US CIVI L2S4

The Lost Cause

The Lost Cause

Theory = real reason of the Civil War is bc the North couldn’t stand success of South since they didn’t have to pay their slaves. Today, some ppl still think this and that the North wanted to impose standards against southern tradition.

What was T. Jefferson’s theory of the government ? How did they decide to who the power should go to ?

Thought the central gov could become tyrannical => checks and balances

The states or the government ? Both happened = Articles of Confederation, then changed the hierarchy with the Constitution (Supreme Law of the Land). It says that even when states make their own decisions/laws, they should never violate national laws/constitution.

What were the 2 reasons which made the South afraid of the disappearance of slavery ?

• Economic : didn’t have to pay wages.

• Racial disparities : American civilisation is based on Black people + Native Americans being inferior human being.

Dates of the Declaration of Independance and of the Constitution ?

1776 & 1789

What were the troubles of the mid 19th c, linked to slavery, 3 compromises + 1 revolt ?

Missouri Compromise 1820 : extended slavery to Missouri + made Maine a free state → goal was to meet halfway.

1850 Compromise : Cali enters the Union as free state to keep the 36°30° parallel, in return fleeing slaves have to be returned to the S by the N.

Kansas-Nebraska Act 1854 : came back on Missouri compromise → authorized slavery beyond 36° 30° parallel.

Bleeding Kansas 1854-61 : violence and disputes. Same year → creation of Republican party bc ppl leaving the Whig party (realignment). Now leading party with the Democratic party.

Supreme Court : supposed to be least powerful branch → but huge power on lives and what ppl can do and can’t.

What is the Dred Scott v. Sandford act ?

1857. White stated before that Black shouldn’t have the right to dispute their condition of slaves and weren’t equal, but never an actual law so should be allowed to contest their condition. Sup Court stated that slaves + AfAmerican weren’t US citizen so can’t use the US Constit, don’t have civil rights, go to court and sue. Officialised S opinions. Anti-slavery mov became conscious that pro-slavery ppl wouldn’t abandon → only solution war.

What is the John Brown raid ?

1859 : white man organised a rebellion → led slaves to Harpers Ferry where weapons were kept. Failed and he was killed. Often called “Tragic prelude”.

How did the Civil War start ?

S states weren’t satisfied by election of Rep Abraham Lincoln → against slavery → secession and creation of the Confederation.

1861 : Lincoln authorized union troups to go make the S states come back.

Emancipation Proclamation 1862 : proclaimed emancipation of all slaves, US would never recognize slavery anymore.

U.S Civil War (1861-65) : four years, lots of casualties : 750 000 soldiers, up to 1 000 000 in total.

Sectionalism : loyalty to the interests of one’s own region or section of the country, rather than to the country as a whole.

What were the 2 plans to prepare post war America ?

10% plan Lincoln, April 1863 : restore confidence + make ppl join Union again :

• Allegiance by 10% of voters in the south

• Amnesty to all S except leaders of the rebellion

• S states encouraged to ensure former slaves freedom

Wade-Davis Bill by US Congress, July 1864 : considered unacceptable by the S.

• Allegiance by majority

• Complete disenfranchisement of Confederate leaders

• New gov in every state by people who never fought the North

= Battle btwn President and Congress over Reconstruction and who’s in charge of it, Congress thought they were responsible since are the ones making the law.

What happened at the end of the Civil War ?

Confederation surrender : April 9th.

• Economic chaos / social confusion / political uncertainty / cities destroyed / despair.

• S mythology : the Lost Cause ideology (rancour against the north as a consequence)

Lincoln assassinated on April 14 1865 → Andrew Johnson president.

Amendment XIII January 31, 1865 → end to slavery.

In N, ppl thought a punishment was necessary to prevent future rebellion of S. James A. Garfield = freedom came with rights and not just liberty. However, Constit didn’t help since there wasn’t anything about this situation + A Johnson was a bad person, unprepared and racist.

