WW2 the Great depression Flashcards
lesson 1
“buying on margin” is a term that refers to
borrowing money from stockbroker to play the stock market
W.l Mackenzie king was defeated in the election of 1930. Who was the new prime minister?
R.B. Bennett
Why did the Prairie provinces suffer the most during the great depression
A drought added to the already great problem of low wheat prices.
Bennetts “new deal” included
A promise to grant health care and unemployment insurance to Canadians
What is the term used in the Great depression to describe relief payments
Pogey or dole.
Germany printed off money to pay back its debts, resulting in the devaluing of it currency. This is known as…
Hyperinflation
Adolf Hitler’s Nazi party was____ meaning a right-wing party based on extreme nationalism that used propaganda to maintain power.
Fascist
Japan invaded_____, leading to a war between these countries that would last for 7 years.
Manchuria, China
During an antisemitic pogrom, called_______a coordinated attack took place n Germany on Jewsihhomes, business and synagogues.
Kristallnacht- night of broken glass.
Why/how did people suffer during the great depression in cities…
- Hughe unemployment rates and poverty
- Long lines on soup Kitchens
- The DOLE (or POGEY): assistance that was handed out by church groups and the government had a negative stigma
Why/how did people suffer during the great depression in the Prairies
The DUST BOWL: a severe drought beginning in 1928 turned topsoil to dust, nothing could grow
By 1931 constant wind storms blew topsoil away
People had to cover their faces with wet cloths to be able to breathe
Dust filled in ditches and drifted halfway up barn doors
Massive numbers of grasshoppers ate anything left
Why/how did people suffer during the great depression in the Maritimes
- Was already in a bad economic situation before the depression & so it made it worse.
- Fish demands were also low.
How effective was the response of the Canadian government to the depression? refer to specific actions taken by the government.
- It was not very effective. The government thought the issue would be resolved by itself over time/
- The government gave money to provinces to build relief camps that were not very succssecful
- The government also thought it was not responsible m but rather the municipal or provincial leaders.
Why do you think authoritarian leaders such as Hitler, Mussolini and Stalin became so popular during the 1930s
- With global economic depression, came desperate demand for totalitarians.
- People wanted help and fascist-like Hitler and Mussolini gave hope that the country would become better.
- People were not really considered with dictatorship and authoritarian ruling as long as the situation improves.
- The strongmen used propaganda to persuade people.
- The treaty of Versailles stripped Germany of property, money, military and total blame for ww1, so Hitlers passionate speeches made Germans hopeful again.
What was too much and not enough for the cause of depression
too much -margin buying -production of goods -American influence not enough - wages for workers. - protection for savings
The stock market crash
October 28, 1929 – values of shares on the Toronto stock exchange fell by $1 million a minute
the next day… (October 29, 1929 –“Black Tuesday”), stock exchanges in New York, Montreal, and Toronto continued to plummet created an economic disaster that would last through the 1930s
What did Bennet do when he was in power from 1930-1935
He raised tariffs (taxes on imports) to record levels
During his term, he gave money to the provinces for relief – The Unemployment Relief Act
After his death, it was discovered that Bennett sent some of his own money to needy Canadians
Unemployment relief camps
As soon as young men turned 16 they were cut off relief and expected to find work
Labour camps were set up – men would build roads or cut trees
Wages were terribly low – only 1 / 10 what a regular worker would normally make
On-to Ottawa trek
-Labour unions recruited unemployed workers to go to Ottawa and press the government for better wages and working conditions
-In Regina, Prime Minister Bennett send the RCMP and the Regina police to break up the protest
-On July 1 1935 a riot broke out – hundreds were injured and a police officer was killed
The On-to-Ottawa Trek was unsuccessful - workers did not have their demands met
Government leaders had always believed that things would eventually improve on their own
As people grew frustrated with the government, Bennett realized he needed to take action before he was defeated in an election
Bennets new deal
The “New Deal”, was Bennett’s plan for re-election
Had it been implemented, it would have given the government more power over the economy with controls such as:
Introducing a minimum wage
Cutting the workweek down from 60 hours to 48
Creating the first employment insurance program
However, Bennett lost the 1935 election to W.L. Mackenzie King, so the promises made in the “New Deal” never went into effect
Distraction from despair.
Movies and magazines were very popular, featuring a “fantasy” life that was a relief from hardship
Dionne Quintuplets, born in northern Ontario in 1934, became an international sensation and tourist attraction
What was the legacy of the depression
Canadians expected their governments to play a bigger role in keeping the economy strong
They also expected the government to look after individual and family security
New ideas such as unemployment insurance, welfare payments, better pensions and children’s allowances all had their origins in this period
