Limits to prosperity (T1)

Question 1

How much had prices risen during the War for farmers?

Answer 1

25%

Question 2

How much did wheat prices fall after the War?

Answer 2

Wheat prices fell from $2.5 to $1 per bushel

Question 3

How did Prohibition impact farmers?

Answer 3

Cut the demand for grain previously used in the manufacture of alcohol.

Question 4

How did higher living standards impact farming?

Answer 4

Higher living standard meant Americans ate more and comparatively fewer cereals.

Question 5

How did the growth of synthetic fibres impact farming?

Answer 5

Growth of synthetic fibres reduced the market for natural ones, such as cotton.

Question 6

How did technological advances impact farming?

Answer 6

Meant more crops could be produced on the same or even a reduced acreage.

Question 7

How many acres were taken out of production during the 1920s?

Answer 7

13 million acres.

Question 8

How much did farm population fall by?

Answer 8

5%

Question 9

How much did production increase by?

Answer 9

9%

Question 10

How did the use of tractors impact farming?

Answer 10

Meant fewer horses were necessary and this in turn meant less demand for animal food.

Question 11

How did new techniques and mechanisation cause a problem in farming?

Answer 11

Because farmers became more efficient with techniques such as improved fertilisers and animal husbandry, they produced too much.

Question 12

How many farms were operating at a loss?

Answer 12

66%

Question 13

Who suffered the most from problems for farmers?

Answer 13

Wage labourers, tenant farmers and share croppers - mainly Black Americans.

Question 14

Why was overproduction such a problem for farmers?

Answer 14

Too much food meant prices were too low.

Question 15

Why were farmers reluctant to underproduce?

Answer 15

• Because they could not trust their neighbours to do the same.
• They sought guaranteed prices, with the state possible selling their surpluses abroad for any price they could get.

Question 16

How much were American farmers producing?

Answer 16

Produced so much that there were surpluses despite the rising population.

Question 17

Which farmers were impacted the worst?

Answer 17

Mainly small-scale farmers who went bankrupt.

Question 18

What was government policy towards farms?

Answer 18

To encourage farms to co-operate together and market their produce.

Question 19

What was the Act the government introduced towards farms?

Answer 19

The Agricultural Credits Act 1923

Question 20

What was the Agricultural Credits Act 1923?

Answer 20

Funded 12 Intermediate Credit Banks to offer loans to co-operatives.

Question 21

How beneficial was the Agricultural Credits Act 1923?

Answer 21

• Little benefit to small farmers, last thing they needed was more debt.
• Large agricultural businesses could afford to take loans to market their produce more effectively.

Question 22

What was the rate of foreclosure of farms?

Answer 22

• Between 1913 and 1920 it was 3.2 per 1,000
• Risen to 17.4 per 1,000 by 1926.

Question 23

How many women held professional positions in the USA?

Answer 23

By 1930, only 150 women dentists and fewer than 100 female accountants.

Question 24

When were women granted the right to vote?

Answer 24

August 1920.

Question 25

How many women held political positions?

Answer 25

145 women held seats in state legislatures, and only two women among the 435 in the House of Representatives.

Question 26

Where were there more job opportunities for women?

Answer 26

More jobs for women as clerical workers and salespeople.

Question 27

What were the negatives to these new jobs for women?

Answer 27

Comparatively low-paid and often mental jobs.

Question 28

How many women were domestic servants?

Answer 28

700,000

Question 29

How many women received college education?

Answer 29

Fell by 5%

Question 30

How were women paid compared to men?

Answer 30

Even when women worked the same job as men, they normally received less money.

Question 31

What were expectations of women?

Answer 31

Women were generally expected to concentrate on marriage and homemaking.

Question 32

Is it true that women gained more opportunities in the 1920s?

Answer 32

Not true in terms of employment opportunities.

Question 33

How many judges and lawyers were female?

Answer 33

Less than 2%

Question 34

How much of the population did Black Americans take up?

Answer 34

10%
85% still lived in the South

Question 35

What was the poorest region in America?

Answer 35

The South

Question 36

Why was there considerable migration north from the south?

Answer 36

In search of better opportunities, particularly to large cities.

Question 37

What was the discrimination towards Black Americans in northern States?

Answer 37

Faced discrimination in housing and employment.

Question 38

Where were Black Americans concentrated in the Northern States?

Answer 38

Concentrated in ‘ghetto’ areas such as Harlem in New York.

Question 39

How much did Black American population grow to?

Answer 39

50,000 in 1914 to 165,000 in 1930

Question 40

What problems did African Americans face in ‘ghettos’?

Answer 40

Overcrowding and poor living conditions.