When and what was the Reconstruction period ?

1865 - 1877.

Reunite the different states + symbol of the long-lasting disagreement on the role of Congress and the separation of powers, and also between the confederate and the north.

What was Andrew Johnson’s reconstruction plan ?

• Amnesty to all except high-ranking Confederate leaders, ratification of Amendment XIII (1865)

• Returned the lands confiscated during the Civil War by Lincoln

What were Andrew Johnson’s views on African American ? What did the North do to prevent it ?

“This is a country for white men, and by God, as long as I am President, it shall be a government for white men.”

Believed that States ratified 13th amendment → safe to do whatever they want, reorganise as they wish, implement discriminatory laws, ex : black codes restricting AfrAmericans freedom + compel them to work for low wages, curfews for Black only, not allowed to gather, free men who didn’t have a job = fined + sent to prison if couldn’t pay or forced to sign 1yr long work contracts.

N was aware of that → decided to defy the President by passing the Civil Rights Act of 1866 = established citizenship to all ppl born in US and enjoy the same rights.

What was the Freedmen’s Bureau ?

1865-1872, goal was to provide food, shelter and medical aim. Johnson vetoed this bill again and the Congress overrode it. Realized they couldn’t trust the President to act.

2 examples of violence in the South

• The Memphis riots May 1rst - 3rd 1866 : 46 Black people and 2 whites were killed.

• The New Orleans massacre July 30 1866 : 44 Black people and 4 whites were killed.

What was Radical Reconstruction ?

Group in Congress called “rad republicans” = Charles Summer & Thaddeus Stevens. Opposed slavery + give former slaves equality and rights.

Mid-term Election of 1866 : Rep won 76% H of Rep + 79% Senate seats = easy to override P’s vetoes.

Amendment 14 : same content as Civil Rights of 1866, guarantee Black rights + principle of “equal protection of the laws”. Ratified in 1868, because ¾ of the States have to ratify it for it to be active.

However → Plessy v. Ferguson = Sup Court “separate but equal”.

What were the Reconstruction Acts of 1867 ? (3 points, 3 goals)

• South divided into 5 military districts by the Congress.

• Temporal governor in each district under direct command of the Congress.

• Commanders had to register all voters, supervise elections and make certain the new state constitutions guaranteed black suffrage.

Goal :

• Register all eligible voters, including Black ppl.

• New Constitutions which would never go against the principle of equality and citizenship of AfrAmerican.

• Ratification of 14th amendment.

What was the Tenure of Office Act of 1867 ?

Johnson challenged Congress by removing the Secretary of War Edwin Stanton => replaced by Ulysses Grant w/out Senate’s approval. He took part in the CW in Union army. Congress furious, Grant resigned → 1rst impeachment in history (1868) after Johnson’s infrigment on powers of Congress. However → only 35/36 votes in Senate.

HoR votes reasons why President must be impeached then vote = if majority, goes to Senate where there is an investigation, and they vote for a 2/3 majority to convict.

Johnson lost next election, U. Grant was chosen by the Rep party and won, supported radical reconstruction.

What is the 15th Amendment ?

Voting rights shall not be denied on account of race, color or previous condition of servitude. Imperfect bc never mentioned what practices were illegal, so states implanted limits like literacy tests and properties for instance, targeting black people.

Counterattacked improvement reagarding African American’s rights in 1868

Election to the Virginia Constitutional Convention 1868 = 105 832 freedmen registered to vote, 93 145 voted in the electio → 24 African Americans won in the election.

However :

• The 13th amendment was countered by Black codes (arbitrary arrests for crimes like vagrancy).

• The 14th amendment was countered by Jim Crow Laws (segregation).

• The 15th amendment was countered by voting laws in States (poll taxes, literacy tests).

How did violence in the South in 1870s negatively affected Reconstruction ?

