LEARNING TARGETS PERIOD 7 APUSH

Progressivism (1890-1920)

• Movement made mostly of middle class

• Believed unrestricted capitalism (laissez-faire economics) led to corruption, monopoly, class privilege 

• strengthen state and saw that government was responsible for changes in social welfare

Government Reforms: Turning government to the hands of the people rather than govt being controlled by special interests of monopolies 

• Initiative - individual people could propose a bill, citizens can directly propose legislation 

• Referendum - voting directly on legislation (e.g. propositions)

• Recall - voters and petition to have corrupt politician removed from office

• Secret Ballot - use to physically put ballot in box, avoid coercion, vote without fear of consequence

• Direct Primary - voters select candidates rather than party bosses choosing

Worker Reforms:

• Muller V Oregon (1908) -  constitutional to have laws protecting women workers bc they have weaker bodies (protection was good, rationale was traditional)

• Workplace safety - Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire (1911) - doors locked and windows too high for workers to escape, many burned alive, 150 women died, dramatized working conditions to argue that the federal government should protect workers through regulations 

Progressive Amendments: 

• 16th Amendment (1913) -  income tax, was supported by Populists

• 17th Amend. (1913) -  direct election of senators, was supported by Populist

• 18th Amend. (1919) - prohibition

• 19th Amend. (1920) - Women’s suffrage

Muckraking: investigative journalist, important to progressive movement bc they drew attention to societal problems that needed to be fixed

• Jacob Riis: “How the Other Half Lives”

• Lincoln Steffens: “The Shame of the Cities”

• Ida Tarbell: Exposed corrupt tactics of Standard oil 

• Upton Sinclair: “The Jungle” 

Women in Progressive Era:

• Settlement Houses and literary clubs

• Majority didn’t want complete break from domestic sphere but wanted more freedoms

• Florence Kelley led National Consumers League, factory inspector (seeing if food purchased was safe)

Theodore Roosevelt, Domestic Policies

•  Square Deal was for labor and public at large

  • 3Cs: Control Corporations, consumer protection, conservation

  • Seen in the Railroad Strike of 1902:

    • instead of sending federal troops to support owners threatens owners that the federal will take control of mines. 

    • Federal Govt. sides with strikers

  • 1903 : Dept of Labor and Commerce established, Federal Govt. can regulate businesses and break up monopolies.

• Interstate Commerce Committee already est. but inadequate before Roosevelt was pres. who expanded it (also passed Elkin and Hepburn Act)

  • Differentiate between “good” and “bad” trusts

  • Attacked JP Morgan’s Northern Securities Co. (railroad, JP Morgan)

• Conservationism 

  • Set aside national forests

  • plans to irrigate arid west

Taft, domestic Policies:

• Trust busting, dissolved Standard Oil 1911 and went after US Steel 

• Taft’s “Old Guard” (did not want as many reforms) v Roosevelts Progressives

  • 1912 Republican Convention: SCHISM, Roosevelt splits to form Bull and Moose Party

    • Republicans were not progressive under McKinley (were actually against populists who shared similar ideas, they were pushing for prosperity and gold standard but this changed under Roosevelt)

    • Those who supported Roosevelt were against Taft due to his lack of commitment to progressive

Wilson, domestic Policies:

• “New Freedom” favored entrepreneurship, idealism: wanted lack of monopolies and unregulated markets

  • Ideal bc Lack of regulation led to development of monopolies

• Tariff: Underwood Tariff passed which reduced tariffs which made domestic goods outcompete foreign 

• Triple Wall of privilege: banks

  • Federal Reserve Act - increased amount of currency in circulation

  • Federal Farm Loan Act - low interests loans (Populist goal) 

• Triple Wall of Privilege: Trusts

  • Federal Trade Commission Act - FTC (federal trade commission) investigates businesses engaging in interstate commerce. federal issue (between states)

  • Clayton Antitrust Act -

    •  widened scope of business practices that were seen as unfair (e.g. Interlocking Directorates, monopolies in disguise where companies were “opposing” but owned by the same directors)

    • Benefitted labor because unions were explicitly legalized strikes and not considered monopolies themselves

Roosevelt: Big Stick Diplomacy--force can be used if necessary to achieve goals:

• Panama Canal: reduces shipping times between Asian - America and Europe - America

• Roosevelt Corollary: added on to Monroe Doctrine, collection of debt could be a loophole for European countries to get involved, taking over tariff collection and landing of US marines makes US become a “bad neighbor”

Taft: Dollar Diplomacy - invest American dollars abroad to boost American political influence

• Money invested in Honduras, Cuba, Haiti, DR, Nicaragua to “prevent economic and political instability” (but despite American investment still economic, political instability — America seen as bad neighbor asserting power where it is not wanted) 

Wilson:  Election 1912

• Bull Moose Party, Progressive Party: “New Nationalism”

  • Active government regulating economy, breaking bad trusts, women’s suffrage, minimum wage laws, socialist insurance (welfare)

• Democratic Party: Wilson and William Jennings Bryan, New Freedom: 

  • stronger antitrust laws, banking reform, tariff reduction

• Socialist Party: Eugene Debs 

  • Trade unionist

  • wanted socialist system 

• Republican Party: Taft (More Conservative)

Moral Diplomacy - America would influence democratic ideals but not coerce other countries through force or economics (big stick, dollar)

• Opposed “dollar diplomacy” so he announced that America would stop offering support to those who invested in Latin America or Asia as Taft did

• Anti-imperialist: ended US exemption on Panama Canal toll 

• Conflicting examples, Latin America:Haiti- 1915 dispatched Marines to protect American citizens and property (using big stick, against his ideal that America will not use enforce will)

  • Revolution in Mexico

    • Wilson supported revolutionaries by sending US navy

    • Overall, Wilson used marines to respond to financial and political troubles despite commitment to anti-colonialism and pushing for respect of other countries

• Germany tactic: u-boats and unrestricted submarine warfare to sink Allied ships

  • Against rules of war to target civilian ships but this was disregarded. Enemy ships sunk in enemy waters regardless

• Luisitania (sunk 1915) - British “civilian” ship with American passengers, but 173 tons of rifle ammunition and shells on board

  • America would not join the war for another 2 years after sinking Lui. 

