America 1920-1973 (Opportunity and Inequality) Flashcards
Why was the USA isolationist after WW1?
Americans didn’t want to lose more soldiers and Republican president Warren Harding wanted everything to return to normality.
Why did the USA start to demand high tariffs after WW1?
Farm and industrial profits started to decline.
What and when was the Emergency Tariff?
1921- increased taxes on agricultural products to help farmer increase their farm profits.
What and when was the Fordney-McCumber Tariff?
1922- increased taxes on industrial and agricultural imported good to protect factories and farms
Did the tariffs help or hinder the US economy?
Help, it encourages Americans to buy American products and therefore increased the number of goods being made and sold in America.
What were the causes of the economic boom? (7)
- Raw materials
- WW1
- Mass production
- Hire purchase
- Laissez-faire
- Tariffs
- Advertising
How did the growth in the car industry help the economy?
The assembly line sped up production and made more jobs because unskilled workers could be employed.
In the mid-1920s, how many cars were being produced daily?
75,000
What was the cycle of prosperity?
More sales -> increases production -> more workers with higher wages -> more spending ->
How did the entertainment industry help the boom?
People bought radios and went to cinemas to ‘escape the real world’.
Why was the entertainment industry so popular in the 1920s?
People had more time to listen to music or go to the cinemas.
How did the position of women change in society in the 1920s?
Women were allowed to vote, WW1 meant that they were more confident going out unchaperoned and wearing shorter dresses.
Why was the USA a divided society in the 1920s?
Not everyone benefitted from the boom, e.g. farmer and black Americans
Why did farmers not benefit from the boom? (4)
- New machinery meant too much food was being produced
- Food prices dropped by 50%
- Couldn’t pay mortgages
- Couldn’t find any other work
Why did black Americans not benefit from the boom?
- most were involved in farming
- 1 million black farm workers lost their job
- faced mostly same problems as farmer
- segregation
What was the American attitude towards immigration after WW1?
They were scared of immigrant affecting their society.
What immigration laws did the US government introduce after WW1? (2)
1921-Emergency Quota Act
1924-Johnson-Reed Act
What was the 1921 Emergency Quota Act?
- No more than 3% of Eastern European immigrants
- 357,000 maximum number of immigrants
What was the 1924 Johnson-Reed Act?
- Maximum number of immigrants 154,000
- Didn’t want unskilled or illiterate people
What was the Red scare?
A fear of communism entering the US
What was the Sacco and Vanzetti case?
- 1920
- Two Italian born immigrants were accused of armer robbery and murder
- Little evidence except background
- Accused of anarchists
- Despite protests, they were executed
Who were the KKK?
A group who scared and intimidated black people with violence e.g. burning homes and public lynchings.
-Wore white robes with masks to cover their face
How did the KKK add to the growth of racism in the 1920s?
Made people fear black people.
What was prohibition?
The sale, production and transport (not drinking) of alcohol made illegal.
Why was prohibition introduced?
People were spending too much money on alcohol and not enough on necessities like food.
Why did prohibition fail?
Crime began to rise and it was too difficult to regulate illegal alcohol.
What was the Wall St Crash?
The collapse of the American economy, cause of the Great Depression
How did the collapse of the banks weaken the economy?
Peple couldn’t trust the banks so they stopped using them which meant they didn’t spend as much money.
How did the Wall St Crash lead to a depression? (3)
- Increase in unemployment
- Banks collapsed
- Wages fell
How did Hoover deal with the depression? (2)
-Believed it was only temporary
“Prosperity is just around the corner”
-Raised import taxes so American would buy American products
Why dod Roosevelt (FDR) win the 1932 election?
Promised new deal, government action an end of prohibition. HELP, ENCOURAGE, REFORM
What did FDR introduce in the first 100 days?
Alphabet agencies
- FERA
- AAA
- NRA
- PWA
- CCC
- TVA
What did the CCC do?
Hired unemployed young men to work on public service projects e.g. building bridges, roads etc.
What did the AAA do?
