APUSH Twenties / Depression

Assembly Line

pioneered by Henry Ford, these revolutionized the way automobiles were made

Ku Klux Klan

feared immigrants were changing traditional American culture, responding with anti-Catholicism and anti-Semitism

Tariff

deepened the depression that had already begun in America. The Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act hurt other struggling nations, who in turn raised their own tariffs hurting us

Women’s Movement

19th amendment gave them the right to vote

Business Boom -Why?

• Automated Machinery (increase productivity)

• Advertising (promote products)

• Department Stores (“everything” store)

• Credit (monthly payments)

Production Cycle

More workers —> more money earned —> more spending by consumers —> creates demand

Volstead Act

aka National Prohibition Act.

defined an intoxicating beverage as 0.5% alcohol or more

Bank Scare

banks had large stock investments.

people feared banks going out of business and losing their money due to the stock market crash.

everyone rushed to withdraw money while the banks lack the ability to hand out it

Nativism

hostility from people toward immigrants.
“If we ban immigrants, we eliminate ALL of America’s problems.”

Restricting Immigration

Immigration Act of 1924 - limited amount of immigrants per country and required citizenship.

Ozawa vs US - ruled Asians cannot be citizens; therefore they are banned from US

Sacco & Vanzetti

These were Italian immigrants charged with robbery and murder with little evidence.

Their conviction was controversial - some think it is because they are immigrants.

Bonus Army

formation of jobless WWI veterans who marched in order to get a bonus now. Led by Walter W. Waters.

Normalcy

part of a presidential campaign slogan used by Warren G. Harding.

He seeked to restore America to what it was before WWI began including deregulation, civic engagement, and isolationism.

Causes of Depression

• overproduction of agriculture causing prices to drop and one-time purchases of business boom goods

• pooling - when a group of people buys a specific stock solely to raise the price, other people followed.

• increased interest rates

• speculation of rising stocks; people took out loans from banks

• bank scare

Harlem Renaissance

cultural movement that began in the black community of Harlem, NYC. in the 1920s, it defined the culture with literature, art, music, poetry, plays, and thought.

Harding policies

best way to restore economic prosperity was to raise tariff rates and reduce the government’s role in economic activities

Coolidge policies

1923-1921 president. woman’s suffrage, opposition to Prohibition, and fiscal conservationalism.

Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 - granted citizen ship to all Native Americans.

known for hands-off governing and pro-business practices.

Hoover policies

favored ones in which government, business, and labor worked together to achieve economic prosperity, but opposed direct federal government role in the economy.

Agricultural Marketing Act of 1929.

After the stock market crash, he approved the Smoot-Hawley Tariff which had negative “karma” effects on other countries’ tariffs.

He wished to assure public confidence by working with business leaders and local government.

Crash

1929 - catalyst of the Great Depression.

fear of not having money —> intense withdrawal from banks.

Court packing

FDR proposed a plan to add more judges to the SCOTUS to obtain favorable rulings of possibly unconstitutional New Deal legislation.

It would’ve allowed him to appoint up to 6 judges replacing ones who were over the age of 70.

Effects of New Deal

1. Federal government increased in size, power, and responsibility, mainly over the economic and social affairs of the country.

2. Individuals under hardship now look to the government for help.

GNP

Gross National Product - total value of all products and services in a given period of a country

Brain Trust

advisors to FDR who provided theoretical solutions to the nation’s problems

Frances Perkins

FDR cabinet member who made labor issues present in supporting New Deal legislation

Charles Lindbergh

made the first solo nonstop flight over the Atlantic Ocean

Henry Ford

founder of Ford Motor Company

pioneered automobile production with his new assembly line

Huey Long

“share the wealth”

Albert Fall

involved in the Teapot Dome, he leased Navy petroleum reserves to private companies at low rates without competitive bidding, accepting bribes from the oil companies.

John Steinbeck

wrote “Of Mice and Men” and “The Grapes of Wrath”

Goals of the New Deal

government was responsible for human welfare.

relief, recovery, reform

SEC [reform]

Securities and Exchange Commission

regulates stock market

TVA [recovery]

Tennessee Valley Authority

army engineers build hydroelectric dams to provide electricity and attract industry in the Tennessee Valley

AAA [recovery]

Agricultural Adjustment Act

limits production so prices will rise by plowing under millions of acres and slaughtering livestock

CWA [relief]

Civilian Works Administration

creates jobs rather than relief by building roads, airports, playing fields

FCA [recovery]

Farm Credit Administration

low interest loans to farmers

NRA [recovery]

National Recovery Administration

regulates prices, production, and working conditions (controversial)

FERA [relief]

Federal Emergency Relief Administration

gives millions to local and state relief agencies (welfare)

NYA [relief]

National Youth Administration

helps high school and college students work and stay in school

CCC [relief]

Civilian Conservation Corp

conserves natural resources and puts single men ages 18-25 to work.

FDIC [reform]

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

federal government insures savings accounts against bank failures

NLRB [reform]

National Labor Relations Board (Wagner Act)

grants the right to unionize and bargain

Social Security [reform]

assisted the needs of the elderly

workers and employers contribute to this fund providing pensions to the the elderly, aid to dependent children, and support various health plans

Fair Labor Standards Act [reform]

sets minimum wages, hours, and age requirements