  • Sussex Pledge - Germany agreed to not sink passenger and merchant vessels without prior warning 

• American Neutrality: majority wanted to stay out of war

• BUT economic activities not neutral, still traded with Allies (profitable)

• Opposed Germany on principle because it was authoritarian regime led by the Kaiser 

  • Invasion of neutral Belgium (violate law of war) and unrestricted Sub Warfare also created negative image

America WWI: reasons for entry 

• Jan 1917: germany resumed unrestricted submarine warfare even though it broke the Sussex Pledge 

• March 1917: Zimmerman Telegram to Mexico published

  • mentions use of unrestricted submarine warfare (thought this would bring war to end)

  • proposed financial support if Mexico fought with Germany and if America joined the war

  • Germany would help Mexico regain territory lost in Mexican-American war (Texas, New Mexico, Arizona)

• April 1917: Wilson asks Congress for declaration of war and reasons needed to join to “make the world safe for democracy.” 

America Women affected:

• flooded factory jobs to fill roles of men who were on front lines

• Split suffrage movement

  • some were pacifists (e.g. Quaker leader Alice Paul)

  • NAWSA (Nation American Woman’s Suffrage Association) supported War because they thought it would lead to democracy at home. If war was won in the name of democracy, hopes this would lead to true democracy in America as well

• Women volunteer: oversea volunteers, nurses, ambulance drivers in Europe (Salvation Army and Red Cross depended on Women volunteers)

• 1920 - 19th Amendment ratified 

America Men affected, Conscription: 

• War of attrition was fought (wearing down enemy), European Armies desperately needed men 

• Selective Service Act (1917): All males between 18-45 had to register with no purchasing exemptions

  • Those who opposed thought that forcing men to conscript made them into convicts (or prisoners)

  • Conscientious objectors (pacifist by religion, religious or cultural reasons) exempt

  • Wobblies protested and usually jailed

  • CONTINUITY: Black Americans  conscripted were usually not trained to fight and were assigned to labor roles 

• Committee on Public information headed by George Creel, created to sell war to public 

  • Sent “4 Minute Men,” gave pro-war speeches in multiple languages

  • Demonized Germans in poster, film, song

• Propaganda Topics:

  • Buy Liberty Loans 

    • Loan to government, you buy a bond valued for x amount but you pay less money than the value

    • in 10, 15, 20 years you get x amount even if you bought the bond for less

    • Way for the government to get loans from citizens to wage war

  • Ration food and Fuel “heatless Mondays,” “lightless nights” and “gasless Sundays” according to the Fuel Administration

  • enlist

Repressing Opposition:

• Espionage Act (1917) and Sedition Act (1918) showed American paranoia against Germany (similar to Alien and Sedition Acts in John Adams presidency)

  • Schenck v US ruled that both acts did not violate 1st Amendment causing debate: free speech during peacetime are labeled as actions going against your nation during wartime 

  • Sacrifice civil liberties for safety during wartime

  • Sup. Court: you have free speech but not when it creates “clear and present danger” (e.g. yelling fire in a movie theater)

• Antiwar Socialists and members of Industrial Workers of the World usually prosecuted and imprisoned (e.g. Eugene V. Debs)

• American Protective League - slacker raids : those who did not sign for the draft like they were suppose to would be beaten

Economic expansion due to War:

• War Industries Board created to coordinate war production (important to be able to keep supplying troops)

• Great Migration: AA move to northern cities for factory work 

  • factory opportunities open to women and AA

  • Leads to racial tension and riots (e.g. Chicago Riot 1919)

• National War Labor Board created to settle disputes that would hamper war effort and put soldiers at risk (if they could not have supplies made)

  • TWO main worker organizations during this time: 

    • American Federation of Labor (Samuel Gomper), supported war

    • Wobblies (IWW), Industrial Laborers of the World, opposed war so faced esp. + sedition act

Even though government creates organizations to organize, oversee, and coordinate production America is still largely laissez-faire, free enterprise due to fear of Big or too much Government 

Wilson’s 14th Points: 

Idealistic goals of peace: 

1. No more secret treaties

2. Freedom of the seas

3. Remove economic barriers among nations

4. Reduce armament (universal demilitarization)

5. Adjust colonial claims for interests of natives and colonizers (take both into account)

6. 6-13, “self determination” and independence for oppressed minorities

1. individual ethnic groups and people should be able to have their own countries (break up multi-ethnic empires)

      14. League of Nations - international organization that would keep peace and settle world disputes 

END OF WAR:

• End of WWI: Kaiser overthrown and Germany surrendered 11/11/1918 by signing the Armistice 

• Big Four (US, Britain, Italy, and France) negotiate terms without German input

• Wilsonian Idealism v. European imperialism:

  • conquered territory Syria and Iraq would be territory assigned under the League of Nations 

  • Wilson main goal was to create League of Nations so he compromised issues with imperialism (especially in Asia and Africa)

Treaty of versailles:

• League of Nations for international peace organization created (Germany and Russia excluded)

• Territorial Losses (Ger. return land to France and surrender oversea colonies in Africa and Pacific)

• Military Restriction (limit on Germany army size, prohibited from manufacturing weapons, can not build subs or have air force)

• War guilt (take all responsibility for war, forced to pay allies $33 billion in reparations)

Debate over ratification: some thought that the League of Nations would not be able to enact real change, others thought that it would become too powerful which it would use against other countries. Many thought that it would also lead to US involvement in European affairs 

• Irreconcilables, led by Hiram Johnson: opposed treaty

• Reservationists, led by Henry Cabot Lodge: could ratify with major revisions

Wilson refused to compromise so the Treaty was rejected by Congress. In 1921, Congress approved a separate treaty to formally end hostilities with Germany and Austro-Hungarian government. 

// Religion + Scientists //  

• Religion:

  • Modernism: Modernists looked at the Bible in historical and critical view and thought that they could affirm Darwin’s theory of evolution within religious faith

  • Fundamentalism: thought that every word in the bible should be taken literally. 

