs. During the 1940s, Johnson and his wife developed profitable business ventures, including a radio station, in Texas. In 1948 he ran for the United States Senate, winning the Democratic Party primary by just 87 votes. (This was his second attempt; in 1941 he had run for Senate and lost to a conservative opponent.) The opposition accused him of fraud and labeled him "Landslide Lyndon." Although challenged, unsuccessfully, in the courts, he took office in 1949. Senator and Vice President. ---------------------Johnson quickly moved up the Senate hierarchy.