HISTORY MIDTERM

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

Immediate Causes: The Stock Market Crash of 1929, which was exacerbated by widespread speculation, and bank failures that caused massive loss of savings.

Long-term Causes: Overproduction and underconsumption in agriculture and manufacturing, uneven wealth distribution, and the global economic downturn due to World War I reparations and tariffs.

How did the New Deal change the relationship between the government and the economy?

The New Deal greatly expanded the role of the federal government in managing the economy by instituting regulations to control banks and businesses, creating social safety nets like Social Security, and providing direct aid to the unemployed and those in need. It marked the shift from laissez-faire to government intervention in economic matters.

What was the significance of the Social Security Act of 1935?

The Social Security Act created a pension system for the elderly, established unemployment insurance, and provided aid to families with dependent children. It was a key New Deal program that provided a long-term safety net and drastically altered social welfare in America.

What was the key difference between Keynesian economics and classical economics?

Keynesian Economics: Advocates for government intervention to stimulate demand, especially in times of economic recession. Keynes argued that when the private sector cannot maintain demand, the government should step in by spending money and investing in infrastructure projects.

Classical Economics: Believes in the free market and the idea that economies naturally correct themselves over time without government interference.

How did the Great Depression lead to the establishment of key welfare programs in the U.S.?

The Great Depression revealed the weaknesses in the country’s economic system, leading to widespread unemployment and poverty. As a result, FDR’s New Deal programs like Social Security, Unemployment Insurance, and Public Works Administration (PWA) were created to provide support for individuals and stimulate economic recovery.

What caused the Great Depression?

The Stock Market Crash of 1929, bank failures, overproduction, and the Dust Bowl.

What were the major causes and impacts of the Dust Bowl?

• Causes: Poor farming practices, such as overgrazing and plowing large amounts of land, coupled with severe droughts and high winds, led to soil erosion in the Midwest.

• Impact: Widespread crop failure, forced migration of families (especially to California), and exacerbation of the Great Depression. It also prompted the U.S. government to provide aid and change agricultural practices.

How did WWII impact American society economically and socially?

Economically: WWII led to an economic boom due to increased production for the war effort, full employment, and the end of the Great Depression.

Socially: Women entered the workforce in large numbers, and African Americans began migrating to urban areas for wartime jobs. The war also catalyzed the civil rights movement and post-war suburbanization.

How did the GI Bill (1944) affect American society?

The GI Bill provided educational benefits, home loans, and medical care to returning WWII veterans. This led to an increase in college attendance, a rise in homeownership, and the creation of a large, prosperous middle class in the post-war era.

What were the major foreign policy decisions made during the Yalta and Potsdam conferences?

Yalta Conference (1945):

Agreed to divide Germany into four occupation zones (U.S., U.K., France, Soviet Union).

Created the United Nations for international diplomacy.

Stalin agreed to allow free elections in Eastern Europe (though he did not follow through).

Potsdam Conference (1945):

Confirmed Germany’s division.

Tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union escalated as Truman took a harder stance against Soviet influence in Eastern Europe.

How did WWII shift the global balance of power?

WWII shifted the global balance of power by significantly weakening Europe’s traditional colonial powers (like Britain and France), while strengthening the United States and the Soviet Union as the two superpowers, leading to the Cold War.

What were the main components of the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan?

Truman Doctrine (1947): Aimed to contain communism by providing military and economic aid to countries threatened by Soviet expansion (e.g., Greece and Turkey).

Marshall Plan (1948): A program that provided economic aid to Western European countries to help them recover from WWII and to prevent the spread of communism by stabilizing their economies.

What was the Berlin Blockade, and how did the Berlin Airlift resolve it?

The Berlin Blockade (1948) was an attempt by the Soviet Union to block all land access to West Berlin, aiming to force the Allies to abandon the city.

The Berlin Airlift (1948-1949) was a massive operation by the U.S. and its allies to fly in food, fuel, and supplies to West Berlin for almost a year, successfully breaking the blockade.

How did the Cold War lead to U.S. involvement in the Korean War?

The Cold War tensions and the policy of containment led to U.S. involvement in the Korean War (1950-1953) to prevent the spread of communism to South Korea. North Korea, supported by the Soviet Union and China, invaded the South, leading to a proxy war between communist and non-communist forces.

