Unit 7: The Great Depression & Roaring 20s

AP U.S History

What is isolationism?

A policy of avoiding political and military involvement with other countries.

Why did the U.S. retreat into isolationism after WWI?

War fatigue, fear of foreign conflicts, and desire to focus on domestic issues.

How did isolationism influence U.S. policy in the 1920s?

Led to reduced foreign involvement and stricter immigration laws.

What was the Red Scare?

A period of intense fear of communism and radical political movements in the U.S.

What event sparked fear of communism worldwide?

The Russian Revolution.

How large was the Communist Party in the U.S. during the Red Scare?

Very small.

Why were labor strikes linked to communism?

Many Americans assumed strikers were influenced by communist ideas.

How did the Red Scare affect labor unions?

Membership declined due to fear and repression.

How did fear spread beyond communism?

Anything considered “radical” became suspect.

Name two events that symbolized the Red Scare

The Palmer Raids and the Sacco & Vanzetti Trial.

Who was A. Mitchell Palmer?

U.S. Attorney General during the Red Scare.

What were the Palmer Raids?

Mass arrests and deportations of suspected radicals and communists.

What legal rights were violated during the Palmer Raids?

Due process; people were detained without charges.

What earlier and later events are the Palmer Raids often compared to?

Salem Witch Trials and McCarthyism in the 1950s.

Who were Sacco and Vanzetti?

Two Italian immigrants convicted of murder.

Why was their trial controversial?

Weak evidence and strong anti-immigrant bias.

What was their sentence?

Execution in 1927.

How did the world react to their execution?

Global outrage and protests.

How did immigration change after WWI?

Immigration initially increased, then sharply declined due to quotas.

Which regions did most immigrants come from after WWI?

Southern and Eastern Europe.

Why were immigration restrictions passed?

Fear of immigrants, Red Scare anxieties, and “America First” ideas.

What was the Emergency Quota Act of 1921?

Limited immigration to 3% of each nationality living in the U.S. in 1910.

What did the Immigration Act of 1924 do?

Reduced quotas to 2%, used the 1890 census, and banned Japanese immigration.

What major shift did these laws represent?

The end of nearly unrestricted immigration.

How large was the KKK around 1900?

Only a few thousand members.

What happened to the KKK in the 1920s?

Massive resurgence.

Who did the KKK target in the 1920s?

African Americans, immigrants, Jews, and Catholics.

What film helped revive the KKK?

Birth of a Nation by D.W. Griffith.

What is Warren Harding most remembered for?

Scandals during his presidency.

Who was Andrew Mellon?

Secretary of the Treasury.

What was the “Ohio Gang”?

Harding’s corrupt group of political allies.

What was the Teapot Dome Scandal?

Illegal leasing of federal oil reserves for bribes.

How did Harding avoid facing the scandals publicly?

He died suddenly in 1923.

What economic philosophy did Coolidge support?

Laissez-faire economics.

Why was Coolidge called “Silent Cal”?

He spoke very little.

What phrase reflects Coolidge’s philosophy?

“If you don’t say anything, you won’t be called upon to repeat it.”

What was “Coolidge Prosperity”?

Economic growth during his presidency.

What major cultural conflict defined the 1920s?

Traditional rural values vs. modern urban lifestyles.

What new consumer trends emerged?

Cars, advertising, radios, movies, and buying on credit.

What was Prohibition?

The ban on alcohol.

Who supported Prohibition?

Rural South and West.

Who opposed Prohibition?

Urban, eastern cities.

What were speakeasies?

Illegal bars during Prohibition.

What was the Scopes Trial about?

Teaching evolution in public schools.

What did it symbolize?

Conflict between religious fundamentalism and modern science.

How did WWI change women’s roles?

Women worked jobs previously held by men.

What amendment gave women the right to vote?

The 19th Amendment.

Who were flappers?

Young women who rejected traditional norms.

How did flappers challenge tradition?

Short hair, short skirts, smoking, dancing, independence.

What was the Harlem Renaissance?

A cultural explosion of Black art, music, and literature.

Where did it take place?

Harlem, New York.

What art forms flourished?

Jazz, literature, and visual art.

What was the Red Summer of 1919?

A wave of violent racial riots.

What was the Tulsa Race Massacre?

Destruction of a prosperous Black community in 1921.

What were the long-term causes of the Great Depression?

Farm price collapse, uneven wealth distribution, credit overuse, overproduction.

What was the immediate cause?

Stock Market Crash of 1929.

What does “buying on margin” mean?

Buying stocks with borrowed money.

What is speculation?

Risky investing for quick profits.

What was Black Thursday?

First major stock sell-off in October 1929.

What was Black Tuesday?

October 29, 1929 — total market collapse.

Why were bank runs so dangerous?

Banks didn’t have enough cash to repay everyone.

Was there FDIC insurance in 1929?

No.

How many banks closed by 1932?

About 10%.

How did families adapt to poverty?

Smaller meals, no new clothes, no meat, water instead of milk.

What were Hoovervilles?

Shantytowns of unemployed people.

What were Hoover wagons and heaters?

Symbols mocking Hoover’s presidency.

What was the Dust Bowl?

Severe drought and dust storms in the Great Plains.

When did it occur?

1930–1936.

How did it affect farmers?

Crops failed; many lost their farms.

What happened to crop prices?

Fell even lower.

What is rugged individualism?

Belief people should help themselves without government aid.

What is trickle-down economics?

Helping businesses first to help workers later.

Why did Hoover’s approach fail?

Aid never reached average Americans.

Who were the Bonus Army?

WWI veterans demanding early bonus payments.

How were they removed?

By the U.S. Army led by MacArthur, Eisenhower, and Patton.

What was the New Deal?

FDR’s plan to combat the Great Depression.

What were the three goals of the New Deal?

Relief, Recovery, Reform.

What was the overall goal of the New Deal?

Save capitalism.

What disease did FDR suffer from?

Polio.

What slogan did FDR campaign on in 1932?

“A New Deal for the American people.”

What was the CCC?

Jobs program for young men.

What was the TVA?

Regional development and electrification program.

What is the FDIC?

Ensures bank deposits up to $250,000.

What is Social Security?

Government aid for retirees and the disabled.