Section A2 - American Experiences of The Depression and The New Deal Flashcards

1
Q

What are the initials of NANSPETCHEF?

A
NIRA
AAA
NRA
Scrapped prohibition
PWA
EBA
TVA
CCC
HOLC
EA
FERA
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What does NIRA stand for?

A

National Industrial Recovery Act

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What does NRA stand for?

A

National Recovery Administration

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What does FERA stand for?

A

Federal Emergency Relief Administration

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What does AAA stand for?

A

Agricultural Adjustment Administration

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What does PWA stand for?

A

Public Works Asministration

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What does EBA stand for?

A

Emergency Banking Act

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What does TVA stand for?

A

Tennessee Valley Authority

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What does CCC stand for?

A

Civilian Conservation Corps

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What does HOLC stand for?

A

Home Owners Loan Corporation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What does EA stand for?

A

Economy Act

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What did the NIRA do?

A

Set up the PWA and CWA aimed to make industry strong again - CWA has 4 million workers

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

How many workers did the CWA have (set up by NIRA)

A

4 million

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What was the opposition to the NIRA?

A

CWA was abolished in 1935 (republicans thought it was too much help) and replaced by PWA

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What did the AAA do?

A
  • Set quotas to reduce overproduction and raise prices
  • Modern techniques taught to farmers
  • Some farmers helped with mortgages
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What was the opposition to the AAA?

A

Modernisation put farmers out of work and was contradictory (to quotas)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What did the NRA do?

A
  • Improved working conditions and outlawed child labour
  • Fixed wages, sensible production levels to stop overproduction
  • Over 2 million employers joined the scheme and were awarded the Blue Eagle Badge
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

How many employers joined the NRA and what were they awarded?

A

Over 2 million joined and were awarded the Blue Eagle Badge

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What was the opposition to the NRA?

A

Was seen as interfering too much - people thought it was against the law as the government was behaving like dictators - declared unconstitutional (employers were used to laissez faire so were unhappy - Ford stopped supporting the NRA)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Who stopped supporting the NRA?

A

Ford

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What did scrapping prohibition mean for America?

A

A lot of money could be made through taxing the makers and distributors of alcohol
However it was unpopular with religious and rural communities

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What did the PWA do?

A
  • Used governments money to build schools, bridges, airports and dams (e.g. Grand Coulee Dam)
  • Millions of short term jobs ($3 billion spent)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

How much was spent on the PWA?

A

Over $3 billion

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Give an example of something built through the PWA?

A

Grand Coulee Dam

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

What was the opposition to the PWA?

A
  • Costly for tax payers

- Republicans thought it was too much help and anti rugged individualism

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

What did the EBA do?

A

Closed all banks and reopened 5000 trustworthy banks with regulations to stop reckless speculation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

What was the opposition to the EBA?

A

Some banks were not able to reopen - seen as too much government interference

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

What did the TVA do?

A
  • Built a series of dams (on Tennessee Valley prone to drought and flooding) to irrigate the land, control water flow and provide jobs (building)
  • Dams used for hydroelectricity e.g. the Fontana Dam
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

Give an example of a dam made through the TVA that produced hydroelectricity?

A

The Fontana Dam

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

What was the opposition to the TVA?

A

Small electricity companies put out of business as could not compete

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

What did the CCC do?

A
  • Mostly environmental projects in National Parks (e.g. tree planting) aimed at young unmarried men 18-25 - signed up for 6 months at a time
  • Earned $30 a month - many sent $25 back to families
  • 2.5 million helped with this scheme
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

How many people did the CCC help (provide jobs to)?

A

2.5 million

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

How much did people working for the CCC own?

A

$30 a month - many sent $25 back to families

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

What was the opposition to the CCC?

A

Costly for tax payers
Money sent home was not spent due to lack of confidence
Republicans thought it was too much help and anti rugged individualism

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

What did the HOLC do?

