Topic 1: Economic Downturn & Recovery Flashcards
What did unemployment reach by the end of 1929?
2.5 million
What did unemployment reach by the end of 1932?
13 million
What happened as a result of less demand for American goods?
Businesses close = unemployment rises
Who were usually first to lose their jobs?
Black workers
What was the percentage of black people unemployed in 1933?
50%
What was the percentage of white people unemployed in 1933?
20%
What were the ‘alternative’ homes nicknamed to mock the president?
Hoovervilles
How many hobos were there by 1932?
2 million
Which states did the 1931 drought hit the worst?
Oklahoma, New Mexico & Kansas
How many farmers packed up their things and left to find work in the fruit growing areas of the west coast?
1 million
What were people who left from Oklahoma called?
Okies
What were people who left from Arkansas called?
Arkies
Why were farmers in the west happy to employ arkies and okies?
They worked for low wages
What did marriage rates fall by in 1932?
Almost 250,000
What did the suicide rate increase to in 1932?
17.4 per 1000
How many months did some schools close for in Arkansas and why?
10 months because they couldn’t afford to pay the teachers
What percentage of the population received no income in 1932?
25%
How many people marched on Washington DC in 1932 and why?
12,000 veterans asking for an early payment for their bonus, Hoover refused
How much would the bonus have cost the government?
$2.3 million
How many bonus marchers remained and what were they labelled?
5000, communists
What was the result of the army being called in on the bonus march?
A baby was killed and 100 others injured due to the use of tear gas
What was the slogan used because people believed that Hoover didn’t care about them?
“In Hoover we trusted…now we are busted”
Why were Hoover’s policies criticised?
He refused to borrow money
Stuck to the Republican policies of Rugged Individualism and Laissez-Faire
What was the Hawley-Smoot Tariff Act of 1930?
Increases import duties but other countries refused to trade with the USA
What did Hoover spend more on than that of the previous 30 years?
Public works e.g. Boulder Dam
Who won the 1932 election?
Roosevelt
How many of the 48 states voted for Hoover?
6
What ere Roosevelt’s set of policies called?
The New Deal
What were the 3 R’s of Roosevelt’s New Deal?
Relief, Recover & Reform
When were Roosevelt’s first 100 days?
9 March - 16 June 1933
How many banks closed before Roosevelt’s presidency?
2000
What were Roosevelt’s Fireside Chats?
Personal explanations of his policies on the radio
What was Roosevelt’s first Fireside chat about?
The banking crisis. He assured the US people that banks would only open when they were secure
What was FERA?
Emergency relief of $500 million for unemployed
What was the CCC?
Creation of jobs for men aged between 18-25 e.g. planting trees
What was the NRA?
Set fair prices, wages and working conditions. Symbol of the blue eagle.
How many were unemployed in 1935?
10 million
Who opposed the New Deal?
Individuals such as Huey Long, Politicians on both sides & the Supreme court (SC)
How many years of Democratic Presidents were there between 1861-1933?
16 years
What and when was the Sick Chickens case?
Found NIRA illegal, 1935
What and when was the US v Butler case?
Found AAA illegal, 1936
What age of SC judges did Roosevelt attempt to retire?
Over 70 years old and replace with supporters
When was the Sick Chickens ruling reversed?
1937
