America 1920-1973 Flashcards
America 1920-1973
Why was American society known as the ‘melting pot’ in the 1920’s?
Because people from all over the world went to America for the American dream, and they were all mixed together.
Why is LACK PANTS significant to America in the 1920s?
It is a combination of reasons that helped contribute to the Boom in America
THE ECONOMIC BOOM
THE ECONOMIC BOOM
Why was the economy booming again by 1923 after the war and after the depression?
The boost of Republican Presidents policies
What does Laissez faire mean?
Republicans left businesses alone as much as possible to make as much profit as possible.
What made America very rich by 1918?
America exported weapons and food to Europe during the First World War this is made American companies rich
What are Tariffs?
- A type of tax on imports
- Goods built and made in America were cheaper
- This encouraged people to buy American, boosting American industries hugely
What happened to taxes in comparison to peoples wages?
- Wages increased but taxes stayed low
- People had more money to spend on American goods, increasing sales and boosting profits and the economy even more
Who benefitted the most short term because of the boost?
Businessmen (as company profits increased)
During the early 1920s the economy grew because of increased sales of CONSUMER ITEMS such as…?
Radios, vacuum cleaners and washing machines
Consumer items was driven by what four main factors?
Mass production, Tariffs, Advertising and Credit
What is mass production
Goods were made on a large scale. This meant consumer goods could be made much cheaper.
How was advertising used?
New advertising techniques were used. Newspapers ran adverts persuading people they needed the new products.
What was credit used for?
The real secrets of the boom were HIRE PURCHASE and CREDIT. People didn’t need to have the money at the time they waned to purchase a car or a radio.
The increased confidence also encouraged some people to invest in the…?
STOCK MARKET
Who created the first production and mass production (and when)?
Henry Ford, 1913
In 1927 one car was produced every…?
Ten seconds
Short term who suffered the most because of the economic boom
Farmers and mainly lower class people
Why was it that farmers suffered the most in the 1920s?
After WW1 demand for food fell dramatically
What happened to workers in old industries
They lost there jobs
New technology and new materials replaced workers in the ______ and ________ industries
Coal and textiles
What groups of people were most likely to be unemployed in the 1920s?
African-American, Hispanics and immigrant groups
The ____________ approach of the Republicans meant they did very little to help the poor.
Laissez-faire
What did the Republicans believe would happen if they left poor people alone?
The situation would sort itself out
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS IN THE 1920s
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS IN THE 1920s
Many young people rejected traditional values because of changes in __________, ______, _______ and ________.
Technology, music, dance and fashion
Average wages rose by?
11.1%
Average working hours fell by?
Five hours a week
Who was most likely to experience these changes?
People living in cities
What were the new forms of entertainment?
Radio, cinema, jazz and sport
URBAN WOMEN’S FREEDOM
URBAN WOMEN’S FREEDOM
What did women dress And behave like before the 1920s?
- Wear restrictive clothing
- No makeup
- Had to behave politely
Explain women in the 1920s?
FLAPPERS were young urban women who cut there hair short, wore less restricting clothes and smoked in public.
Explain women’s work before the 1920s?
There were few paid jobs for middle class women. Unmarried women often worked as teachers or secretaries, married women were expected to stay home.
Explain women’s work during the 1920s?
WW1 challenged the views on women working. By 1929, there were 10 million women in paid work (24% more than in 1920).
Explain women’s rights before the 1920s?
Women could not vote
Explain women’s rights during the 1920s?
In 1920 women won the right to vote.
A DIVIDED SOCIETY
A DIVIDED SOCIETY
The TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT argued that the health of children was at risk and that ________ was destroying family life
Alcohol
The prohibition movement had powerful support. A national ban was introduced by…? (Name and year)
The VOLSTEAD ACT of 1920
Prohibition reduced alcohol consumption but only by…? (%)
30%
In some states, the law was widely ignored, particularly in the cities. The government appointed…?
ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS (they had little success)
Despite the ban, it was easy to find ___________ (secret illegal bars) in cities.
Speakeasies
These were supplied by…?
Bootleggers
What did bootleggers do?
They smuggled alcohol into the USA (often from Canada)
Where was gang warfare most common?
Chicago
Who was the most famous gangster?
Al Capone
Where was there the most racism in America?
The South
Who else did African American people have to fear other than white people?
The Ku Klux Klan (KKK)
Between 19__ and 19__, ____ African-Americans were lynched
Between 1919 and 1925, 300 African-Americans were lynched
By 19__ there were _____________ members of the KKK
By 1925 there were 4.5 million members of the KKK
Fear of immigrants and their political impact meant that _______ were introduced.
Fear of immigrants and their political impact meant that quotas were introduced.
by 1924 the USA was accepting __________ per year as opposed to __________ before 1914
by 1924 the USA was accepting 150,000 per year as opposed to 500,000 before 1914
There was no integration because…
Immigrants often lived in the same area.
People invested in the stock market because…
They believed the economy would keep growing, so share prices would keep rising.
__________ borrowed money from banks to buy shares in hope they would gain the money back quickly.
Speculators borrowed money from banks to buy shares in hope they would gain the money back quickly.
When did the stock market crash?
Autumn 1929
Simplified, what was the Wall Street Crash?
Prices started to drop so people tried to sell their shares. Prices plunged. Speculators couldn’t repay money they borrowed to buy shares
People relied on…
Soup kitchens
In 1923, 238 people were admitted to New York hospitals suffering from severe…
Malnutrition
Demand for food went down at home and abroad. American exports fell from $__ billion in 1929 to $__ billion in 19__.
Demand for food went down at home and abroad. American exports fell from $10 billion in 1929 to $3 billion in 1932.
More than _________ farmers ___________ to the west coast to look for work, but there was very little there for them.
More than 2.5 million farmers migrated to the west coast to look for work, but there was very little there for them.