A

Helped home owners pay mortgages

Saved 20% of home owners between 1933-1936

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

How many people did the HOLC help?

A

Saved 20% of home owners in 3 years

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

When was The First New Deal introduced?

A

1933

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

What was the opposition to the HOLC?

A

Costly for tax payers

Too much help

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

What did the EA do?

A

Reduced government expenditure by cutting government employee pay by 15%

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

By how much were government employee wages cut in the EA?

A

15% (including the president himself)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

What was the opposition to the EA?

A

Upset the people who had their wages cut and gave them less to spend:(

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

What did FERA do?

A

$500 million given to individual states to pay for soup kitchens, blankets, employment schemes and nursery schools - led by Harry Hopkins who gave $5 million in the first 2 hours of setting up the agency

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
43
Q

How much money was given to individual states to pay for soup kitchens, blankets etc in the FERA?

A

$500 million

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
44
Q

Who set up the FERA and how much did he give to the agency?

A

Harry Hopkins - $5 millimetres n in the first 2 hours of setting up the agency

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
45
Q

What was the opposition to the FERA?

A

Costly for tax payers

Republicans thought it was too much help and anti rugged individualism

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
46
Q

What impact did the first 100 days have on the USA?

A
  • Restored confidence but progress was slow (and short term) so FDR proposed agencies for long term relief and change
  • PWA and AAA declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
47
Q

When was The Second New Deal introduced?

A

June 1935

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
48
Q

What does the WPA stand for? (2nd)

A

Works Progress Administration

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
49
Q

What does the RA stand for? (2nd)

A

Resettlement Administration

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
50
Q

What does the FSA stand for? (2nd)

A

Farm Security Administration

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
51
Q

What does the REA stand for? (2nd)

A

Rural Electrification Administration

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
52
Q

What does the SSA stand for? (2nd)

A

Social Security Acts

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
53
Q

What does the NLRA stand for? (2nd)

A

National Labour Relations Act

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
54
Q

What does the SCA stand for? (2nd)

A

Soil Conservation Act

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
55
Q

What did the WPA do? (2nd)

A

Provided 8 million jobs in 8 years
Provided employment schemes in many areas (building hospitals, schools, roads etc - also non building jobs e.g. acting, art, photography)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
56
Q

How many jobs did the WPA provide?

A

8 million in 8 years

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
57
Q

What was the opposition to the WPA? (2nd)

A

Unemployment levels still relatively high - 6 million by 1941

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
58
Q

How many people were unemployed by 1941?

A

6 million

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
59
Q

What did the RA do?

A

Helped 500,000 families in drought hit areas to resettle on better land

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
60
Q

How many families did the RA help?

A

500,000

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
61
Q

What did the FSA do?

A

Replaced the RA in 1937
Photographic project took over 80,000 photos of farmland
Loaned $1 billion to farmers to help them in the depression
Camps set up for migrant workers

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
62
Q

How many photos were taken of farmland in the FSA?

A

80,000

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
63
Q

How much money was loaned to farmers during the depression and through which agency?

A

Over $1 billion - FSA

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
64
Q

What did the REA do?

A

Provided financial aid to private companies to supply electricity to areas without it

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
65
Q

What did the SSA do?

A

Provided financial help to the sick and disabled, pensions for the elderly and widows benefits for victims of industrial accidents, aid for single mothers and children, the blind and physically disabled, set up employment schemes where workers made weekly contributions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
66
Q

What did the NLRA do?

A

(replaced NRA)

Stated that all employers must allow unions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
67
Q

What did the SCA do?

A

(replaced AAA)

Introduced soil subsidies:)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
68
Q

What were the main arguments opposing The New Deal?

A
  1. it was not doing enough
  2. it was interfering too much
  3. it was unconstitutional
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
69
Q

Who thought the New Deal was not doing enough?

A

Long, Townsend and Coughlin

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
70
Q

What did Long want instead of the New Deal?

