America 1920-1973 Flashcards
What is the Central Federal Government?
. Based in the capital, Washington DC
. Run by the president, a cabinet of advisors and congress, which is made up of elected people from the different states
. Oversees matters that affect the whole country
What is the State Government?
. Based in the capital city of each state
. Each state has its own laws, police and court system, and its own governor in charge
What were the 2 political parties after gaining independence in 1776?
. The Republican Party
. The Democratic Party
What was the policy which the Republican Party use?
‘laissez-faire’
What is ‘laissez-faire’?
Staying out of people’s lives wherever possible
Which political party was more conservative?
The Republican Party
What is the Democratic Party?
. More of an ordinary people’s party, preferring to intervene in everyday life is necessary
. Favoured helping the most vulnerable, such as the poor or elderly
. Had more support in the poorer Southern states
. More liberal
What is the bill of rights?
The Bill of rights is a part of the constitution. It guarantees Americans a series of freedoms and rights, including the right to vote, and freedom of belief, freedom of information and freedom in law. However, by 1919, many states refused to recognise the right to vote of women, African Americans and American Indians
American Society - The First Americans
. Also known as American Indians or ‘Red Indians’
. Lived in tribes across America for thousands of years before white Europeans settled there.
. The white settlers took much of their land and forced them to live in reservations
. By 1900, there were only about 250,000 American Indians, down from 5 million when Europeans first arrived
American Society - New Immigrants
. A wave of new immigrants flooded into America from about 1850 onwards
. Mainly from eastern and southern Europe, but also from Ireland, China, Japan and South America
. Many were poor and illiterate. They crowded into the large industrial towns and cities looking for work.
. Some WASPs saw new immigrants as a threat to their way of life.
What countries did early immigrants mainly come from?
. Britain
. The Netherlands
. Germany
Who did the early immigrants fight with?
The American Indians
When did America gain independence from the British Empire?
July 4th 1776
About 10% of American people owned what percent of the wealth?
90%
What are WASPs?
White Anglo-Saxon Protestants
Hundreds, Thousands, Millions, or Billions of Africans were taken to work as slaves in the South of America between 1600 - 1800?
Millions
What group had limited freedom, including no right to vote, denied access to good jobs, decent housing and proper education
African Americans
What policy caused the USA to stay out of WW1 at first?
Isolationism
What made the USA prosper financially during WW1?
American banks loaned money to Britain and its allies to buy food, weapons and equipment.
What did WW1 do to countries that were fighting?
Disrupted economic growth
Why was America the only major nation without huge wartime debts?
Because nations such as France, Germany, Russia, and Britain were exhausted by the end of the war
From 1916 to 1927, the number of us homes with electricity grew from 15% to what percent?
70%
What modern gadgets increased in usage in US homes during the economic ‘boom’?
Vacuum cleaners, gramophones, radios, telephones and refrigerators
Huge demand for electric-powered goods created what?
Factory jobs
What did the Fordney-McCumber Tariff do?
It put high taxes on imports, making foreign goods more expensive, making Americans but more US goods, creating more jobs for Americans
What was the Republican’s policy that meant businesses were left alone to get on with creating wealth?
‘laissez-faire’
What meant that people had more money to spend?
Low taxes
