IB HOA Unit 8 Facts and Terms

Normalcy

Normalcy

Warren G. Harding called the 20's the age of this, when in fact, it was an era of significant, even dramatic change, as well as economic and political change. He promised a return to this in his inaugural address. Showed Americans were tired of progressive reforms and international commitments.

McNary-Haugen Bill

Champions of parity urged high tariffs against foreign agricultural goods, and a government commitment to buy surplus crop at parity and sell them abroad at whatever the marked would allow. The legislative expression of this demand was this, named after its sponsors. In 1926, congress approved a bill similar to it, but Coolidge vetoed it. Coolidge's veto was in keeping with free enterprise tradition, however, the fact that farmers were able to get the bill through Congress indicates that Populism and agrarian interests still had substantial power and that farmers were hitting in the 1920s.

Margaret Sanger

The pioneer of the American birth control movement who became committed to this cause in part because of the influence of Emma Goldman. She believed that large families were among the major causes of poverty and distress in poor communities; sign : helped start modern movement on birth control and by 1962, supreme court ruled that states could not outlaw birth control devices among married couples.

The flapper

Some women concluded in the "new era" that it was no longer necessary to maintain rigid, Victorian female respectability. They wanted to smoke, drink, dance, wear seductive clothing and make-up and attend parties. Such was a result largely of Freudian ideas. Many believe this was a step toward women gaining more freedoms; however, others believe this not significant or it was destructive to values and led Americans down the path of decadence.

Lost Generation

The generation of artists and intellectuals coming of age in the 1920s found the new society in which they lived in especially disturbing. Gertrude Stein once referred to the Young Americans emerging from the WWI as this. For many writers, intellectuals and artists, it was true as their work reflected the effects of war

Sinclair Lewis

Echoing Menchen's contempt for modern society was this author, the first American to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. In a series of savage novels---Mainstreet (1920), Babbit (1922), Arrowsmith (1925) and others, he lashed out at aspects of modern society.

F Scott Fitzgerald

Intellectuals of the 1920s claimed to reject "success ethic" that they believed dominated American life. This novelist ridiculed the American obsession w/material success in several of his works.

Harlem Renaissance

In post WWI Harlem, a new generation of black artists and intellectuals created a flourishing African- American culture.

National Origin Act

This act of 1942 banned immigration from E. Asia entirely. This provision deeply angered the Japanese gov't, which understood that their people were the principle target; Chinese immigration had been illegal since 1892.

The Scopes Trial

A Tennessee law that prohibited teaching of material that was against biblical interpretation of evolution provoked a 24- year- old biology teacher, John Scopes, to break it. The ACLU offered him free counsel, and William Jennings Bryan offered his help to the prosecution. Clarence Darrow defended Scopes and made Bryan admit to the fact that not all religious dogma was subject to only one interpretation. The trial was a traumatic experience for many fundamentalists.

Calvin Coolidge

Like Harding, this guy had risen to the presidency on the basis of a few substantive accomplishments. AS gov. of MA in 1919, he won national attention with how he dealt with the striking police in Boston. He was named VP in 1920 under Harding, who was dour, silent and Puritanical. This man, unlike Harding, was honest beyond reproach and could not stand scandals w/in his administration, thus restoring public confidence in the White House

Teapot Dome Scandal

The most spectacular scandal of Harding's administration involved the rich oil reserves at WY and Elks hill, CA. At the urging of Albert Fall, Harding transferred control of the reserves from the navy dept. to the dept. of the interior. Fall then leased them out for "loans" of nearly half million dollars. Fall was convicted of bribery.

The Great Crash/Black Tuesday

In February 1928, stocks began a steady rise that continued for 1 and a half years. In the autumn of 1929, the market began to fall apart. On October 21 and again on Oct 23, there were alarming declines in princes, in both cases there followed a temporary recovery. But on Oct 29 1929, all efforts to save the market failed.

Dustbowl

One of the greatest environmental disasters of American history. It was Mainly caused by a prolonged drought. Also caused because many farmers were not taking care of soil like the were supposed to, leading to large amounts of loosened soil.

Okies

Hundreds of thousands of families from the Dust Bowl (Many from OK) traveled to CA and other states, where they found conditions little better from those they had left. Many worked as migrant farm workers.

Scottsboro Case

The most intense example of racism that attracted national attention was this trial. In March 1931, 9 black teens were taken off a train in AL and arrested for vagrancy. Later, 2 white women accused them of rape, to get off from vagrancy charges themselves. Evidence showed that they hadn't been raped, but an all white jury convicted them and sentenced 8 to death. The Supreme Court overturned the case, and the last prisoner was released in 1950.

American Communist party

The largest and most important member of the popular/radical front. For a long time it had been a strong critic of American capitalism, but was kinder due to direct orders from Moscow in the 30s.

John Steinbeck/Grapes of Wrath

Perhaps the most successful, chronicle of social conditions in the 1930s was this novelist, especially in this famous novel. It told the story of a family migrating from the Dustbowl to CA and the hardships they endured.

Herbert Hoover

He entered the presidency believing the nation held a bright future. However, the economic crisis began before his first year was finished, forcing the president to deal with a new set of problems. for the rest of his term he continued to rely on rigid principles used in the past, mainly volunteerism.