What was the significance of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962?

The Cuban Missile Crisis was the closest the world ever came to full-scale nuclear war. The Soviet Union placed nuclear missiles in Cuba, just 90 miles off the coast of the U.S., leading to a tense 13-day standoff. It ended with the Soviets agreeing to remove the missiles in exchange for the U.S. promising not to invade Cuba and secretly removing U.S. missiles from Turkey.

What was the purpose of NSC-68 (1950), and how did it affect U.S. Cold War policy?

NSC-68 was a key document that called for a massive military buildup and an aggressive stance against Soviet communism. It shifted U.S. policy toward a policy of global containment and militarization of the Cold War, leading to increased military spending and U.S. involvement in conflicts like the Korean War and later the Vietnam War.

What were the Dixiecrats, and how did they affect the political landscape in the 1948 election?

The Dixiecrats were Southern Democrats who opposed President Truman’s civil rights platform. They nominated Strom Thurmond for president in 1948, which split the Democratic Party and revealed deep regional tensions over civil rights.

How did the Civil Rights Movement evolve from the 1940s to the 1960s?

In the 1940s, efforts focused on legal challenges (e.g., Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, which declared school segregation unconstitutional).

By the 1960s, it involved mass protests, marches (e.g., March on Washington, 1963), and significant legislative victories like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

How did the Fair Deal continue the policies of the New Deal?

Truman’s Fair Deal sought to continue the New Deal’s legacy by expanding programs like Social Security, promoting full employment, raising the minimum wage, and introducing national health insurance. It aimed to provide economic security and civil rights protections but faced strong opposition in Congress.

What was McCarthyism, and how did it impact American society during the 1950s?

McCarthyism was a period of intense fear of communism led by Senator Joseph McCarthy. He claimed to have lists of communists working in the U.S. government, leading to widespread investigations, blacklisting, and ruined careers. It stoked anti-communist hysteria and violations of civil liberties.

What role did Islam play in U.S. society during the 20th century?

The Muslim presence in the U.S. grew due to immigration from the Middle East and South Asia. The 20th century saw Muslims contribute to American culture, while also facing challenges like discrimination, especially post-9/11. The Civil Rights Movement and later Islamic advocacy groups helped improve visibility and rights for Muslim Americans.

What was the New Deal?

A series of programs by FDR to provide relief, recovery, and reform during the Great Depression.

What is the FDIC?

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation insures bank deposits to prevent bank runs.

What did the Social Security Act do?

• It created a pension system for the elderly and provided unemployment insurance.

How did the role of the government change during the Great Depression?

The government expanded its role in economic regulation and providing welfare programs.

What triggered the second recession in 1937-1938?

Cuts in government spending and tighter monetary policies by the Federal Reserve

How did WWII impact American society?

WWII led to full employment, the GI Bill, and changes in social roles (e.g., women in the workforce).

What was the policy of appeasement?

A strategy of allowing Nazi Germany to expand without intervention to avoid war.

What was the Iron Curtain?

The metaphorical division between Soviet-controlled Eastern Europe and Western democratic nations.

What happened at the Yalta Conference?

• Leaders agreed to divide Germany into zones and create the United Nations.

13. What were the results of the Potsdam Conference?

The division of Germany was confirmed, and tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union increased.

How did the Soviets expand after WWII?

The Soviets took control of Eastern Europe, setting up communist governments.

What was the Truman Doctrine?

A policy to support countries resisting communism with military and economic aid.

What was the Marshall Plan?

• U.S. aid to rebuild Europe and prevent the spread of communism.

What happened during the Berlin Blockade?

The Soviet Union blocked access to West Berlin, and the Allies responded with the Berlin Airlift.

What was the policy of containment?

• The strategy to prevent communism from spreading to new countries.

What was the Berlin Airlift?

The U.S. and Allies flew supplies into West Berlin to break the Soviet blockade.

Who was George Kennan, and what did he argue?

Kennan argued for containment of Soviet communism through diplomacy and military deterrence.

Who were the Dixiecrats?

Southern Democrats who opposed Truman’s civil rights agenda in 1948.

What was the Civil Rights Movement's main goal?

To end racial segregation and discrimination and ensure voting rights for African Americans.