The Depression and the New Deal period key themes

Question 1

When was the Depression and the New Deal period?

Answer 1

1929-1941

Question 2

What did the collapse of the world’s economy and the ensuing Great Depression usher?

Answer 2

a period of change

Question 3

What was Roosevelt’s impact?

Answer 3

-under the leadership of the Democrat President Roosevelt American women and labour unions saw their position improve and the government showed an increased willingness to tackle social and economic problems

Question 4

What was life like for African Americans in this time?

Answer 4

-the lowest paid groups including African Americans gained from aspects of the New Deal->there was little political interest in extending their civil rights

Question 5

What was life like for women in this time?

Answer 5

-often played a key role in the New Deal administration and the first female cabinet minister was appointed
-in general women workers lost out when there was greater competition for jobs
-increasingly it was becoming clear that having the vote in itself did not mean that women were treated as equals in social or sexual sense nor that there was economic equality

Question 6

What was life like for Native Americans in this time?

Answer 6

-did benefit from some of the legislation with some suggesting that there was a New Deal for Native Americans
-the government still aimed to pursue a policy of assimilation->meant that much of the legislation did not make a substantial difference

Question 7

What was life like for workers in this time?

Answer 7

-this period saw high unemployment and conflict between workers and employees->significant legislation was passed that helped to improve the position of workers as their rights were increasingly recognised