Hawley-Smoot Act (1930)

Hoover attempted to protect American farmers from international competition by raising agricultural tariffs. This tariff of 1930 contained protective increases on 75 farms products and raised rates to the highest in American history. It was a disaster because in response, other nations raised their tariffs, causing a tariff war which narrowed the market.

Hoovervilles

Shantytowns established on the outskirts of cities were named these and the president became the butt of cruel joke and vicious attacks.

Reconstruction Finance Corps

A bill passed in 1932 establishing a government agency whose purpose was to provide federal loans to troubled banks, railroads and other businesses. it operated on a large scale, but it was too frugal and would not release all its money.

Bonus Expeditionary Force

A celebrated American protest movement in July of 1932 involved 20,000 veterans of WWI who wanted their bonus of $1000, which was planned to be given in 1945, right then. They stormed Washington and camped outside. Hoover first ordered the police to remove them and then he summoned the army. The incident served as the final blow to Hoovers tattered political standing.

FDR

Went from a seat in the NY legislature to a position as Assistant Secretary of the Navy. He then contracted polio-- which resulted in a loss of leg usage-- and was out of politics for a long time. He won the presidential campaign in '32 and was president for the majority of the Great Depression, ushering in the New Deal.

20s

Roosevelt was able to portray the depression not as an international problem, but as a domestic problem.

Bank Holiday

2 days after taking office, FDR issued a proclamation closing all American banks for 4 days until congress could meet in special sessions to discuss bank reforms.

Agricultural Adjustment Act

The first comprehensive measure to combat the depression. It included scraps and reworkings of the McNary-Haugen Bill. Its most important feature was its provision for reducing crop production to end agricultural surpluses.

NIRA

The result of pressure to reform industry; some of the most complicated pieces of legislation ever in American history. It was created to give the president authority to regulate industry for fair wages and prices that would stimulate economic recovery. Business and workers hailed it, and it created the NRA.

Public Works Administration

Through the direction of Sec. of Interior, Harlod Ickes, this established a bill to administer public spending programs. It only gradually allowed the 3.3 billion in public works funds to trickle out. Not until 38 when Ickes died did they spend enough to make a difference. They built large-scale public works projects that provided employment, increased purchasing power, and revived the economy

Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)

New dealers who favored economic development greatly supported this act because it involved not only the completion of a dam at Muscle Shoals, but also the authority to build many more in that region. It made a comprehensive redevelopment of the entire region. It was important also because it was the first time that the federal government was taking direct control in local development plans. They worked to build dams and supply energy

Federal Emergency Relief Administration

One of FDR's first acts as president. It provided cash grants to states in order to prop up bankrupt relief agencies. Harry Hopkins directed this. The federal government felt better about work, not cash relief.

Pump Priming

To Hopkins the important thing in government to do was to pump money in an economy badly in need of it. This use of government spending to stimulate the economy was known as this term and also later as Keynesianism.

Civilian Conservation Corps

FDR's favorite relief program that employed nearly 3 million men, ages 18-30 in various conservation projects worldwide.

Federal Housing Administration

A year after establishing the Home owner's loan corp, congress established this to insure mortgages for new construction and home repairs. This measure combined relief with recovery.

Huey Long

The most alarming dissenter to FDR's plans was this LA senator. He rose to power through attacks on banks, oil companies and the utilities. His opposition was left w/o any power in LA. When he was accused of violating LA constitution he said, "I am the constitution."

Wagner National Labor Relations Act

Provided workers with more protections that Section 7(a) of the NIRA. Provided crucial enforcement mechanisms. President had his doubts, but signed anyways.

John Lewis/CIO

Leaders of the AFL opposed unionism, but industrial unionism found an important advocate, this guy. He was the leader of the united mine workers. He formed the committee on Industrial Org. after he left the AFL.

Social Security Act

1935, FDR gave public support for the social security act. The elderly received $15 a month immediately if destitute. Others would contribute a portion of their salaries so they would have an income upon retirement. Created a system of unemployment measures and turned the US into a welfare state.

Works Progress Administration

Like the CCC, established a system of work relief for the unemployed. It was larger than earlier agencies and had a $5 billion dollar cap. Hopkins directed it and kept an average of 2.1 million people employed. It also paid writers, painters, actors and other artists as well.

Court Packing Plan

FDR became convinced that no program of reform could long last the courts, who had seen the New Deal already come under attack as early as 1935. The supreme court shot down NRA and declared that certain aspects of the AAA were unconstitutional. FDR wanted to add one more judge for everyone that was over 70, because he claimed they were "overworked". Every one was able to see through this plan, and his real intentions of hoping to appoint liberal judges. It was a political blunder, as congress didn't like this plan. It did however, seem to send a message to the judges, who were kinder to FDRs reforms later on. They even declared the SS act constitutional.

Broker State

What the New Dealers had created was something that in later years would be termed a this! Instead of forging all elements of society together in harmonious unity, the real achievements of the New deal was to elevate and strengthen new interest groups, so as to allow them to complete more efficiently.

Indian Reorganization Act

John Collier wanted to respect the Indian culture and thought it was wrong to force assimilation upon them. This advanced his goals by refuting the Dawes act and thus increasing tribal land by 4 million acres.

Francis Perkins

The first female member of congress. She was appointed by FDR as the Secretary of Labor. She urged not so much an Equal Rights Amendment but more an emphasis on protection of women. She was very instrumental in the Social Security Act.