Review of American History: 1920s to 1960s

LO1 – Groups in America by the 1920s

  • Melting pot: A society where diverse beliefs, nationalities, and races coexist.
  • Key Groups:
    • Native Americans:
    • First inhabitants of the Americas, displaced by European immigrants (WASPs).
    • WASPs (White Anglo-Saxon Protestants):
    • European immigrants who founded the USA.
    • Maintained power during the 1920s and were slave owners.
    • African Americans:
    • Initially brought as slaves, lived predominantly in the South.
    • Freed slaves faced segregation and inequality under Jim Crow laws.
    • European Immigrants:
    • Primarily Eastern Europeans seeking better lives, faced hostility and discrimination from WASPs.

LO2 – USA's Political System in the 1920s

  • Dominated by the Republican Party with Presidents Harding and Hoover.
  • Key Ideas:
    • Laissez Faire: Minimal government intervention in the economy.
    • Isolationism: Focus on national interests over global engagements.
    • Low taxes to stimulate economic growth.

LO3 – Causes of the Economic Boom in the 1920s

  • Economic Boom Defined: Successful businesses, low unemployment, higher disposable incomes.
  • Key Reasons:
    1. First World War: Increased production for Allies led to economic growth.
    2. Republican Policies: Tax cuts spurred business investment.
    3. Consumer Society Growth: By 1927, about 70% of Americans had electricity, driving demand for electric goods.
    4. Innovative Sales Techniques: Advertising and hire purchase plans fueled consumer spending.
    5. Mass Production: The assembly line accelerated manufacturing, lowering prices.

LO4 – Henry Ford's Role in the Economic Boom

  • Mass Production: Method establishing assembly line processes for efficiency.
  • Impact:
    • Ford's factories produced millions of cars (e.g., Model T).
    • Increased wages and instituted a 5-day work week.
    • Economic growth in related industries (e.g., construction, glass).
    • Noted negatives: contributed to crime and held anti-Semitic views.

LO5 – Who Did Not Benefit from the Economic Boom?

  • FLOP Acronym:
    • Failing Industries: Coal and agriculture suffered as electricity and overproduction affected profitability.
    • Low Wages and Inequality: 60% of Americans below the poverty line, with extreme wealth concentration.
    • Other Races: African Americans faced job discrimination, exacerbating economic hardships.
    • Poor Rural Areas: Significant wage disparities between North and South.

LO8/9 – Playing the Stock Market

  • Definition: Buying shares in companies with potential for profit.
  • Ordinary Americans participated by borrowing money to invest.
  • Impact: Led to gambling on share prices and eventual market instability.

LO10 – Development of Popular Culture in the 1920s

  • Roaring 20s: A significant period of prosperity and cultural change.
  • Music:
    • Emergence of Jazz, popular among youth.
  • Cinema:
    • Transition from silent films to "talkies," featuring stars like Charlie Chaplin.
  • Sports: Increased exposure through radio, becoming a national pastime, highlighted by figures like Babe Ruth.

LO11 – Changes for Women in the 1920s

  • Pre-WWI: Traditional views limited women's roles to housework and family.
  • Post-War Changes: Increased independence and workforce participation.
  • Flappers: Represented a new modern woman challenging traditional norms.

LO13 – Prohibition and Its Issues

  • Prohibition: The legal ban on alcohol (Volstead Act).
  • Motives for Prohibition:
    • Concerns over alcohol-related domestic violence and moral decay.
  • Consequences:
    • Widespread disregard for the law, leading to illegal speakeasies and a rise in organized crime.

LO14 – Organized Crime in the 1920s

  • Definition: Groups engaging in illegal activities for profit.
  • Al Capone: Established as a notorious Chicago mobster, profiting immensely from bootlegging.

LO15 – Treatment of African Americans in the 1920s

  • Segregation: Systematic separation enforced by Jim Crow laws.
  • Voting Rights: Discriminatory practices limited African American voting.
  • Migration: Many sought better opportunities in the North but faced discrimination and violence.

LO16 – Immigration Attitudes Changes in the 1920s

  • Immigration largely from Eastern Europe, facing suspicions and hostility from WASPs.
  • Legislative Changes: Stricter quotas limiting immigration significantly by 1924.

LO17 – Rising Fear of Immigrants in the 1920s

  • Concerns about communism and anarchism heightened fears of immigrant populations.
  • Palmer Raids: Crackdown on supposed communists led to widespread fear and suspicion.

LO19 – Stock Market Crash of 1929

  • Causes:
    1. Overproduction of goods.
    2. Decreased foreign sales due to tariffs.
    3. Mass selling of stocks due to panic.
  • Consequences: Massive financial losses, bank closures, and widespread unemployment.

LO20 – Impacts of the Great Depression on US Society

  • General Impact: Business failures and high unemployment left many impoverished.
  • Specific Groups Affected: Ordinary citizens lost homes, while businesses laid off workers leading to greater economic distress.

LO21 – 1932 Presidential Election Outcome

  • Candidates: Hoover vs. Roosevelt.
  • Roosevelt's New Deal emphasized economic recovery.
  • Outcome: Roosevelt won by landslide, capturing 42 out of 48 states.

LO22 – Impact of the New Deal

  • Key Measures: Emergency Banking Act, Economy Act, and Beer Act enhanced economic stability.
  • Developed Alphabet Agencies for various societal and economic reforms.

LO23 – Changes in Popular Culture during the 1930s

  • Offered escapism from the hardships of the Great Depression through cinema, music, and literature.

LO24 – Opposition to the New Deal

  • Broad opposition stemmed from various factions, including the Supreme Court, Republicans, and wealthy individuals concerned about increased government intervention.

LO25 – Effectiveness of the New Deal

  • Increased support for some groups, including the elderly and unemployed, but faced criticism for not sufficiently aiding all workers, particularly women.

LO26 – WWII and Economic Recovery

  • The war effort created jobs, diminishing unemployment, and boosting industries until the nation entered the war itself.

LO27 – Consumer Society in Post-WWII America

  • Growth in consumerism linked to increasing affluence and innovation in buying and selling practices.

LO28 – Changes in the 1950s

  • New economic trends and cultural shifts defined by changing perceptions of adolescents and the rise of teenage culture.

LO29 – Impact of Truman and Eisenhower

  • Truman's Policies: Supported wage increases but faced opposition in the context of civil rights.
  • Eisenhower's Era: Managed economic growth but left many elderly struggling financially.

LO30 – The Second Red Scare

  • Fueled by fears of communism and spurred mass investigations that targeted many Americans.
  • McCarthyism: Characterized by baseless accusations against individuals to quell dissent and consolidate power.

LO31 – African Americans in WWII

  • Military service highlighted inequities at home, leading African Americans to demand civil rights and equality post-war.

LO32 – Civil Rights Movement in Education

  • Key Events: Brown v. Board (1954) ruled segregation in schools unconstitutional; Little Rock crisis showcased struggles for desegregation.

LO33 – Peaceful Protests in the Civil Rights Movement

  • Various methods included boycotts, sit-ins, and large marches which emphasized nonviolent resistance.

LO34 – The Black Power Movement

  • Advocated for more aggressive self-defense measures and focused on African American autonomy.

LO35 – Presidential Successes and Failures in the 1960s

  • JFK: Promoted civil rights but was tragically assassinated before full implementation
  • LBJ: Achieved significant legislation addressing civil rights and poverty, though faced critiques on spending.

LO36 – Women’s Rights Movement by the 1960s

  • Advocated for equal rights with notable accomplishments like the Equal Pay Act (1963) but faced societal pushbacks.