A

“Share our wealth scheme” - reducing personal fortunes to $3 million - income max of $1 million per year

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
71
Q

What happened to Long in 1935?

A

He was assassinated:(

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
72
Q

What did Townsend want instead of the New Deal?

A

$200 pensions per month as long as money was spent to stimulate the economy (his ideas faded in importance)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
73
Q

What did Coughlin want instead of the New Deal?

A

He used his radio broadcast to attack FDR and set up the National Union for Social Justice (faded in importance)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
74
Q

Who thought the New Deal was interfering too much?

A

Republicans

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
75
Q

How was it suggested that the New Deal was interfering too much?

A
  • Too many boondoggles (e.g. pigeon scaring)
  • Government behaving like socialists/communists by supporting trade unions etc
  • Too many regulations
  • People being lazy - anti rugged individualism
  • High taxes discouraged the rich from working hard
  • Agencies ended private enterprise (e.g. TVA crushes small businesses)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
76
Q

What did Republicans do to stop FDR in response to the New Deal?

A

Spread rumours that he was crippled due to an STD (not Polio) in order to beat him in the 1936 elections (however he won biggest majority in US history)
Took over the Senate in 1938 and blocked further New Deal legalisation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
77
Q

What did FDR famously say during the 1936 election?

A

“Everyone is against the New Deal except the voters”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
78
Q

Who thought the New Deal was unconstitutional?

A

The Supreme Court (mostly Republicans)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
79
Q

Which organisations were closed down by the Supreme Court? (They were “unconstitutional”)

A

AAA, NRA and PWA “undermining state laws and too much control”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
80
Q

What happened with Schechter Poultry Corporation?

A

(1935) NRA found it to be breaking NRA laws (selling poor food, treating workers badly, filing false sale claims) so they tried to close the firm down - the poultry company appealed to the Supreme Court who said the NRA could not interfere with state laws and the firm was allowed to reopen - FDR was outraged and threatened to replace 6 judges with people who would support him - dictator like so alarmed public and was forced to back down - the court was less obstructive in the future

81
Q

What happened to unemployment by 1942?

A

It disappeared as everyone found a job either fighting or war contribution

82
Q

How much more money did workers have to spend after WW2?

A

50%

83
Q

How much did prices grow by after WW2?

A

31%

84
Q

By how much did farm income increase during WW2?

A

250%

85
Q

How many Black Americans found work in armament factories during WW2?

A

2 million

86
Q

How many black Americans worked for the government during WW2?

A

50,000 - 1939

200,000 - 1941

87
Q

How many women joined the workforce in 1944?

A

7 million

88
Q

How much money did women make during WW2?

A

65% of what men earned for the same job

89
Q

How many women joined the armed forces during WW2?

A

300,000

90
Q

How many Native Americans joined the army in WW2?

A

75,000 and jobs were available for others

91
Q

How many businesses were forced to close in 1942 and why?

A

300,000 as they did not have government contracts to produce for the war effort

92
Q

How many businesses were set up during WW2?

A

500,000 e.g. coca cola supplied US troops and Wrigley’s packaged rations for soldiers

93
Q

How many trade unions were there as a result of WW2?

A

11 million (1941) to 14 million (1944)

94
Q

Why was the war beneficial for trade unions?

A
Wages rose (although restricted - could not be more than 15% of wages in Jan 1941)
Paid holidays introduced
Health insurance schemes
95
Q

How much did government expenditure (on war) rise by during the war?

A

$20 - $97 billion

96
Q

How many people joined the war effort?

A

15 million - by 1945, 1/8 civilians moved north and west to find war work

97
Q

By how much did California grow during WW2?

A

72% (war work)

98
Q

What happened at Pearl Harbor?

A

There was a Japanese attack

99
Q

How many Japanese Americans were rounded up following the attack on Pearl Harbor?