Winning back the South :

• Elections : S Democrats back in power (redeemers) against “carpetbaggers” and “scalawags”.

• Violence and intimidation : riots, attacks on individuals, organised groups (homes raided, offices burnt)

KKK in 1865 + The Eugenic theories. African Americans were discouraged to run for office or vote.

Interest in Reconstruction decreased in the N after 1870 :

• Federal authority undermined.

• Growing influence of liberals supporting limited government.

• Economic crisis, strikes.

3 main actors of African American progress

Frederick Douglas : ex-enslaved man, activist, author, public speaker, leader in abolitionist movement, push for equality, human rights and women’s rights.

Booker T. Washington : educator, reformer and most influential black leader of his time. Promoted self-help/racial solidarity and accommodation, accept discrimination and elevating themselves through hard work and material prosperity. Atlanta Compromise 1895 : blacks work and submit to Whites domination, in return receive education and have rights protected.

W.E.B du Bois : intellectual, scholar and political thinker. Said B. T. Washington’s strategy would perpetuate white oppression. Instead → political action, social changes could be accomplished by developing small group of college-educated blacks => “The Talented Tenth”.

What is the Compromise of 1877 ?

Unsettled election of 1876 : Hayes (R) vs Tilden (D)

Southern Democrats supported Hayes in exchange of withdrawing federal troops remaining in the South, leaving AfrAmerican w/out protection + eco aid + no political interference. Redeemers took over and ousted Republicans + white supremacy. This was the beginning of the Solid South (stronghold of racists democrats).

This was the first time where the person who got the most votes lost. This same year marked the end of the Reconstruction Era.

How did the African American’s discrimination got worse after the end of the Reconstruction Era ?

1896 : Segregation institutionalized w/ Jim Crow laws → black only places like school received less funds.

• Poll + literacy tests.

• Plessy v. Feguson 1896 : Louisiana law in 1890 “providing for separate railway carriages for the white and coloured races”. Homer Plessy sued Judge John H. Ferguson for violating the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment = “separate but equal”.

Florida => first state to mandate segregated railroad cars in 1887.

Violence against African American increased, especially through lynchings.

When was the Age of Enterprise and what are its characteristics ?

1877 - 1895.

Corruption in American politics w/ businessmen → politicians preferred to follow their wants and need instead of those of the citizens, such as legislation which benefited businessmen instead of workers. The U.S had surpassed GB → 1rst leading nation in the world. Also financial scandals.

What is the Panic of 1873 ?

The panic of 1873 also caused the Long Depression 1873-1897 : banks went bankrupt after lots of money were put into housing → a lot of businesses like railroad lost money too, fired ppl, ↘ salaries. The railroad industry refused to put safety measures bc slowed down the work. Politicians had same goal + were also impacted by this crisis bc had a financial interest in these companies.

What was the Great Strike of 1877 ?

1rst great labour crisis, launched bc of discontent from workers → troops sent on workers to calm down the situation after a “provocation” which could be done by spies inside the workers’ side.

How did the rise of businesses happen ?

Laissez-faire theory + gov shouldn’t interfere w/ economic matters → no limits on workday, lots of natural resources (coal, gold), large pool of labour (demographic explosion, salaries ↘), expanding markets (more products => more money), quicker trade by trains w/ the dev of railroad.

1870-1920 : 11 million Americans moved to cities (+ 25 million immigrants).

Economic growth was explained by the 3 factors of production :

• Land (space)

• Labour

• Capital

Second Industrial Revolution 1870-1914 : important innovations made → helped improve efficiency of factories (Edison, oil engine, steel).

What is vertical integration ? How did it affect production ?

Before = buy meat and bring it to their shop. Market became more industrialized, volumes increased rapidly. Gustavus Swift developed vertical integration : instead of having different actors for every part (breeding, delivery, selling, ect), one actor should do all of these steps. However how to preserve the meat ? Refrigerated trains.

