US History and Government
1920s/Great Depression Review
1. What was Harding’s “Return to Normalcy?” to return to the preProgressive/WWI business time and practices = less government regulation of
businesses
2. What hurt the Harding Administration? Scandals such as the teapot dome
3. What was the guiding economic principle during the Coolidge administration?
Less government in business and more business in government- a laissez faire
(hands off) approach
4. What promoted consumerism in the 1920s? easy credit and advertisements
5. What were the characteristics of the “boom” years of the 1920s? a lot of spending,
economic growth and prosperity
6. What impact did the auto have on American life? New businesses, new roads,
more products, more freedom – especially for teenagers
7. What was Prohibition? Was it successful? Why/why not? The ban of sale, and
manufacturing of alcohol, it was successful in lowering the rate of drinking
because less drank, yet people would still illegally drank, smuggled in liquor from
other countries and allowed for the rise of organized crime….
8. What was the “Lost Generation?” Who were some of its authors? A group of
authors who were disgusted with the materialism of the Americans in the post
WWI era. Some authors were F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Earnest Hemmingway
9. Why did the Ku Klux Klan gain strength in the 1920s? Blacks were gaining
economic power and immigrants were moving into the north eastern cities and the
nativists opposed it
10. What were the significance of the Red Scare and the immigration quotas of the
1920s? It showed that America was intolerant of people with different beliefs
11. How did women change in the 1920s? they got the right to vote, changed social
behavior, changed clothing, dress styles
12. What was the significance of the Scopes Trial? It showed that science was
advancing and that many Americans were opposed to it (esp. Christian
fundamentalists)
13. What were the effects of the new production techniques? More jobs were
available, prices went down, more goods were available
14. Why did the stock market crash? Too many people bought on credit and brokers
and banks called back loans due to a low fiscal quarter
15. What conditions led to the Great Depression? the stock market crashed, buying on
margin, overproduction, bad global economic climate, large gap between the rich
and the poor
16. What was Hoover’s approach to the Great Depression? rugged individualism,
trickle down- did not want the Fed. Gov. to give direct relief to the people –
believed that the private charities and local gov.s should do this
17. What did FDR promise to do in the 1932 election about the Great Depression? no
specific promises, but offered America new deal that would change the
governments role on economy
18. What were the immediate goals of the New Deal? Faith in banks, and relief
19. What impact did the New Deal have on unemployment? Lessened it
20. What were some of the effects of the Great Depression? hopelessness, suicide,
waiting for marriage/brought extended families together….
21. Why did FDR have clashes with the Supreme Court over his New Deal programs?
Which were declared unconstitutional? They declared them unconstitutional
because the federal government was infringing on state power
22. What are some lasting impacts of the New Deal? Social security, FDIC, Security
and Exchange Commission
23. Why did the radio and film industries flourish in the 1930s? entertainment, escape
from the reality of the Depression
24. Why did some Americans criticize the New Deal? Some said it didn’t go far
enough, and some said it went too far
25. What was the Harlem Renaissance? The revival of black culture in N.Y.C. with
authors such as Countee Cullins, Langston Hughes, etc//
26. What was the Dust Bowl? The Dust Bowl was located in Oklahoma where their
was severe drought and farms were ruined
New Deal Programs To Know
Emergency Banking Act
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Tennessee Valley Authority
Agricultural Adjustment Act
Civilian Conservation Corps
Works Progress Administration
National Industrial Recovery Board
Securities and Exchange Commission
Wagner Act
Social Security Administration