The USA, 1918-41
Overview
In 1929 the United States was the richest country the world had ever seen. Four years later a quarter of its workforce had no job, thousands of banks had shut their doors, and families were living in shanty towns named after the president. Then, over the following eight years, an American government did something no American government had done before: it took direct responsibility for jobs, savings, farms and old age, and half the country hated it for doing so.
This note covers the boom of the 1920s, the social conflicts that ran underneath it, the Wall Street Crash and the Depression, and Roosevelt's New Deal together with the serious opposition it faced. Because this is a Paper 2 source topic, it also trains you to handle the evidence this period produced in abundance: campaign speeches by rivals describing the same country, photographs taken by a government agency that wanted the Depression seen, and statistics that different people counted differently.
Objectives
- The Roaring Twenties: economic benefits of WWI, reasons for the economic boom, Henry Ford and mass production, hire purchase, consumerism, the stock market, problems in farming, the leisure industry, the changing position of women
- Increased social tensions in the 1920s: attitudes to immigration, the Palmer Raids, the Sacco and Vanzetti Case, attitudes towards Black Americans, the Ku Klux Klan, the Monkey Trial, Prohibition and gangsters
- The USA in Depression, 1929-33: causes and consequences of the Wall Street Crash, Hoover's reaction, the impact on banking, agriculture, industry and people's lives, Hoovervilles and the Bonus Marchers
- Roosevelt and the New Deal, 1933-41: Roosevelt's aims, the Hundred Days, the Alphabet Agencies, the second New Deal, the Social Security Act, the Wagner Act, the Banking Act of 1935, achievements and shortcomings
- The Opposition to the New Deal: the Supreme Court, Republicans, business interests, the Liberty League, Huey Long, Father Coughlin
Lesson Note
Available on the Green Bridge App
Download the Green Bridge CBT app on your phone or computer to access full lesson notes, practice questions, and more.
Lesson Evaluation
Congratulations on completing the lesson on The USA, 1918-41. Now that youve explored the key concepts and ideas, its time to put your knowledge to the test. This section offers a variety of practice questions designed to reinforce your understanding and help you gauge your grasp of the material.
You will encounter a mix of question types, including multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, and essay questions. Each question is thoughtfully crafted to assess different aspects of your knowledge and critical thinking skills.
Use this evaluation section as an opportunity to reinforce your understanding of the topic and to identify any areas where you may need additional study. Don't be discouraged by any challenges you encounter; instead, view them as opportunities for growth and improvement.
- Which of these was a cause of the 1920s economic boom in the USA? A) High taxes on company profits B) Mass production techniques such as Ford's moving assembly line C) The removal of tariffs on imported goods D) Rising farm prices throughout the decade Answer: B
- What was the main purpose of the Immigration Act of 1924? A) To encourage immigration from southern and eastern Europe B) To set national origins quotas that favoured immigrants from northern and western Europe C) To grant citizenship to all resident immigrants D) To end the deportation of foreign-born radicals Answer: B
- Roughly what proportion of the American workforce was unemployed at the worst point of the Depression in 1933? A) About 5 per cent B) About 12 per cent C) About 25 per cent D) About 45 per cent Answer: C
- Which New Deal measure guaranteed workers the right to join a trade union and bargain collectively? A) The Social Security Act B) The Wagner Act C) The Emergency Banking Act D) The Agricultural Adjustment Act Answer: B
- Which opponent of the New Deal argued that it did too little for the poor and proposed a 'Share Our Wealth' programme? A) The American Liberty League B) The Supreme Court C) Huey Long D) Herbert Hoover Answer: C
Available on the Green Bridge App
Download the Green Bridge CBT app on your phone or computer to access full lesson notes, practice questions, and more.
Available on the Green Bridge App
Download the Green Bridge CBT app on your phone or computer to access full lesson notes, practice questions, and more.
Recommended Books
Practice Mock Questions
Want to practice mock questions on The USA, 1918-41? Download the Green Bridge CBT app to access mock questions and full practice assessments for this topic.
Download The App On Google Playstore
Everything you need to excel in your exams
