Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Study Guide

I Intro        
     
II Causes-The causes of the great depression were the stock market crash, overproduction, and deficit spending.
     A overspeculation (Define, how important) 
       Investment by nearly all in the stock market caused mass loss of money when stock market crashed. Workers invested their hard earned money into stocks.

     B Govt. Policy
The New Deal from TDR, helped unemployed people get jobs during the tough times of the great depression.


     C Unstable Econ. 
Americas banks were closing, food production was too high causing inflation, businesses were failing without proper investment. 

          1 uneven prosperity- Some were extremely rich and the rest were really poor, jobless, or homeless.

          2 overproduction- Too many products were being made causing inflation in prices, mostly applied to farmers; having to throw out their products so there was less inflation so they'd eventually be worth more.

          3 worker issues / farm issues
Workers- few jobs meant homeless people, hobos, Hoovervilles and hungry, angry protestors; bonus army- veterans asking for food/money/jobs.

Farmers- inflation in product prices, throwing away products to decrease inflation, or losing job as farmer. Also dust bowl causing huge farming setbacks.

III Effects

     A Poverty-Soup kitchens became a common crutch for the lower class. Offered by churches and priests, shows lack of government involvement.The lines would stretch on, and kitchens often ran out of food. Nobody really bought or could afford their own homes or if they did then they owed money. Life was poor and standard of living was low. Hoovervilles and hobos were common sights during the depression.


     B Society- The effects of the Depression caused social strife among American citizens. Because of the increase in unemployment, families could not afford housing and were forced to live in communities on public lands called shantytowns, or Hoovervilles.  Citizens also had to attend soup kitchens for food because of their lack of ability to pay. Many were barely surviving, and certainly not living. 

     C World- Although most of the world was unaffected and even rebuilding from past wars, America was hit hard and to escape the Depression, people began to look to media. The movie and radio industry became quite popular worldwide because of their attractive story lines and escape from reality. Art also began to reflect the Depression.

IV Solutions

     A Hoover- President, unsuccessfully tried to "involve" government and provide equal distribution of wealth.

        1 Volunteerism- Hoover called on charity organizations, churches, and local governments to alleviate suffering and distribute relief. Still not considered legit government involvement.

        2 Public Works- Construction projects for society from government to help create jobs. ex: Hoover dam. 

        3 Hawley Smoot- This tariff raised U.S. tariffs on over 20,000 imported goods to record setting levels. It was an Act created to provide revenue, to regulate commerce with foreign countries, to encourage the industries of the United States, and to protect American labor.

        4 RFCThis agency gave $2 billion in to aid state and local governments and made loans to banks, railroads, mortgage associations and other businesses. The goal of the RFC was to boost the country’s confidence and help banks return to performing daily functions. The loans were nearly all paid off.

     B Roosevelt

        1 new deal

           a alphabet soup
               example-AAA: The Agricultural Adjustment Administration was used to encourage and pay those who were still left in farming to grow fewer crops. Therefore, there would be less produce on the market and crop prices would rise thus benefiting the farmers, but not the consumers.

               example-TVA: The Tennessee Valley Authority is a federally owned corporation created by congressional charter in May 1933 to provide navigation, flood control, electricity and economic development in the Tennessee Valley.

               example-SEC: The Securities and Exchange Commission was an agency that held primary responsibility for enforcing the federal securities laws and regulating the securities industry, and the nation's stock and options exchanges. The main reason for the creation of the SEC was to regulate the stock market of 1940.

               example-CCC: Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that paid unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25 as part of the New Deal.

          b Criticism? Many people criticized Roosevelt and his ideas because they felt that he was on his way to becoming a dictator and trying to run America as a dictatorship. (Later reinforced by the court-packing incident.)

      2 2nd new deal- Roosevelt was reelected
          a WPA: The Works Progress Administration held huge construction projects and public works to give people jobs.
          b

          c SSA: Social Security Acts, Provided security for the elderly and for unemployed workers.
V Criticism

     A Political Criticism (ex. Came from both the left and right.)

     B Conservatives- Right, typically Republican, supportive of big business. 


     C Liberals- Left, typically Democrat, Wanted more equality for workers and business, more government involvement.

        Ex: More freedom for individual states.

        ex: More restriction on business and more involved government.

VI Effectiveness

     A Changes in US

     B Unions-There was the Unemployed Workers Movement, and the Hunger Strikes, which caused Unions in a lot of areas to be created to help workers.

     C Culture-Brought everyone closer together through radio shows, entertainment, movies/films, etc. Because everyone had lost something during these times, they all had something to relate to and became stronger as a cultur

VII Conclusion

No comments:

Post a Comment