Embedded Files
Unit 2 Overview
The period of 1914-1945 marked America's transition from rising industrial power to world superpower. At the outbreak of WWI, America enriched itself from the European war, but as the slaughter became immense, the US began lending money exclusively to the Allied Powers, on whose behalf it entered the war in 1917. The American public, perhaps disgusted with the senselessness of WWI or perhaps because of the disastrous Versailles Treaty, retreated into isolationism during the 1920's and 1930's. After the Stock Market crashed in 1929, for three years the American public watched as both the domestic economy and the world economy fell apart, and they eventually elected Franklin Roosevelt when he promised a "New Deal" for the American People.
The years 1932-1940 represented a massive change in the role of government in the life of its citizens as the New Deal relief programs fundamentally changed American society and government. With the outbreak of WWII, as FDR guided America into becoming the "arsenal of democracy", the size of American government continued to increase. By 1945, America was the premier global superpower and Americans had become used to a government that now had significant control of the economy, industry, and played a much bigger role in society.
Unit Essay 1914-1945: America's New Deal
In order to get credit for this project, you must write an essay on the following topic:
America's New DealIn the period 1914-1945, America participated in two global, total wars, and responded to the ordeal of the Depression with a "New Deal" between the state and the citizen. Both the New Deal Programs and the war effort in both WWI and WWII caused national government expenditure and national debt to balloon while greatly expanding the scope and role of government. Prior to the world wars and the Depression, American federal government interfered little in the national economy, controlled few industries, and played only a limited role in social programs, yet by 1945, big government had arrived in America and was here to stay.
Looking at legislation enacted in this period, write an essay of 600 or more words explaining how the national government's role in the economy, industry, and society changed as a result of this era. How had the wars and the Depression changed the nature of government in the US?
Helpful links:
Economy:
Office of Price Administration
Industry:
National Industrial Recovery Act
Society:
National Industrial Recovery Act
Fair Employment Practices Commission
Unit Videos:
The Century Part 2, Shell Shock (45:00)
The Century Part 3, Boom and Bust (45:00)
The Century Part 4, Stormy Weather (45:00)
The Century Part 5, Over the Edge (45:00)
The Century Part 6, Civilians at War (45:00)
The Century Part 7, Homefront (45:00)
Unit Lectures:
US Government B Unit 2 Essay Class
Primary Sources:
US Government B Unit 2 Key Terms
For this project you must define the terms listed below and explain each term's significance to the unit/era being studied. Your definition should be 2-3 sentences long and may be copied and pasted from a source like Wikipedia, but the significance of the term must be in your own words and based on your own understanding. To fill out a term's significance, ask yourself, "Why is this item included in my study of this unit? Why is this term in a history book?" The answer to this question is your term's significance.
Unit 2 Key Terms:
1. 14 Points
2. Espionage Act of 1917/Sedition Act of 1918
3. War Industries Board
4. Reconstruction Finance Corporation
5. Emergency Quota Act of 1921
6. Election of 1932
7. New Deal
8. Emergency Banking Relief Act
9. Federal Emergency Relief Act
10. Agricultural Adjustment Act
11. Glass Steagall Act
12. National Industrial Recovery Act
13. National Housing Act
14. Social Security Act
15. Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
16. National Labor Relations Act
17. War Production Board
18. Office of Price Administration
19. War Labor Board
20. Fair Employees Practices Commission
Below is an example of a key term done with the proper format:
William the Conqueror: William I (c. 1028[2] – 9 September 1087), also known as William the Conqueror (Guillaume le Conquérant), was the first Norman King of England from Christmas 1066 until his death. He was also Duke of Normandy from 3 July 1035 until his death, under the name William II. Before his conquest of England, he was known as William the Bastard because of the illegitimacy of his birth.To press his claim to the English crown, William invaded England in 1066, leading an army of Normans, Bretons, Flemings, and Frenchmen (from Paris andÎle-de-France) to victory over the English forces of King Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings, and suppressed subsequent English revolts in what has become known as the Norman Conquest.[3] (I copied and pasted this definition from Wikipedia)
Significance: William the Conqueror is significant because his conquest of England created the first nation state in Europe. His rearrangement of English feudal territories to give himself dramatically more power than the the barons and nobles around him caused him to be the most powerful monarch in Europe and eventually led to the rise of other nation states over the next few centuries. (These are my words based on my knowledge of English and European history.)
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