Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Truman > Truman’s Domestic Policy > Flashcards

Truman’s Domestic Policy Flashcards

1
Q

What was Keynesian Economics?

A

A conceptual theory from Adam Keynes where the government would pump money into the economy to stimulate its growth.
It was used by FDR but Truman was less keen

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What was Truman keen on?

A

Liberal social reform

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What position had America found itself in in 1945?

A

It was in a dominant economic position

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Why was America economically dominant following the war?

A

Largely due to other countries being in disarray
Also due to countries owing America vast war loans.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

How much money did Britain owe in war loans?

A

31 Billion Dollars

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

When was the Breton Woods meeting?

A

1st July 1944

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What was the Bretton Woods meeting?

A

44 Allied nations met to discuss post-war options for the economy. Eventually established the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

How did the IMF and world bank establish America as powerful?

A

-Countries had to agree to tie their currencies to the Dollar
-Centred the new economic order around an American conception of capitalism
-Was set up in New York

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What was the Fair Deal?

A

Truman’s. 21 policies for determining how to establish a strong American country.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What was encorporated into the Fair Deal?

A

The GI Bill

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What was the GI Bill

A

Passed in 1944 by FDR it was a way to smoothen the demobilisation of the army

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What specific terms were in the GI Bill?

A

90% mortgages
52 weeks unemployment benefit
loans for college education

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

How many veterans took up the GI bill?

A

7.8 million

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

How many people were left tin the army and what problems did this create?

A

Truman demobilised 9 million of the 3 million soldiers, meaning he had to find jobs for 9 million men returning to America

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What were some key points in the Fair Deal?

A

Federal aid for education
Tax cuts for lowest earners
Increased public housing
Increase in minimum wage from 45-75 cents

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What institutions were set up as part of the Fair deal?

A

Attempted to set up national health insurance
Created a departament of Welfare
Permanent FEPC

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

How much money was invested into the GI bill and was this good or bad?

A

20 billion. Good under a Keynesian lens as it provides a kickstarter for the economy and prevents unemployment however also contributed to a government deficit

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What and when was the baby boom?

A

1945-1950 where tonnes of babies were born following WW2

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What was the impact of the baby boom on the economy?

A

Created a massive market for homes and family lives, and we saw the establishment of suburban housing suhc as Levittown, Long Island.
Also meant more cars were sold.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

How many cars were sold in 1946?

A

2.1 million

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

How many cars were sold in 1955?

A

7.9 million.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

How much did war bonds put directly into people’s pockets?

A

185 million

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

How had industry developed in America by 1952?

A

industrial output had doubled and agricultural output was up by 1/3

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Employment facts please

A

Employment rose from 46 million to 61 million
His unemployment never rose above 5%

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

What were the 2 main failures of Truman’s domestic policy

A

-Budget deficit
-Undelivered promises

26
Q

What was the Housing Act 1949

A

Promised 810,000 federally subsisted new homes but by 1952 only 156,000 had been built.

27
Q

What caused high inflation in America?

A

The Korean War due to its prolonged nature.

28
Q

How did Truman end inflation?

A

Instigated a price freeze in Jan 1951 which lowered inflation rates from 5% to 2% until the end of the war.

29
Q

What was the knock-on effect of Korean inflation?

A

trade unions demanded increased wages and there was strikes in steel works, railworkers and minors.

30
Q

How many strikes were done and how many people were involved?

A

1046 strikes
4.6 million workers

31
Q

What was the Taft-Hartley Act?

A

An act passed by Republicans Congress which gave the President the power to call for an 80 day cooling off period between strikes

32
Q

How and why did Truman deal with the steel strikes?

A

In 1952 he seized control of the mills as he needed them for the Korean War.

33
Q

What was the consequence of Truman seizing the mills?

A

The SCOTUS ruled that he had overstepped his power, the workers went on strike and output fell by a third.

34
Q

What was the main reason the Fair Deal was weakened?

A

Republicans taking over Congress in the 1946 re-elections.

35
Q

What was the basis the republican congress opposed the fair deal on?