A

2,000 (+14,000 Italians and Germans)

100
Q

How many Japanese Americans left the west coast and when?

A

15,000 Feb-March 1942

101
Q

How many Japanese-Americans were forcibly sent to 10 “relocation centres”?

A

100,000

102
Q

Where were 100,000 Japanese-Americans forcibly sent?

A

10 “relocation centres”

103
Q

How much money was taken from Japanese-American homes after they were sent away?

A

$400 million

104
Q

How many women were aircraft workers?

A

1/3

105
Q

How many managers thought women were their best workers?

A

60%

106
Q

How many workers were women and how many of these were married by 1945?

A

1/3 of all workers

50% of these were married

107
Q

What happened to women after the war?

A

They found it difficult to keep their jobs

108
Q

How many blacks joined the armed forces in WW2?

A

1 million

109
Q

How did the army treat black americans?

A
  • experienced equality when stationed in Britain

- US army had segregated units and camps had segregated facilities

110
Q

Why did many blacks move from the south?

A

To escape persecution

111
Q

How much was NAACP membership by 1945?

A

450,000

112
Q

Who were the first blacks to be elected into congress?

A

Dawson (1943)

Powell (1945)

113
Q

When did black Americans have the right to vote in all primary elections?

A

1944

114
Q

What happened in the race riot in Detroit?

A

34 killed, 600 injured in 1943

115
Q

How many blacks were unemployed compared to whites in NY?

A

10% to 6%

116
Q

What percentage of housing lived in by black Americans was sub-standard?

A

40%

117
Q

Where were blacks banned from in Washington DC in the central district?

A

All restaurants
Cinemas
Hotels

118
Q

What did the Fair Employment Practices Commission do?

A

Introduced to allow black Americans into Southern factories ($4.5 billion had been spent on building these factories previously)
2 million blacks were employed in these by 1945

119
Q

What did the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) do in 1947?

A
  • 1944 woman refused to give up her bus seat to a white man and was fined $100
  • The Supreme Court (1946) ruled segregation on interstate buses to be illegal
  • in 1947, 16 CORE activists travelled on buses from North to South US (known as the Journey of Conciliation) to prove that Southern states were ignoring the law - lead to 12 CORE members being arrested and southern states refused to desegregate the buses
120
Q

What was “The Babson Break”?

A

5 Sept 1929 - Babson (an economic forecaster) predicted a crash - index of share prices drops 10 points

121
Q

What was the order of events that resulted in the crash in October 1929?

A

21 Oct - “ticker” which tells people of changes in price falls behind by 1 1/2 hours as a result of so much share trading
24 Oct - big falls - banks intervene to buy stock - confidence returns and price stabilises
28 Oct - massive fall - banks stop supporting share prices
29 Oct - people sell for whatever they can get

122
Q

When was the Wall Street Crash?

A

29th October 1929

123
Q

What were the longer term causes of the wall street crash?

A
  • underlying problems including farming
  • failure of republican policies (overproduction)
  • poor income distribution
124
Q

What were the shorter term causes of the wall street crash?

A
  • over confidence

- speculation

125
Q

How did underlying problems cause a crash in 1929?

A
  • decline in farming - small farms lost their businesses - too many crops grew so income dropped
  • building industry started falling in 1926
  • coal, textiles and iron industries also in trouble
  • all this meant people could not afford goods so demand in factories fell
126
Q

When did the building industry start to decline?

A

1926

127
Q

How did failure of republican policies and overproduction cause a crash in 1929?

A
  • demand for buying expensive cars and consumer goods decreased - towards the end of 1920s many firms were struggling to sell - leading to overproduction and a drop in share prices
  • Europe put up tariffs in response to US tariffs - meaning Europe wouldn’t buy expensive US goods
  • Laissez Faire meant wages remained low so workers couldn’t afford goods
128
Q

How did poor income distribution cause a crash in 1929?

