U.S. History Study Guide: Great Migration to LBJ Presidency

The Great Migration and Harlem Renaissance

  • What started the Great Migration?

  • Push Factors:

    • Racial violence;
    • Jim Crow laws;
    • Limited economic opportunities in the South.

  • Pull Factors:

    • Industrial job opportunities in the North (due to WWI labor shortages);
    • Promise of greater freedom and autonomy.

  • Characteristics of the Great Migration:

  • Mass movement of approximately 6 million African Americans from rural South to urban North (1910-1970).

  • Major cities experienced large influxes, notably Chicago, Detroit, and New York.

  • Significant cultural shifts and demographic changes.

  • Impact of the Great Migration:

  • Growth of vibrant Black urban communities.

  • Increased political influence and participation (e.g., rise in voter registration).

  • Laid the foundation for the Harlem Renaissance, leading to racial tensions and segregation in Northern cities.

  • What was the Harlem Renaissance?

  • A cultural and artistic movement in the 1920s centered in Harlem, New York.

  • Celebrated Black culture through various mediums, including:

    • Music: Jazz and blues;
    • Literature: Prominent authors like Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston;
    • Visual Arts: Artists and performances highlighting African American experiences.

Hoover and the Great Depression

  • Factors Leading to the Great Depression:

  • Stock market crash (1929);

  • Bank failures leading to financial system collapse;

  • Overproduction of goods amidst declining consumer demand;

  • High tariffs (e.g., Smoot-Hawley Tariff) exacerbating economic decline;

  • Agricultural struggles, including falling crop prices.

  • Congressional Strategy to Solve the Great Depression:

  • Initial reliance on laissez-faire policies with limited intervention;

  • Focused on business recovery measures.

  • Later efforts included the Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC) to provide loans and increased public works projects.

  • President Hoover's Strategy to Fight the Depression:

  • Reluctance to provide direct relief; advocated for volunteerism and self-reliance;

  • Encouraged businesses to maintain wages.

  • Supported trickle-down economics which favored aiding banks and large businesses.

  • Public Response to the Great Depression:

  • Resulted in widespread unemployment peaking at 25% by 1933;

  • Emergence of Hoovervilles, areas of severe poverty;

  • Growing public frustration with Hoover’s perceived inaction.

FDR and the Great Depression

  • Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR):

  • 32nd President of the United States (1933-1945);

  • Influenced by two notable figures:

    • Theodore Roosevelt (his cousin) promoted Progressive reform ideals;
    • Eleanor Roosevelt emphasized human rights and social reform.

  • Advocated for Keynesian economics, focusing on government spending to stimulate the economy.

  • FDR's Impact on the Presidency:

  • Expanded the federal government's role significantly;

  • Introduced the "fireside chats" to engage directly with the public;

  • Increased executive power and influence in policymaking.

  • The First New Deal (1933-1934):

  • Goals: relief, recovery, and reform;

  • Key programs:

    • CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps): Jobs for young men;
    • AAA (Agricultural Adjustment Act): Farm subsidies;
    • NIRA (National Industrial Recovery Act): Regulation of industries.

  • The Second New Deal (1935-1938):

  • Focused on more aggressive reform;

  • Key programs:

    • WPA (Works Progress Administration): Public works jobs;
    • Social Security Act: Restored retirement benefits;
    • NLRA (Wagner Act): Strengthened labor rights.

  • Impacts of FDR and the New Deal:

  • Expanded the role of government in the economy;

  • Established a safety net for citizens (e.g., Social Security);

  • Helped stabilize the economy but did not fully end the Depression.

World War II

  • Origins of World War II:

  • Treaty of Versailles (1919) imposed harsh penalties on Germany;

  • Rise of fascist leaders like Hitler, Mussolini, and militarists in Japan;

  • Expansionist aggression, notably Germany’s invasion of Poland (1939).

  • American Response and Entry into the War:

  • Initially adhered to isolationism;

  • Provided support through the Lend-Lease Act (1941);

  • Attack on Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941) catalyzed U.S. entry into the conflict.

  • Government Propaganda for the War:

  • Framed the war as a fight for freedom and democracy;

  • Promoted patriotism and unity against portrayed evil of Axis powers.

World War II Homefront

  • Economic Impact of WWII:

  • Resolved the Great Depression through increased wartime production;

  • Massive increments in defense spending;

  • Significant rise in employment alongside industrial output.

  • Impact on American Lives:

  • Entry of women into the workforce (symbolized by "Rosie the Riveter");

  • Implementation of rationing of food and goods;

  • War bond campaigns to finance military efforts.

Race, Ethnicity, and War

  • Impact of WWII on Citizenship Rights:

  • Japanese Americans were forcibly interned;

  • Fundamental civil liberties were restricted (exemplified in Korematsu v. United States).

  • Experiences of Japanese-Americans in Internment Camps:

  • Faced forced relocation and internment;

  • Endured poor living conditions and loss of property and civil rights.

  • Scrutiny Levels by the Supreme Court:

  • Rational Basis: Lowest scrutiny (laws must rationally relate to a government interest);

  • Intermediate Scrutiny: Applies to gender-based cases;

  • Strict Scrutiny: Most rigorous and applies to race-based cases.

  • Government Justification of Internment:

  • Based on national security fears after Pearl Harbor;

  • Concerns of espionage and potential sabotage justified actions against Japanese Americans.

Start of the Cold War

  • Definition of the Cold War:

  • A prolonged political and ideological conflict between the U.S. and the Soviet Union (1947-1991);

  • Characterized by nuclear arms races and proxy wars.

  • Role of the "Big Three" in Post-War World Creation:

  • Yalta Conference (1945): Agenda focused on dividing Germany and establishing the United Nations;

  • Potsdam Conference (1945): Marked rising tensions over Eastern European matters.

  • U.S. Status Quo During the Cold War:

  • Adopted a containment policy aimed at preventing communism’s spread;

  • Truman Doctrine endorsed support for nations combating communism.

  • U.S. Strategy During the Cold War:

  • Marshall Plan: Provided economic aid to war-torn Europe;

  • NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization): Established as a military alliance deter threats;

  • Engagements in conflicts like the Korean War and Vietnam War echoing containment policies.

Development of the Civil Rights Movement

  • Influence of WWII on the Civil Rights Movement:

  • Black veterans advocated for equality post-war after fighting for freedom;

  • Exposed racial hypocrisy prevalent during the war era.

  • Differences between A.T. Walden and Thurgood Marshall:

  • Walden: Promoted gradual legal reforms;

  • Marshall: Advocated for direct legal challenges (e.g., landmark case Brown v. Board).

  • SNCC’s New Approach:

  • Focused on grassroots activism and direct action (e.g., sit-ins and freedom rides);

  • Militant engagement with a youth-driven initiative differing from previous leaders.

Presidents Truman and Eisenhower

  • Truman’s Contributions:

  • Introduced the Fair Deal and desegregated the military;

  • Eisenhower’s Tenure:

  • Aimed at a balanced budget, initiated the interstate highway system, and engaged with Cold War containment efforts.

JFK and LBJ

  • John F. Kennedy (JFK):

  • Focused on the space race and expressed support for civil rights;

  • Assassinated in 1963.

  • Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ):

  • Promoted the Great Society, initiated Medicare, and passed the Civil Rights Act (1964).