Helped families to control production and stabilise prices
Successes of the New Deal (3)
- Reduced unemployment
- Made sure banks were safe and properly regulated
- Helped the poor
Disadvantages of the New Deal (4)
- Unemployment rose again in 1938
- Wasn’t enough money to maintain it
- Didn’t help black people
- Didn’t help women
Define isolationist
When a country separates itself from current affairs or other countries
Why was America isolationist? 5
- people expected them to lead in world affairs
- Americans felt they shouldn’t have been involved in WW1
- Could easily support itself
- Americans saw their country as a “place of opportunity”
- American Dream - thier way of living was best
What was the boom in terms of industry? 3
- more roads built
- more civillian airlines
- increase in things like cars, roads etc meant more jobs
What was the boom in terms of transport? 2
- number of cars increased from 9 million to 26 million in 10yrs
- in 1919 there were only 1 million trucks in USA but increased to 3.5 million by 1929
What was the boom in terms of home life? 3
- cars meant it was possible for people to live outside cities
- more homes with electricity all homes by 1929
- more people had silk stockings
What was the boom in terms of cities? 2
- more skyscrapers built
- less people living in cities due to cars
Who was Andrew Mellon? 4
- Secretary of the treasury from 1921-32
- Believed that tax cuts and lowering government spending would encourage private effort and initiative
- Spent 8 yrs in office
- Believed that tax reductions benefited the wealthy
Who was Warren Harding? 5
- Elected as 29th president on his birthday
- served from 1921-23
- Allowed congress
- approved tax cuts on higher incomes and protective tariffs
- supported limiting the immigration and ending spending controls
Who was Herbert Hoover? 8
- 31st president of US (1929-33)
- Led America through Great Depression and Wall st Crash
- Couldn’t overcome economic destruction and despair that was a result
- lost reelection bid in 1932
- wanted to keep people working
- none of his approaches helped the economy
- Helplessly watched businesses close and America sink into poverty
- Signed Smoot-Hawley Act which meant taxes were raised on imports
Who was Calvin Coolidge? 7
- 30th US president
- nicknamed ‘Silent Cal’ because of stubbornness
- cut taxes
- limited government spending
- led America through roaring 20s, escaped presidency before Wall St Crash
- he rejected US membership of League of Nations
- set high tariffs on imported goods to try and protect America
In terms of American attitudes, why was there an economic boom in the 1920’s? 2
- American dream
- America was the ‘land of opportunity’
In terms of WW1, why was there an economic boom in the 1920’s? 5
- USA left the war in a good position compared to others
- only lost 100,000 men
- no land lost
- businesses thrived (war torn countries industries were struggling so America took over)
In terms of money, why was there an economic boom in the 1920’s? 2
- they lent money to Germany in 1924 to help pay of ToV (Dawes Plan)
- lent money to Britain and France in 1925
In terms of big businesses, why was there an economic boom in the 1920’s? 2
- mass production
- Ford motor car industry
- assembly line meant production was sped up
- steel, rubber and leather industries increased because of assembly line
In terms of Republican policies, why was there an economic boom in the 1920’s? 4
- America first
- laissez faire attitude (leave businesses to get on with it, very little government intervention)
- tariffs protected businesses against foreign imports
- USA began closing borders to foreign immigrants
In terms of raw materials, why was there an economic boom in the 1920’s? 4
- raw materials industry had grown massively since 1860’s/70’s
- leading oil producer
- selling more products in part of Europe, Latin America and Far East
- farmers were producing more than they could sell
In terms of mass production, why was there an economic boom in the 1920’s? 3
- In 10yrs number of cars increase fro 9 million to 26 million
- newly mass produced products like telephones, radios, vacuum cleaners and washing machines were the foundations of the boom
- electrical companies became household names e.g. hoover
In terms of hire purchase, why was there an economic boom in the 1920’s? 3
- people had the ability to buy things on credit
- economically everything was good so no one bothered keeping up with payments
- people able to afford more luxury items
In terms of mail order, why was there an economic boom in the 1920’s? 2
- ability ti be able to order things straight to your house encouraged people to spend more money due to easiness of it
- lack of transport didn’t stop people from spending
In terms of advertising, why was there an economic boom in the 1920’s? 4
- big industries were using sophisticated sales and marketing techniques to attract people to buying their goods
- poster and radio advertisements introduced
- the travelling salesman encouraged Americans to buy products
- advertisers learnt the skill of advertising through war time propaganda
What were the government policies? 9
- Republican
- Approved tax cuts on higher incomes and protective tariffs
- limiting immigration
- returning to normalcy after the war
- isolationist
- protectionist (protecting the US economy
- rugged individualism
- encouraged the role of big business
- laissez faire
Rugged individualism
looking after yourself, no government intervention or other support
When was the Emergency Tariff Act?