= no more competition, supposed to encourage companies to be best and cut cost of production, produce rapidly. However, strong competition wasn’t liked by big companies. At beginning → prices decreased + more goods for the customers while companies still made lots of money.

What is horizontal integration ? Who did it ?

Buy all companies involved in one precise step (ex : final assembly branch), therefore other actors cannot avoid buying from you.

Ex : Rockefeller bought all of the refineries, so ppl that extracted oil had to go to him + he also did vertical integration, buying all the industries that did every step (drilling, storage & distribution of oil) + illegal deals → tycoon in oil and produced 90% of total oil sold in the US + 2/3 of the world production.

Monopoly : When someone controls an entire sector and decide everything in it, does not allow competition.

How did the Sup Court legalize the laissez-faire ?

Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad (1886) : apply 14th Amendment to companies; no one should be deprived of the protection of the C° → “Corporation personhood” → states laws failed to limit and restrict them → seen as violation of the natural liberty of individual

No legal working age, minimum wages, working time. Rep party = pro businesses. US Congress → tariffs on foreign goods to protect American products.

Lochner Era 1890-1937 → Lochner vs. NY 1905 : struck down NY state law that limited hours worked by a baker (10hrs/day or 60hrs a week).

“The right of each man to labor as much or as little as he chooses and to enjoy his own earning is the very foundation stone of freedom.” – Horace White

Double standard => the gov shouldn’t intervene in businesses but did help their wealthy friend with aids or giving lands.

What is Social Darwinism ? How did it originate ?

1880 : wealthiest 1% owned 25% of total wealth.

Calhoun’s plea for slavery : 1837 + Hammond’s mudsill theory : 1858 → S senators, AfrAmerican slaves bc inferior & civilization can improve only if exploits a part of the pop. Herbert Spencer, Principles of Biology 1864 : survival of the fittest, some have qualities others do not have.

William Graham Summer “The drunkard in the gutter is just where he ought to be”, What Social Classes Owe to Each Other, 1863.

1 actors and 2 acts to regulate industries and businesses

Henry George => asked for gov regulation (better pay, less work time, ect), ppl stopped the activity of factories and destroyed them.

1887 Interstate Commerce Commission : look into activities of monopolistic companies but no power to act → companies would just relocate to other States which seemed more beneficial for them.

Sherman Antitrust Act 1890 : “Every contract, combination in the form of trust or otherwise, or conspiracy, in restraint of trade or commerce among the several States, or w/ foreign nations, is declared to be illegal”.

Trust : “a combination of firms or corporations formed by a legal agreement that reduces competition”.

What changed in the way immigrants were welcomed ?

Before : 1862-64 Homestead act : gave land to immigrants during the Westward expansion.

Monroe doctrine, Castle Garden 1855 : first and main reception centre for 35 years, replaced by Ellis Island.

Found the most dangerous and difficult jobs, ex : dangerous construction of canals and railroads, no safety rules. Clusters such as Little Italy, Chinatown, resist to Americanization and speak mother-tongue → easier in rural areas.

Urban areas : unemployment, disease, poverty. The sanitary conditions were bad.

How were immigrants treated by other workers in industries ?

Unionism : many immigrants unfamiliar w/ American labour practices => workers blocked the mines to negotiate rise → replaced w/ Chinese workers who were chased and killed for breaking strike (28 Chinese miners killed in Wyoming 1885, Rock Spring massacre). Didn’t share same objectives : immigrations wanted job at any cost, even if bad conditions ≠ unions wanted better working conditions.

Second half of 19th c, ppl lost their jobs → strikes for better jobs. This impacted the immigrants who didn’t understand concepts, like worker union.

How were immigrants seen by American citizens ?

1880-1920 : + 4 million immigrants (600 000 Italians, 2 million Jews from Eastern Europe).

