T2 02&06 US starter Flashcards
What is a Depression?
A sustained, long-term downturn in economic activity.
What was the unemployment rate by 1933
25.2%
What were Hoovervilles?
Shanty towns named after President Hoover - These were places that the homeless and unemployed lived in impoverished conditions.
Shanty towns named after President Hoover - These were places that the homeless and unemployed lived in impoverished conditions.
26/48
What happened to the number of marriages taking place in America?
Dropped from 1.23 million to 982,000
Why was the Great Depression particularly damaging to African Americans?
4-6 times more likely to lose their jobs. ‘First fired, last hired.’
Name 2 of Hoover’s core beliefs
Rugged individualism
Self Help
Voluntarism
What did the Agricultural Marketing Act do set out to do?
Designed to buy back, store and dispose of surplus farm production
Why was the Agricultural Marketing Act ineffective?
It artificially inflated pricing which was unsustainable and led to further overproduction.
What was the Hawley-Smoot tariff?
Introduced the largest tariffs in US history - 40% on both agricultural and industrial items.
How did Hoover try and resolve the unemployment crisis?
Gave a $500 million to relief agencies to help the unemployed
What did the Federal Home Loan Bank Act do?
Created loans associations that would provide mortgages to those who needed them
What did the Emergency Relief Construction Act 1932 do?
Authorised the RFC to lend up to $1.5 billion to finance public works therefore creating temporary employment.
What was the Bonus Army and how did Hoover react to them?
Protesting war vets who wanted their bonuses. Hoover supported their violent removal from the Hoovervilles they were squatting in.
What is the federal government?
The centralised or national government.
How did the unemployment rate of African Americans compare to the American population as a whole?
Almost double. 50% vs 25.2%
How many banks had failed by 1933?
At least 10,000
The 1887 Dawes Act impoverished Native Americans. What was it?
Divided tribal land into 160 acre plots. Native Americans could either farm it or lose the land. Led to assimilation and loss of cultural independence.
How many Hispanic Americans were ‘repatriated’ to Mexico?
400,000
What happened in the 1932 Presidential election?
FDR (Democrat) defeated Hoover (Republican) by a landslide.
What happened during the first hundred days of Roosevelt’s Presidency?
Congress were called into special session. This session saw more legislation passed than any previous time in US history. Led to creation of Alphabet Agencies.
What was the New Deal?
Roosevelt’s promise to the American people. It promised a new relationship between government and the people as well as a solution to the problems of the depression.
What were FDR’s ‘fireside chats’?
Roosevelt’s radio addresses to the US people. Such was his warmth and charisma that it felt like he was talking with people in their living room
What were the alphabet agencies?
Federal government agencies set up to try and tackle the challenges of the depression. They focused on Relief, Recovery and Reform.
What did Roosevelt promise Americans?
A New Deal - legislation that would put the country back to work
What was so radical about Roosevelt’s challenge to individualism?
The massive federal intervention
What defined Roosevelt’s first 100 days in office?
Most eventful, 3 months, over 15 bills, alphabet soup of agencies
Who did the Alphabet Agencies help?
Farmers, workers and businesses
What was FDR’s first priority to deal with and why?
Stabilise the banks after the public had withdrawn their money due to failures and lack of confidence
How did FDR stabilise the banks?
He made a speech, and increased federal oversight of commercial banks and created bank insurance to guarantee any deposited funds would always be available
What landmark changes were made for workers under FDR?
Child labour laws, Labor Unions allowed collective bargaining rights, and a minimum wage, and benefits for those unable to work
What did the Social Security Act establish?
An old age pension, unemployment benefits, welfare assistance
How did black Americans benefit, and not benefit?
Northern industrial centres like Chicago saw many black Americnas in work and educate, but not so much in the South as FDR relief on Southern Democrat support and they were racist, no anti lynching bills and white Americans prioritised
How was the New Deal limited?
Unemployment never went below 14%, wasn’t until WW2 that economy recovered