A
  • most Americans earned less than $2000 per year
  • 60% couldn’t afford to buy consumer goods on a large scale - causing drop in demand
  • top 5% of the country owned 33% of wealth
129
Q

How much of the population could not afford consumer goods which led to the crash in 1929?

A

60%

130
Q

How much of the population owned 33% of wealth by 1929?

A

5%

131
Q

How did over confidence cause a crash in 1929?

A
  • share values kept rising so people thought it would continue - by October 1929 they cost more than they were worth - companies didn’t make much money so investors sold shares and took the profits - causing a panic as share prices fell - the only buyers wouldn’t pay much for the shares now so people lost their money
132
Q

When did shares cost more than they were worth?

A

By October 1929

133
Q

How did speculation cause a crash in 1929?

A
  • banks were lending too much money to people to buy shares - buying on margin meant investors only paid 10% and bank lent 90% - $9 billion lent in 1929 alone - when prices fell people couldn’t pay back the bank and lost everything
  • 20 million were gambling on shares in 1929
134
Q

How many people were gambling on shares in 1929?

A

20 million

135
Q

What was buying on margin?

A

when the bank loaned 90% to share holders in shares so they would be repaid from the profits

136
Q

How much money did the banks loan to shareholders in 1929?

A

$9 billion

137
Q

How were farmers affected by the depression?

A
  • unable to pay mortgages so banks tried to seize their homes - sheriffs met with angry farmers with pitchforks and hangman’s nooses - highways barricaded to protect them
  • 1/20 farmers evicted - many left Oklahoma so they were labelled Okies
  • most farmers went to California down route 66
  • over-farmed land turned into dustbowls (infertile so useless for farming)
  • animals slaughtered and crops left as transportation was expensive - transporting them to market was more expensive than the money received from them
  • farm income fell from $13 billion to $5 billion
138
Q

How many farmers were evicted from their land during the depression?

A

1 in 20

139
Q

Where did most farmers go after eviction in the depression?

A

down route 66 to California

140
Q

How much did farm income drop by during the depression?

A

$13 billion - $5 billion

141
Q

How were shareholders affected by the depression?

A
  • rich invested the most so lost the most - Rockefeller lost $160 million - Churchill lost $500,000
  • investors and banks went bankrupt as loans for shares couldn’t be paid back
  • Hoover promised “prosperity is just around the corner” and cut taxes to stimulate the economy
  • confidence was destroyed
142
Q

How much money did Rockefeller lose from shares after the wall street crash?

A

$160 million

143
Q

How much money did Churchill lose from shares after the wall street crash?

A

$500,000

144
Q

How were businessmen affected by the depression?

A
  • couldn’t pay back loans that had previously been taken out to expand their businesses - 100,000 companies bankrupt
  • Dec 1930 - Bank of USA in New York failed with 400,000 investors
  • 10,000 banks shut down
  • $1 billion withdrawn from banks and stored at home as people no longer trusted banks
  • industrial production fell 40% - workers sacked and wages fell
  • US international trade fell $10 billion - $3 billion
  • 23,000 people committed suicide in one year (highest ever)
145
Q

How many companies went bankrupt during the depression?

A

100,000

146
Q

How many banks shut down?

A

10,000

147
Q

When did the Bank of USA fail?

A

December 1930 - 400,000 investors

148
Q

How much money was withdrawn from banks and stored at home during the depression?

A

$1 billion

149
Q

How much did industrial production fall by during the depression?

A

40%

150
Q

How nay people committed suicide in one year during the depression?

A

23,000

151
Q

How much did US international trade fall by in the depression?

A

$10 billion - $3 billion

152
Q

How were workers/unemployed affected by the depression?

