Changing political environment 1917-33

Question 1

order and dates of the presidents

Answer 1

1.) Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921)
2.)Warren Harding (1921-1923)
3.)Calvin Coolidge (1923-29)
4.) Herbert Hoover (1929-1933)
5.)FDR (1933-1944)
6.) Harry Truman (1944-1953)
7.)Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961)
8.) John F. Kennedy (1961-1963)
9.) Johnson (1964-1969)
10.) Richard Nixon (1969-1974)
11.) Gerald Ford (1974-77)
12.) Jimmy Carter (1977-1981)
13.)Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)

Question 2

which president brought the US into WW1

Answer 2

Woodrow Wilson (Democrat)

Question 3

why was Wilson not trusted by Americans after the war

Answer 3

-he went against americas previously established isolationist policy regarding world affairs by entering WW1

-he had previously campaigned US neutrality

Question 4

what was the impact of WW1

Answer 4

-increase in govt spending by 24.1%
-increase in industrial production by 39%
-national debt increased by 658 % to 25 Billion
-america loaned britain and france 2.3 billion
-economic depression post war

Question 5

ow much did america loan britain and france during ww1

Answer 5

2.3 billion

Question 6

how much did national debt increase in ww1

Answer 6

to 25 billion

Question 7

how much did government spending increase in WW1

Answer 7

24% of GNP

Question 8

how much did industrial production increase after WW1

Answer 8

39%

Question 9

what was the return to normalicy, why was it prompted and who led it

Answer 9

-harding promised ‘return to normalacy’
-WASPS understood this as life before the war

-prompted as there was a short economic depression post WW1 (unemployment at 5 million by 1921 VS 1 million in 1919)
-due to depression there was huge social discontent (riots, protests and strikes)

-the gov needed to: reduce taxation (that was set high during the war), introduce tariffs (to protect trade/us industry), solve the race question and introduce countrywide radio(to boost technology)

Question 10

what was isolationism and what was its impact

Answer 10

-USA should be supportive but not entangled with other nations- they had to focus on themselves and ‘buy american’

-buy american made consumerism prosper:Fordney and MCumber tarriff act of 1922 increased the cost of imports through tarriffs encouraging people to buy american

-strove to favour US businesses: introduced US favouring trade tax

-due to isolationism the US did not join the league of nations, didnt set up colonies, cut back immigration (1921 Emergency Quota)

-series of neutrality acts passed from 1935 and 39- restricted help the US could give other countries when they went to war

-increase in xenophobia: emergency quota act cutting back on immigration, other cultures were estranged in society

Question 11

what was the 1921 emergency quota act and how and when was it extended

Answer 11

cut back immigration to 357,000 a year

was extended by another emergency quota act in 1924 that cut back on immigration to 150,000 a year in 1924 (with quotas from immigrants in different countries)

Question 12

how did the great depression of 1929 influence isolationism

Answer 12

forced people to become more self focused instead of looking outwards

Question 13

what were the presidential changes during ww1

Answer 13

-confidence in presidency decreased as wilson had campaigned neutrality and then took them into war - people thought had had too big a part in government decision making

-wilson drafted bills and took them to congress himself- an unwelcome change in presidential behaviour

-this caused a shift from engagement in gov to laissez faire under harding (isolationism as a result of war brought on laissez faire)

Question 14

what was laissez faire and who intoduced it

Answer 14

-harding introduced laissez faire

-principles: not the job of the gov to control the economy or manage social problems, their job was to ‘keep their own spending under control’

-established the republican party as the party of ‘big business’ not willing to control wages, working hours or price

Question 15

why was there an uprise in republicanism post ww1

Answer 15

-wilsons behaviour as a democrat in ww1 led people to republican ideals (even some southern democrats)

-hardings campaign ‘less government in business more business in government’ and his laissez faire policy was appealing as pwoplw thought wilson was too involved

-coolidge combined ‘laissez faire’ and morality that restored faith in republican party.

-a period of economic recovery under coolidge and people supported republicanism

Question 16

what was the fordney mccumber tariff act

Answer 16

Fordney and MCumber tarriff act of 1922 increased the cost of imports through tarriffs encouraging people to buy american

Question 17

when and what was the first red scare and what led to it

Answer 17

-1919-20

prompts of red scare:
Russian Bolshevik revolution in 1917 where monarchy was toppled and replaced with a comunist government (soviet union/ussr). fear of spreading communism worldwide

events of red scare:
-in 1919 there were 3,000 strikes (1/4 of workers) as workers conditions hadnt improved post war
-there was a shipyard worker strike of 35,00 which prompted a general strike of 65,00 (this prompted rumours of a communist revolution nationally)
-rumours of communist revolution prompted ‘red hunting’ as anti communist feeling escalated

-bombings: anarchist bombings (1919) were a series of bombings by followers of Luigi Galleani, bpombs exploded in 8 cities, 38 killed by a bomb on wall st.

