Term
| What does it mean to say that American was a WASP nation? |
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Definition
| White, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant. Especially during the Depression, American becomes more and more racially and ethnically diverse. |
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Term
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Definition
Urban music that reflected the urbanization and industrialization of the decade
Great Migration, therefore African-Americans, influenced this music. |
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Term
| Consumer Goods Revolution |
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Definition
Expansion of productivity of American industry. Mass production of goods that are consumed by individuals.
Middle class Americans could now afford products like fridges and cars.
Elements:
(1) Mass production of consumer products
(2) Mass consumption of these products
(3) Advertising that creates demand for these products |
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Term
| Henry Ford and the Model T car |
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Definition
The first mass produced car, the first affordable one.
Ford applied the assembly line to car production, increasing production speed and efficiency.
Ford was also innovative in how his treated his workers. He paid them $5 a day as opposed to the average $2, so he could control his workers more, as they lived in a company town where he made the rules. He also knew that if his workers were paid more, they would buy the products they were producing. |
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Term
| What caused the bust after the boom, what caused the Great Depression? |
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Definition
overproduction paired with underconsumption. There were limits to how much Americans could buy.
Then workers would be laid off. Since workers aren't making money, they can't consume, so companies have to lay off more workers to compensate. |
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Term
| Hoover's policy during the Depression |
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Definition
| He originally wants to ride out the storm that was the Depression, like any other president would think to do. Citizens feel he doesn't understand them and being to question capitalism itself. |
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Term
| Three parts of the New Deal |
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Definition
| Recovery, Relief, and Reform |
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Term
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Definition
| temporary programs designed to stop and reverse the economic decline, like welfare. |
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Term
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Definition
Designed to help victims of unemployment where churches and charity couldn't.
Federal Emergency Relief Administration
Civilian Conservation Corps
Works Progress Administration |
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Term
| Federal Emergency Relief Administration |
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Definition
Harry Hopkins in charge of divvying up $5 million among the states. He was soon in need of more handouts.
He looked for a better way to give relief without giving handouts. |
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Term
| Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) |
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Definition
hired young men to work on things like state parks, the shelter belt.
Created Big Ben National Park and the Hoover Dam
became a pilot for more work relief programs |
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Term
| Works Progress Administration (WPA) |
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Definition
build/repair/upkeep school houses, post offices, general government buildings
Jobs helped people survive the crisis and boosted morale. |
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Term
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Definition
| Aimed at preventing future depressions. Wanted to create a safety net to protect Americans if and when anther crisis occurs. |
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Term
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Definition
| A pension plan for retirement. Because back then you didn't retire, you worked until you were unable; so it was a way to support those who could not work. |
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Term
| Unemployment Insurance Program |
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Definition
| If you are laid off, a victim of unemployment, you are provided with a small, temporary check so that you don't immediately lose all of your income. |
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Term
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Definition
part of the Social Security Program
assistance to handicapped citizens and their dependents |
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Term
| Wagner Act/National Labor Relations Act |
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Definition
| Made it illegal for employers to fire employees for joining a union--gave them the right to organize. |
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Term
| Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) |
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Definition
Established a minimum wage and a 40-hr work week.
This supports and sustains consumer purchasing power and spreads employment, since employers now need more workers to cover the hours. |
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