  • Revivalists: Religious revival, Revivalists during 1920s Preached fundamentalists message but did so using mass communication via radio.

    • Billy Sunday (opposed drinking, gambling, dancing)

    • Aimee Semple McPherson: (opposed communism and jazz music).

• Scientists: Debate over Religion in Public Schools

  • Scopes trial: Over teaching Darwin’s Theory of Evolution in Public schools (fundamentalists in rural South argued it eroded faith in God and moral decay of youth in the Jazz Age).

    • ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) hired teacher John Scopes to teach evolution in the classroom. Wanted to change the law so intentionally broke it.

// Prohibition //

• Wartime concerns to conserve grain and maintain a sober workforce

• Congress passed the 18th Amendment (banned manufacture and sale of alcoholic drinks such as liquors, wines, beers) 1919. 

  • Implemented by Volstead Act

• Difficult to enforce: 

  • Bootlegging: Smuggled from Canada, made in garages/basements 

  • Speakeasies: Clubs and bars where bootleg liquor sold

  • Gangs: Organized crime, millions could be made from illegally selling booze. Gave gangs money for illegal activities such as prostitution, gambling, drugs 

    • Ex: Chicago gang led by Al Capone controlled bootlegging trade

// Art and Literature (Lost generation) //

• Disillusioned Artists and writers criticized war and questioned progress (themes of disappointment in materialism): told war would be glorious by war propaganda

  • F. Scott Fitzgerald 

  • Ernest Hemingway

  • Sinclair Lewis: first American to win nobel prize in literature w/ novel Babbitt ridiculed materialism and conformity

• Musical Theater:

  • Showboat premiered on Broadway 1920 : musical storytelling with serious treatment of prejudice and race. 

// Women (Modernists v Traditionalists) //

CHANGE:

• “New Woman” after 19th Amendment passed: 

  • independent, bobbed, shorter skirt, makeup, cigarette, bootleg liquor, drove cars

• Young men and women more open to promiscuity (having many, shorter, less committed relationships)

• Margaret Sanger: advocate for access to birth control 

• Alice Paul est. National Women’s Party: for equal rights amendment (so far women had the right to vote but were still not under equal treatment in constitution)

CONTINUITY: 

• 19th Amendment ratified but separation between men and women continued (women in middle-class were mothers)

• Women in workforce was similar to before war, working women lived in cities and limited to categories: clerks, nurses, teachers, domestics 

• Paid less than men 

// Harlem renaissance // AA culture grew in the 1920s, instilled interest in AA culture, Black pride

• Increased NA living in North (20% by 1930), migration from South Continued

• Largest AA community developed in Harlem NYC. 

  • Became famous in the 1920s for talented actors, artists, musicians, and writers

  • artistic achievements and contributions became known as the “Harlem Renaissance '' period. 

  • Poetry: Langston Hughes + Jazz: Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong 

    • Jazz popular among people of all races

• Marcus Garvey: 

  • Created Negro Improvement Association 1916

  • Back to Africa movement

  • Most importantly: pushed for racial pride which inspired other generations to support Black pride in 1960s

Opposition to Immigration, Context:

After WWI, immigration increased. New arrivals were usually Catholic and Jews from eastern and southern Europe (similar to pre WWI period)

• Nativists and prejudices: Workers feared competition, Isolationists wanted little contact with Europe and thought that immigrants would start revolutions in America. Public demanded restrictive legislation. 

Quotas:  

Immigration Quota Act of 1924: The quota for immigrants entering the U.S. was 2% of the total of any given nation's residents in the U.S. reported in the 1890 census. This limited “undesirable” immigrants from eastern Europe the most because there was an influx of immigrants from desireable regions when the 1890 census was taken. 

Red Scare: anti-communist hysteria after bombings in 1919

• Palmer Raids: A Mitchell Palmer: coordinated raids on homes or suspected radicals and radical organizations in the US. Mass arrest of anarchist, socialists with little evidence 

• Unions were seen as a “leftist organization” because the IWW (industrial workers of the world) was socialist but not all were

  • Anti-union corporation, “open shop” led to the decline of unions because companies kept jobs open on nonunion workers 

• Criminal syndicalism laws: illegal to advocate violence to secure social change 

KKK rise again: 1920s, most extreme expression of nativism in time. DIfferent than original in 1860s-70s because strong in Midwest and South (support mostly from lower-middle-class White Protestants in small cities)

• Whipped, tar + feather, Lynch victims (majority were male AA)

  • Also targeted Catholics, Jews, Foreigners, Communists

• Attracted new members because popular silent film Birth of a Nation (1915) portrayed KKK during Reconstruction as heros

Economy, gender, race, religion, culture

Economy:  The 1920s represented a shift towards a modern society because of the increased economic activity and prosperity. Most people lived in urban areas due to the steady flow from rural areas in search for jobs. There was an increased standard of living for most Americans as Indoor plumbing and heating became common. By 1930, 2 / 3 of all homes had electricity. Electricity in homes allowed Americans to own consumer appliances and society shifted towards consumerism. Effective Advertising and buying on credit allowed Americans to purchase goods that they could not afford to buy at one time. This would later lead to economic disaster as real wages had not increased significantly but spending had. 

• side note: Government at all levels also facilitated this growth by favoring big business in the 1920s. The government offered tax cuts, did not enforce antitrust laws developed in the Progressive era. These tax cuts for high-income Americans increased the wealth gap. The federal reserve also contributed to the boom by offering lower interest rate loans. 

Economic prosperity was not shared by all groups of people; farmers and common laborers suffered. 

• Farmers: benefited from high crop prices because of wartime demand in Europe and by the US government (there was even wartime policy requiring minimum prices for wheat and corn). There was a decrease in demand after the War ended

• Labor:

• Wages rose in the 1920s but membership in unions declined due to ideas of “open shop.” 

• Welfare Capitalism: offering employees more benefits and higher wages so they would not organize unions. 

• In the south, police and militia resisted efforts to unionize the textile industry. 

Religion + Gender: Flapper Women

In the 1920s, there were more modern approaches to the definition of a woman. Flapper women defied traditional views by being more independent, wearing bobbed hair, shorter skirts, makeup, smoking, drinking bootleg liquor, drove cars. Young men and women more also more open to promiscuity (having many, shorter, less committed relationships). 

