semester test blog

Driving Ideas for Semester Two:

1. What were the causes of the stock market crash of 1929 and the Great Depression?

Crash

Uneven sharing of wealth-1% of pop controlling all the money, other 99% weren't enough buying products, bad for companies

Wages couldn't keep up production
Heavy Increase of gambling and buying stocks
The Business Cycle
Tight Money Policy-when the fed reserve lowers interest rates the gov't is encouraging people to buy, but the gov't back then raised interest. People weren't buying anything so companies lost incomes and jobs. BUT the stock market was rising!?
Buying on Margin- getting a loan to pay for stock. Buying stocks on credit. Buying on margin allowed average people to play the stock market. People assumed stocks would never go down. People borrowed from broker and couldn't payback-broker couldn't pay banks back-banks closed. People started realizing the stocks were increasing but the company was losing money. Many people started selling their stocks.
People were making too much or not enough products-
Giant gap between rich and poor
Shady Banking-banks invested in stock market. They used peoples money and invested in the stock market. When it crashed people's money was gone. that is how it effected a lot of people that were not investing in the stock market.
Many people went into debt- people stopped spending money-cycle
overexertion of using credit-buying on credit
Overproduction of farm goods-lower prices. farmers weren't making money
Government using a Laissez-faire approach-few laws and regulations on the stock market and banks
Pooling- a bunch of rich guys pooled their interest together and invested in a company and they made a ton of money.

Depression

Stock market crash
Banks were failing
Reduction in purchasing-People lost their jobs, so they didn't have money to buy things. The money supply was decreasing. Suppliers and business didn't have enough money, so they steeply rose their prices.
American Economic policy in Europe-more of a consequence than a cause. Smoot-Hawley Tariffs hurt all countries of the world. keeping foreign products out. Over 20,000 imported goods has record tariffs for European countries. Europe retaliated with their own tariffs. (tariff-protects American businesses. encourages Americans to buy American stuff) Eliminated Trade around the world!
Drought Conditions-In southwest great plains. farmers couldn't produce anything. Dust Bowl. A lot of people left.
Tax policies under hoover benefited the rich-rich got richer, poor got poorer

2. What impact did the stock market crash and Great Depression have on the lives of people in the United States?

Homelessness

Many mortgages on people’s homes were foreclosed and left millions of people homeless because they couldn't pay the bills
Lead to many people building small shacks or shanty towns called hoovervilles.

Starvation and Illness

Because of loss of income, didn't have enough money to buy food. stole, took from dumpsters, ate very little. Lead to soup kitchens.

Unemployment

At this time unemployment was at an all time high.25% in the US and 33% in other countries. one out of every four people with out a job. Hours were cut.
Many unemployed workers committed suicide because they had nothing. Husbands would loose jobs and would be embarrassed so they felt like they were worthless and left their families.
WW2 brought unemployment way down

Stock Market

world trade fell
economic growth fell
Cause of great depression
bank failure
business failure

Bank failures

People tried to withdraw money that wasn't there
40% of banks collapsed
1933, people lost about 140 billion dollars.

Hoovervilles

They were villages for the unemployed, houses were built with what the people had.
Floors were made out of dirt
Only one to two rooms

Impacted other countries

The united kingdom was affected
All European countries were affected and some were put into a depression of their own

Dust Bowl

covered affected areas with dirt-happened because of the drought
people had to wear masks when they went outside
Storms would go all the way to new york

3. What did the United States government do to help alleviate the problems the Great Depression brought to our country?

FDR created the New Deal:The first New Deal was focused on helping businesses and

banks. The second new deal focused on the people.

AAA (Agriculture Adjustment Act)-1933-reduced crop surplus so prices would go up. over production problem. paid them to plant less. killed hogs. declared unconstitutional. but it helped
Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act- conserving soil and preventing erosion. learning our lesson from the dustbowl. planting trees, planting grass. very important impact educating farmers.
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) -many dams were built. too much flooding. created jobs for people and providing electric power for people in that area. still around today. controversial- all Americans paid for this through taxes but it only helped one area.
Rural Electrification Administration (REA)-provided rural areas with electric power and telephone services. took 30 years until our country was "electrified". still around today
Farm Security Administration (FSA)-granted small farmers money to purchase farms. dust bowl farmers forced off of their farms. provided relief to these people
Home Owner's Loan Corporation- helped people keep their homes. refinanced homes to prevent foreclosure. stretched 5-7 years to 15-30 years to pay it off only 10% down payments. easier for people to keep their homes.
FHA Federal Housing Administration- still around today. helped low income people get loans to buy home
United States Housing Authority (USHA)- lend money to states to build low income homes
BIG ONE..National Relations/act Wegner act- strengthened labor unions
Fair labor standard act-still around today. minimum wage, child labor, etc
To help old people Social Security Administration- for retirement
Indian Reorganization Act-allowed native Americans to govern themselves, live in tribes, teach their kids what they wanted,

