america 1920s Flashcards
how did the first world war contribute to the economic boom in the usa?
because Europe needed lots of materials to help rebuild their society and as the was no war in america they had lots to spare as they didn’t need to rebuild
how did low taxes boost the economy
it was when the republican government decreased the taxes this then meant that people had more money to spend on businesses so the economy could grow as money was being but into it
what was the construction line and how did it help improve the economy
it was when a product would be moved along a line and lots of different people would but on different bits for example instead of making one car one by one and taking ages you would have some one put on one peace and another person puts a different peace on this meant they could make products much faster for example there would be 6 ford cars made a minute. this improved the economy as it made the product cheaper so more people could afford it so then more people could benefit from it
what was overproduction
as products became more available, supply increased demand. this meant that it is harder is make a profit this was especially hard on farmers
what was prohibition
it was when selling and drinking alcohol became illegal in the us
why did prohibition fail- review question
because of bootleggers these where people who would smuggle in alcohol from Canada or just sell it illegally
name three groups of people that where struggling in america in the 1920s
- immigrants because of low payed jobs and low living conditions
- communists
- African Americans they where being attacked by the kkk and suffered segregation
give 3 examples of the boom in the usa in 1920s
- Growth in consumerism- demand for cars, telephones, fridges.
- New infrastructure- road building, electricity
- New industries
- advertising, fashion industry
Name 5 reasons why was there a boom?
- industrial strength of the us- they had all the resources they needed as such a large country
2.WW1- US supplied europe with food and industrial goods they needed and could produce due to war. - Republican policies and laissez faire politics- low taxation and pro business approach in government. Also introduction of import tax encouraged people to buy us made.
- New consumerism and mass production- impact of henry ford.
- The usa state of mind- the people believing they had the right to prosperity
Why did farmers not benefit from the boom?
Many farmers went bankrupt due to over production. Over production of crops by new machinery meant the price of grain dropped and farmers could not make a profit. Also had competition from Canadian wheat farmers
Why did workers in older industries not benefit from the boom?
workers in coal, leather and textiles did not benefit- coal was impacted by electricity and oil and the leather industry had competition from new made made fabrics.
why did the poor and unemployed not benefit from the boom
the republican policy of non interference meant the poor got poorer, as no support from the government. 42% of Americans lived below the poverty line. Many people also unemployed i,e farmers and worked in old industries
what does the term “roaring 20s” refer to?
This refers to the social change that happened in the 20s as a result of the economic growth.
Name 3 features of social change that happened in the roaring 20s?
- growing cities: for the first time more people lived in cities than in the country.
- Entertainment: with higher wages people had more money to spend on having fun- cinema, radio, sport all flourished.
- Morals: the 1920s youth became more easy going with lower moral standards according to the older generation- this was attributed to the spread of jazz, cinema, contraception and ready money.
Name 3 indicators that show the change in the role of women in the 1920s
- women were given the right to vote
- women were working and earning their own money.
- flapper girls were the image of new woman-more social freedom and more carefree
