Calvin Coolidge 1923- 1929

Quote Coolidge “The business of America …”

is business”.

Brainstorm some key terms/nicknames associated with Coolidge’s Presidency?

• ‘Silent Cal’ - ironic yet had greatest number of public addresses, profound connection with the American people.

• “The business of America is business”

• Continuation of period of Conservative Republicanism

• Continuation of the Revenue Acts

• low work rate - unproductive

• continuation of laissez-faire economic policies.

• Prolific communicator

After Harding’s sudden death in 1923, Calvin Coolidge, his vice-president was sworn in and served how many terms?

2

Give 3 Domestic Policies introduced or continued by Coolidge in term 1?

• Revenue Act - reduced tax and surtax on the wealthy, boost US economy.

• Indian Citizenship Act - 125,000 of 300,000 indigenous people received citizenship.

• Soldier’s Bonus Act - pensions and compensation to war veterans.

Give 2 foreign policies introduced, 1 in term 1 and 1 in term 2 by Coolidge, to help tackle the growth in Nazism?

True/False, these acts did little to prevent the rise of Nazism?

• Dawes Plan 1924 (T1), US banker Charles Dawes won Nobel Peace prize, Germany given 800 million marks loan, reduced reparations.

• Kellogg-Briand Pact 1928 (T2), French-US alliance, signed by 15 other countries, agree only to wage war in self-defence.

• True

Give 1 danger which arose from Coolidge’s laissez-faire economic policy?

Margin Trading

In his 2nd term, Agriculture started to experience problems. What did Coolidge set up to help counter this problem?

How long could you the US Treasury loan out to farmers for?

The Agricultural Credit Act

3 years

Due to an increase in superficial economic prosperity in the “Roaring 20s”, many Americans decided to invest in the…?

Towards the end of CC’s presidency, by how much did he reduce the surtax on the wealthy in the 1928 Revenue Act?

This worsened problems, increased inequality in wealth distribution between the rich and poor, which ultimately resulted in the onset of the…?

The stock market.

by 20%

Great Depression

True/False, conveniently in 1928, Calvin Coolidge decided not to run again for presidency, avoiding the fallout of the Wall Street Crash in October 1929? (running away from responsibility?)

True