Feared new religion (Catholicsm) and new political ideas (anarchism). = threat to American-ness. Fear of an “immigration invasion” → yellow peril. Even the educated became convinced of the superiority of the Anglo-Saxon race → Eugenics; shouldn’t help weak bc keeps useless ppl in society, act to eliminate them → sterilization on “problematic women” or prostitutes.

Anti-immigration group in 1880s : NATIVISTS : good and bad immigrants; trad waves of immigration from western and northern EU (FR, UK, Norway, Sweden) ≠ southern and eastern Europe, Asia, India, Africa → believed these ppl couldn’t integrate society due to customs, religion + culture, differences and their way of living communities created tensions.

How did the US limit general migration through acts and laws ? (5)

• 1875 First Immigration Act : the Federal gov takes charge of decisions on immigration → illegal for states like New Mexico to try to legislate immigration.

• Immigration Act of 1891 : exclude ppl likely to be public charges (can’t provide for themselves, convicts, lunatics, idiots, contagious disease, polygamists).

• Immigration Act of 1917 : literacy test despite WWilson’s veto.

• 1924 Immigration Act : forbade immigration of those who could not acquire the US citizenship.

• 1894 Immigration Restriction League : H. C. Lodge: leader, senator, isolationist, opposition campaign against ratification of the League of Nations by Wilson.

How did the US limit asian migration through acts and laws ? (3)

• Chinese Exclusion Act 1882 : 1rst time in US history that Congress passed a law based on ethnic & racial considerations, tightened in 1888 and 1892, became permanent in 1902.

• 1907 Gentlemen’s Agreement : to stop Japanese immigration. US Diplomats went to Japan to ask the Empire to limit immigrations by restricting the passports applications.

• 1922 Ozawa v. US : Supreme Court decided Japanese could not be naturalized bc they were too different.

How did racial quotas appear ? What’s their number ?

1907 Dillingham Commission → had to be limited for each nationality calculated on the 1910 census → 1921 Emergency Quota Act : limit of 350,000 visas/year.

Immigration Act of 1924 : quotas reduced from 3% to 2% using the 1890s census (reflected fewer immigrants from “bad countries” such as south and central Europe, did not reflect the migrations from the late 19th c) : limit of 150,000 visas/year (-65%).

When was the 2nd Industrial Revolution ? How did it happen (5) and what are the 5 technological innoviations which occured ?

From 1870 to 1914

• Natural resources (Great Lakes)

• Supply of labour (1870-1920 : 11 million of American moved from countryside to cities)

• Expanding markets

• Capital for investment

• Aid from Fed Gov

= economic + but also social impact.

1913 : US produced 30% of world output (equivalent of FR + GB + GE) + stock market in NYC.

Tech innovations :

• Atlantic cable in 1866 => from US to EU

• Telephone, typewriter in 1870s & 1880s

• Thomas Edison : electric power

• Nikola Tesla : electric engine => machines, street cars.

• Steam engine

How did employement decreased ? What were the consequences (strikes + enrichment) ?

“The Long Depression” 1873-1897 : first victims → employees, lost their jobs, didn’t have any social security. 35 000 ppl died on their job due to working accidents → solidarity among workers : ppl became more aware of their condition.

What is US capitalism ? And what it's 3 goals ?

Economic system based on private ownership of property and business → goal of making the greatest possible profit.

• Goal 1 : Increase sales by advertising.

• Goal 2 : Increase the price → difference btwn the selling price of a product and the cost of production. However if price too high → ppl won’t buy.

• Goal 3 : reduce costs of production (wages, equipment, raw materials), which is easy when you have a monopoly + mass production + Consolidation : unification of two or more corporations by dissolution and creation of a single corporation.

How to increase the pace of production and limit the errors of human beings ?

Mechanization through low-skilled jobs w/ cheap labor, even if the union labours told them not to.

If workers could work more efficiently, they would be more productive = scientific management.

Taylorism : a factory management system developed in the late 19th c to increase efficiency by evaluating every step in a manufacturing process and breaking down production into specialized repetitive tasks.

