Americans’ Experiences of the Depression and New Deal Flashcards

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards based on lecture notes covering the Great Depression, New Deal policies, Alphabet Agencies, and the impact of WWII on the American economy.

Bonus Army

$43,000$ demonstrators e.g. WWI veterans who gathered in Washington to demand early war pensions

Democrat

Liberal, left-wing. Based on community and social responsibility. Likely to support workers’ rights. Believe in minority issues e.g. abortion and gay marriage

Dust Bowl

An area of land where vegetation has been lost and soil reduced to dust

Fireside chats

Radio speeches by Roosevelt attracted $60$ million listeners

Hooverville

A shanty town built by the unemployed

Rugged Individualism

Hoover’s belief that people can overcome problems with hard work and not government help

Lend Lease

System set up to send weapons, food and other commodities to America’s allies in WWII immediately, but receive payments later

Republican

Conservative, right-wing. Based on individual rights and justice. Traditionally stand for business, small government and low taxes

Speculators

A person who invests in stock, property, etc. in the hope of making profit. Borrowed money from banks to buy shares

Talkies

Films with no sound developed in the $1920\text{s}$ which made the $1930\text{s}$ the boom years for Hollywood

War Bonds

Finance issued by the government to fund military operations and wartime production

Herbert Hoover

President elected in $1928$, in office during the Wall Street Crash

Franklin D. Roosevelt

President elected in $1932$, Democratic leader who promised a New Deal

Huey Long

Opposed the New Deal saying it didn’t go far enough

John T. Flynn

A journalist who helped found the ‘America First’ movement

NAACP

National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People

$1932$ American exports

Fell from $\$10$ billion to $\$3$ billion in $1929$

$1932$ Presidential Election

FDR won by a majority of $7$ million, the worst ever republican defeat

$1930\text{s}$ Radio Statistics

$28$ million homes owned a radio, and big companies started advertising on the radio

$1944$ US Military Production

The USA was making half the world’s weapons

$1944$ African American Employment

$2$ million African Americans worked in factories

$1941-1944$ Female Employment

The percentage of women in employment increased from $35\%-50\%$

AAA

Agricultural Adjustment Administration – Set quotas for farm production, gave machinery to farmers

CCC

Civilian Conservation Corps – Gave unemployed young men low paid work in conservation

FCA

Farm Credit Administration – Lent money to farmers who couldn’t repay loan payments

FERA

Federal Emergency Relief Administration – Provided soup kitchens, nursery care and blankets for poor

HOLC

Home Owners Loan Corporation – Rescued approx. $20\%$ of American mortgages

NRA

National Recovery Administration – Controlled industry and boosted wages

PWA

Public Works Administration – Built schools, dams, and airports. Created millions of jobs

TVA

Tennessee Valley Authority – Built dams and irrigation channels in the Tennessee River, created jobs, prevented erosion and made land more fertile for farmers

WPA

Works Progress Administration – Largest New Deal program, built bridges, airports, schools and waterlines. By $1943$ it had put $8.5$ million Americans back to work

The New Deal

A set of policies passed under FDR that expanded the government’s role in the economy in response to the Depression, offering financial and social reforms

Wall Street Crash

A key event occurring in $1929$

Social Security Act

A key New Deal act passed in $1935$

War Production Board

Established in $1942$ to oversee wartime production

Ex-soldier march in Washington

Event involving demonstrators gathering in Washington in $1932$