A
  • wages fell by 60% - workers bought less
  • 12,000 made redundant each day
  • people set fire to forests to get temporary employment as firefighters
  • workers queued for bread and soup handed out by charities
  • Hoovervilles (shantytowns where people were forced to live) grew - named after Hoover was blamed for the depression - Hoover blankets were newspapers the homeless slept under
  • in 1931 - 238 people admitted to hospital for malnutrition or starvation - 45 of them died
153
Q

How much did wages fall by during the depression?

A

60%

154
Q

How many people lost their jobs a day during the depression?

A

12,000

155
Q

Why did people set fire to forests during the depression?

A

to get employment as firefighters

156
Q

What were Hoovervilles and Hoover blankets?

A

Hoovervilles were shantytowns where people were forced to live, Hoover blankets were newspapers the homeless slept under (Hoover was blamed for this)

157
Q

How many people were admitted to hospital for malnutrition or starvation? How many of these died?

A

238 admitted to hospital - 45 of these died

158
Q

Why was Hoover labelled as the Do Nothing President during the depression?

A
  • refused to fund welfare programmes as he thought it would reduce incentive to work and was anti-rugged individualism
  • believed government hand-outs to the poor would make them lazy - this gained him his nickname
  • 1929 - Mexican Repatriation Programme introduced which resulted in the forced migration of 500,000 Mexicans and Mexican Americans to Mexico to combat white American unemployment
  • June 1932 The Bonus March - thousands of servicemen from WW1 marched on Washington to ask for their war bonuses to be given early (camping peacefully and singing patriotic songs) - Hoover refused to meet them and appointed MacArthur (who convinced himself they were communist agitators) to deal with them with respect - but MacArthur ordered troops to use tear gas and burn down their camps - Hoover publicly thanked God that the USA still knew how to deal with a mob, and would not admit that he failed to control MacArthur
159
Q

What did the Mexican Repatriation Programme do?

A

Hoover forcibly moved 500,000 Mexicans and Mexican Americans to Mexico in order to combat white unemployment in 1929 as a result of the depression

160
Q

What was The Bonus March

A

Servicemen from WW1 peacefully striked on Washington in June 1932 to get their war bonuses early - Hoover asked MacArthur to deal with them, who thought they were communist agitators and so ordered troops and police to use tear gas and burn down camps - Hoover wouldn’t admit to losing control and instead publicly thanked God that the USA still knew how to deal with a mob

161
Q

Which programme resulted in the forced migration of 500,000 Mexicans in 1929?

A

The Mexican Repatriation Programme

162
Q

What were Hoover’s genuine (but failed) attempts at getting the USA out of the depression?

A
  • Smoot-Hawley Tariff 1930 - raised tariff on imported goods so people would buy the cheaper American goods - however it resulted in a global trade war and decline in international trade - to about 20% of what it was in just a few years - this failed attempt to increase farmer income prompted Iowa farmers to protest “in Hoover we trusted but now we are busted”
  • authorised loans to farmers in the Agricultural Marketing Act but expected them to be paid back
  • Emergency Relief Act 1932 set aside $300 million as unemployment pay
  • 1931 - $4 billion to state governments to set up schemes to provide work (e.g. the Hoover Dam)
163
Q

Which act did Hoover introduce that raised import tariffs during the depression?

A

The Smoot-Hawley Tariff 1930

164
Q

Which act did Hoover introduce that authorised loans to farmers?

A

Agricultural Marketing Act 1929

165
Q

Which act did Hoover introduce that set aside $300 million as unemployment pay?

A

Emergency Relief Act 1932

166
Q

What did the Smoot-Hawley Tariff (1930) do?

A

Raised import tariffs so that American goods and produce would be bought - however it resulted in a global trade war and a decline in international trade to 20% of what it was a few years ago - failure to increase farm income resulted in Iowa farmers to protest “in Hoover we trusted but now we are busted”

167
Q

What did the Agricultural Marketing Act 1929 do?

A

Provided loans to farmers however this was expected to be paid back

168
Q

How much money did Hoover set aside as unemployment pay in 1932?