Question 18

what was the result of anti communist feeling escalating during the red scare

Answer 18

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL
-businesses sacked empoyees they susspected of left wing communism

SOCIAL AND POLITICAL
-out of fear, people no longer felt they could express opinions freely
-political violence implemented on those with left wing views (violence often came from KKK who had 5 million members at the time: targetted groups they considered un-american)

SOCIAL
-thousands arrested on suspicion
-only 556 deported once cases were considered

Question 19

who led the palmer raids, what happened and why

Answer 19

-Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer led them after an anarchist bomb destroyed part of his house

-6,000 were arrested without trial and 556 ‘aliens’ were deported

Question 20

what was rugged individualism and who introduced it

Answer 20

-Herbert hoover

-‘laissez faire’ with a twist.
-people would look after themselves and make their own way in the world and prosper

Rugged individualism felt:
-people were weakened by the government because it sapped their self reliance
-government shouldnt interfere to help with jobs and homes or regulate conditions (businesses to be free)
-Usa should isolate itself from other countries
-Usa should restrict immigration due to the belief immigrants caused rising unemployment

Question 21

what caused the Great Depression

Answer 21

WALL STREET CRASH:
-in 1929 there were underlying problems with the economic ‘boom’ combined with out of control share-trading

-wall street crash triggered the great depression that hit the USA, the the rest of the world very hard

Question 22

what were the impacts of the Great Depression

Answer 22

-it hit the rest of the world

-unemployment levels were 12 million

-unemployment soared, people lost their homes,
banks and businesses failed

-much more long lasting than depression after ww1 (was only 18 months), wasnt expected so it was left to sort itself out by the republicans

Question 23

what prompted the decline of Republicanism

Answer 23

-Hoover set up Federal Farm board in 1929 for those who found it hard to sell goods
-June 1930: increases existing tariffs on foreign imports
-Hoover realised laissez faire wasnt working (too late) and thought the answer was private charities ( by businesses and wealthy) to help people on a local/ personal lwvwl
-1930: presidents committee for unemployment: temporary to find work projects and to create more jobs (it was overwhelmed)

-bonus army issue

-realised federal intervention WAS needed
-reluctantly went to congress to pass laws for direct federal help (UNWELCOME CHANGE) congress rejected many and the ones that were passed put the government in debt

-many blamed hoover for the Wall Street crisis as his welfare provisons were too little too late
-shanty towns of homeless people sprang about the country after him, named HOOVERVILLES

Question 24

what was the bonus army and why/ when was it

Answer 24

WHEN
-IN 1932

WHY
- in 1924 bonus payment gave those who fought in first world war a bonus payment calculated by their years of service
-they were paid 50 dollars initially and rest of money went in a fund to pay out in 1945
-By 1932 veterans were unemployed/ homeless from the depression and demanded early pay but were refused

WHAT
-this prompted veterans to march on washingto in JUNE 1932
-estimated numbers range from 150,000 to 200,000
-camped in various sites in city in sight of White House
-28 JULY 1932 troop were sent in with tear gas, cavalry, bayonnets, machine guns and tanks (only tear gas and bayonets used) and camps dispersed

IMPACT
-reports published suggesting the camps were communist agitators and criminals (to justify police violence)

-Hoover lost significant support DESPITE urging the commander of the 12th infatry to use restraint

Question 25

what solidified the decline of republicanism in 1932 and when did the democrats begin to regain majority

Answer 25

-failure to cure depression prompted people to begin to vote democrat
-hoover became increasingly unpopular due to his dealing with the depression (even within the republican party itself)
-by 1931 democrats were majority in the House of Representatives and gaining in the senate

1932 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN
-Roosevelt offered a new deal
-promised a new attitude to government and ‘Happy Days were here again’
-his campaign pointed to Hoover being led by the new four horsemen of the apocalypse ‘DESTRUCTION, DESPAIR, DELAY AND DOUBT’
-more than 40 million people voted (largest ever) and hoover won only 6 states

Question 26

what were hardings key policies

Answer 26

-return to normality
-isolationism
-reduce taxation
-tarriffs
-not joining the League of Nations

Question 27

how much of the vote did harding win

Answer 27

61 percent

Question 28

what was hardings solgan

Answer 28

‘less government in business and more business in government’

Question 29

when did harding die

Answer 29

1923- unexpectedly

Question 30

what was the scandal during hardings government called

Answer 30

‘The Teapot Dome Scandal’- extensive corruption within his government administration, hiring his friends

Question 31

how was coolige viewed and why was he popular

Answer 31

-honest
-symbol of traditional values threatened by the forces of change
-recieved 400 callers a day at the White House
-popular (reassuring speeches, cited the bible, ensured broadcast on radio, used visual images)

Question 32

what happened during coolidge’s presidency

Answer 32

USA enttered a peiod of economic recovery with the boom of the 1920s

Question 33

what was national debt like under Coolidge

Answer 33

-decreased national debt from 22.3 billion to 16.9 billion from 1923-29

Question 34

what did coolidge do despite being seen as a laissez faire president

Answer 34

-supported tariffs
-regulated new industries like radio and aviation
-agreed to federal aid for relief of the 1927 Mississipi floods

Question 35

how much did hoover win by and what was his principle

Answer 35

58 percent
rugged individualism

Question 36

what did hoover do to help farmers and the public

Answer 36

-Agricultural marketing act (1929) (encouraged loans and established a federal farm board to stabalise prices by buying crops- failed to stop depression as no production limit set)

-increased spending on roads, bridges and public buildings
-gave 300 million in loans for ‘needy and distressed’ as a last resort for states

Question 37

how did hoover help banks

Answer 37

-established Finance corporation which was given 2 billion to lend to businesses (failed0

Question 38

what was the 1932 revenuew act and its impact

Answer 38

raised taxes that worsened the depression by decreasing consumerism