Regional, Ethnic and Social divisions Flashcards
what helped ensure regional divisons
The physical geography of the US
what made the North East divided from the rest of America
The N-E had cities like Chicago and Detroit that were centres of manufacturing, especially with the automobile industry in Detroit.
how was the midwest different
they were rich in agriculture and they produced sufficient grain to feed the population and profitably export.
how was the south different
Conservatism was strong in the South and they had more acute racial tensions.
how did the war decrease regional tensions
Wartime propaganda emphasised unity
The war necessitated mobility which helped reduce regional divisions.
how many people moved to a different region
out of the 140M people in the US, 8M had made a permanent move to a different state and half of them to a different region.
why was there Ethnic divisions in the US
The US was a melting point of citizens from different ethnic groups, many of which were looked down upon by WASPs
what group faced religious prejudice
Jewish people
what ethnic group did the war help gain acceptance
Most groups but especially white ethnics
how did the war facilitate acceptance of white ethnics
War-time films showed patriotic men with polish, irish and italian names fighting.
what ethnic group continued to face prejudice
Non-whites continued to suffer the greatest prejudice and discrimination although white ethnics were losing their inferior status
how were non-whites treated inferiorly
Discrimination was enshrined in the law(Jim crow laws) in the South particularly in regards to Black Americans
Housing and schools were segregated in other places aside from the south
Ethnic minorities earn below the national average
what caused social divisions
Massive disparities in wealth across the nation
what caused social divisions
Massive disparities in wealth across the nation
what decreased social tensions
Growing prosperity during and after the war
Laws passed
what law did congress pass that helped reduce social tensions
GI Bill of Rights 1944
what did the GI Bill of Rights do
It assisted military people returning from war with free vocational training, higher education and lower interest loans for housing and establishing businesses.
how did the GI Bill of Rights help reduce social tensions
The % of college-educated Americans rose from 10% in 1939 to 15% in 1948, this in turn improved employment and economic opportunities
The number of new homes owners increased dramatically, all of which confirmed their belief in the American Dream
