Elections & Politics of 1920

Question 1

What was US foreign policy like post-war?

Answer 1

return to isolationism

Question 2

What action showed US was turning back to a policy of isolationism?

Answer 2

refusal to sign ToV

did not join LoN

Question 3

Who dominated the Senate post-war?

Answer 3

Republicans

led by Henry Cabot Lodge

Question 4

What was happening to the progressive movement post war? Why?

Answer 4

petering out

could no longer sustain that all necessary reforms could be supported by all

arguably prosperity created by WWI led to progressivism’s decline

Question 5

What was notable about the municipal elections of 1917 despite patriotic propaganda?

Answer 5

Socialists made large gains

Question 6

What gains did Socialists make in 1917 municipal elections?

Answer 6

Candidate for NY mayor received X5 more than in previous election

Chicago party vote X10

Question 7

What was the prime focus of the 1920 election?

Answer 7

government role at home & isolationism in foreign affairs

Question 8

Who won the 1920 election?

Answer 8

Harding (Republican)

Question 9

What majority did Harding win the 1920 election with?

Answer 9

61% (largest victory margin)

Question 10

what was Harding’s election win based on the promise of

Answer 10

“return to normalcy”

Question 11

What was Harding’s cabinet derogatorily referred to as

Answer 11

“cabinet of millionaires”

Question 12

Who did Harding appoint as Secretary of the Treasury

Answer 12

Mellon

Question 13

Who did Harding appoint as Secretary of Commerce

Answer 13

Hoover

Question 14

Name one of Harding’s appointments who proved corrupt

Answer 14

Fall

Question 15

What happened to government expenditure under Harding?

Answer 15

cut government expenditure

Question 16

What was government expenditure reduction under Harding from 1920 - 1922

Answer 16

$5000mil to $3373million

Question 17

what did reduced government expenditure allow Mellon to do?

Answer 17

cut taxes

Question 18

What did Harding introduce which went against the principle of laissez faire?

Answer 18

Federal Aid for Health Programmes

Question 19

When was the Budget and Accounting Act introduced?

Answer 19

1921

Question 20

What did the Budget and Accounting Act introduce?

Answer 20

attempts to make federal government efficient

departments to present budgets for approval

Question 21

What was progressivism?

Answer 21

Chambers “new interventionism”

believed in capitalism and democracy with a moderate need for reform and thus need for government involvement

believed in social welfare being government responsibility

Question 22

Who took over presidency in 1923 after death of Harding?

Answer 22

Coolidge (Republican)

Question 23

Where did Coolidge’s values lie?

Answer 23

in small town America - believed in thrift, hard work + low government interference

Question 24

Who was Coolidge especially popular w?

Answer 24

“middle America”

^ those who want very little government intervention

Question 25

What was the condition of the democratic party in the 1920s?

Answer 25

hopelessly split | e.g dry / wet , conservatives / progressives

Question 26

When was Coolidge's first election?

Answer 26

1924

Question 27

How many voted for the progressives in 1924?

Answer 27

4.8mil

Question 28

How many voted for democrats in 1924?

Answer 28

8.3mil

Question 29

How many voted republican in 1924?

Answer 29

15.7mil

Question 30

What did Mellon's economic ideology believe in

Answer 30

``` high tariffs for protectionism low taxation greatest freedom to spend with government to be friendly w big business fatalist ```

Question 31

What act was introduced in 1922 which raised tariffs?

Answer 31

Fordney-McCumber Act

Question 32

What did the Fordney-McCumber Act mean for Americans?

Answer 32

cheaper for Americans to buy American produced goods

Question 33

Why did protection boost US economy?

Answer 33

Lack of European goods on the market gave short term boost to economy

Question 34

What were tax cuts seen as?

Answer 34

a form of encouragement to spend

Question 35

When were there reductions in federal taxes in the 1920s?

Answer 35

1924, 1926, 1928

Question 36

What was the highest tax level in 1920?

Answer 36

65%

Question 37

What was the highest tax level in 1928?

Answer 37

25%

Question 38

How much did Mellon's tax reductions save businesses and industry in the 1920s?

Answer 38

$3.6billion

Question 39

Did Coolidge's government operate under surplus of deficit?

Answer 39

surplus

Question 40

What was national debt in 1920?

Answer 40

$24bn

Question 41

What was national debt in 1930?

Answer 41

$16bn = Coolidge successfully reduces national debt

Question 42

What happened under Coolidge / Mellon in terms of regulations for industries / business?

Answer 42

Fewer Regulations | = part of government's laissez faire, limited intervention

Question 43

Who was Secretary of State under Hoover?

Answer 43

Charles Hughes

Question 44

When was the Washington Naval Conference

Answer 44

1921-22

Question 45

What did the Washington Naval Conference guarantee in terms of navies and level on military intervention

Answer 45

Britain, Japan & US would scrap parts of their navies suggested 20s would be a period of limited intervention

Question 46

When was the Kellogg Briand Pact

Answer 46

1927

Question 47

Why was the K-B Pact significant?

Answer 47

Kellogg & Coolidge make treaty multi-lateral as didn't want same situation as Wilson was in w/ ToV / LoN

Question 48

Who was the 1928 election between?

Answer 48

Hoover vs Smith

Question 49

What was Hoover's role prior to being Republican Presidential Candidate?

Answer 49

Secretary of Commerce

Question 50

Who won the 1928 election?

Answer 50

Hoover

Question 51

In the 1920's the number of people living in cities increased by what fraction?

Answer 51

1/3