1. What were the causes of the stock market crash of 1929? and the Great Depression?
Stock Market is the buying and selling of stocks
Overproduction of Goods and under consumption by consumers- Business' made goods but people didn't need them
Banks Investing- Took People's money from them and invested it in stock
Weak Banking System- Prone to going bankrupt, and high bank failure, People lost money
Unrealistic view of Market- No one thought that the market would crash and thought it was going to stay high all the time
Stock Pool and watered stock- wealthy people would buy a lot of stock on one business and the stock value would be more than the company's worth
Buying on Margin- Borrow from Brokers
Gov't had no rules and no laws on the stock
Federal Reserve System- helps banks to get money
Causes of the Great Depression-
Stock Market Closing, Stocks were going up and business' weren't making money- people lost all their money and weren't purchasing goods
Bank Failures- Banks were investing the common persons money in the stock market without them knowing (Banks wouldn't give out loans)
Overproduction and Underconsumption- which contributed to the unemployment
American Economic Policy with Europe, Gov't created tariffs
2. What impact did the stock market crash and Great Depression have on the lives of people in the United States?
Stock Market
Roaring 20’s
Wealth and peace
Cities
Agriculture
Stock Exchange
The Crash
Panic
Withdrawing funds
Tuesday, October 29, 1929 “Black Tuesday”
14 billion dollars in a day
30 million in a week
Impacts
Steel- really low
Construction- really slow business
Car Sales
High Debts- Easy Credit
Unemployment
Lost everything
Businesses
Jobs
Vicious Cycle
People weren’t spending money
Businesses weren’t making money
Businesses laid people off
People couldn’t spend money
Impact of Great Depression-
1) Unemployment, skyrocketing- minorities got low paying jobs. Caucasian got high paying jobs
2) Homeless- the number of citizens that were homeless started to rise
3) Hoovervilles- an area of shacks that people could go live in
4) Box Car Children- teens left their homes to go get on trains and find jobs
5) Farmers- Prices of crop fell so farmers went bankrupt, weather didn't help
6) Starvation- People didn't have money to buy food
7) Breadlines- supported by churches missions and charities
Hoover's Philosophy-
Laissez Faire- "Hands off" No government interference in business
Rugged Individualism- People should fend for themselves
Trickle down Theory- Tax the rich, and give jobs to the poor
3. What did the United States government do to help alleviate the problems the Great Depression brought to our country?
New Deal
Program created by FDR
Helped with the devastation
Made Roosevelt a hero for millions
1st New Deal
Help get jobs
Reduce Government Spending
End overproduction and raise price of crops
Regulate stock market
Make investments safer
Faith in banks
1933-1935
2nd New Deal
Improve use of national resources
Security towards old age
Unemployment and illness
In favor of the poor, old, farmers and labor unions
1935-1940
3R’s
Relief- provide help for the unemployed
Recovery- help the economy bounce back after depression
Reform- prevent a crisis from happening again (banking, stock market)
Differences
Programs were supported more in the first new deal
First tried to restore economics and the second was to help people’s lives
First dealt with banking reform and the second dealt with jobs.
Unemployed
New Deal helped give 6 million people jobs in 4 years
Laissez-Faire was not a thing anymore
Farm Tenancy Act (1937)
Aid to poor farmers
Homestead Project
Loaned money to farmers
Camps
Healthcare programs
Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)
Provided jobs for single men
Ages 18-25
3 million men had jobs from this
They gave the men shelter, clothing and food
They were paid $30 a month, but had to send $25 to family
Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA)
Provided unskilled jobs for adults
Construction
Writer
Musicians
Canned food
Garments
Mattresses
Bedding
Civil Works Administration (CWA)
Mostly unskilled men
Roads
Bridges
Schools
Employed musicians
Artists
Writers
Actors/Drama
Public Works Administration
Dams
Bridges
Hospitals
Schools
Roads
Railroads
Works Public Administration
Largest of any agency
Government gave them jobs
Orchestra jobs
National Youth Administration (NYA
For younger unemployment
Helped them pay for studies
$6-$40
4. What were the causes of WWII?
great depression started 10 years before which lead people unemployed and desperate
nationalism was going through germany
emperor of china and Japan have been fighting since Japan invaded manchuria
Japanese expansion
Germany, Italy, and Japan were testing the League of Nations by invading smaller countries
invasion of Poland
Rise of Nationalism in Europe
Asia
Great Depression
Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931
Japanese invasion of China
United States
Quit trading supplies (oil) with Japan in the summer of 1941
Tough policies towards Japan in Fall 1941
Pearl Harbor attack
5. What impact did the US have on WW2
German Nazi party was completely destroyed and Germany was broken up into 4 zones
Japanese cities were destroyed from bombing and Japan was placed under military rule
Most deaths ever in a war
Major Powers of the world were discovered
United Nations was re-created
reduced number of “superpowers” in the world to 2: US and Soviet Union
cold war started
stimulated economy
17 million new jobs created
average wages increased 30%
middle class greatly expanded
federal power during the war increased
shifted from state laws to federal laws- important during civil rights era and Vietnam war
women involved in the workforce
more rights for African Americans- integrated troops
6. What were the goals for the US during the Cold War?
Stop spread of Communism
Promote democracy
Promote open markets for US goods to prevent another depression
7. What were some of the major events that took place during the Cold War?
Korean War
1950-1953
We did not declare war.
was between WWII and the Cold War
"forgotten" war
The border between North Korea and South Korea is a DMZ.
