USA by 1945 Flashcards
By the end of the 1940s what percentage of the word’s population was (USA) American?
7%
By the end of the 1940s how much of the world’s income did America have?
42%
How many of the world’s manufactured goods did America produce?
Around half of them
How high was unemployment during “the decade”?
Never higher than 4%
Post war prosperity (6)
- Natural Resources (1)
- Economic Boom During WWII (3)
- Flourishing Industries During the War (2)
- Post-War Prosperity (4)
- Consumer Society (3)
- The American Dream (2)
Post war prosperity (6)
1. Natural Resources (1)
a. US was already rich in natural resources like: (5)
i. coal
ii. iron ore
iii. oil
iv. timber
v. minerals.
Post war prosperity (6)
3. Flourishing Industries During the War (2)
a. industries flourished during the war. (6)
i. Aircraft
ii. electrical
iii. chemical
iv. tobacco
v. food processing
vi. pharmaceutical
Post war prosperity (6)
3. Flourishing Industries During the War (2)
a. industries flourished during the war. (6)
b. American economy became the most dynamic and successful in the world by 1945.
Post war prosperity (6)
2. Economic Boom During WWII (3)
a. During WWII, factories produced war materiel at full speed.
b. Millions of citizens serving in the military resulted in full and well-paid employment.
c. Americans experienced high levels of disposable income.
Post war prosperity (6)
4. Post-War Prosperity (4)
a. By the end of the 1940s, the US had 7% of the world’s population but 42% of its income.
b. The US produced half the world’s manufactured goods, 57% of steel, 62% of oil, and 80% of cars.
c. Unemployment remained under 4% throughout the decade.
d. The average American earned more in real dollars than their parents during the 1940s.
Post war prosperity (6)
5. Consumer Society (3)
a. America was developing into a consumer society.
b. Americans’ purchasing power increased as they bought cars, vacuum cleaners, refrigerators, and other goods.
c. This raised their standard of living and created employment for those involved in the production of consumer goods.
Post war prosperity (6)
6. The American Dream (2)
a. The American lifestyle became the envy of the world.
b. The American Dream was a reality for many as they experienced high levels of disposable income, upward mobility, and improved living standards.
By 1945, out of the 140 million population of the United States how many had left their homes for training camps?
1/9
By 1945, out of the 140 million population of the United States how many had severed overseas?
3/4
By 1945, out of the 140 million population of the United States how many had changed their county of residence?
1/8
By 1945, out of the 140 million population of the United States how many had made a permanent move to a different state?
8 million
How much did the population of the West Coast grow during the war?
by 1/3
Where did the during the war population growth mostly (generally) happen?
cities that produced war materiel
What were happening to regional differences generally speaking?
They were decreasing
Regional divisions (9)
- The physical geography of the US contributed to regional differences.
- Regional Differences (3)
- Response to Change (2)
- Mobility and Overcoming Regionalism (2)
- By 1945, out of the 140 million population of the United States: (3)
- Mass migration during this period moved from: (3)
- Population Growth (2)
- Decrease in Regional Differences (2)
- Unique Nature of the South (2)
Regional divisions (9)
2. Regional Differences (3)
a. The predominantly agricultural South had acute racial tensions.
b. The Northeast and Midwest had great cities - Pittsburgh, Chicago, and Detroit - that were centres of manufacturing.
c. The West Coast saw transformation due to defence industries brought about by the war, such as Los Angeles.
Regional divisions (9)
3. Response to Change (2)
a. Big cities such as New York were more likely to respond favourably to change.
b. Conservatism was strong in: (3)
Regional divisions (9)
3. Response to Change (2)
b. Conservatism was strong in: (3)
i. The South
ii. The great farmlands
iii. Small towns of the Midwest
Regional divisions (9)
4. Mobility and Overcoming Regionalism (2)
a. The war necessitated mobility.
b. Mobility helped overcome regionalism.
Regional divisions (9)
5. By 1945, out of the 140 million population of the United States: (3)
a. One in every nine had left their homes for training camps and three-quarters of them served overseas.
b. One in every eight had changed their county of residence.
c. 8 million had made a permanent move to a different state, half of them to a different region.
Regional divisions (9)
6. Mass migration during this period moved from: (3)
a. The agricultural South to the industrial North AND
b. from East to West
c. Primarily to California.
