The changing Political Environment

Question 1

Why did America join the first world war?

Answer 1

Woodrow Wilson, originally, did not wish to join the war. However, after several German attacks on US shipping, and discovering that Germany was sounding out Mexico as an ally v the US, he joined.

Many Americans saw it as a mistake, and hated how Wilson further tried to involve the US in international affairs after.

Question 2

What was the ‘ return to normalcy ‘?

Answer 2

President Harding, President 1921-1923, promised Americans a return to normalcy after the war. Whilst many Black American soldiers hoped for more rights after the war, WASPs simply wanted to return to how it was.

There was a sharp, short post-war depression 1918-1921 leaving 5,010,000 homeless in 1921 compared to 950,000 in 1919. Harding defined normalcy as a stable, steady way of life.

Question 3

What were the seven things Harding said the Government had to do right away?

Answer 3

1) Balance the government’s books
2) Reduce taxation on American people
3) Introduce Tariffs to protect US trade & Industry
4) Provide Countryside radio to boost US industry and as a method of communication.

He also mentioned that a committee should be set up to study “ The race question “ and how to solve it, and to look after the least well off via a possible Department of Public Welfare.

Question 4

What was isolationism in 1920s America?


Answer 4

Harding believed the USA should be supportive of other nations, but not become entangled with them.
‘ Buy American ‘ became a significant watchword.

It meant introducing trade tariffs that favoured US businesses, not joining the League of Nations, not setting up colonies. It also mean cutting back on immigration.

Question 5

What was the Emergency Quota Act 1921?

Answer 5

The 1921 Emergency Quota Act cut immigration 357,000 a year. 150,000 in 1924, with quota of how many from different countries. Between 1935-1939, Congress also passed a series of neutrality acts preventing the US from war.

Question 6

Was the USA entirely Isolationist?


Answer 6

No, they helped Europe recover economically and held the Washington Conference of 1921-22. This set limits on Navies. If the Great Depression of 1929 didn’t happen, it is possible they would of become more internationalist.

Question 7

What is an example of Tariffs? Did they work?

Answer 7

For a time. The Fordney-McCumber Tariff Act and others did encourage Americans to buy American, and new technology produced consumer goods far more cheaply.

Question 8

What allowed Americans to buy goods over a period of time?

Answer 8

Hire purchase allowed them to buy these goods over a period of time. All of this contributed to a ‘ boom ‘ period suggesting Republican policies were working.

Question 9

Why did the Presidency change?

Answer 9

Woodrow Wilson was only the second Democrat since the civil war. Many people felt as though he took too big of a part in Government decision-making.

He would introduce bills to Congress himself, didn’t consult Congress about promoting the League of Nations, took America into the war, and many felt as though the Leader of the Democrats were merely speaking for the president and expected the house to fall in line with Wilson’s wishes.

For many politicians, this was an unwelcome change, that stepped over the line for SOP.

Question 10

Who was these people called in Hardings’ cabinet? What is 2 examples of what they did? 


Answer 10

Ohio Gang.
Charles Forbes, head of Veterans Bureau, accused of accepting kickbacks from contractors building veterans’ hospitals + illegally selling surplus medical supplies.

Forbes resigned in February 1923 after Harding reportedly grabbed him by throat once learning about the charges.

Senate investigation 1924 found Forbes and associates stole more than $200 million (nearly $2.8 billion in current dollars) from bureau. The following year, Forbes was sentenced to two years in prison for fraud.

Question 11

What was the Teapot Dome Scandal?


Answer 11

A political scandal involving the secret leasing of federal oil reserves.

Question 12

Who was the Secretary of the Interior involved in the Teapot Dome Scandal?


Answer 12

Albert Fall

Question 13

What did Albert Fall convince President Harding to do in 1921?


Answer 13

Shift oversight of strategic oil reserves to the Department of the Interior.

Question 14

What was the nature of the contracts granted by Albert Fall?


Answer 14

They were lucrative no-bid contracts for exclusive drilling rights.

Question 15

What was the value of the high-grade petroleum in the federal reserves involved in the scandal?

Answer 15

Worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Question 16

Who were the two oil tycoons that received drilling rights from Fall?

Answer 16

Edward Doheny and Henry Sinclair.

Question 17

What did Edward Doheny give to Albert Fall in return for the drilling rights?


Answer 17

A $100,000 interest-free cash ‘loan’.

Question 18

What did Henry Sinclair provide to Albert Fall after gaining rights in Teapot Dome?


Answer 18

$300,000 in Liberty bonds and cash, plus livestock.

Question 19

When did the Wall Street Journal break the news of the contracts?


Answer 19

April 1922.

Question 20

What action did the Senate take after the Wall Street Journal reported on the contracts?


Answer 20

The Senate investigated the scandal.

Question 21

When was Albert Fall convicted for his actions in the scandal?


Answer 21

February 1929.

Question 22

What was significant about Albert Fall’s conviction?


Answer 22

He became the first cabinet official to be incarcerated for a felony committed while in office.

Question 23

How long did Albert Fall serve in prison for his conviction?


Answer 23

Nine months.

Question 24

For what additional offenses did Albert Fall serve time?


Answer 24

Jury tampering and contempt of Congress.

Question 25

How long did Albert Fall serve for jury tampering and contempt of Congress?


Answer 25

Six months.

Question 26

What happened post-Harding?
Democrats could not agree on a candidate, so Calvin Coolidge took control, who had been Harding’s vice-pres. He combined Laissez-faire with the dignity and morality needed to restore faith in the Republican Party. He let Congress go its own way.

Answer 26

Democrats could not agree on a candidate, so Calvin Coolidge took control, who had been Harding’s vice-pres. He combined Laissez-faire with the dignity and morality needed to restore faith in the Republican Party. He let Congress go its own way.

Question 27

What was the first red scare 1919-20

Answer 27

1905-1917 Russia went through serious of revolutions. Resulted in Communist gov 1917. Encouraged worldwide revolution for workers, disturbing capitalist USA especially when workers strike.

Question 28

What was the issue with ‘ The Boom ‘?

Answer 28

The boom economy of 1920s had serious flaws, but not clear at the time.
Now, we know, and they began to realise too once Hoover took over. Despite this, in his campaign, he stated that Republicans had eliminated poverty, encouraged equality & restored economy - and that the democrats would ruin it all.

Question 29

When did Workers begin striking?

Answer 29

Workers only went to strike post ww1 when conditions did not improve. The Communist Party of America and the Communist Labor Party of America made.

Anarchists began distributing pamphlets.

Question 30

What happened in 1919+?

Answer 30

In 1919 more than 3,600 strikes, with one in four (~four million) workers doing. This escalated to a general strike of 60,000 on 6 February. Soon became national news and led to red hunting.

Question 31

What key events led up to the red scare February-June

Answer 31

February 1919 - Mayor of Seattle says he will use city police force and fed troops if necessary to broke shipyard strike.

11 Feb 1919 - Strike leaders call off Seattle strike.

28 April 1919 - US post office discovers 36 bombs addressed to state officials

1 May 1919 - Workers rallies across country riots in several cities such as Boston & New York.

8 may 1919 - American legion founded as organisation for vets of First World War. Some members also carry out ‘ Red Hunting ‘ by end of year, it has over mil members.

2 June 1919 - Bombs explode in eight cities, public officials targeted eg A Mitchell Palmer new Attorney General.

Question 32

What key events led up to red scare August-January

Answer 32

1 August 1919 - New Rad Division set up by Palmer to seek out communist conspiracies. Collects name of ‘ Dangerous ‘ people

9 September 1919 - Bombs explode in various cities, Boston police go on strike, Very little violence but media spreads tales. Four days later, all police sacked and new police force appointed by Calvin Coolidge new gov of Massachussets

22 September 1919 - Pittsburgh steel workers on strike and spreads across country. Violence erupts in areas where local militia v Strikers.

Jan 1920 - Steelworkers Strike ends with no gain for strikers, County now full of anti-communist feeling. FBI raids 33 cities where 5000-10000 arrests of communists made.

Question 33

What followed these events?

Answer 33

Some businesses sacked employees suspected of Communism & People no longer felt free to express opinion as they were met with hate or violence from groups eg Ku Klux Klan targeting all Un-American groups.

Only 556 deported once cases considered, though, and due to Palmer’s ‘ Red Revolution ‘ prediction on 1 may 1920 failing to occur, people began to have a more balanced response to communism.

Question 34

What was Rugged Individualism?

Answer 34

Hoover gave Republican laissez-faire policy spin that dwelt less on inaction and more allowing responsibility for people. In American individualism, a pamphlet he wrote in 1922, he outlined ideas in his presidency.

By election campaign in 1928 he developed this into theory of ‘ Rugged Individualism ‘, where people who could look after selves would realise the American dream.

Question 35

What did people who believed in Rugged Individualism feel about:

Answer 35

Felt everyone, including poor and homeless, would benefit as their self-reliance wouldn’t be sapped. It should not regulate anything like working hours or pay or conditions or fix bank interest.

USA should isolate themselves.

USA should restrict immigration as immigrants came for a new life and equality/freedom instead of making money for the economy.

Question 36

What was the Great Depression?

Answer 36

Underlying problems with ‘ The boom ‘ & out of control share trading caused Wall Street Crash triggering great Depression.
Unemployment soared, people lost homes, banks and businesses failed. People thought it would improve far sooner than it did as post-war depression lasted for just 18 months so Republicans wanted to leave it to sort itself out.

Question 37

How did Hoover try to help in the beginning?

Answer 37

Hoover persuaded Congress to set up Federal Farm Board to help farmers sell goods abroad.

Hoover believed business-ran private charities to offer help on local, personal level would be best.