• Eliminate “brain work” from manual workers

• Efficiency + interchangeability

• Withdraw the authority of workers

How did the Unions act against the owners ?

• Strike

• Picketing : ppl at the entrance convincing the workers to join the strike.

• Boycott : stop buying products from the company.

• Closed shop : controversial, you will be hired if you accept to join the union.

In the beginning, unions → bad reputation (Karl Marx, revolution) but as living conditions didn’t improve + employers became more wealthy things started to change.

What are the 5 important strikes (end of 19th) ?

1880-1900 : + 23,000 strikes.

• Failure of Great Railroad Strike of 1877 : employers failed to respond to their needs → created a structure to federate workers → have necessary weight on employers, w/out leaving them a choice.

• Knights of Labor 1886 : 700,000 members, most important union. Spring 1886 → strike against a company hiring members to break the strike.

• Haymarket affair in Chicago, May 1886 → wanted to obtain 8h day + extra pay if more hours. Bomb towards the crowd → killed a policeman, police opened fire killing several ppl. 8 arrested + 4 hanged → little proof + foreign-born. Employers considered them anarchist, communists trying to seize the control of the unions → counter momentum, KoL dismantled.

• Homestead affair, June 1892 : Strike at Carnegie Steel Company → force employer to negotiate smth. Pinkerton detective company specialized in strike breaking → armed strike breakers shooting everyone. Troops were sent to contain the rebellion.

• Pullman strike, June 1894 : Decided to reduce wages to not reduce dividends + fire ppl → strike, employer asked Pr. Cleveland for troops → challenged in court due to question of the legality of sending troops to stop strike. Warrant to stop the strike → don’t stop, go to jail → happened to Eugene V. Debs, pr of the union, sentenced to 6 months.

How did companies counterattack strikes ? (5 points)

• Yellow-dog contract : stipulate that worker should never go on strike. It became illegal.

• Blacklists : names of ppl who have engaged in strikes.

• Injunctions : decision made by court to call for the end of the strike → don’t obey, police called + jail.

• Company police & spies : track activities of union members → workers fired and actions stopped immediately.

• Strike breakers

What was the context of the early 20th c ?

Early 20th : enormous economic growth + prosperity.

1913 : US’ national income was 3x higher than GB & GE, 5x higher than FR & RU.

• Specialized and mechanized agriculture

• Widespread industrialization : machines, staffing wasn’t a problem due to immigration, larger markets.

• Development of car industry : Ford Motors, applied Taylorism, payed his employees more than average (5$/day, 3x the average pay) → margin to use for pleasure.

Urban problems : slums, air pollution, sanitation and health problem = 4 million ppl in NY.

How did the progressive movement appear ? What are its 2 goals ? What are its results ?

Progressive movement : originated in middle class by intellectuals, professionals, politicians, academics, clergy ppl, democrats and republicans + result of organized labor. Started in cities, progressed to East, West and South. However weren’t radicals → the changes they won went away bc the system never changed.

• Greater social justice, share economic and social benefits of prosperity.

• Improve living conditions (food, clothing, ect).

Results : Women’s suffrage 1920 + disenfranchisement in S of African Americans (new laws for election safety; checking if they understood).

Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in Manhattan 1911 : strikes to get emergency exit in case of fire → once created they were locked to prevent from taking breaks but huge fire.

Who were the 2 informative actors of the Progressive Era ?

4th branch of gov : newspaper to know what was going on, knowledge on political decisions → can act. Circulation of daily newspapers : 1870 : 2,800,800 / 1909 : 24,000,000

Roosevelt called journalist muckrakers → accused them of pointing to bad things, being negative. Ex : McClure’s magazine.

New form of journalism : instigative journalism, reveal names of bribed politicians part of Roosevelt’s close circle → afraid would taint his reputation + lose popular support.