However, there were also religious fundamentalists who viewed the young generation of women as part of the overall moral decay of the 1920s. They also thought that teaching evolution in Public schools eroded faith in God. Religious fundamentalist views (especially in the rural South) demonstrate a continuity: traditional views still remained. 

Culture: An overall American culture also emerged as jazz, radio, and movie (talking pictures introduced 1927) /sports heroes became popular. In the 1920s, the radio was also introduced. Through networks, radio stations let people in the entire country listen to the same news, sports, and comedy programs. 

// The Great Depression was caused by direct and indirect causes and primarily affected the middle and working class. //

A direct cause of the Depression was the Wall Street Crash. It crashed because it was common for people to invest in the stock market by buying on margin--where people would pay part of the stock and borrow money from the bank to pay the rest. Once the prices went up they would sell the stock for quick money; however, less people were buying and more were selling which caused the price of the stock to fall. This increased panic and caused more people to sell their stock which then caused the market to collapse. Banks then failed because they had invested money (lost depositors money) into the stock market. 

Indirect causes were the reactions to the Crash. Hoover stayed committed to laissez-faire policies and thought that the nation would prosper if the economy continued to manage itself. He thought that government assistance would destroy self-reliance but he eventually recognized that action was needed.  

• He did take some action through the Hawley Smoot Tariff which increased taxes on imports from 31 to 49%. In response, European countries enacted even higher tariffs against the US which decreased productivity in both parts of the world. 

• Europe and America depended on the economic prosperity (through international trade) of the counterpart because Europe needed to pay back loans War Debts to the US through the Dawes Plan:

  • US gave money to Germany to rebuild their economy 

  • Germany would use money from rebuilding their economy to pay Britain and France 

  • Britain and France would use reparations money from Germany to pay back debt to the US

After the Stock Market Crash 1929, Loans were no longer available and the support that the Dawes act created collapsed. 

• The Reconstruction Finance Corporation was established and gave loans to businesses, banks, and governments (state + local) ; it did not offer relief for people.

  • Trickle-down economics: Hoover thought that stabilizing key businesses would eventually lead to smaller businesses recovering.Democrats thought that this would only help the rich. 

// The effects of the Great depression //

• Felt by all classes. Farmers and AA had increased difficulties because did not experience same prosperity of 1920s

• Poverty and Homelessness, stress on families increased as people searched for work. Mortgage foreclosure, eviction common. Homeless lived in shantytowns called Hoovervilles to mock president 

• People still moved from rural to urban hoping there would be more jobs.

The great depression led to protest: bonus march and farmers:

Farmers banded together to stop banks from foreclosing farms and eviction. Farmers in the midwest formed the Farm Holiday Association. In the Bonus March: Desperate workers (unemployed WWI vets) in 1932 marched on Washington DC and demanded payments of bonuses promised to them in 1945. They formed improvised shacks near the capital and violence w/ police led to the death of two vets. General Douglas MacArthur used tanks and tear gas to drive the veterans from DC. 

// FDR // elected 1932

/ President Franklin Roosevelt first started his presidency by calling in a special 100 day session (The First Hundred Days)/

• New Laws and agencies were established: WPA, AAA, CCC, NRA. 

• Bank reform: 

  • Bank holiday: 1993, president ordered all banks to close for government reorganization as part of the Emergency Banking Act. those that were safe could be reopened. 

  • Glass-Steagall Act: increased regulation over banks and how they could invest depositors money

  • FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) was created to end bank failures. It guaranteed that individual bank deposits would be insured separately (if someone had money in two different banks they would each have separate insurance). 

• Currency reform: 

  • US went off gold standard, money was exchanged for paper money

• Fireside Chats: informal radio broadcasts that united and assured the public which was critical in solving the banking crisis and reducing panic. The public started depositing money into the approved banks

/ The New Deal: Similarities to the Progressive Era / A series of programs and projects created to combat G.D.

Three R’s: Three main ideas of New Deal Programs 

• Relief for people out of work

  • Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)

    •  most popular agency - employs 3 million men in reforestation , fire fighting, swamp drainage, etc. 

  • Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA )

    • led by Harry L. Hopkins, offered direct relief for jobless workers

  • Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)

    •  built dams to create hydroelectric power for 7 Southern states- seen as “radical” → publicly owned utility companies

  • Workers Progress Administration (WPA) 

    • provided jobs building infrastructure & for artists: constructed bridges, roads, airports, public buildings. Unemployed artists, writers, actors, photographers paid to work  

• Recovery for business and the economy

  • Agricultural Adjustment Administration (AAA) 

    • paid farmers to grow less to drive prices up 

  • Public Works Administration (PWA)

    • Headed by Harold L. Ickes, it aimed at long-range recovery

    • Gave state and local gov. money to build roads, bridges, dams, public works (construction provided jobs)

• Reform for American economic institutions (e.g. banks)

  • Social Security Act - used to make monthly payments to retired over 65 (Old Age pensions & disability insurance)

  • National Labor Relations Act (Wagner Act) - guaranteed right to join unions to strike and use collective bargaining

    • CIO (Congress of Industrial Organizations, broke from American Federation of Labor (ALF) which had skilled laborers) formed for unskilled workers - 4 million members by 1940

The New Deal changed the role of the federal government because it increased presidential + fed. power. The New Deal allowed the federal government to play a specific role in promoting economic growth (similarities in federal government intervention for economic reasons: Alexander Hamilton, Abraham Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson). Roosevelt’s New Deal created a limited welfare state where the government regulated economic activity, helped the poor and unemployed (ideas would later become modern American liberalism). 

Specific examples of programs implemented are listed in learning target 10. Programs were implemented for different aspects of the Three R’s--relief, recovery, and reform--which guided FDR’s New Deal programs. The CCC, Civilian Conservation Corps, employed men to plant trees, set up parks, build bridges, and control erosion. The WPA, Workers Progress Administration, gave artists and writers jobs for infrastructure or artistic work. Artists worked to construct bridges, roads, airports, public buildings, and paint murals. Writers were paid to write stories and actors were paid to perform. The AAA, Agricultural Adjustment Administration, paid farmers to reduce production which would increase prices. The first two years of the New Deal were primarily for recovery and the Second New Deal focused more on relief and reform. 

There was opposition to the New Deal from liberals and conservatives: 

Socialists and some unions wanted large changes. They thought that the New Deal helped businesses too much while not providing enough support for the poor and unemployed. They also believed that the president did not meet the needs of ethnic minorities, women, and the elderly sufficiently. Demagogue Leaders amongst those who shared these opinions, such as Huey Long--a senator who created the Share Our Wealth Movement where taxes on the rich would give a minimum annual income of 5,000 to all American families. Dr. Townsend created the Townsend Plan where retired individual’s over 60 would be given $200 per month which they had to spend in that set amount of time (thought it would stimulate the economy). Father Charles E. Coughlin turned against FDR when he did not agree that the banking system should be nationalized. Coughlin used radio to reach a mass audience, later became increasingly anti-Sematic and fascist (idea that people should glorify nation and race through aggressive force). 

Conservatives thought that the economy could stabilize by itself and thought that large government interference was not necessary. The American Liberty League was made of mostly Conservative wealthy business leaders formed; they believed that the New Deal was socialist.  

After WWI, America did not join the League of Nations and remained isolationist. In the 1920s-30s, Americans felt that entering WWI was a mistake (disillusion). In FDR’s first term (1933-39), he too was focused on self-recovery from the Great Depression. Foreign Policy was limited to Roosevelt recognizing the Soviet Union 1933 to open trade, Good Neighbor Policy 1933 (America would not intervene or interfere with Latin American countries), 1934 Reciprocal Trade Agreements (lower tariffs on foreign count. if foreign count. lifts similar restrictions on US goods), and appeasement.  After the rise of Facism and Militarism in 1930s Italy (Fascist Party, Mussolini), Germany (Nazi Party, Hitler), and Japan (wanted Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere, started conflict with China Invasion 1937), American isolationists still did not want the United States to enter into war. Neutrality Acts (1935, 1937, 1939) made it illegal to sell warms of war, giving loans, or traveling to countries at War. 

WWII Started 1939 when Hitler broke the Munich agreement 1938 (allowed to take the Sudetenland, land in Czechoslovakia where people mostly spoke German) by sending troops to occupy all of Czechoslovakia. Britain and France pledged to fight if Poland was attacked, which it was in 1939 and fell to blitzkrieg (lightning war), the use of air power and fast-moving tanks. 

The US had enforced Neutrality Acts, but FDR found ways to support Allies by slowly changing policies. FDR argued that although the nation was neutral, it was necessary to increase arms. Congress agreed to a 1938 request to increase military and naval budgets. WW2 started in 1939 and America started to support the allies with Roosevelt arguing that Great Britain's independence was essential to US security. 

Through the Cash and Carry policy (1939), countries were allowed to purchase US arms if they used their own ships and paid cash. The Selective Service Act 1940 required the registration of all American men into military training (but was not a military draft) and thus was technically a neutral policy. The US also passed the Destroyer-for-bases deal 1940, which allowed the British to receive US destroyer planes in exchange for rights to build military bases in British Caribbean islands. A US oil embargo 1940 was imposed against Japan and in 1941 all Japanese assets were taken by the US government. (Later led to Japanese bombers attacking Pearl Harbor Dec 1941 and the US would enter the war in the same month). 

Even less neutral was the Lend and Lease Act (1941) which allowed Great Britain to buy US arms on credit. FDR also decided to escort British ships by convoy and shoot all German ships on sight after an attack on the USS Greer. By this time, the majority of the American public agreed that aiding the British was necessary but did not want to have America enter the war. Few opposed war, government propaganda of posters, songs, news was to maintain public morale, encourage people to conserve resources, increase war production. Office of War Information: controlled news about troops and battles. Movies, radio, and popular music supported patriotic views of war. 

Overall, the US was not neutral. Although the country was not technically an allied nation before it entered, it heavily supported the Allies (GB, France, Soviet Union) and opposed the Axis powers (Germany, Italy, and Japan). 

WWII provided opportunities for different groups of Americans: AA,  Mexican Americans, and Women. However, due to foreign tensions Japanese Americans suffered unique discrimination and the African Americans who did have opportunities still faced prejudice. 

Firstly, there was an increase in factory jobs as millions left rural areas for industrial jobs. AA were attracted to Northern Jobs and Secondly, they served in the army as well. They still faced discrimination and segregation (had to serve in segregated troops and units). This presented an ironic situation as AA were fighting for democracy overseas while still being treated unequally in their home country. There was also an outbreak of race riots in NY and Detroit as they moved into cities (died). 

A 1942 agreement with Mexico allowed Mexican farmworkers, braceros,  to temporarily work in the US during harvest season without formal immigration. Other Mexican Americans served in the military or other factory defense industry jobs. Again, an increase in Mexican immigrants caused resentment and Zoot Suit riots emerged in 1943, where young Mexican Americans were attacked by off-duty police officers and civilians.

Women took on jobs that men had left because they were enlisted in the army. 200,000 women served in the army, navy and marines. Although they did not fight in combat, they again took industrial jobs that were needed for the war effort (ex. shipyards). Still, they received less pay but became more independent (chief income earner and head of the household). “Rosie the Riveter” song which encouraged women to take defense jobs

Japanese American internment camps formed in 1942 when they were ordered to leave their homes specifically on the West coast (mostly due to anti-Japanese sentiment after Pearl Harbor 1941 and increased US government propaganda). The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the internment policy during wartime under Korematsu v. US. 

Overview of some dates: 

• In March 1939 Hitler broke the Munich agreement, sent troops to occupy all Czechoslovakia. Hitler’s ambitions have no limit, unavoidable.

  • Appeasement failed, Britain and France pledged to fight if Poland attacked. Though they could also get support from Joseph Stalin to oppose Hitler because communism and facism were against one another. but Stalin and Hitler signed non aggression pact 1939 after secretly agreeing to divide poland 

• Poland: 1939: German tanks and planes in full-scale invasion of Poland. Britain and France declared war against Ger. soon became against Axis allies, Italy and Japan. WWII started. 

