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Truman Domestic Flashcards

1
Q

How many veterans were demobilized by 1946?

A

9 million, reducing the military from 12 million to 3 million.

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2
Q

What was the unemployment rate during Truman’s presidency?

A

It never rose above 4%.

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3
Q

How did Congress worsen inflation after the war?

A

By passing a $6 billion tax cut, increasing inflationary pressure.

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4
Q

What happened when Truman tried to maintain price controls through the Office of Price Administration (OPA)?

A

Congress weakened it, making it ineffective by 1946.

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5
Q

What did the 1946 Employment Act state?

A

The federal government should use ‘all practical means’ to promote maximum employment.

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6
Q

What was the role of the Council of Economic Advisers (CEA)?

A

It advised the president on economic policy and helped manage post-war economic transitions.

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7
Q

What was the GI Bill of Rights (1944), and how did it benefit veterans?

A

It provided 52 weeks of unemployment pay and loans for education, housing, and business.

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8
Q

How much money did the GI Bill distribute to veterans?

A

$20 billion to 7.8 million veterans.

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9
Q

How did government-backed mortgages impact housing?

A

They fueled a major housing boom, making homeownership more accessible.

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10
Q

What was the effect of war bonds on the economy?

A

$180 billion worth of war bonds injected capital into the economy, stimulating growth.

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11
Q

How did the Wagner Act (1935) impact unions?

A

It encouraged the growth of unions by protecting workers’ rights to organize.

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12
Q

By 1945, how many workers belonged to trade unions?

A

15 million.

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13
Q

What were the two main trade unions in the US?

A

The American Federation of Labor (AFL) and the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO).

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14
Q

What economic conditions led to widespread strikes in 1946?

A

Inflation reached 25%, and wages did not keep up with rising prices.

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15
Q

How did Truman respond to the 1946 railroad strike?

A

He threatened to draft striking workers into the army, forcing them to end the strike.

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16
Q

What was the Taft-Hartley Act (1947), and why was it significant?

A

It limited union power, outlawed the closed shop, required union leaders to sign non-communist oaths, and allowed an 80-day cooling-off period before strikes.

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17
Q

Did Truman support the Taft-Hartley Act?

A

No, he vetoed it, but Congress overrode his veto.

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18
Q

How did the Korean War impact the economy?

A

It increased defense spending, diverting funds from domestic programs.

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19
Q

Why did Truman seize control of steel mills in 1952?

A

To prevent a steelworkers’ strike, arguing steel production was vital for the war effort.

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20
Q

What was the Supreme Court’s ruling on Truman’s seizure of the steel mills?

A

It ruled he had exceeded his executive authority, forcing him to return control.

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21
Q

What impact did the steel strike have on the war effort?

A

It lasted several months, damaging war production.

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22
Q

How many bills did Truman veto, and how many were overridden by Congress?

A

He vetoed 250 bills, and Congress overrode 12 of them.

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23
Q

Why did Congress resist Truman’s proposals?

A

They wanted to roll back the expansion of federal power under Roosevelt’s New Deal.

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24
Q

What was the outcome of the 1946 midterm elections?

A

Republicans gained control of Congress for the first time since 1928.

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25
What was the Republican slogan in the 1946 elections?
'Had Enough?'—a response to inflation, strikes, and government intervention.
26
Why did the Dixiecrats break away from the Democratic Party in 1948?
Southern Democrats opposed Truman’s civil rights policies.
27
Who was the Dixiecrat candidate in the 1948 election?
Strom Thurmond.
28
What was Truman’s campaign strategy in 1948?
He attacked the 'Do-Nothing Congress' and campaigned vigorously across the country.
29
Why did Truman win the 1948 election despite expectations of defeat?
Economic prosperity, support from labor unions, and his strong stance against communism.
30
What was Truman’s Fair Deal?
A set of social and economic reforms aiming to extend the New Deal.
31
What key policies did the Fair Deal propose?
Federal aid to education, public housing, a higher minimum wage, national health insurance, and civil rights reforms.
32
What successes did Truman achieve with the Fair Deal?
- Social Security was extended to 1 million more Americans. - The minimum wage was raised from 40 cents to 75 cents per hour. - Farmers benefited from soil conservation and flood control programs.
33
What was the Housing Act of 1949?
It authorized 810,000 subsidized housing units, but only 156,000 were built by 1952.
34
Why did Truman struggle to pass Fair Deal legislation?
Conservative opposition in Congress and resistance to further federal spending.
35
What was the National School Lunch Act (1946)?
A program providing free or low-cost lunches to poor schoolchildren.
36
Why did Truman’s proposal for universal healthcare fail?
Congress opposed tax-funded healthcare, and medical professionals labeled it 'socialized medicine.'
37
What was the impact of Truman’s civil rights proposals?
They were blocked by Congress, but Truman desegregated the military by executive order in 1948.
38
Why did Truman fail to fully implement the Fair Deal?
- Conservative Congress resisted federal expansion. - Focus shifted to Cold War policies and the Korean War. - Many Americans believed the New Deal had already gone far enough.
39
What was the overall impact of Truman’s domestic policies?
He laid the foundation for future social reforms but faced significant congressional opposition.
40
How did Truman’s presidency shape future US politics?
It reinforced Cold War policies, increased federal involvement in social programs, and deepened the divide between conservatives and liberals.
41
Who was Truman’s republican opponent in 1949?
Thomas Dewey
42
What famous phrase did Truman use to critize congress
The do nothing congress
43
Why did Truman win the election despite predictions for his defeat
His strong campaigning the booming economy and resistance to communism
44
Why did the democrats lose the 1952 election
Public frustration with the Korean War, corruption scandals and McCarthism
45
Who was the democratic candidate in 1952 and who won
Adlai Stevenson lost to Dwight d Eisenhower
46
47
What were the main challenges Truman faced when he became president in 1945?
• Economic transition from WWII to peacetime (inflation, strikes). • Republican-controlled Congress (from 1946). • Divided Democratic Party (Dixiecrats opposed civil rights). • Cold War tensions influencing domestic policy.
48
What was Truman’s political ideology?
• Committed to Roosevelt’s New Deal legacy. • Believed in expanding welfare and civil rights. • Faced opposition from conservative Congress and Southern Democrats.
49
What was Truman’s Fair Deal?
A series of domestic policies (1949) aimed at expanding Roosevelt’s New Deal.
50
What were the main aims of the Fair Deal?
• Expand social security and healthcare. • Increase minimum wage. • Improve housing and education. • Civil rights protections.
51
How successful was the Fair Deal?
• Minimum wage increased (from 40 to 75 cents per hour). • Expanded social security (10 million more people covered). • Slum clearance and public housing projects. • Civil rights blocked by Congress.
52
Why did Truman struggle to pass Fair Deal policies?
• Republican-controlled Congress (1946–1948). • Dixiecrats (Southern Democrats) opposed civil rights. • Focus on Cold War foreign policy (e.g., Korean War).
53
What economic challenges did Truman face after WWII?
• Inflation surged (25% in 1945–46). • Strikes – 4.6 million workers went on strike in 1946. • Demand for housing, consumer goods, and jobs.
54
How did Truman respond to economic problems?
• Introduced price controls, but inflation remained high. • Sent federal troops to break strikes (e.g., 1946 railway strike). • Employment Act (1946) – committed government to full employment.
55
How did the economy perform overall under Truman?
• Strong post-war recovery. • GDP grew by 8% per year (1945–1950). • Unemployment remained low (never above 5%).
56
What was the Taft-Hartley Act (1947)?
Anti-union law that: • Restricted union power (e.g., banned closed shops). • Allowed president to call a 60-day cooling-off period before strikes. • Unions had to swear they were not communist.
57
How did Truman react to the Taft-Hartley Act?
• Vetoed it, but Congress overrode his veto. • Showed congressional opposition to his domestic policies.
58
What civil rights actions did Truman take?
• 1947 ‘To Secure These Rights’ report – recommended federal action against segregation. • Executive Order 9981 (1948) – desegregated the military. • Executive Order 9980 (1948) – banned racial discrimination in federal employment. • First president to address the NAACP (1947).
59
How did Southern Democrats respond to Truman’s civil rights policies?
• Formed the Dixiecrat Party (1948), led by Strom Thurmond. • Opposed Truman in the 1948 election.
60
What were Truman’s policies on housing?
• Housing Act (1949) – provided 800,000 new public housing units. • Aimed to clear slums and improve living conditions. • Criticized for slow implementation and poor quality housing.
61
What happened with Truman’s proposed healthcare plan?
• Proposed national health insurance (1945 & 1949). • Blocked by Congress (opposed by Republicans & American Medical Association).
62
How did Truman expand social security?
• Social Security Act (1950) – expanded coverage to 10 million more Americans. • Increased benefits for elderly and disabled.
63
Why was Truman expected to lose the 1948 election?
• Divided Democratic Party (Dixiecrats & liberals). • Republican-controlled Congress had blocked his policies. • Opposition from unions and conservative Democrats.
64
How did Truman win in 1948?
• ‘Give ‘Em Hell, Harry’ campaign – attacked Republicans for blocking reforms. • Gained Black voter support due to civil rights stance. • Whistle-stop campaign – travelled over 30,000 miles, giving 300+ speeches.
65
What was the outcome of the 1948 election?
• Truman won 49.5% of the vote and 303 electoral votes. • Defeated Republican Thomas Dewey.
66
How did the Korean War (1950–53) affect Truman’s domestic policy?
• Increased military spending (14% of GDP by 1953). • Contributed to inflation and rising taxes. • Made Fair Deal reforms harder to pass.
67
What was the impact of McCarthyism on Truman’s presidency?
• HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee) investigated suspected communists. • Truman’s ‘Loyalty Program’ (1947) led to 3,000 federal employees being dismissed. • Senator Joseph McCarthy (1950) accused government officials of being communists.
68
How did Truman respond to McCarthyism?
• Initially supported loyalty investigations. • Later criticized McCarthy’s methods, but too late to prevent political damage.
69
What were Truman’s main domestic policy successes?
• Economic growth (GDP +8% per year, low unemployment). • Expanded Social Security (10 million more covered). • Raised minimum wage (40 to 75 cents). • First major steps in civil rights (military and federal desegregation).
70
What were Truman’s main domestic policy failures?
• Most of the Fair Deal was blocked by Congress. • Failed to pass universal healthcare. • Korean War and McCarthyism weakened his presidency.

Us History Truman Domestic (6 decks)

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