Clergy : before believed in natural selection, but started questioning policy of Gilded Age, called for changes, still didn’t like labour movement. “Social Gospel” : group of protestant pastors and priests against social evils, eliminate social injustice and poverty. Out of self interest → was losing influence and wanted it back.

Main intellectuals of the Progressive Era

Shape public opinion : denounced inequalities, malnourishment, dying on the job, child labour.

• Jacob Riis, How the Other Half Lives 1890 : uncompromising account of life in NY slums, central point of the mov, everything was concentrated here.

• Lincoln Steffens, The Shames of Cities 1904 : corruption in politics.

• Frederic C. Howe, The City: The Hope of Democracy 1905 : distrust of democracy in age of corruption.

• Upton Sinclair, The Jungle 1906 : harsh conditions + exploitations of immigrants in meat packing = unsanitary conditions, no controls → new laws + health controls imposed.

New laws and policies for the government to listen to citizens and their needs

Before : states + federal government limited in their actions and divided. Smth needed to be done, new political ideology → national gov should be in charge of making important changes needed.

• Sherman Antitrust Act 1890

• 10th amendment (1791) : « powers not delegated to the US by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the ppl. » → Changes came from states : work hours, wages, working conditions, wellfare for women and children, education, prisons, tax reform.

Politicians implemented ways for ppl to express their opinion : referendum, secret ballots, direct election of senators, women’s suffrage, ending corruption.

What was T. Roosevelt’s mandate like ? His way of presidency, his policies

“Bully pulpit” : wanted to be in charge of the political agenda thanks to central position of presidency. Believed the US needed to change + reform → more ppl could enjoy economic growth. The gov should change in all sectors. It wasn’t traditional for the President to take so much space.

Stewardship theory : “My belief was that it was not only his right but his duty to do anything that the needs of the nation demanded unless such action was forbidden by the C° or by the laws”.

“Square deal” :

• Favourable to a strong, interventionist government that could control businesses. More control over trusts and corporations through regulation. Dismantled Standard Oil company, against monopoly (Pure Food & Drug Act).

• Environmental policies : Yosemite National Park.

• Women’s suffrage : 1920 (19th amendment).

• Social justice and welfare : fight for child labour regulation.

• Better control the activities of railroad industry to handle the excesses of tariffs practices and tickets prices (Elkins Act, Hepburn Act).

What was Woodrow Wilson’s mandate like ? His views on race, his acts

Democrat, former governor of NJ (41,8%), 1912-1920.

White supremacist, end of progressive era, internationalist.

• Restored fair competition btwn companies, supported the idea of individual enterprise, defended small businesses.

• Fed gov less involved than T. Roosevelt : favour corporations, role of the states to regulate.

• Moderate laissez-faire economy.

• Federal Reserve Aid 1913 : central bank which created better banking facilities + stability to the finance sector.

• Fed Trade Commission 1914 : investigate companies that practiced monopolies.

• Clayton Anti-trust Act 1914 : reinforcement of Sherman Anti-Trust Act, strengthening measures in controlling trusts.

• Fed Farm Loan Act 1916 : allow farmers to take a loan → modernize their activities.

• Adamson Act 1916 : limit the number of working hours in railroad work (8h day).

• Child Labor Act : invalidated by Sup Court in 1918.

What was the general context of the Roaring 20s ? (consumption, social issues

1920-1929 : US wealth doubled but wasn’t distributed equally → to the top 1%. Small improve for bottom of social ladder. 1930 : top 1% owned 25% of total wealth.

Consumer society : nationwide markets + chain stores (multiple branches), ads, radio, standardization of ppl’s desires → mass American culture. New machines → produce more in less time + affordable, large access, mass profits. Salaries ↗ : small relief. Credit programs : buy and pay later. BUT → over production to make more money → market saturation → demand ↘.

Social problems :

• Prohibition (18th amendment, manufacture + sell of alcohol illegal = bc of women’s groups).

