Unit 6: Prosperity, Depression, and the New Deal Comprehensive Study Guide

Presidents and Political Leaders

• Woodrow Wilson     * Served as the President of the United States during the period of World War I (WWI).     * He was notably responsible for proposing the "14 Points," a statement of principles intended to be used for peace negotiations to end the Great War.
• Warren Harding     * Presidential figure who campaigned on and promised a "Return to Normalcy" following the conclusion of World War I.     * The "Return to Normalcy" concept focused on returning to a state of peace and civilian prosperity after the wartime era.
• Calvin Coolidge     * Known for his pro-business stance during his presidency.     * He is famously associated with the quote: "Business of America is business."
• Herbert Hoover     * The President during the early onset of the Great Depression.     * Economic and social philosophy: He relied heavily on the concept of "Rugged Individualism," which emphasized personal self-reliance rather than government intervention.
• Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR)     * The architect and creator of the "New Deal," a series of programs and reforms designed to provide relief, recovery, and reform during the Great Depression.

Key Cultural and Social Figures of the 1920s

• Langston Hughes     * A highly prominent and famous poet during the Harlem Renaissance, known for portraying African American life and culture.
• Duke Ellington     * A celebrated jazz composer and professional bandleader who became a defining figure of the Jazz Age.
• Satchel Paige     * A legendary and talented pitcher who played in the Negro Leagues.
• Babe Ruth     * A major sports icon of the 1920s, renowned for his career in professional baseball.
• Charles Lindbergh     * Achieved global fame for completing the very first solo transatlantic flight across the Atlantic Ocean.
• Al Capone     * A notorious and famous gangster who rose to power and prominence during the Prohibition era.

Social and Cultural Shifts of the 1920s

• Return to Normalcy     * The period following World War I characterized by a desire for peace and the pursuit of economic prosperity.
• The 18th Amendment     * The constitutional amendment that officially started the era of Prohibition, which banned the manufacture, sale, and distribution of alcohol.
• The 21st Amendment     * The constitutional amendment that ended Prohibition by repealing the 18th Amendment, thereby legalizing alcohol once again.
• Flappers     * Represented the "modern women" of the 1920s who actively challenged traditional social norms and behaviors.
• Immigration Changes and Quotas     * Legislative changes introduced quotas that strictly limited foreign entry into the United States.
• The Scopes Trial     * A landmark legal case that highlighted the cultural conflict between the teaching of Evolution and traditional religious beliefs.
• The Red Scare     * A widespread period of fear and paranoia regarding a potential communist takeover within the United States.
• The Palmer Raids     * A series of law enforcement actions involving the mass arrests of individuals suspected of being radicals or subversives.
• Consumerism     * The societal trend involving the mass buying and consumption of consumer goods.
• The Harlem Renaissance     * A major cultural rebirth and explosion of African American art, literature, and music centered in Harlem.
• The Great Migration     * The significant demographic shift where African Americans moved from the South to the North in search of jobs and better opportunities.
• Sacco and Vanzetti     * Two immigrants who were executed; their case became a prominent example of the prevailing nativism and anti-immigrant sentiment of the time.
• The Ku Klux Klan (KKK)     * A racist and nativist group that saw its membership and influence peak during the 1920s.

Economic Trends and Developments

• Ford's Assembly Line     * The innovative manufacturing process popularized by Henry Ford that allowed for cars to be produced cheaply and at a high speed.
• Kellogg-Briand Pact     * An international agreement signed by various nations with the intent to outlaw war as an instrument of national policy.
• Installment Buying     * The economic practice summarized by the phrase "Buy now, pay later," which allowed consumers to purchase goods on credit.
• Stock Speculation     * The practice of engaging in high-risk gambling on the stock market in hopes of making quick profits.
• Buying on Margin     * The process of borrowing money from brokers to purchase stocks, increasing the risk of the individual and the market.

The Great Depression: Causes and Conditions

• Income Distribution     * A significant and widening economic gap between the rich and the poor populations.
• Causes of the Great Depression (GD)     * The economic collapse was driven by three primary factors: overproduction of goods, the accumulation of consumer debt, and excessive stock speculation.
• Hooverville     * The name given to shantytowns built by homeless individuals during the Great Depression, named mockingly after President Herbert Hoover.
• The Dust Bowl     * A period of severe drought and dust storms in the Great Plains region that devastated American agriculture.

The New Deal and Institutional Reforms

• New Deal Programs     * Often referred to as Franklin D. Roosevelt’s "alphabet soup agencies," these were various government organizations created to address the Great Depression.
• Court Packing     * A controversial plan proposed by FDR to add more judges to the Supreme Court to ensure his New Deal legislation would not be declared unconstitutional.
• Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)     * A regulatory body established to oversee and regulate the activities of the stock market.
• Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)     * An agency created to provide insurance for bank deposits, restoring public confidence in the banking system.
• Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA)     * A program that paid farmers to reduce their crop production as a means to stop overproduction and raise crop prices.
• Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)     * A program designed to provide jobs for young men, specifically focusing on work in nature and conservation projects.
• Social Security Act (SSA)     * A major social welfare program that provided pensions and financial support for the elderly and people with disabilities.