1921
What was the Emergency Tariff Act?
Taxes on a range of imported agricultural products to protect the US farmers and the prices they would recieve
When was the Fordney-McCumber Tariff?
1922
What was the Fordney-McCumber Tariff?
Put taxes on imported industrial and food products
How did the 1921 and 1922 tariffs lead to the boom?
People were buying American products which out more money into the economy and boosted moral, encouraging people to buy more
How did the Ford motor industry affect the boom in the 1920s?
- Assembly line meant fewer skilled workers, more cost effective
- Standardised car
- affordable for most people
What was the price of the Model T Ford?
Cost $1200 in 1909, in 1928 it cost only $295
What other industries grew rapidly because of the motor industry increasing?
- steel
- rubber
- leather
- paint
Why was agriculture failing during the 1920s? 6
- Europe imported less food from USA (bankrupt post war)
- competition against Canadian wheat farmers
- population falling, less mouths to feed
- rural banks collapsed
- overproduction
- no war meant they lost buyers from around the world
What was the total farm income?
In 1919 it was $22 billion, but dropped to $13 billion in 1928
Give a statistic on overproduction
In the 1920s the average US farmer had enough produce to feed his family and 14 others
In 1921 how much did the farm prices fall by?
50%
How many Americans lived in rural areas?
Half
What was the cycle of prosperity?
Increased production -> increased employment -> more money to spend on consumer goods -> increased demand for consumer good -> increased production etc…
Why did black people not benefit from the boom? 4
- less job opportunities
- poorly educated
- lived in poorest accommodation
- worked mostly in failing farming industry
Why did workers in traditional industries not benefit from the boom?
- coal miners suffered competition from oil and electric industries
- more competition from man made products
How many millionaires were there in the 1920s?
7000 millionaires in 1914
35000 millionaire by 1920
How much did the average wagesrise between 1919 and 1929?
26%
How many unemployed people were there?
- 9 million in 1921
1. 9 million in 1926
How many people owned consumer gadgets in 30 years?
845000
How many bankruptcies were there in the 1920s?
5 times more than there was in the 1900s
How many farmers were forced off their land in the 1920s?
6 million
How many Americans lived below the poverty line in 1929?
60%
How many Americans wages were below the required minimum amount for a decent standard of living?
42%
How did radio help the boom?
- advertising
- helped sport industry
What percentage of families had radios?
60%
Why were more Americans going to the movies?
- tickets were cheap
- escape to a fantasy world
- became a national habit
- new and exciting
By 1929 how many Americans were going to the movies a week?
110 million
How did dance impact the boom?
- charleston
- tango
- it was suggestive and frowned upon by older generations
- encouraged by music
How many films did big film companies make a year?
500 +
How did women change in the 1920s-30s?
- hair was pinned back without a hat
- arms/legs on show
- lose fitted dresses
- they gained the vote in most states
- domestic work was made easier by electrical goods
- unchaperoned
- got to experience skilled factory work during war
- less likely to stay in unhappy marriages
- The BOOM: films, advertising, radio
- didn’t want to turn back to the way they were pre war
Give a statistic for the number of divorces
1914 there were 100,000 divorces, this had doubled by 1929
Give a statistic for women in jobs
By 1929 there were 10 million women in jobs, 29% more than in 1920
What law was introduced in January 1920?
The Volstead Act
What did the Volstead act/prohibition do?