In 1930, Hoover set up President’s Emergency Committee for Employment and it was a temporary organisation to find work projects & persuade businesses to create more local, voluntary jobs that was overwhelmed.

He encouraged Businessmen to invest into the economy by setting up similar organisations.

Question 38

How did Hoover try to help between 1930-1932?

Answer 38

Hoover moved to giving federal help, first advising and then giving money. When it didn’t work, he reluctantly asked Congress to pass laws to give fed help.

Hoover tried to put through more federal measures, but the ones that were passed merely took the Government into debt. The Gov received 2000 million and spent over 5000 million but it was too little to late by the last year of his presidency.

Question 39

What was the decline of Republicanism?

Answer 39

Many blamed Hoover for the economic crisis such as Hoovervilles, Hoover Blankets, etc.

Question 40

What was Hoover’s Legislation 1929-1932?

Answer 40

1929 - Agricultural Marketing Act set up Federal Farm Board buying key crops to stabilise prices.

1930 - Committee for Unemployment Relief (to co-ordinate & advise on state efforts for unemployed) and President’s Emergency Committee for Emloyment set up.

1931 - National Credit Corporation (NCC) funded by healthy banks & businesses to help failing ones. Budget of 500 million led to 10 million being lent at end of year.

Jan 1932 - Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC) set up w/ 300 million to lend to states.

July 1932- RFC lending given to farmers and public works set up.

Federal Home Loan Bank Act has fed fund to lend money to people in trouble w/ mortgages

Question 41

What was the Bonus Army?

Answer 41

US Gov gave WW1 Vets a bonus depending on their years of service in 1924 that would give Vets just $50 at once that would go into a fund to pay out in 1945. Many vets asked for money early in Depression. Gov Refused. Many Vets were unemployed and some homeless, so, In June 1932, they marched to the Whitehouse to make their demands in person.

Question 42

What happened in June 1932?

Answer 42

150,000-200,000 Vets came to Washington. Police tried to break up camps. 28 July, Troops sent in with tear gas, bayonets, cavalry, tanks & machine guns. Only the bayonets and tear gas were used, but many of those in camps were accused of being Communist agitators & criminals. Nevertheless, Hoover lost a significant amount of popularity despite him urging 12th Infantry commander to use restraint.

Question 43

What was the Changing Mood in terms of Hoover?

Answer 43

In 1921, there was a Republican majority in both Houses in Congress. People began to vote democrat, so in 1931, there was a Democrat majority. Hoover was increasingly unpopular, in 1928 he campaigned under slogan ‘ a chicken in every pot ‘ - even stating that Republican Party was the poor mans party.

He still won Republican nomination despite this, despite being unpopular on both sides - Republicans due to him breaking from rugged individualism.

Question 44

What was the Changing Mood in terms of Roosevelt?

Answer 44

Roosevelt offered American people a ‘ New Deal ‘ and a new attitude. He had been an effective Governor of New York and campaigned along with the song ‘ Happy Days are Here Again ‘.

He pointed to Hoover’s campaign as being led by the new four horsemen of the Apocalypse; ‘ Destruction, Despair, Delay and Doubt. ‘ - even though Hoover tried to declare that the depression would’ve been worst if he had not been in government.

Question 45

What happened to the Republican Party following Roosevelt’s win?

Answer 45

Republican party only won six states despite the largest number recorded in US history at that point going to vote - 40 million voters.

Republicans so busy contesting stream of legislation produced by Roosevelt that they weren’t planning their own policies. They won only 2 states in the 1936 Presidential election.

Question 46

What influenced the Political Landscape?

Answer 46

New Deal Thinking.

Roosevelt promised a ‘ New Deal ‘ for the American people. He was granted special powers by congress to deal with the situation, and whilst Hoover had tried - and failed - to balance the federal budget, Roosevelt promised to - but put it aside as he saw providing gov help as more important, no matter if it left gov in more debt.

Question 47

What was New Deal Thinking?

Answer 47

Insisted Gov was responsible for the welfare of the people and that they needed help to get back on their feet. Nevertheless, New Deal Agencies did provide the bare minimum, and many thought the tests demeaning that some did not take them.

It stressed the importance of rapid, national action. Roosevelt got Congress to accept taking some policy-making that was the role of individual states and that they were only temporary.

Some of his plans such as Tennessee Valley needed federal agency co-ordinating activities in several states.

Question 48

What are three examples of Alphabet Agencies?

Answer 48

National Recovery Administration (NRA) - Set up & enforced codes of practice for businesses such as setting working hours & minimum wage. Not mandatory, but public were encouraged to support businesses with its symbol, a blue eagle.

The Agricultural Adjustment Agency (AAA) - Regulated major crops and bought up surplus crop & subsided farmers to grow less of crops being overproduced.

Federal Emergency Relief Commission - FERA’s main goal was to alleviate household unemployment by creating new unskilled jobs in local and state government.

There were agencies to provide work & help different sections of society. Provided on a state-by-state basis and theoretically allowed states some control, but all accountable to fed agencies that provided money.