4. What long lasting impact did the Great Depression have on the US and world?

Banking methods became strict-enforced by the newly forms Securities and Exchange Commission (enforces security laws to keep markets secure) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (protects your money in the bank)
crime rates rose
Mass migration
Congress passing the social security act
Hard to get education
sports
movies

Break down into short term and long term

relief programs
Tariffs-smoot hawley-taxed imported goods into the US

Long term

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)-makes stock market safer

National Labor Relations Board
Tennessee Valley Authority-provided navigation, flood control, electrical generation, fertilizer manufacturing. Provided things for the Tennessee valley area - sped up economic growth. Impacted one area but everyone was taxed=very controversial.
Social Security Administration

4. What were the causes of WWII?

Invasion of Poland-1939-germans wanted to get all of their land back and punish everyone. The polish had a ton of casualties. The beginning of the war-all of prison camps set up in Poland. The soviet union invaded Poland because they were kind of allies with Germany and they had lost land as well. Germany eventually attacks soviet union (stalin) so they became our allies.

Italy declares war on Britain-Britain declared war after the invasion of Poland. Italy was interested in land so they joined Germany.

Pearl Harbor- Air-force base. This was a bombing attack from the Japanese. We declared war the day after. Dec. 7th, 1941

5. What impact did the United States have on WWII?

 Women's role-Women worked in factories-went to work because so many men went to war (but after the war they lost jobs to men) "Rosie the Riveter" -represented women workers in WW2. Also Nurses in Europe and south pacific, very important role. Needed typists and secretaries, conductors, teachers, waitresses, farmers, taxi and bus drivers, "the more women at work the sooner we win". TEST-women's army Corps. WAC. didn't fight in combat. Did any other kind of work for the military. Also had WAVES women's navy. WASP women air force-tested an transported airplanes.

 Factories-War Production Board-one of the most important things was to make war goods. We made more than all of the allies combined. Goal of War Production Board-encourage factories to make as much as they can and workers not to be lazy, work hard. Did a great job, one of biggest reasons that we won the war. National War Labor Board (Test)-Us, workers of US, and businessmen shaking hands) Explain cartoon on test. Made better pay for workers and better conditions, no strikes. Need owners and workers coming together-"together we win"

MAGIC and ULTRA code deciphering! –we knew about the attacks

We provided the most supplies, troops, and money

6. What were the goals for the US during the Cold War?

UNITED STATES: STOP THE SPREAD OF COMMUNISM!

 Wanted to promote open markets for US goods to prevent another depression. People were scared that we would go back into the depression because the war was over and troops were coming back, didn't need all the supplies.

 Promote Democracy throughout the world, especially in Asia and Africa. We rebuilt countries that we destroyed

8. What were some of the major events that took place during the Cold War?

-Berlin Blockade/airlift- Soviets put up a blockade to keep us out of Berlin because they wanted full control of the city so it could be communist. We both wanted control of the capitol. Blockade is a war-like move, instead of going through and attacking. We took a ton of airplanes and dropped food, medical supplies, and other things. (because of the blockade we couldn't get supplies to Berlin). From June 1948-May 1948.

Cuban Missile Crisis- Soviets had nuclear missiles in Cuba. Closer range to attack us possibly and because of the Bay of Pigs invasion just happened. They were worried about a future invasion by the US. They invite USSR to Cuba. We found out by spy planes that took photographs.

After this happened: a 13 day crisis. We panicked. There was a compromise reached-Soviets pull missiles out of Cuba, we promise to never invade Cuba, we pledge in secret to remove our missiles from turkey in 6 months. This is the closest we ever came to nuclear war.

Red Scare/McCarthyism-Fear of the spread of Communism in the United States. Senator Joseph McCarthy started accusing highly respected people of being Communists. McCarthy was popular-had a short rise and fall. He was ruining careers. Senate censored him after he accused high ranked military officers. 1951-1957

Space Race- race between USSR and US to get into space and to the moon. Soviets were in the lead because of Sputnik, an unmanned satellite. We thought they could use it to spy on us. We felt vulnerable. WE thought if they were ahead in the space race, they were ahead in the missile race.

