M21 | Interwar Years - Study Guide

Modern World History Honors 9

Who developed the modern assembly line and how did the assembly line change production and consumption of goods during this time?

Who developed the modern assembly line and how did the assembly line change production and consumption of goods during this time?

Henry Ford → Ford Motor Company made it take less time and be more efficient to produce goods in factories Products cost less to make, less time to make them, and became more valuable Became less expensive and more accessible to everyday americans Cars, appliances, and other products

What was the Red Scare? What did it do to society?

Red Scare → fear of the spread of communism (especially in the US in the 1920s

What were some of the outcomes of consumption of goods (purchasing) during the 1920s?

Led to high employment, people bought more goods, spend time socializing and enjoying leisure activities Ultimately contributed to the Great Depression bc people needed only so many goods

What is buying on installment plans? How did this lead to issues that caused the Great Depression?

Consumers could buy goods with a small down payment and pay off the rest of the item as they earned more money Basically a loan for consumer goods → similar in a way to a credit card

What role did automobiles play in the 1920s? What caused so many people to buy cars and want to drive?

Cars were more accessible to Americans in the 1920s as prices went down with more efficient production practices Cars gave people the opportunity to travel and see more places which brought about new industries such as car dealerships, tourist areas, -- motels,mechanics, car washes, etc.

What is the Great Migration? Why is it significant for the 1920s from a societal standpoint?

African Americans from the South moved to northern cities to work in factories for a better way of life, standard of living, to avoid racism of Jim Crow laws and avoid tenant farming

What is the New Deal? Why was it considered successful? 

Series of government recovery acts, reform laws, and relief programs to  help bring Americans and the US economy out of the Great Depression  Successful because it brought back faith in the US government to Americans, gave people jobs, and helped end the depression

What event signaled the beginning of the Great Depression, but did not necessarily cause the Depression?

• The stock market crash of 1929 is considered the event that kicked the Great Depression off but did not necessarily cause the depression itself

• Other factors such as unequal distribution of wealth, overproduction of consumer goods and agricultural crops -- with loans and bad money management practices were more so the causes of the Great Depression

What were some of the outcomes of the Great Depression when it reached Europe? Think economy and government…

• When the US economy entered the Great Depression, the rest of the world ( especially Europe followed) because each country looked to institutes policies that would protect their own economy rather than all economies

• Several countries led to totalitarian leaders to solve societal and economic problems

  • Hitler in Germany

The Great Depression led to growth in what areas of the economy and society? Economically, it led to a steep slow down in what?

Government public works programs that built roads, dams, bridges, schools, parks, etc to steep slow down in unemployment during the depression Government’s role in society and in people’s lives expanded during the New Deal This also gave people more faith in the government

What are tariffs and what role did they play in the deepening of the Great Depression?

Tariffs such as the Hawley-Smoot Tariff Act were used as a way to protect american farmers and manufacturers from foreign competition undercutting American Prices Wanted Americans to buy American goods so they raised taxes on imported goods What it result was that other countries raised tariffs on american goods so that they couldn't export american goods to Europe Protectionist tariffs severely hurt the economy of the US and Europe and made the Depression even worse by giving farmers and manufacturers fewer markets to sell their goods when they actually needed a larger market for their goods

What was the Dawes Plan? How did it help Germany? How did it hurt Germany?

Dawes Plan was presented by US banker Charles Daewes as a way for Germany to exit their economic depression following WW1 and to end their cycle of hyperinflation Plan was for US banks to pull a 2 million dollar loan in order for the German Mark to stabilize and four Germany to pay its loans off -- war reparations

What is Fascism? What are some of the qualities of a fascist government and fascist leader?

• New militant political movement; emphasizing nationalism, denial of individual rights

• Dictatorial one party with loyalty to an idolized authoritarian leader

• Political opposition or ethnic groups used as scapegoats

• State controls of rights, property, industry

• Social classes exist with emphasis towards industrialization, aristocrats,and lower middle class

How did Adolf Hitler come to be Chancellor of Germany? What were some of his first actions?