  • Poland was first to fall to blitzkrieg (lightning war)--use of air power and fast-moving tanks. 

• 1940: Germany attacked scandinavian countries in north (Denmark and Norway surrendered after few days)

• 1940: France attacked (fell in a week). GB only ally free of German troops by 1940

America contributed to the Allied Victory in WWII on the European front. 

Fighting Germany: Defense @ Sea + Attack by Air

• British and American had two objectives: overcome German submarines and bomb German cities. 

  • Reduced Nation’s industrial capacity and ability to keep fighting

  • Strategic bombing: raids on military targets in Europe

• Battle of the Atlantic: Allied and German forces for control of the Atlantic Ocean. ... To do this, German submarines, called U-boats, and other warships prowled the Atlantic Ocean sinking Allied transport ships. Allies eventually developed techniques to overcome this using radar, sonar, and bombing German naval bases

Fighting in North Africa and Italy:

• Dwight D. Eisenhower and British Gen Bernard Montgomery took North Africa from Germany + Italian army 1943

• Plan: attack “soft underbelly” (Italy) first: Allies took Sicily Aug 1943. Mussolini was overthrown soon after. 

• D-Day: June 6, 1944 largest sea invasion

  • British, Canadian, US forces took beaches in Normandy and pushed back German forces across France. Paris liberated Aug 1944, France liberated Sept 1944

• Battle of the Bulge Dec 1944: significant because last major German offensive on Western Front, surprise attack in Belgium with heavy losses on either side. 

• Soviet capture Berlin (Apr. 1945) Hitler Commits suicide April 30, 1945, unconditional surrender of all Nazi a week after

  • US finds German Concentration camps and witnesses mass, systematic murder of Jews and other groups of people

  • V-E Day - Victory in Europe - May 8, 1945

Overall, America contributed to the Allied Victory on the European front by fighting alongside the British by bombing Germany military targets which decreased its ability to keep fighting. It also helped in the 5 year Battle of the Atlantic effort where German and Allied forces fought for control of the Atlantic ocean shipping lanes. Allies did this by bombing Germany naval bases and using technology such as radar and sonar. The US troops were also a part of Allied wins in North Africa, D-Day to liberate France, and the last German offensive in the battle of the Bulge. 

America contributed to the Allied Victory on the Pacific front. 

Pacific was mostly fought between US armed forces and Japan. After Pearl Harbor, Japan had control of East and Southeast Asia. 

• 1942: Japanese troops are  in Korea, easter China, Philippines, Indonesia (Dutch East Indies), French Indochina (Vietnam, Cambodia, Loas) and most Pacific Islands west of Midway Island

• June 1942: turning Point, Battle of Midway (Combined with Battle of Coral Sea) allows the Allies to go on offensive 

  • DECISIVE US VICTORY: Intercepting + decoding Japanese messages allowed the US to destroy four Japanese carriers + 300 planes in the Battle of Midway June 4-7. Ended Japanese expansion. 

• Aug 1942 : Start of Island hopping strategy led by Nimitz and MacArthur 

  • US started a campaign to get closer to home Japan islands by taking locations in Pacific using island hopping strategy. Took over Japanese posts and isolated them with naval and air power

  • Guadalcanal secured to protect shipping lanes from America to Australia

• 1942: First, Japanese Conquered Philippines when General Douglas MacArthur was driven from the islands. US prepared to reoccupy and led to the Largest Naval battle : Battle of Leyte Gulf 1944. Japanese navy virtually destroyed

  • Battle of Leyte Gulf: First time in war Japanese used kamikaze pilots to make suicide attacks on US ships. 

• 1945: Battle of Okinawa, Okinawa captured after high casualties

• August 1945:  during World War II (1939-45), the first deployed atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. three days later, a second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. 

  • Japan unconditionally surrenders after atomic bombs

•  V-J Day: Japan surrenders unconditionally Aug 15 1945 

Overall, the US contributed to the Allied Victory on the Pacific front through the turning point--the Battle of Midway, implementing island hopping to get closer to Japan’s home islands,  taking the Philippines in the Battle of Leyte Gulf which virtually destroyed the Japanese Navy, and dropping two atomic bombs (one on Hiroshima and the second on Nagasaki) which led to Japan’s unconditional surrender. 

PERIOD 7 TIMELINE (1898 - 1945)

1901 - Teddy Roosevelt introduces “Big Stick Diplomacy” 

• Foreign affair policy

• Big stick is power and readiness to use military force if necessary → sent “Great White fleet” on tour of the Pacific & imposed will on Panama Canal construction

• Intimidated countries

• Speak softly but have lots of power

 1903 - W.E.B. DuBois publishes Talented Tenth 

• Popularized the theory that creating a class of exceptional leaders through education was the most important to african american empowerment

• Disagreed with booker t washington (more focused on occupational training → Tuskegee Institute

1903 - Platt Amendment

• Treaty to protect cuban independence with american interference

• Justified american involvement in cuba’s domestic and foreign affairs

1903 - Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty/Construction of the Panama Canal

• agreement between the United States and Panama granting exclusive canal rights to the United States across the Isthmus of Panama in exchange for financial reimbursement and guarantees of protection to the newly established republic

1904 - Roosevelt Corollary 

• the U.S. would handle any “necessary” intervention in Latin America on behalf of Europe, keeping the Monroe Doctrine intact

•  unpopular with Latin America which saw US as a bully 

  •  “bad neighbor” 

• Kind of imperialism

1905 - Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle published

• Purpose was to reveal working conditions but exposed conditions of meatpacking industry-diseased and rotten

• Graphic description

• Led to new federal food safety laws

1911 - Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

• Doors were locked and no one could escape

• Dramatized poor working conditions and led to federal regulations to protect workers

• Popularized employer’s responsibility for safety of workers

• Labor reforms

1909 - 1913 - Taft’s Dollar Diplomacy

• Use american investment abroad to boost american political influence

• Pumped money into latin american countries to “prevent economic and political instability”

• Purpose was to further american commercial interests

1909 - 1913 - Taft’s Domestic Policies (trust-busting)

• Dissolved standard oil

• Went after steel but TR got mad because he supported steel industry

• Later eased domestic trust busting reforms and angered progressives

1912 - Election of 1912 (include each party and platform they ran on)

• Republican party split

  • Taft vs TR

• TR bull moose party advocates for new nationalism-stronger anti trust laws, banking reform, reducing tariffs

  • More gov role in economic and social affairs

• Eugene debs led socialist party

• Wilson's new freedom- smaller gov and small enterprise 

  • Free unregulated but unmonopolized markets

  • Opposed social welfare programs;  tackle triple wall- trusts, tariffs, banks

• Wilson won

1914 - Wilsonian “Moral Diplomacy” in Mexico

• Opposed taft's dollar diplomacy

• Announced america would no longer offer special support to investors in latin america or asia

• Anti imperialist-ended US exemption on panama canal and set philippines free

• US refused to recognize huerta’s regime in mexico and didn’t intervene

• Formal recognition to country which aligns with american ideals

1914 - Outbreak of WWI ( American “neutrality” & how Americans benefited)

• Assassination of franz ferdinand

  • Alliances make it a global war

• British blockade made germany use U boats and unrestricted submarine warfare to sink allied ships

• America wanted to stay out of war

• Still traded with Allies

• US opposed germany on principle and kaiser was natural villain

• Selling arms made profits

1915 - Lusitania sunk (include unrestricted submarine warfare & Sussex Pledge) 

• Lusitania was a british ship and it was sunk by a german u boat

• Sussex pledge- germany agreed not to sink passenger ships and merchant vessels without warning

  • They failed

• Germany had a policy of unrestricted submarine warfare-> US opposed it

1917 - Zimmerman telegram & US declaration of War

• Direct cause of US entrance into ww1

• Secret communication between germany and mexico

  • Germany promised that if they went to war with america, germany would recover mexican land if they agreed to a military alliance

• Russia surrendered ->US needed to interfere bc now germany only needed to fight british

• Wilson ordered congress to declare war in response

1917 - Committee on Public Information &  The Home Front helps the war effort

• Helped advocate for war

• Created to influence public opinion in support of the war

• propaganda

1918 - Wilson’s 14 Points

• Wilson’s idealistic goals for peace after the war

  • No more secret treaties

  • Freedom of seas

  • Removal of economic barrier among nations

  • Reduction of armament burdens

  • Self determination

  • Adjustments of colonial claims in interest of native groups

  • League of nations

1918 - American Expeditionary Force enters the War

• US military in europe during ww1

• Support for the Allies

• Helped defeat germans

• doughboys

1918 - 18th Amendment (include efforts to get it passed and effects)

• Temperance movement efforts

• Neal dow efforts

• Established prohibition

• Resulted in growth of organized crime

• Golden age of Gangsterism and organized crime

• People bought liquor illegally

• speakeasies

1919 - Treaty of Versailles Negotiated (include its ultimate defeat  and why it was defeated) 

• Punished germany and surrender of all german colonies as mandates to league of nations

• Disarmament of german military

• Allies disagreed on how to best treat germany

• Americans rejected it because they saw it as a form of imperialism and argued that new national boundaries did not satisfy self rule

• Ultimately congress rejected it

• Required germany to pay reparations

• Irreconcilables and reservationists opposed it

1919 - Schenck v. United States

• Ruled that espionage and sedition act did not violate first amendment

• considered free speech during peacetime cause acts of “national insubordination” during wartime

1920 - 19th Amendment (include information on how women earned this before and during the war)

• Women's right to vote

• Women's suffrage movement before the war-seneca falls, nawsa

• Believe that if they were doing the work of “men” and treated the same way then they should have the right to vote as well

• Wilson thought women deserved it after seeing their contributions to the war

1920s - Harlem Renaissance 

• During ww1 many africa americans went to north

• Flowering of african american culture

• New african american pride

• New negro

• Marvus garvey formed united negro improvement association

• Poetry and jazz became popular

1920s - Rise of consumerism 

• Small post war recession

• Economy prospered

• Advertising and credit stimulated consumption

• Bruce barton claimed jesus was best salesman

• Radio used to boost sports and politics

• Hollywood became popular

• Electricity facilitated economic growth

• Improvements in communication, transportation, and manufacturing

• Avoided debt by credit

1920s - Lost Generation writers Hemingway & Fitzgerald

• Reflects how society shifted to consumerism and modernism from traditionalism

• Realism

• Described shift in culture

1920 - Palmer Raids & the Red Scare

• Palmer raids were attempts by US gov to arrest radical leftists and anarchists

• Fear of socialism and political radicalism

• fear of communists, socialists, anarchists, and other dissidents resulted in hysteria because of bolshevik revolution

1921 - Immigration Quota Act (also describe immigration act of 1924)

• Act of 1924- cut quota for immigrants entering america from 3 to 2% of nations residents reported in 1890 census

• Targeted undesirable immigrants associated with radical ideas

• Prevented japanese immigration which caused fury in japan

• Racist

1921  - Sacco-Vanzetti Trial

• Two anarchist italian immigrants were convicted for robbery and murder based on racism rather than evidence

• Showed american fear of communism and radical politics

• Resulted in anti communist and anti immigrant hysteria in US

1921 - Harding Presidency (focus on economic policies & Teapot Dome Scandal)

• Wanted to minimize gov role in economy

• Mellon wanted to cut taxes on wealthy

• Teapot dome scandal-secret order to transfer oil reserves to interior department

• Leased the lands with bribes

• Promises return to normalcy-pro big business

1924 - Dawes Plan

• Plan to revive german economy

• US private national banks gave loans to germany and germany would use it to pay war reparations to france and britain and they would use it pay loans back to US

• Not a great solution for US- turned into a cycle

  • Not good when great depression happens because US needs money but are not getting back the money that they loaned out

1925 - Scopes Trial

• Conflict between fundamentalists and science

• Fundamentalists believed that evolution went against god’s teachings and demoralized the youth

• Aclu hired clarence darrow and made bryan and fundamentalist cause look foolish

• Scoped found guilty and fined for violating tennessee law

1928 - Kellogg-Briand Pact

• Pledge to outlaw wars unless they were defensive

• Hoping to prevent another war

• No effect on ww1

1929 - Stock Market Crash (causes--stock speculation, etc.-- & immediate effects) 

• Too much speculation and credit out of control

• Buying on margin and unable to pay back stocks

• Lots of bankruptcy 

• Global economic collapse

• Bank failure

• unemployment

1929 - 1930  Hoover’s Response to the Depression (include Smoot-Hawley Tariff & Bonus Army) 

• Hoover resisted gov intervention and believed in individualism and laissez fair

• Increased tariff on foriegn imports to stimulate domestic economy

• Unemployed ww1 veterans went on strike at washington

  • Demanded immediate payment of pension

  • Camps near capitol building

1930s - Dust Bowl

• Caused by years of overfarming and drought

• Forced many farmers to migrate west to find jobs-okies

  • Grapes of wrath

• High grain prices during ww1 encouraged farmers to bring lots of acres under cultivation using mechanized techniques

• Resettlement administration was given the task of removing near farmless farmers to better land

1933 - FDR’s “First Hundred Days” (Include Glass-Steagall Banking Reform Act/FDIC & “fireside chats”)

• Glass steagall banking reform act/fcdic ended epidemic of bank failures

  • Separated commercial banking from investment banking

• New deal was made- aimed at reform, recovery and relief

• Progressive ideas- unemployment insurance, old-age insurance, minimum wage regulations, the conservation and development of natural resources, and restrictions on child labor

• FDR held fireside chats which were informal radio broadcasts which united the public

  • Key to solving the banking crisis after emergency banking relief act

1933 - FDR’s “Good Neighbor” Policy

• Depression eased US desire in economic influence abroad

• America would not interfere with latin american countries

  • Renounced roosevelt corollary and monroe doctrine

• All marines left haiti and eased control in cuba and panama

• Refused to send armed forces when mexico seized oil properties

• Non involvement with europe and withdrawal form asia

• US gave up ambition of world power

• isolationism

1933 - London Economic Conference

• Coordinated an international response to global depression

• FDR didn’t want it to interfere with his plans of US recovery 

• Collapsed and influenced more intense nationalism

• FDR wanted to pursue gold juggling and inflation policies to revive economy

• American isolationism made dictators mad

1930s - FDR’s New Deal (WPA, AAA, CCC, TVA & Social Security Act--indicate if each was an example of relief, reform, or recovery)

• WPA- relief

  • allowed the federal government to fund state and local public works projects as well as directly hire millions of unemployed Americans

• AAA- recovery

  • paid farmers for not planting crops in order to reduce surpluses, increase demand for seven major farm commodities, and raise prices

• CCC-relief

  •  putting hundreds of thousands of young men to work on environmental conservation projects

• TVA-relief

  •  created to create huge dams that would stop floods and give people electricity all over the South Eastern part of the U.S.A

• Social security act-reform

  • established a system of old-age benefits for workers, benefits for victims of industrial accidents, unemployment insurance, aid for dependent mothers and children, the blind, and the physically handicapped

• Spirit of progressive era

1934 - Huey Long & Share Our Wealth

• Wanted to raise taxes on rich

• Give every family  5000 dollars

• Considered radicalism

1935 - Neutrality Acts

•  illegal for Americans to sell arms to any country at war, banned loans to the nations that were fighting, allowed trade but aimed to prevent foreign entanglements

• Abandonment of freedom of the seas

1937 - FDR’s Quarantine Speech

• Limited neutrality

• Condemned japan’s invasion of china and placed it in quarantine through economic embargoes

• FDR backed off of aggressive stance after criticism of isolationism

1937 - Court Packing Controversy

• Legislative initiative proposed by FDR

• FDR’s attempt to pass a bill which allowed him to appoint new justices and replacement justices

• Would basically allow  him to push a bill without being called unconstitutional

1941 - Lend-Lease Program

• Allowed sales or loans of war materials to any country whose defense the president deemed vital to the defense of US

  • “Send guns, not sons’

• germany recognized it as declaration of war so they started sinking american ships

• America allowed to escort destroyers to some extent to give them to britain to prevent sinking by U boats

• Diplomatic strategy was supporting allies without directly being involved in war

1941 - Atlantic Charter

• Signed by FDR and Churchill not to acquire new territory as a result of ww2 and find peace after war

• Kind of like wilson’s 14 points during ww1

• Self determination

• “Permanent system of general security

1941 - Pearl Harbor

• Japanese bombers revenge on american embargo

• Unexpected → US thought they would bomb philippines

• Killed over 2000 people and 8 battleships destroyed

• Congress declared war in response “a date which will live in infamy”

1941 - Fair Employment Practices Commission (FEPC) established

• Created to monitor compliance with his executive order that forbade discrimination in defense industries

• Increased African American employment in war industries

1942 - War Production Board created

• Stopped making “non essential” items

• Smith connally anti strike act- allowed gov to take over striking industries

• Prevented labor disputes → Labor unions cooperated during war

1942 - Executive Order 9066

• Japanese americans on pacific coast forced into concentration camps

  • Seen as a threat but motives were likely more racial or economic 

• Authorized japanese relocation

• Korematsu v. US challenged the order but Supreme Court upheld constitutionality 

1942 - Battle of Midway

• Turning point battle

• Allies went on offensive

• Code breakers deciphered japanese naval code

• US launched a surprise attack

1944 - D-Day Invasion

• Allies combined and led an invasion into Normandy, France to liberate from the Nazis

• Led to freeing of France and end of war

• Undermanned german forces were forced to surrender

1945 - Atomic Bombing (include rationale & debates)

• US policy of destroy or unconditional surrender

  • Japan refused to surrender→ justification of atomic bombing

• Manhattan project-  technical skill provided by british and refugee scientists

• America dropped first atomic bomb on hiroshima and then on nagasaki after japan still refused to surrender

• Japan sued for peace after nagasaki

• Some believed that it was was justification for destroy or unconditional surrender

• Some believe it was unnecessary to win war and that it was a genocide