Bay of Pigs- Castro just came to power 1958-59, we weren't friendly with them. He was Communist so we didn't like him. Anti Castro Cubans trained by CIA to invade Cuba and overthrow Castro. 1,000 or 2,000 people. They hoped that the Cuban people would fight with the invaders, rise up, and join the revolution. The invasion did not work. Many were killed or imprisoned. We were supposed to give these Cubans support, air support. Kennedy didn't do it so it didn't look like we were involved. Cubans were very upset that he broke his promise. The invasion was a fiasco. People say Eisenhower would have sent military support.

Berlin Wall- People were crossing over from East Berlin to West Berlin. Once you were in West you were free. Soviets wanted to stop the East Germans from fleeing. They really didn't want to the build the wall-last resort. It made them look bad. Communists always said that people would choose communism over capitalism-people chose freedom. In East Berlin they were poor w no rights. Thousands and thousands were fleeing. In October/November 1989 the wall came down:People from East Germany did it. Thousands of people helped.

End of the Cold War

9. Why did the US go to war in Korea and Vietnam and what were outcome of those wars?

Korea

Korea was split after WW2. The Soviets were given the north.
Before war broke out there was going to be an election held to unite the country. War broke out
We pulled troops out of S Korea, the door was opened for North Korea to invade South Korea.
Kim il Sung(the grandfather of Kim Jong Un) -went to Stalin and Mao (leader of communist China) and asked for support in the invasion. Eventually they said yes.
North invades the South. South Korea isn't doing well. North pushes to the southern tip.
The UN steps in-wage war, help South Korea. MacArthur
South Koreans are not prepared
China gets involved-they think we were going to invade
When China gets involved they push us down, we stop them and push them back
For the next three years the fighting took place along the 38th parallel.
They are still "at war"
We have troops along the 38th parallel. 30,000 US soldiers and Korean guard the DMZ zone.
Now, if they invade south Korea, we would go to war.
It's called the forgotten war. 1950-1953. It was between two major wars (ww2 and Vietnam)

Vietnam

Nixon called for the “vietnamization” of the war-we're going to pull out and let the Vietnamese fight it.
“Peace with Honor”- he didn’t want to be the first president to lose a war; when we leave, we want peace to ensue and to leave with honor. We want to leave S Vietnam without communism.
Gradually pulled US troops out and train the ARVN to take our place in fighting the North
Then he started thinking he could win the war; expanded the war into Laos and Cambodia leading to college protests (Kent St.) and it was a very unpopular move.Why bomb Laos and Cambodia? Ho Chi Mihn trail went through Laos and Cambodia and supplied the Viet Cong in the South. Bombing didn't stop the supply of goods and it ticked of Americans.
Thought he could stop the supply line, the “Ho Chi Minh Line”, with bombing but really didn’t do much because they could pass under, over, and around the line
On January 15, 1973, President Nixon announced the suspension of offensive action in North Vietnam
The Paris Peace Accords were later signed on January 27, 1973, which officially ended US involvement in the Vietnam conflict- we really didn't win or loose the war, but we failed to contain communism.
- Fighting stopped
- US would pull out of Vietnam
- North and South Vietnam would recognize each others' independence (south was left democratic)

The peace agreement did not last
In March 1975, the North invaded the South-still communist to this day
The South was not strong enough and fell quickly
Saigon, the South’s capital, fell on April 30, 1975
US did not live up to its promise to come to their aid if the North attacked
North Vietnam united both North and South Vietnam on July 2, 1976 to form the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Saigon renamed to Ho Chi Mihn City in honor of the former president of North Vietnam
Vietnam is still communist today

10. How did the Cold War come to an end?

Reagan and Gorbachev-Ending the cold war

Had numerous meetings with Soviet Leader and Reagan
Gorbachev was a hero in the US and was hated in the USSR

We had close ties with our Allies and the USSR didn't
China started siding with us after 1972
The soviet economy was in shambles whereas the US's was flourishing.
1. Huge deficite
2. High inflation
3. Corruption
4. Social problems
5. Shortage of basic needs (food, housing) they were struggling to survive.
Strong anti-communist presidency of Reagan
Gorbachev willingness for change and reform
1. Glasnost and Perestroika- allowing people to have more say in gov't.
2. admitted Soviet mistakes
3. took blame for cold war
4. said communist system has failed
5. Allowed western Europe to do what they wanted
Army reduction Talks
1. Salt, INF, Reagan-Gorbachev meetings
Leaders that tried to hold on to power in Western Europe were killed and change happened.
Soviet mistakes
1. invasion of Afghanistan
2. ignoring social problems
3. spent everything on military