Regional divisions (9)
7. Population Growth (2)
a. The West Coast population grew by one-third during the war.
b. The growth was primarily concentrated in cities that produced war materiel: (5)
Regional divisions (9)
7. Population Growth (2)
b. The growth was primarily concentrated in cities that produced war materiel: (5)
i. San Diego
ii. Los Angeles
iii. Oakland
iv. Portland
v. Seattle.
Regional divisions (9)
8. Decrease in Regional Differences (2)
a. Regional differences were gradually decreasing. (1)
b. However, regional differences still existed.
Regional divisions (9)
8. Decrease in Regional Differences (2)
a. Regional differences were gradually decreasing. (1)
i. For example, Sears(chain of department stores) ceased producing catalogues for different regions.
Regional divisions (9)
9. Unique Nature of the South (2)
a. The South had a unique nature that remained unchanged during the period.
b. The struggle for civil rights in the South during the period demonstrated this unique nature of the region.
How many Black Americans were there in the American Population?
14 Million people
What percentage of the American Population were African American?
10%
How many Hispanic Americans were there in the American Population?
1.2 million
How many Native Americans were there in the American Population?
350,000
Generally speaking, what can you tell about the income of of Black, Hispanic, and Native Americans?
It was significantly lower than the national average.
Ethnic divisions (4)
- Gen. (2)
- Prejudice against Ethnic Groups GENERALLY (2)
- Acceptance of Ethnic Groups (2)
- Discrimination of Non-White Groups (4)
Ethnic divisions (4)
1. Gen. (2)
a. The US was a “melting pot” of citizens from different ethnic groups.
b. Many groups were looked down upon by “WASPs” - white, Anglo-Saxon, and Protestant.
Ethnic divisions (4)
2. Prejudice against Ethnic Groups GENERALLY (2)
a. The father of future President John F. Kennedy was not fully accepted by Boston high society because of Irish ancestry and Catholicism.
b. Religious prejudice against Jews remained strong.
Ethnic divisions (4)
3. Acceptance of Ethnic Groups (2)
a. The Second World War accelerated the acceptance of different ethnic groups, especially white ethnics.
b. Hollywood films showed a group of united, patriotic fighting men with names indicating Irish, Italian, or Polish origin.
Ethnic divisions (4)
4. Discrimination of Non-White Groups (4)
a. Treated as Inferior (and population stats) (3)
b. Social inferiority of black and Hispanic Americans was enshrined in law in the South.
c. This is also in practice elsewhere. (1)
d. Incomes of black, Hispanic, and Native American communities were significantly lower than the national average.
Ethnic divisions (4)
4. Discrimination of Non-White Groups (4)
a. Treated as Inferior (and population stats) (3)
i. Black Americans. 14 million (10 per cent of the population).
ii. Hispanic Americans. 1.2 million.
iii. Native Americans. 350,000.
Ethnic divisions (4)
4. Discrimination of Non-White Groups (4)
d. This is also in practice elsewhere. (1)
i. Housing and schools were usually segregated outside the South.
What happened to union membership and powers under the Roosevelt Administration?
It increased
Which year are the big strikes which i am talking about?
1946
How many workers went on strike during 1946?
4.6 million
How many working days were lost during 1946
116 million working days
Social divisions (4)
- Gen. (2)
- Social Divisiveness of Disparities (2)
- Unions and Roosevelt Administration (1)
- Worker-Employer Tensions in 1946 (2)
Social divisions (4)
1. Gen. (2)
a. Massive disparities in wealth across the nation existed.
b. Examples of billionaire dynasties like the Rockefellers and wealthy families like the Roosevelts contrasted with: (3)
Social divisions (4)
1. Gen. (2)
b. Examples of billionaire dynasties like the Rockefellers and wealthy families like the Roosevelts contrasted with: (3)
i. Impoverished white people of the Appalachian mountains.
ii. Black sharecroppers of the South.
iii. Native Americans on their reservations.
- Social Divisiveness of Disparities (2)
a. Social divisions resulted from the disparities in wealth.
b. Industrial relations were particularly illustrative of these divisions.
- Unions and Roosevelt Administration (1)
a. Union membership and powers increased under the sympathetic Roosevelt administration.
- Worker-Employer Tensions in 1946 (2)
a. In 1946, tensions between workers and employers reached a boiling point.
b. 4.6 million workers went on strike and 116 million working days were lost.