A

$300 million

169
Q

How much money was given to state governments to set up schemes to provide work (e.g. Hoover Dam)?

A

$4 billion

170
Q

Why did Roosevelt win the 1932 presidential election?

A
  1. Hoover’s failures

2. Roosevelt’s strengths

171
Q

Why was Hoover unpopular by the 1932 election?

A
  1. unsympathetic - didn’t realise how much people were suffering
  2. republican so encouraged laissez faire - encouraging gap between rich and poor
  3. campaign offered no solution - was a bad speaker
  4. blamed for the wall street crash - personally linked to depression (e.g. Hoovervilles)
  5. “prosperity is just around the corner” (lie)
  6. 1932 - visited Iowa and farmers protested “in Hoover we trusted but now we are busted”
  7. said that economy went in cycles of boom and bust and that it would return - blocked Wagner-Garner Relief Bill which would have allowed $2.1 billion to create jobs
  8. introduced tariffs that strangled strangled trade and made depression worse
  9. believed social security wasn’t the governments responsibility and help would be anti-rugged individualism
172
Q

What bill did Hoover block during the depression?

A

The Wagner-Garner Relief Bill - would have provided $2.1 billion to create jobs

173
Q

Why was Roosevelt popular by the 1932 election?

A
  • went on a grand tour visiting voters - 20,800km on his train, 16 major speeches and 60 smaller ones on train
  • thought active government would improve life for people - used the term “New Deal” as government ideas to pull out of economic depression
  • level headed and asked experts for advice e.g. factory owners
  • 1928 - governor of New York where he showed willing to take action against the depression - set up committee on prevention of unemployment, spent $20 million on home and work relief
174
Q

How far did Roosevelt travel on his train during the 1932 election campaigns and how many speeches did he make during this time?

A

20,800km with 16 major speeches and 60 smaller ones from his train

175
Q

What did Roosevelt do whilst he was Governor of New York?

A

1928 - set up committee on prevention of unemployment - spent $20 million on home and work relief - meant he was willing to help out during the depression

176
Q

How many votes did Roosevelt win by in 1932?

A

landslide victory of over 7 million votes - inaugurated as president in March 1933

177
Q

What was the “Hundred Days”?

A

in the first 100 days, worked with advisers known as the “Brains Trust” to make change - sent 15 proposals and all were past by congress - took time to explain to citizens what he was doing in his “Fireside Chats” - 60 million listened

178
Q

What were Roosevelt’s Fireside Chats?

A

radio station every sunday where 60 million listened to his plans for the country

179
Q

What was the Brains Trust?

A

Roosevelt’s advisers he worked with during the first 100 days of the New Deal

180
Q

How did the film industry change in the 1930s?

A
  • musicals, “screwball” comedies and “hard-boiled” gangster movies (an escape for people) - e.g. The Wizard of Oz
  • first talkie in 1927 (The Jazz Singer) caused more actors to appear e.g. Greta Garbo
  • Oscars began on the radio in 1930
  • sales for films cost 27c
  • Swing Time had encouraging lyrics e.g. “pick yourself up, dust yourself off”
  • films also spread awareness of depression e.g. The Grapes of Wrath showed Okies fate
181
Q

What was the “Golden Age”?

A

the 1930s - a time of transformation for US society (development in technology and entertainment)

182
Q

How did music and radio change in the 1930s?

A
  • radios in 28 million homes by 1939
  • channels were commercial and relied on ads for money
  • comedians e.g. Jack Benny emerged
  • swing dance became a popular form of jazz
  • radios introduced people to ideas e.g. the Cotton Club (nightclub with famous jazz musicians)
  • comedy programmes e.g. Amos ‘n’ Andy
183
Q

How many radios were in homes in the 1930s?

A

28 million households had radios by 1939

184
Q

Which comedy radio show distracted people from their struggles during the depression?