A

They said both Truman and FDR had exceeded executive power so wanted to reinstate state’s rights.

36
Q

What did the 1946 Congress do whilst in power?

A

Not a lot.
Truman called them the nothing congress due to their inability to do things.
They failed to pass social reform they had promoted their support for.

37
Q

Did Truman block congress?

A

Yes, he voted 250 bills with bly 12 being overthrown.
This shows he has some popularity as his vetoes are not often overridden

38
Q

What divides were there inside the democratic party?

A

The dixiecrats split away in 1947 over race policy and used state’s rights as the basis for their split
Progressive party split to challenge Truman with former VP Henry Wallace as the head.

39
Q

What were the consequents of the divided democrats?

A

Truman became predicted to lose the election.
He had Strom Thurmond running for president with the Dixiecrats

40
Q

How predicted was it that Truman would lose the election?

A

Very!
The republican party put aside 80,000 dollars for an inauguration ceremony and the Chicago tribune printed Dewey Beats Truman ahead of time.

41
Q

What was Thurmond’s tactic in the election?

A

Get both Truman and Dewey to lose the majority, meaning the vote goes to the House of Representatives. Thurmond was confident that Truman couldn’t gain a majority of the states.

42
Q

How did Truman win the 1948 election?

A

He went on a tour of 30 states in 33 days.

43
Q

When did Truman leave for his tour?

A

September 1948.

44
Q

How did Truman gain appeal throughout his tor?

A

He, unlike Dewey, gave speeches attacking his opponents, stating that the Republicans were a party for the rich and teh democrats were a party for all.

45
Q

When was the 1948 election?

A

November 2nd 1948

46
Q

How big was Truman’s majority?

A

He had 303 electoral votes whilst Dewey had only 189. Thurmond won 39.

47
Q

How did Truman’s win in the election affect his domestic policy?

A

In his State of the Union, he called for the federal government to help raise the standard of living in health, education, housing and civil rights.

48
Q

Who was Joseph McCarthy?

A

A Republican senator for Wisconsin.

49
Q

When and what was McCarthy’s claim?

A

McCarthy claimed that 205 communist party members were working within the state department in 1950

50
Q

What were the consequences of McCarthy’s claim?

A

He headed a committee looking into subversives
Anti communism spread throughout American society, encouraged by the republicans.

51
Q

How did McCarthyism impact state government?

A

500 state government employees were fired.

52
Q

How did McCarthism impact education?

A

Because of raised suspicions, everyone was encouraged to spy on each other, including children on their parents and teachers.
600 school teachers and 150 college professors ended up losing their jobs.

53
Q

How did McCarthysim impact the next election?

A

His attacks on the democrats with the phrase ‘Commie-crats’ made people fear them, leading to Eisenhower’s election.

54
Q

Why did McCarthyism take hold of the country?

A

There was a genuine real fear of communism and a fear of Russia and China’s military power especially following the 1949 USSR bomb and Chinese revolution.

55
Q

Who were Ethel and Julius Rosenberg?

A

Two executives who had given secrets around the nuclear bomb away to the Soviets.
Both were given the death penalty.

56
Q

What was the impact of the Rosenberg case?

A

Raised suspicions as it was an example of real communism.

57
Q

was McCarthyism as new phenomenon?

A

No!
The HUAC had been institutionalised since 1938 and investigated many communists.

58
Q

How did McCarthyism link in with the issues surrounding trae unions?

A

The rise of organised labour unions raised questions about their socialist nature.

59
Q

Why did the democrats not defend the accused communists?

A

If they defended a communist they themselves would then be seen as communist.

60
Q

What was the impact of McCarthyism on social america>

A

Accusations were thrown at anyone who didn’t fit in or was a bit different and it went against some key American principles such as 1st Amendment right.

61
Q

What was the 1952 International Security Act?

A

Meant Communists could be denied passports
Truman vetoed it
Was overturned as he only had 58 support members.

62
Q

How did Truman inadvertently further the hysteria?

A

His doctrine and the Marshall PLan painted the USSR as the enemy.

Truman (3 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions