1930s America Flashcards Preview

History > 1930s America > Flashcards

Flashcards in 1930s America Deck (55)
Loading flashcards...
1
Q

What was the Wall Street crash?

A

American economy crashed

2
Q

When was the Wall Street crash?

A

October 1929

3
Q

By 1933, how many people were unemployed because of the crash?

A

14 million

4
Q

How much did the average wage fall by?

A

60%

5
Q

Production dropped by 40% between what years?

A

1929-1933

6
Q

Through 1931, how many died of malnutrition?

A

45

7
Q

How many Americans had lost everything one year later?

A

4 million

8
Q

How much did farmers income fall by? Between what years?

A

7 billion between 1929 and 1932

9
Q

Why did farmers migrate from southern states to west coast?

A

Over farming and drought turned adds into dust bowl

10
Q

How many farmers migrated?

A

2.5million

11
Q

What was Hoovers response?

A

Didn’t admit problem until 1932

He didn’t help at first as he was republican and believed in laissez faire policy

12
Q

What act did Hoover set up and what did it do?

A

Emergency relief act, provided $300 million to states to help unemployed

13
Q

What did Hoover increase?

A

Public works spending

14
Q

How much did Hoover offer to major building projects in construction industries to provide new jobs?

A

$4,000 million

15
Q

When did the Hoover dam construction begin? How many workers did it hire?

A

1931

21,000

16
Q

Why did Hoover cutting taxes not make much of an impact?

A

Majority were unemployed and had no money so cutting taxes didn’t help much as they didn’t have money to spend anyway

17
Q

What did he encourage business owners not to do?

A

Cut wages

18
Q

What was the Halwey-Smoot tariff?

A

Hoover put 40% tax on imports in attempt to protect American goods but other countries retaliated which led to low exports which led to over production

19
Q

How much did USA international trade decrease between 1929-1932 and why?

A

$10 million to $3 million, because Hoover increased international tariffs on oversea goods

20
Q

What did Hoover do that led to overproduction?

A

Bought food at above market prices which led to farmers overproducing

21
Q

What was the famous phrase used by USA public about Hoover?

A

In Hoover we trusted now we are busted

22
Q

What happened at the bonus army event?

A

20,000 veterans peacefully camped in Washington asking for war time bonus from WW1 early
Hoover refused to meet, got general MacArthur to deal with them
He used tear gas, police and burned their camps even though Hoover said no violence
MacArthur claimed they were communists with no evidence
Hoover refused to admit he failed to control MacArthur
Public disliked Hoover even more

23
Q

What did Hoover promise in 1932 election?

A
Stop immigration 
Reduce tax 
Increase hospital facilities
Pay bonus army 
Provide relief for families
24
Q

What did Roosevelt promise in 1932 election?

A
Spread employment 
Legalise alcohol 
A 'new deal'
Stabilise banking system 
Restore agriculture
25
Q

How many votes did Roosevelt win by?

A

7 million

26
Q

What were ‘The Hundred days’

A

First three month period where Roosevelt did: Fireside chats, Emergency banking act and sent 15 proposals to congress

27
Q

What were fireside chats?

A

FDR broadcasted radio chats explaining to citizens what government was doing > This helped restore confidence in government for Americans

28
Q

What was the Emergency banking act?

A

FDR closed all banks until they’d be checked to tackle banking crisis.
5,000 re-opened

29
Q

What were the alphabet agencies that were made to tackle unemployment?

A

CCC
PWA
NRA

30
Q

What was the ‘CCC’ alphabet agency?

A

Aimed to help young unemployed men
2.5 million were helped
Most work done on environmental parks
They were taught skills to help with future employment

31
Q

What was the ‘PWA’ alphabet agency?

A

Used gov money to build schools, roads, dams which created millions of jobs

32
Q

What was the ‘NRA’ alphabet agency?

A

Controlled industry and improved working conditions, boosted wages
Over 2 million joined scheme

33
Q

What were the alphabet agencies made to tackle poverty?

A

FERA

HOLC

34
Q

What was the FERA alphabet agency?

A

Helped meet urgent needs of poor

$500 million spent on soup kitchens, nursery care etc

35
Q

What was the problem with FERA alphabet agency?

A

Many state governments refused to spend more money on the poor

36
Q

What was the ‘HOLC’ alphabet agency?

A

Took over mortgages of struggling Americans so they didn’t lose their home to the bank

37
Q

Between 1933 and 1936 what did HOLC do?

A

Saved 20% of American homes

38
Q

What were the alphabet agencies created to help agriculture and environment?

A

AAA

TVA

39
Q

What was the ‘AAA’ alphabet agency?

A

Helped modernise farmers
Helped preserve soil to help long term
Set quotas for farm reduction to steady food prices

40
Q

How much did farming income increase between 1932-1935 with the ‘AAA’?

A

$4bil to $6bil

41
Q

What was the ‘TVA’ alphabet agency?

A

Built dams in Temesse valley as it was turning to desert
Created jobs
Made land more fertile for farmers

42
Q

What was the social security act?

A

Set up unemployment insurance

Meant if you became unemployed you could receive benefit until employed again

43
Q

How did new deal help economy?

A

Created millions of jobs
Stabilised banking
Cut number of business failures

44
Q

Why was Eleanor Roosevelt important?

A

As women didn’t get important positions in politics and she campaigned for social issues

45
Q

When was FDR re-elected?

A

1936

46
Q

What were successes of the new deal?

A
200,000 African Americans benefitted 
Helped trade unions 
Created jobs 
Improved banking system 
Living standards rose for many 
Restore confidence in American gov
47
Q

Who limited/opposed the new deal?

A

Supreme Court, Radical politicians, Republicans

48
Q

Who was a radical politician and why did he oppose FDR?

A

Senator Huey Lomb believed FDR wasn’t doing enough and wanted to limit personal wealth to $3million in scheme called ‘share our wealth’

49
Q

What did FDR fail to do? Why?

A

Pass laws against lynchings in fear southern senators started would turn against him

50
Q

How many women were helped in CCC?

A

Only 8,000

51
Q

Why was the Supreme Court a limitation??

A

It was mostly made of republicans who opposed FDR

52
Q

In 1930s how much did people invest?

A

Only 75% of what they invested in 1920s

53
Q

How many were still unemployed by 1941?

A

6 million

54
Q

How many judges in the Supreme Court were republican?

A

9/9

55
Q

What did the Supreme Court call the new deal?

A

Unconstitutional as they said new deal took power from stats govs