Canada in the 1920s Flashcards
What is inflation?
the rise in prices for goods and services that increases the cost of living and triggers demand for higher wages
Why were Canadians dissatisfied with their jobs?
Employers reduced wages during the war, but after the war inflation made it difficult for people to make ends meat.
What is communism?
all the means of production (such as factories and farms) and distribution (transportation and stores) are publicly owned.
Why were Canadians striking after the war?
Workers were demanding higher wages, better working conditions and the right to join unions
What was the economy like during the 1920s?
The beginning of 1920s = economic depression
By the middle of the decade the economy started to improve.
United States economy after war..
Before the war, Canada traded mainly with Britain. After the war, Britain was deeply in debt, and the United States emerged as the world’s economic leader.
US invests in Canada…
US investments in Canada increased during the 1920s. Invested in pulp and paper mills and mines across Canada. Most of Canada’s metals mined were used in American made products.
What are branch plants?
factories, offices, or other operations set up in Canada but owned or controlled by US or other foreign companies.. What the US set up with Canada instead of loaning Canada money.
What are tariffs?
taxes on imported goods
How did the US avoid paying tariffs?
By manufacturing cars in Canada for the Canadian market.
Canadian auto industry…
was taken over by General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler
What is the primary industry?
an industry that deals with the extraction or collection of raw materials, such as mining or forestry
What is the secondary industry?
an industry that deals with manufacturing or construction
What is collective bargaining?
negotiation of a contract between unions and management regarding such things as wages and working conditions
What was the Red Scare?
the fear that communism would spread to Canada because of the formation of trade unions
What was Bloody Saturday?
June 21, 1919, when the Royal North-West Mounted Police charged a crowd of protesters during the Winnipeg General Strike
What was the Winnipeg General Strike?
massive strike by workers in Winnipeg in 1919
What is prohibition?
the banning of the sale and consumption of alcohol
What was a bootlegger?
someone who sold alcohol illegally
Canada and alcohol..
Canadian government realized that prohibition was not working so instead the government controlled liquor outlets.
What was meant by the “the roaring twenties”?
Canadians could afford more luxuries and leisure time during the 1920s
What are some of the key inventions or products that were widely popular in the 1920s?
cars, telephone, radio, snow plowing truck, insulin, movies
Who were the group of seven?
group of Canadian landscape painters in the 1920s
Who was Canadas biggest competition?
The United States. Canada found it difficult to compete with them in the fields of literature, movies, cars, radio
Women and jobs in the 1920s
Wome were taking on roles traditionally held by men, such as factory workers, politicians, and sports stars, but still faced many social and political restircitons. Were payed less for doing the same job as men.
What was the Persons Case?
a court case in which the Famous Five successfully fought to have women declared “persons” under Canadian law in 1929
Who were the Famous Five?
5 Alberta women who fought for the political status of women
What was the outcome of the Famous Five challenging the Prime Minister?
In 1928 the Famous Five challenged Prime Minister Mackenzie King to appoint a women senator and to clarify the definition of “persons”. The supreme court of Canada decided that women were not “persons” under the Canadian Constitution
Who was not classified as “persons” under the law?
Women and Aboriginal peoples
When did aboriginal people gain the right to vote?
Won the right to vote in provincial elections in 1949 and federal elections in 1960.
What is a potlatch?
A first nations ceremony where births, deaths, marriages, and other significant events are recorded in the oral tradition. Government viewed it as an obstacle to assimilation
What is an Aboriginal title?
claims by aboriginal people to lands that their ancestors inhabited.
What is a cut-off lands?
lands taken from reserves without consent of the aboriginal people
First Nations, Government, and Land.
Aboriginal peoples struggled for land claims or aboriginal titles. Aboriginals felt the government had gone against the Indian Act (regulated relations between government and first nations).
What is enfranchisement?
giving up one’s status as an Indian
In nova scotia for which were allowed separate schools?
blacks and europeans
Who did the immigration restrictions give preference to?
applicants from Britain and the US
Why did the government relax its restrictions on immigration?
The economy improved. New immigrants looking for jobs were forced to work in terrible conditions for low wages.
What is regionalism?
a concern for the affairs of one’s own region over those of one’s country
Maritime Rights
Maritime provinces found that their influence in national politics was declining. Prominent business and politcal leaders formed the Maritime Rights movement and urged politicians to promote policies that would benefit the Maritimes.
What is free trade?
trade between countries without tariffs, export subsidies, or other government intervention.
What does nationalize mean?
move from private to government ownership
What does minority government mean?
a government in which the ruling party has less than half the total number of seats in the legislature.
What is the Old Age Pension Act?
an Act passed in 1927 to provide social assistance to people over 70
What is the Chanak Crisis?
The Canadian governments refusal in 1922, led by King, to support British troops in defending the Turkish port of Chanak; the first time the Canadian government did not automatically support the British military
What is the Halibut Treaty?
a 1923 treaty between Canada and the U.S to protect halibut along the Pacific Coast; the first treaty negotiated and signed independently by the Canadian government
Who is the governor general?
the person who represents the British crown in Canada
What is the King-Byng Crisis?
a situation that occured in 1926 when Governor General Byng refused Prime Minister King’s request to dissolve Parliament and call an election. Since this no Governor General has acted against the wishes of the Prime minister
Who and what did Mackenzie King do?
Prime Minister 1921-1930,1935-1948.
- Old-age pension program
- fought for Canadian autonomy (king-byng crisis and Halibut treatty)
- unemployment insurance
- passed family allowance act
- defended canada’s autonomy during the chanak crisis
Where and why did Canada make its greatest progress towards changing its legal dependence from Britain?
At the Imperial Conference 1926. Dominons of the British Empire requested autonomy. Committees findings were published as the Balfour Report.
What is the Balfour Report?
the conclusions of the 1926 Imperial Conference that acknowledged that Canada was an autonomy community within the British Empire . Became law in 1931.
What is the Statue of Westminster?
the law that changed the British Empire into the British Commonwealth; all commonwealth countries to be considered equal in status with Britain and able to make their own laws.
What is the British Commonwealth?
an association of nations that were formerly colonies of the British Empire
What is One Big Union?
the concept that all workers should be organized in one union
What is urbanization?
the process by which an area changes from rural to urban
Who was Agnes Macphail?
first women elected to parliament
What is collective security?
League of Nations was based on. If one member came under attack all members unite in against aggressor
What is autonomy?
the right of self-government
