Emergance On The World Stage 1912-1920 Flashcards
What was the Federal reserves act?
-created the first central banking system in USA 1912
-BUT the act didn’t build a single bank, which was recommended by the national monetary, and it didn’t succeed in stopping banking failures and panics
What was the federal income tax?
-introduced tax had to be paid by anyone earning income over $4,000
What was the Revenue act?
-taxed business, profits and estates
What was the federal trade commission?
-was formed to investigate corporations and stop unfair practices
-The Clayton act, anti-trust acts made certain business practices illegal
What’s the La Follette seaman’s act?
-1915, imposed stricter safety standards on American merchant vessels, improved sailors wages and abolished the crime of desert action
What was the federal child labour act?
-made child labour illegal from interstate commerce
-BUT it was declared unconstitutional by Supreme Court 2 years later
What’s the workmen’s compensation act?
-ensured that federal employees received sick pay and/or injury benefits
What’s the Adamson act?
-laid down 8 hour work days for railroad workers
What limited Wilson’s social reforms ?
-showed little sympathy for trade unions, in 1913 Wilson sent in national Guardsmen to deal with the Colorado coal miners. 26 striking workers were killed
-little was done on the welfare front because as a Democrats Wilson believed it was the responsibility of individual states rather than federal government
What did Wilson do in reform for African Americans?
-1912, the NAACP, endorsed Wilson’s 1912 election campaign because he promised to treat African Americans equally and to speak out against lynching
-BUT Wilson placed segregationist in charge of federal agencies in federal government, African Americans were systematically segregated from whites in government departments. Wilson also opposed anti-lynching legislation because he said it comes under states jurisdiction
What Wilson’s constitutional reforms as president ?
-Banking, economic and financial measures Wilson introduced involved changes to constitution. E.g 16th amendment to the constitution which permitted tax income and extended the role of federal government
-BUT, Wilson refused to do anything it an amendment that gave women the right to vote saying only states could determine suffrage requirements
How Progressive was president William Howard Taft?
-broke up over 30 trusts with Sherman anti trust act
-New safety rules for mining
-signed laws for jobs to have 8 hour work days
-BUT Taft lost support when he raised tariffs which raised prices for consumers
How was trade a way American stayed neutral from 1814-August 1915?
-gov wanted to maintain trade because it receives 40% of its revenue from tariffs and loss of trade could see millions of dollars lost
-Wilson followed the rules of international law which stated that neutrals could trade with countries at war
How was public sentiment and peace movement a way American stayed neutral from 1914- August 1915
-on 29th August 1914 women marched down through NY on peace march
-A number of peace movement developed in America including women’s peace party
How was speeches and actions a way American stayed neutral from 1914- August 1915?
-1914 William Jennings Byron began to organise campaigns against war
-in Wilson’s deceleration in 1914 19th August Wilson offered to mediate
How was public sentiment also a way American stayed less neutral ?
-lots of anti-German propaganda in the press. Stories of atrocities committed by German soldiers on west front
How were speeches and actions of leading politicians a way American became less neutral ?
-Wilson had a natural preference to Britain
-Wilson and advisors, believed German posed a threat to US interest and it would be better to help Britain fight Germany now. The USA already has confrontations with Germany over Samoa in 1889 and Germany also had growing interest in Latin America
How was trade in Europe a reason for America becoming less neutral?
-to practice neutrality was impossible as long as the US traded with both Britain arms Germany
-Trade with Britain and France rose to $2.7 billion, by 1916 whilst trade with Germany dropped to $29 million, this was partly due to the British blockade of Germany and allies need for mutations
-American banks provided loans of $2.3 billion to the allies only and $27 million to Germany
-in may 1915 Iwtania sunk
What was the Zimmerman telegram ?
-Zimmerman telegram was a coded message sent from foreign secretary Arthur Zimmerman to the German ambassador to Mexico, the US ambassador in Britain sent an intercept of the telegram to the state department in February 1917
What were the key points of the Zimmerman ?
-Warming America that Germany will now be taking part in unrestricted submarine warfare
-Germany wants to try and keep US neutral
-Make Mexico a proposal of alliance on the basis of : make war together, make peace together, generous financial support, in return Mexico would get the land they lost won
How long did the Zimmerman expect the war to last ?
-the telegram believed the war will only last a few short months once Germany uses their U Boats to destroy British ships and starve Britain into surrender
How was the American economy affected by WW1?
-the war cost the USA $33.5 million, on top of $7 billion they lent to allies. However 2/3 of the cost of war was raised by loans like the liberty and five war bonds issues between April 1917- April 1919
-Woodrow Wilson created the war industry bored in July 1917 to co-ordinate finance and supplies. The bored has the power to standardise production, fix prices and diversify recourses where they were most needed
What was the Knox-Porter resolution ?
-the covenant of the League of Nations was attached to all treaties and, by rejecting membership of the leagues, the US was effectively refusing to sign peace treaties. The problem was solved by Knox-porter resolution in October 1921, this declared that the war over and the senate passed the peace treaties (minus League of Nations)
what was US’s involvement in Cuba from 1901-1912?
-1898=the US passed teller amendment which meant they couldn’t annex Cuba
-1901= congress passed Platt amendment which gave USA control of Cuban foreign, financial and commercial affair
-1903= Cuba’s final treaty was signed imposing a new political system on country making them economically dependent on USA
-1906= American forces come back to Cuba as a result of un rest started from 1905 election
-1912= USA invades Cuba with marines to help the Cuban government put down a revolt of former slaves