It is one of the most heavily fortified borders in the world.
Korea was invaded and ruled by Japan from 1910 until 1945..
After WWII, Korea was split into two - North (USSR) and South (US) at the 38th parallel.
An election was going to be held to eventually unify Korea.
The United Nations held an election in 1948
The Soviet Union refused to allow participation in the election in their occupied zone.
Instead, they handed over power to the North Korean Communist Party under Kim Il-Sung.
The South elected the nationalist exile Syngman Rhee.
Berlin Blockade/airlift-
Germany was divided in 4 zones
We airlifted supplies to Western Berlin because Soviets wanted control of Berlin
Soviets wouldn’t allow supplies to our sector of Berlin
Soviets ended the blockade 6 months later
Red Scare-
People were getting scared that Communism was going to spread
McCarthy started accusing people of being Communist
McCarthy gave a speech, saying he had a list of 205 communists in the State Department
Supporters of McCarthy: Republicans, Catholics, Conservative Protestants, Blue-Collar Workers, and Joseph and Robert Kennedy
McCarthy started accusing people in our military of being communist
He died three years after he was stripped of his powers: died of alcoholism
Bay of Pigs-
We didn't want Cuba to be Communist because they were so close to us
Cuba had a new leader in 1959-Fiel Castro
President Eisenhower started Bay of Pigs invasion
We trained Anti-Castro Cubans to overthrow the government because we didn't want to go to war
Invasion failed miserable- most anti-castro cubans were killed
Cuban Missile Crisis-
13 day crisis- 1962
Bay of Pigs happened and Cuba asked for Soviet Union to bring them missiles because they thought we would invade them
We put a quarantine (blockade) on Cuba
Agreement- Cuba takes their missiles out if we pledge to never invade Cuba and we also promised to take out our missiles from Turkey
Berlin Wall-
Soviets built this wall so people would stay on their side (East Berlin)
Turrets and trenches for shooting people down who tried to cross
The Wall fell in 1989
Mikhail Gorbachev came to power in USSR
End of Cold War:
Soviet Leader Gorbachev had the will to change Communism
He took blame for cold war
He allowed Eastern Europe to do what they want
New countries after Communism fell:
Czech Republic, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Herzegovina
Russia breaking up, Belarus, Moldova, Uzbekistan
Meetings between Gorbachev and Reagan:
Arms reduction talks
Soviet Mistakes:
Soviets wanted to surround themselves with Communistic allies
Freedom fighters of Afghanistan, tried to overthrow Communist government
Afghanistan invited Soviets in to help them
Soviets ignored social concerns and spent all the money on military
-Post Cold War
In the 1990's war was at peace
President Clinton closed down numerous military bases around the country reducing size of military
Taliban thought we wanted to take over their land in Kuwait
9-11 caught U.S. off guard
8. Why did the US go to war in Korea and Vietnam and what were outcome of those wars?
Korean War
1950-1953
We did not declare war.
was between WWII and the Cold War
"forgotten" war
The border between North Korea and South Korea is a DMZ.
It is one of the most heavily fortified borders in the world.
Korea was invaded and ruled by Japan from 1910 until 1945..
After WWII, Korea was split into two - North (USSR) and South (US) at the 38th parallel.
An election was going to be held to eventually unify Korea.
The United Nations held an election in 1948
The Soviet Union refused to allow participation in the election in their occupied zone.
Instead, they handed over power to the North Korean Communist Party under Kim Il-Sung.
The South elected the nationalist exile Syngman Rhee.
The DMZ is still around and Korea is still split in two
Vietnam War
1950-1975
Beginnings
Goals (US)
stop communism
Goals (North Vietnamese)
independence
The French Connections
France had gained control of Indochina in a series of colonial wars beginning in the 1840's and lasting until the 1880's.
During World War II, Vichy French had collaborated with the occupying of Imperial Japanese forces.
Vietnam was under Japanese control during WWII, although the Vichy French continued to serve as the official administration.
After the Japanese surrender, the French fought to retain control of their former colony against the Viet Minh independence movement, led by Communist Party leader Ho Chi Minh.
After the Viet Minh defeated the French colonial army at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954, the French withdrew, and the colony was granted independence.
Geneva Conference - 1954
Vietnam was partitions temporarily into a Northern and a Southern zone of Vietnam at the 17th parallel.
The North was to be ruled by Ho Chi Minh, while the South would be under the control of Emperor Bao Dai.
In 1955, Prime Minister Ngo Dinh Diem became President of a new South Vietnamese republic.
Set up elections to unify the country by July, 1956.
Such elections were never held because neither side wanted to lose.