Hitler became chancellor when conservative politicians convinced the president to name him to the position of Chancellor → a positions he obtained legally Hitler declared that a new parliamentary election should take place Before the election, parliamentary hall caught fire and blamed Hitler the communists hoped to conjure support for the Nazi party to gain more parliamentary majority After taking over a chancellor: Banned other political parties Created SS Arrested and often murdered in opposition to control population

What were some of the weaknesses of the Weimar Republic? How did these weaknesses lead to the rise of Adolf Hitler?

• The Wiemar Republic was especially weak in the early 19200 when Hitler first gained power within the Nazi party because the government was full of political parties that couldn't hold a majority and pass law, plus economic issues following WW!

What are the Nuremberg Laws?

The Nuremberg Laws were German laws that restricted citizenship for jewish people and laws concerning everyday lives of Jewish people living in germany

What is Lebensraum? How did Hitler use this idea to control Germany?

• After hitler  took over as Chancellor of Germany, declared that Germany needed “l;ebensraum” or living space

  • Germany needed to resort to imperialism

  • Needed to rebuild Germany’s military

• Lebensraum was Hitlers policy to expand the German empire while also removing groups of people that were not considered “aryan” from Germany

What was Kristallnacht?

• Hitlers “final solutions” to exterminate Jews from Germany, Kristallnacht or “night of broken glass” took place in  1938

  • Jewish homes and businesses were attacked, destroyed, and burned

  • People in their homes or on the street were attacked

  • Thousands of Jews were rounded up and sent to concentration camps

Why was Mussolini an appealing leader for Italy? What was the previous government like that helped lead Italy to Fascism?

• Italy’s turn toward fascism was fueled by its disappointment in their lack of territorial gains following WW1 with rising inflations and unemployment were also key contributors

• Many italians blamed democratic government for being inept at overcoming the deficiencies in the economy, society, government

What is the Third Reich? What does it mean?

• Third Reich was Hitler and the Nazi Party’s reference to the German Government under the Nazi control

• Commonly referred to as a “thousand year reich” in which the Nazis believed it would last a thousand years 

What did the Germans under Hitler’s rule do to object to the Treaty of Versailles?

In order for Germany to get out of the economic depression that engulfed much of Europe and the Us, Hitler ordered germany to begin spending significant amounts of money on the military as a way to end the economic downturn but also defy the terms of the Treaty of Versailles

What is the difference between Fascism and Communism?

• Fascism does not have a clear theory or program

• Fascism is a militant political movement emphasis loyalty

• Communism is classless

Who is Benito Mussolini and what was the government of Italy like under his control?

• He was a politician who promised to rescue Italy by reviving its economy and rebuilding its armed forces

• Under his control:

  • Abolished democracy and outlawed political parties

  • Used terror and violence to enforce his policies

  • Secret police jailed opponents

  • Censorship of radio stations, publications, broadcasts

    • Outlawed striked

Who is Adolf Hitler and what was the government of Germany like under his control?

political leader who early life had been marked by disappointment Volunteered for german army Given the medal of bravery twice His government was a branch of fascism -- Nazism Hitler was the leader of the Nazi party Under his government: Hitler turned germany into a totalitarian state Banned political parties Arrested opponents Had the SS arrest and murder enemies Seized control of economy, technology, and labor

What role did Franklin Delano Roosevelt play in the Great Depression? What did he do to overcome the depression

Created New deal which provided jobs for the unemployed Used large amount of public money funding welfare and relief programs He was established as a leader of democracy

What role did Herbert Hoover play in the Great Depression? What did he believe about how the Depression would end?

• Wanted to stop recession

• Promoted programs that aid businesses and would have economic benefits for both workers and consumers

• Lent money to insurance companies, railroads, and banks on the verge of bankruptcy

Who is Joseph Stalin and what was the government of the USSR like under his control?

Stalin led the nation as a member of a collective leadership at first before he put his hold of power to become a dictator Under his control: Started by destroying its enemies Built a police state to maintain his power Secret police used tanks, and armored cars to stop riots Monitored telephone lines, read mail, and planted informers everywhere Told children to report any disloyalty heard by their family