truman social changes

What major ethnic groups formed the large and diverse white majority inherited by President Truman?

People of Polish, Italian, German, Irish, and English ancestry.

What percentage of the US population did the black minority make up in 1945, and where did most of them live?

10% of the population, with the vast majority living in the American South.

How large was the Hispanic American population at the start of Truman's presidency, and where was it concentrated?

2 million people, living mostly in states near the border with Mexico.

Which region served as the economic and political center of the United States in the post-war era?

The Northeastern United States.

Which prestigious educational institution is highlighted as an example of the Northeast's academic dominance?

Harvard University.

What global financial hub was located in New York City, solidifying the Northeast's economic dominance?

Wall Street.

What was the population of New York City in 1945, making it the largest city in the United States?

12 million people.

What was the primary economic focus of the Southern United States at the end of World War II?

Agriculture, specifically centered around plantation crops like cotton.

How many bales of cotton did the American South export in the year 1945 alone?

207,000 bales of cotton.

What historical legacy continued to haunt the Southern United States and legally separate its black and white populations?

The legacy of the Civil War and the system of racial segregation.

What two factors drove the rapidly growing population of the Southwestern United States under Truman?

Internal migration from northern states to places like Arizona and Texas, alongside Hispanic immigration from Mexico.

What natural resource fueled the booming economy of the Southwest, and how much of it did Texas produce daily?

Oil, with Texas alone producing 2 million barrels of oil every single day.

How sparsely populated was the Midwestern state of Wisconsin during this period?

It had only 600,000 inhabitants.

What was the primary economic output of the rural Midwest, and how much of it did the region produce in 1944?

Agriculture, producing 1 million bushels of wheat in 1944.

Which major Midwestern industrial city produced an astonishing 10% of the entire world's steel supply?

Chicago, Illinois.

Which industrial city in Michigan served as the automotive capital where Ford produced its cars?

Detroit.

What was the population of California in the post-war era, making it the lone densely populated state in the West?

9 million people (mostly concentrated in a few major cities).

Why did Californians often feel resentment toward their northeastern counterparts during the Truman era?

They viewed themselves as more glamorous but resented their lack of political power, having only 23 seats in the House of Representatives.

What federal legislation allowed returning white soldiers to access cheap university tuition and low-interest mortgage loans?

The GI Bill.

What percentage of the ammunition factory workforce did women make up during the height of World War II?

36% of the workforce.

What happened to millions of female workers when World War II ended?

The return of 12 million demobilized male soldiers pushed many women out of the workplace.

Which historically impoverished mountain community failed to benefit from America's post-war economic prosperity?

The poor white population living in the Appalachian Mountains.

What percentage of returning black soldiers were unable to take advantage of the GI Bill's university loans due to systemic barriers?

80% of returning black soldiers.