11. Know these major major post-Cold War Events:

-JFK Assassination- President JFK was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald during a parade in Texas. Oswald was shot by Jack Ruby. There are many conspiracy theories about the assassination. The Warren Commission investigated it and said that Oswald killed Kennedy, no conspiracy.

-Watergate-The Democratic party headquarters at the Watergate was broken into. The burglars i

-Iran Hostage Crisis-

The Iran Hostage Crisis was a diplomatic crisis between the US and Iran. It started November 4, 1979 and ended on January 20, 1981. 52 Americans were held hostage for 444 days after a Islamist group of students and militants supporting the Iranian Revolution took over The American Embassy of Tehran. James Carter called the hostages "victims of terrorism and anarchy." He said that the US would not yield to the blackmail. The US attempted to rescue the hostages, it was called operation eagle claw. The mission failed and 8 Americans died, 1 Iran civilian and 2 planes got destroyed. After the king of Iran died, (Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi), Iraq invaded Iran and this led to Iran's government to negotiate with the US. The hostages were released to American custody when Ronald Reagan was elected.

-Persian Gulf War (1991)

Persian Gulf War

August 1990 when Iraq invaded Kuwait. Saddam Husein lead this
He gassed his own people in Iraq
Why did they invade? Problems over oil. Border disputes over land and oil.
1. operation Desert Shield- we sent thousands of Us troops to Saudi Arabia. The goals: Prevent an invasion of Saudi Arabia by Iraq, and to send a message for Saddam Husein to get out of Kuwait. If they don't get out by a certain date, we would attack
2. Operation Desert Storm: when they didn't pull out, we attacked and invaded Kuwait. We won in a month. Our goal was to liberate Kuwait.
3. 1991-2003: After the war was over Iraq had to agree to: a no fly zone (goal was to protect the people that Saddam Husein didn't like),IAEA(international atomic energy agency) sent Weapon inspectors to Iraq, WMD's.
4. Saddam Husein played games with the weapon inspectors. He kicked them out or wouldn't let them into certain areas, then he's let them back in.
5. We went to war in 2003: Bush was sick and tired of games, and Bush thought that they had WMD's. Husein wanted everyone to think he had them. He wanted to appear strong, especially to Iran.

-9-11

9/11 was a series of four suicide attacks committed in the United States, striking the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. Both of the World Trade Center Towers collapsed within two hours. Nearly 3,000 people died in the attacks, including 400 police officers and firefighters.

That morning, 19 terrorists from Al-Qaeda hijacked the four planes. Al-Qaeda’s leader, Osama bin Laden, who denied involvement at first, claimed that Al-Qaeda was responsible for the attacks. Osama bin Laden said that the motives for the attacks were: our support of Israel, U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia, and sanctions against Iraq. The U.S. responded by launching the War on Terror and invaded Afghanistan. In May 2011, bin Laden was found and killed.

-War in Afghanistan

The U.S. responded to 9/11 by launching the War on Terror and invaded The Taliban was the leader of that country. We took them down very quickly. In the years that followed, we helped rebuild, set up a democracy, drafted a new constitution, and we are still there today.

We went to war in Afghanistan because Al Qaeda was training there. Afghanistan. In May 2011, bin Laden was found and killed.

-War in Iraq

Iraq war 2003-2011- called Operation Iraqi Freedom by the U.S. military. conflict that occured between us and Iraq, The U.S. and U.K. claimed that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction (WMD). This was a threat to our security. The UN found no evidence of WMD but believed that Husein was trying to get WMD from Africa. Due to the above intelligence, we invaded Iraq on March 20, 2003. After the Iraqi invasion, it was concluded the Iraq had ended its WMD program in 1991. The invasion of Iraq eventually led to Saddam Hussein being removed from power and later convicted and found guilty of war crimes. He was executed by his own people. other causes-Iraqi government human rights abuses, wanted to spread democracy to the country, and oil interests. Issues in Iraq after war-violence against coalition forces, civil war and sectarian forces, the emergence of Al-qada in Iraq, and Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse-2004.

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