5.2: USA 1930s: Depression and New Deal Flashcards

Question

SND 1935: undistributed profits act

Answer 1

Put tax on businesses in 1936

Answer 2

Forced employers to allow trade unions, allowing negotiation for pay and conditions Made it illegal to sack workers for being in a union

Answer 3

Provided state pensions for widows and elderly State and federal governments worked together to help sick and disabled Set up scheme for unemployment insurance Employed made small contributions each week and unemployed would receive a little

Answer 4

Work Progress Administration Extended role of the original WPA to help the arts (painters, photographers...)

Answer 5

Helped small hold farmers re-settle to better quality land and farming Moved over 500,000 families to better-quality land and housing

Answer 6

Replaced RA in 1937 Gave loans to small holders to help buy their land Built camps to provide decent living conditions and jobs for migrant workers

Answer 7

too much, not enough, supreme court

Answer 8

Too complicated and the government was doing the market’s job TVA created unfair competition for private companies FDR blamed for being like a dictator High taxes discouraged people from working hard and gave money to those who don’t Government was much too complex now as opposed to before The New Deal had cracks: FDR poured money in, but loads was wasted through ‘leaks’

Answer 9

Despite measure, many remained poor Huey Long: governor of Louisiana (1928) then senator (1932)-came to power questionably Helped poor, built roads, schools, hospitals, through taxing big corporations Clashed with KKK and employed AAs on same terms as whites Supported New Deal at first but after 1934 criticised for being too complicated Set up ‘Share our Wealth’ where personal fortunes were $3 million MAX Government taxes were shared among everyone and pensions for all over 60 Very aggressive: lots of friends and enemies-assassinated 1935 Dr Franci Townsend founded ‘Townsend Clubs’ for pensions of $200 monthly for over 60s Father Coughlin attacked FRD on radio and set up National Union for Social Justice

Answer 10

FDR won 1936 election but faced opposition from the SC (republican dominated) Schecter Poultry Corporation went against NRA: sold chicken unfit for consumption Exploited their workers and threatened government inspectors Court ruled that government had no right to prosecute them NRA was ‘unconstitutional’ and undermined too much of the power of the local states FDR was angry at them denying democracy by discarding laws he’d been elected to enforce He asked for power to appoint 6 more SC judges who would be more sympathetic Americans felt he was attacking the system of government and were alarmed by his actions Some compared him to a dictator FDR eventually backed down and plan was rejected SC were still shaken by his actions and were less obstructive going forward They approved of 2nd New Deal measures from 1937 onwards

Answer 11

FDR became more cautious and early 1937 prosperity was returning, he cut ND’s budget Unemployment increased and the cut damaged his reputation 1938, Republicans did well in elections, but FDR still won USA no longer as united behind his New Deal as in 1933 but had other wars on their minds

Answer 12

a new society?, industrial workers, AAs, unemployment and the economy, women, native americans

Answer 13

Restored faith in government Huge social and economic programme: set tone for future policies to help people Handled billions of dollars of public money but no corruption scandals! Secretary of interior, Harold Ickes, tapped phones of employees to ensure no corruption He employed AAs, campaigned against anti-Semitism, supported cause of Native Americans Divided USA: FDR often accused of being communist, undermining American values Undermined local government

Answer 14

DRA and 2nd New Deal strengthened the position of labour unions FDR’s government mainly supported unions: made larger corporations negotiate with them Some unions combined as Committee for Industrial Organisation (CIO) 1935 Union of Automobile Workes seen by the 2 anti-union companies: General Motors, Ford Big business remained immensely powerful despite being challenged Many strikes were broken with brutal violence Companies like Ford and Chrysler employed thugs or controlled local police

Answer 15

200,000 gained benefits from CCC and other agencies Some agencies discriminated against them, however Racial segregation in the CCC, mortgages not given to black families in white areas Blacks less likely to be given jobs and when they were they were not very good ones Domestic workers not included in the Social Security Act FDR failed to put through any laws against lunching of AAs: feared opposition from South

Answer 16

Created millions of jobs Stabilised banking system Cut number of business failures Improved standard of living in deprived parts Provided USA with schools, roads, and power stations Never solved underlying economic problems Confidence remained low and Americans only invested 75% of what they had before FDR cut New Deal budget and country went back into recession Still 6 million unemployed in 1941 Only USA’s entry in WW2 brought end to unemployment

Answer 17

Women achieved more prominent positions lie Eleanor Roosevelt Mary Macleod Bethune, AA, headed the National Youth Administration Fraces Perkins was secretary of labour: removed 59 corrupt officials and was key for 2nd ND Most programmes aimed to help male manual workers rather than women Only 8000 women involved in CCC Local governments avoided paying out social security to women by making special terms Frances Perkins was attacked in press as Jew and Soviet spy, ignore by her colleagues

Answer 18

Indian Reorganisation Act 1934 provided money to help them buy and improve land Indian Reservation Act 1934 helped preserve and practise traditions, laws, cultures They remained a poor and excluded section of society

5.2: USA 1930s: Depression and New Deal Flashcards

(43 cards)