USA Statistics, History Flashcards
(40 cards)
When and why Great Depression?
October 1929 due to panic selling of shares
Effects of the Wall Street Crash
-13 million unemployed by 1932
-one third of city workforce unemployed by 1933
-bankrupt farmers from being unable to sell produce
Hoover’s problems:
-Believed in “balancing the budget” (not spending more than gained in taxes) - refuses to borrow money to create jobs
-Rugged individualism
-May-June 1932 Bonus Army (WW1 Veterans) demanded war bonuses, set up hooverville outside WHITE HOUSE
How Hoover helped
-Reconstruction Finance Corporation in 1932 gave two billion dollars to ailing banks, insurance companies and railways
-Emergency Relief Act gave $300 million to help unemployed ppl
-Home Loan Bank Act - 12 regional banks to stimulate housing industry
What made Roosevelt a better choice
-More caring image
-Roosevelt portrayed as a fighter due to overcoming polio
-Simple Message
-‘New Deal’ new approach
Name three alphabet agencies
Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC/Relief) - Provided six months of work for men between 18 and 25 in conservation projects e.g tree planting
Agricultural Adjustment Administration (AAA/Recovery) - Raised farm prices by paying farmers to destroy crops and slaughter animals
Emergency Banking Act (EBA/Reform) - Closed all banks for ten days and officially backed 5,000
Three successes of New Deal
AAA doubled farmer profits
EBA restored confidence
CCC employed 2.5 million ppl
Criticisms of New Deal
-Huey Long, Gov of Louisiana said Roosevelt didn’t share nation wealth fairly
-Alphabet agencies discriminated black people
-Father Charles Coughlin criticised New Deal for not helping people in need and broadcasted on the radio weekly attracting over 40 million
Ways America benefitted economically from WW2
-By 1945 industrial production doubled
-By 1944 USA was producing half of the weapons in the world
-Conscription ended the effects of Great Depression unemployment
-millions of war bonds cashed in
What was the Fair Deal?
Truman’s policies
Reasons for suburban growth
-Rising affluence due to hire purchase, war bonds and consumerism from saved money
-Affordable housing
-Demand for new homes with baby boom
Suburbia vs Poverty
-By 1960, 25% Americans lived in suburbs
-Consumerism - luxury goods became necessities
-By 1959, 29% Americans below poverty line
-Poor Americans couldn’t afford rising cost of healthcare
Black soldiers in WW2
-“Jim Crow Army” : Fought in segregated black-only units
-Navy and Marines only accepted black people as cooks and supply transports
Fair Deal on black Amercians
Proposed anti-lynching bill and less requirements for black voters but was rejected by opposition. Encouraged growing NAACP.
Brown vs Topeka 1954
In 1952, 20 US states had segregated schools. Linda Brown had to walk 20 blocks to her black-only school when there was a white school nearby so Oliver Brown and NAACP took the Board of Education to court and then Supreme Court which ruled that segregation in public schools was against constitution
Little Rock 1957
Little Rock 9 tried to go to school but Orval Faubus (Gov of Arkansas) prevented them with National Guard. President Eisenhower responded by sending 101st Airborne to protect them for the rest of the year. The racist mob publicized the level of discrimination in USA.
James Meredith v Mississippi 1962
Supreme Court upheld federal court decision to allow Meredith into Mississippi University but was prevent from registering by the Governor. Riots broke out so President Kennedy sent troops to protect his entire 3 years.
Montgomery Bus Boycott 1955-56
In December 1955 Rosa Parks an NAACP member refused to give up her seat and was arrested. Martin Luther King made Montgomery Improvement Association to organise a bus boycott. Civil Rights Lawyers defended Parks and Supreme Court made Montgomery Bus Laws ILLEGAL.
Freedom Rides 1961
Segregation remained on interstate buses so CORE rode on buses in the southern states in direct protest, especially companies ignoring bus laws. Received hostile reception in south. In Anniston Alabama a bus was attacked and burnt. Attorney General Robert Kennedy managed to get the Interstate Commerce Committee to end segregation on all public transport.
Martin Luther King’s forms of protest
Non-violent civil disobedience favouring boycotts, sit-ins and marches
Examples of MLK marches
Birmingham March 1963: SCLC organised sit-ins and marches to challenge Birmingham’s close of public recreation facilities to stop de-segregation. Faced violent opposition. King was arrested and President Kennedy had to send troops and forced it to desegregate.
March on Washington 1963: Crowd of 250,000 to put pressure on Kennedy for Civil Rights Act 1964
Selma to Birmingham 1964: March for voting rights, King arrested, hostile opposition and resulted in Voting Rights Act 1965
Malcom X’s significance
Originally believed in black separatism and violent methods. Attracted support from younger black Americans with speeches. Left Nation of Islam to form Muslim Mosque Inc and encouraged self-esteem of black Americans to inspire more radical movements.
Stokely Carmichael and Black Power
Emerged from black American frustration over unemployment + poverty. Carmichael joined SNCC but wanted black Americans to have more self-esteem with the message “Black is beautiful” so he joined Black Panthers in 1966. Spread Black Power movement internationally.
Civil Rights Act 1964
Banned racial discrimination in employment, set up investigation commissions for discrimination and de-segregated public areas