Ban the manufacture, sale and transport of alcohol (but not drinking it)
What were speakeasies?
Sold illegal alcohol in the back of pubs/clubs/cigar shops
What were the causes of Prohibition?
- Supporters known as dries
- claims that 3000 infants were smothered yearly by drunken parents
- Womens Christian Temperance- believed alcohol was the root of many problems
- Anti-Saloon League- “Lips that touch liquor shall not touch ours”
- Wanted fathers to look after kids instead of drinking
- Big breweries often run by Germans (seen as the enemy)
How long did prohibition last for?
From 1920 until 1933
In 1920 there was 20,443 arrests for drunken offences, this increased to….
58,517 in 1925
DEFINITION:
Isolationist
Stayin out of foreign affair and focusing on your own country
DEFINITION:
Federal Law
USAs central government law
DEFINITION:
State Law
Individual state’s Law
DEFINITION:
Moonshine
Illegally distilled alcohol
DEFINITION:
Bootlegging
Importing alcohol across states of from abroad
What was the impact of prohibition? 8
- Bootleggers
- Prohibition enforcement officers
- Secret distilleries on farms
- Alcohol related crimes increases
- Police and politicians took bribes from gangsters to ignore trade in alcohol
- Speakeasies
- Difficult to enforce
- Alcohol was too popular, people were finding ways to get hold of it
Why did prohibition fail? 7
- Lack of resources for enforcement
- Geographical difficulties
- Bootleggers
- Easy for people to distil alcohol on an industrial level
- Popularity of speakeasies
- Cultural divisions
- Disagreements between the ‘dry lobby’
How much did gangsters make from sale of illegal alcohol?
$2 billion
How many stills did agents seize?
Over 280,000
What were the push factors (force) of immigration? 5
- fleeing poverty
- Jews and Russians fleeing persecution
- fleeing diseases
- potato famine in Ireland
- harvest failures
What were the pull (want) factors of immigration? 7
- make money to take back to families
- seen as land of plenty
- home of the free
- War 1914-1918 (Isolationist)
- Freedom
- wealth
SECOND NEW DEAL:
What was the Wagner Act of June 1935?
Forced all employees to allow trade unions to operate and negotiate for better pay and working conditions.
SECOND NEW DEAL:
What was The Works Progression Administration of June 1935 (WPA)
Set up to help create jobs across a variety of different areas, not only industrial and farmers.
SECOND NEW DEAL:
What was the Resettlement Administration (RA) of June 1935?
Set up to help small holders and tenant farmers who had not been helped by the AAA.
SECOND NEW DEAL:
What was the Social Security Act of 1935?
Provided state pensions for the elderly and for widows and benefits for sick and disabled. It also set up a National Insurance scheme in case people became unemployed.
How were the 1920s completely depressing? 7
- veterans left without housing
- soldiers demanded rights
- banks were bankrupt
- wars were beginning
- Americans got worried about the threat of war (Manchuria, Abyssinia)
- starving
- communism was growing
How were the 1920s exciting? 3
- allowed to drink again
- people got work
- New deal/change
By the 1920s America was one of the richest companies in the world, why? 5
- arts/movies/cinema/consumerism
- WW2
- the new deal
- government investing in economy, war and people
- America not directly affected by WW2
DEFINITION:
Consumerism
Encouraging the buying of products/goods
By 1941, how many homes had TVs?
10,000
Between 1948 and 1958, what % of households owned TVs?
1948- 0.4%
1954- 55.7%
1958- 83.2%
What was post war America like? (1945-1950) 8
- TVs more popular
- American Dream-modern conveniences became norm
- Suburbia-houses built to appeal new buyers
- Cars-showed off status
- Cinema-increase in leisure time
- Consumerism-comfortable lifestyle, credit cards
- Rock n Roll- growing sense of rebellion
- Jobs-offices built
What was the civil rights movement?
A protest movement for equal rights under American law
What were the Jim Crow Laws?
State and local segregation laws that became widespread in the South during the 1890s. Jim Crow painted his face black and made fun of black people.
What is meant by the word segregation?
“Separate, but equal”