US Involvement (Escalation)
On December 11, !961, the United states sent 900 military advisers.
Under escalation, US involvement increased over a period of years. Started with the deployment of non-combatant military advisers to the South Vietnamese army.
Then started using special forces (Green Berets) for commando-style operations.
Use of regular troops whose purpose was to be defensive only.
Once US troops were in active combat, escalation shifted to the adding of more US troops.
Who Fought?
United States Armed Forces
Army of the Republic of Viet Man (ARVN - the South Vietnamese Army)
The NLF, a group of South Vietnamese guerilla fighters (Vietcong)
The People's Army of Viet Nam (PAVN - the North Vietnamese Army)
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
Several US ships were supposedly attacked by North Vietnamese torpedoes in the Gulf of Tonkin.
Most experts today do not think the ships were attacked.
This was Johnson's ploy to get more involved in Vietnam.
This gave President Johnson the power to wage war in Vietnam.
Tet Offensive
Named after the lunar new year festival which is the most important Vietnamese holiday in South Vietnam.
January 30, 1968, the North Vietnamese mounted a massive attack on all major cities in South Vietnam.
Starting point of the negative outlook on the war.
Americans thought that the North was on its last legs.
The Pentagon Papers were released to the New York Times and they proved that the government was lying.
Operation Rolling Thunder
code name for the constant bombing raids on North Vietnam.
Purpose was to destroy the will of the North Vietnamese, destroy industrial bases, and air defenses.
Unpopular War
Tet Offensive
Pentagon Papers
Injuring/Killing innocent people (My Lai Massacre)
Supporting a bad government in South
The power of the press
9. Know these major post-Cold War Events:
-JFK Assassination
Shot at noon by Lee Harvey Oswald
Shot on Elm St.
Brought to Parkman Memorial Hospital
Governor Connally hit by the same bullet
Oswald shot officer Tippit
While being escorted to court Jack Ruby shot Oswald
-Warren Report
Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone, not evidence of conspiracy
House of Reps said "Kennedy's death was probably the result of a conspiracy"
a group put together to figure out what actually happened
-Civil Rights
Brown vs the Board of Education of Topeka Case
Supreme Court declared that state laws separating public schools for black and white students is unconstitutional
Civil Rights Act of 1964
outlawed discrimination against race, color, religion, sex, or national origin
ended unequal application of voter registration requirements and racial segregation in schools
The act was weak at first and not well enforced but later became better
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Prohibited discrimination in voting
Signed by president Johnson
Most effective piece of civil rights
Federal watch over the elections
Outlaws literacy tests
24th Amendment
Prohibits poll tax and other tax when voting
Southern states would use poll taxes to keep African Americans from voting
Title Nine
This act states “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance”
-Watergate
June 17, 1972
5 men broke into office of the DNC- located in Watergate building in Washington D.C.
connected to Nixon’s reelection campaign
caught while attempting to wiretap phones and steal secret documents
Historians are unsure if NIxon knew about the operation before it happened
Took steps to cover it up
raised “hush money” for burglars
tried to stop FBI investigation of the crime
destroyed evidence
fired uncooperative staff members
resigned rather than be faced with impeachment
-Persian Gulf War(1991)
Persian Gulf War
Iran and Iraq
August 2, 1990
Iraq invaded Kuwait
We won by freeing Kuwait
Iraq thought that Kuwait was stealing their oil
Operation Desert Shield: we sent troops to Saudi Arabia
Operation Desert Storm: U.S. invasion of Kuwait
Taliban didn’t like us because we “invaded” their land
No Fly Zone- U.S planes flew over Iraq and protected parts of Iraq
Weapons Inspectors- IAEA, inspect for nuclear weapons
2003, we invaded Iraq
9-11
U.S. troops never left Saudi Arabia after the first Iraq war and the Taliban thought we wanted their land
A series of terrorists attacks by the Islamic Terrorist Group- Al Qaeda
Attacks killed almost 3000 people
4 commercial airplanes were hijacked
2 of the planes crashed into the two towers of the World Trade Center
Both towers collapsed
1 crashed into the pentagon leading to a partial collapse in the western side
4th plane was targeted at Washington D.C.
The passengers on the 4th plane took over and the plane crashed into a field in Pennsylvania
The U.S. went to war with the Taliban and invaded Afghanistan
Bin Laden was eventually located and killed
-War in Afghanistan
Taliban took over Afghanistan’s government
U.S goal was to dismantle al-Qaeda and remove Taliban from power
Bush wanted Taliban to hand over Bin Laden
Operation Enduring Freedom
Ultimatum to the Taliban- you're either with us or against us
-War in Iraq
We believed Iraq had weapons of mass destruction
Iraq and Saddam Hussein had to let UN in to inspect for weapons
Iraq wasn’t abiding by the rules
Bush said if you don’t let the weapon inspectors in were invading
U.S. kept searching but didn’t find anything
Surge- Bush sent 20,000 troops to Iraq and people didn’t like the war
Saddam ran and U.S. captured him and he was killed
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