A

Amos ‘n’ Andy

185
Q

How did comics and fictional heroes change during the 1930s?

A
  • new comics e.g. Superman and Batman emerged
  • “hard-boiled detectives” e.g. in novels of Raymond Chandler
  • radio heroes listened to across the country e.g. “The Shadow”
186
Q

How did sport change in the 1930s?

A
  • became more popular e.g. thousands travelled to baseball games
  • Harlem Globetrotters were internationally famous
  • some stadia gave free admission to women to boost family interest
  • games broadcasted on radio
187
Q

How was the New Deal a success for native Americans? (important)

A
  • Indian Reorganisation Act 1934 provided money for buying/improving land
  • Indian Reservation Act 1934 helped them preserve and practice their cultures and traditions
188
Q

How was the New Deal a failure for native Americans? (important)

A
  • remained poor, excluded members of society
189
Q

How was the New Deal a success for black Americans? (important)

A
  • benefitted from slum clearance projects and housing improvement projects
  • National Youth Administration headed by black woman (Bethune)
  • 200,000 employment by CCC and other agencies
190
Q

How was the New Deal a failure for black Americans? (important)

A
  • agencies discriminated - sometimes got no work, lower wages or worse treatment
  • FDR never passed a law against lynching - fearing southern democrats would stop supporting him
  • Social Security Program didn’t help domestic workers or farmers (who were often black)
  • 11/10,000 WPA supervisors in the South were black
191
Q

How was the New Deal a success for unemployment and the economy? (important)

A
  • banks stabilised and no of business failures cut

- millions of jobs created

192
Q

How was the New Deal a failure for unemployment and the economy? (important)

A
  • when FDR made cuts to the New Deal in 1938 (due to public pressure regarding cost) unemployment rose from 7.7 in 1937 to 10.4 million
  • still 6 million unemployed in 1941 - only stopped by WW2
  • confidence low, Americans only spending 75% of what they had before 1929
  • wealth inequalities never solved
  • economy took longer to recover than most European countries
193
Q

How was the New Deal a success for women? (important)

A
  • Perkins (Secretary for Labour) removed 59 corrupt officials in her department
  • Bethune headed National Youth Administration
  • Eleanor Roosevelt became key campaigner on social issues
  • 1935 Works Project Administration employed 460,000 women
194
Q

How was the New Deal a failure for women? (important)

A
  • local government tried to stop paying social security to women by introducing special conditions
  • most New Deal programmes aimed at helping young men - only 8,000 women employed by the CCC
  • Perkins was attacked as a jewish communist spy, political colleagues ignored her
195
Q

How was the New Deal a success for industrial workers? (important)

A
  • 1935 union members combined forces to form CIO - Committee for Industrial Organisation
  • FDR supported trade unions and tried to make companies negotiate with them
  • NRA gave workers power against big companies, outlawed child labour and improved conditions
  • 4,700 strikes in 1937 - 80% settled in favour of workers
196
Q

How was the New Deal a failure for industrial workers? (important)

A
  • strikes often broken up with violence e.g. Frankensteen beaten by Ford’s security (Ford employed own security to intimidate workers)
  • big businesses remained v powerful
  • 10 strikers shot dead by police and 90 injured in Chicago 1937 - Memorial Day Massacre
  • wages dropped $25 - $23 (1929-39)
197
Q

How was the New Deal a success for views of the country? (important)

A
  • handled billions of dollars of tax payers money with no corruption scandals
  • restored faith in the government
  • social and economic programmes set tone for future governments to help people
  • resources e.g. schools, hospitals, bridges etc created
  • projects e.g. TVA improved living standards
198
Q

How was the New Deal a failure for views of the New Deal? (important)

A
  • divided America - some saw him as communist undermining US rugged individualism values
  • small companies couldn’t compete with big companies e.g. TVA and went bankrupt
  • undermined local government
  • welfare payments v expensive $9-479 million in ten years (1930-40)