• Red Scare (Palmer Raids by attorney general, paranoia of communists, socialist, anarchists)

• No voting rights for AfrAmerican

• Xenophobia (1924 Immigration Act).

What led to the Great Depression ?

Rural collapse : agriculture ↘, replaced by industries. 1920s : ppl living in the cities ↗, country ↘ due to less jobs. Price of farm products, demand and salaries ↘ → firing, inequalities.

Expansion of stock markets : banks attracted investors to buy shares, lent money to invest, pay back in 2yrs.

October 29, 1929 : Black Tuesday, stock exchange collapsed in NY : U.S Steel shares $262 → 22$. Ppl lost everything, panicked, still had to pay back, all belongings were seized, suicides. Banks went bankrupt or used the money deposited by ppl to invest.

Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act 1930 : highest tariff in US history on foreign products → protectionist policy in order to lead ppl to buy only US product BUT overproduction → sell it abroad, but bc of tariffs countries also put expensive tariffs in place → US exports ↘ by 78%.

Income ↘ → Sales ↘ → production ↘ → employment ↘.

How did the Great Depression impact ppl’s lives ? How did H. Hoover react ?

Hoover in 1930 → the depression is over. Told charities to act, but even their money ran out since from donations. Darwinist approach = the companies that failed were the weak companies.

Unemployed = 1930 : 4 million / 1931 : 6 million / 1932 : 15 million.

No safety net/welfare → bread lines, soup kitchens, homeless ppl ↗. Hoovervilles : spontaneous shantytowns.

1932-36 : severe droughts from Texas to the Dakotas due to the removal of trees by farmers → Dust Bowl, farmers couldn’t use their land anymore, bankrupt, exodus towards the West = dislocated communities, anti-immigration feeling in cities due to competition in jobs, effort against Mexicans (pop in NewM, TX divided by 2).

• John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath, 1939

How did FDR helped society rebuild itself ?

1932 : 25% unemployment.

Elected in 1932 : 60% of popular votes (472 electoral votes v. 59 for Hoover). NY governor → relief programs during this time.

“I pledge you, I pledge myself, to a new deal for the American ppl.” (acceptance speech July 1, 1932) → stabilize country + eradicate inequalities. High expectations, big changes → gov had to step in new affairs. His democratic party won many seats in Congress.

Create a group of specialists in diff sectors of political life around him = “brain trust” of academic and experts. Invented press meetings w/ journalist. March 12, 1933 : 1rst Fireside Chat, going on air once a week, conversation w/ a journalist on radio.

What were acts of FDR’s New Deal regarding work ?

• Civilian Conservation Corps : jobs young men on conservation and reforestation.

• Federal Emergency Relief Administration : assistance/money for the unemployed.

• Wagner Act 1935 : National Labor Relations Board to supervise union elections and prevent businesses from treating their workers unfairly. FDR was pro-union.

• Fair Labor Standard Act 1938 = federal min wage, overtime pay above 40hrs/w. Legal work age 16 (18 in dangerous jobs).

“Court packing plan” 1937 : the new deal was successful even w/ the several bumps on the road = the SupCourt were pro-business + laissez-faire → blocked several of his policies and measures. FDR threatened to change seats, add more liberal seat → judges stopped blocking measures.

What were acts of FDR’s New Deal regarding social security and stability ?

• Glass-Steagall Banking 1933 : federal deposit insurance + prohibition of mixing commercial and investment banking, separate the wall street money and ppl’s money. If investment fails → ppl still have money on their account.

• Tennessee Valley Authority : hydroelectric dams along Tennessee River to make land salvageable again.

• 21st Amendment ended Prohibition 1933 = black market, bad alcohol who poisoned ppl, crimes.

Social Security Act 1935 :

• Old-age pension program.

• Unemployment insurance funded by programs.

• Health insurance funded by employers.

• Financial assistance for widows and children and disabled individuals.