1920s and The New Deal Era

• These notes cover terms related to the 1920s and the New Deal era

The Hundred Days

• This refers to the first few months of Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency in 1933
• During this period, FDR implemented a series of significant policies and programs aimed at addressing the Great Depression

Speakeasy

• An illegal establishment that sold alcoholic beverages during the Prohibition era in the United States (1920-1933)

Bootleggers

• Individuals who illegally produced, smuggled, or sold alcoholic beverages during Prohibition

Speculation

• The practice of engaging in risky financial transactions, often involving stocks, with the hope of making a quick or large profit
• It was a contributing factor to the stock market crash of 1929

Franklin D. Roosevelt

• The 32nd President of the United States (1933-1945)
• He is known for his New Deal policies in response to the Great Depression and his leadership during World War II

Dust Bowl

• An ecological and economic disaster that affected the Great Plains region of the United States during the 1930s
• It caused by drought, poor farming practices, and high winds, resulting in massive dust storms and agricultural devastation

Red Scare

• A period of intense anti-communist suspicion and fear in the United States, particularly after World War I and following World War II
• It led to widespread persecution and suppression of suspected communists and radicals

Hoovervilles

• Shantytowns or makeshift settlements built by homeless and unemployed people during the Great Depression
• They were named after President Herbert Hoover, who was widely blamed for the economic crisis

Prohibition

• A nationwide constitutional ban on the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages in the United States from 1920 to 1933

Black Tuesday

• October 29, 1929, the day the stock market crashed, marking the beginning of the Great Depression

Hawley-Smoot Tariff Act

• A law enacted in 1930 that raised tariff rates on thousands of imported goods
• It was intended to protect American industries but ended up hindering international trade and worsening the Great Depression

Great Depression

• The most severe economic downturn in modern history, lasting from 1929 to the late 1930s
• It was characterized by widespread unemployment, poverty, and bank failures

Scopes "Monkey" Trial

• A famous 1925 legal case in which a high school teacher, John Scopes, was accused of violating Tennessee law by teaching evolution
• It highlighted the conflict between science and religion in American society

Mass Production

• The manufacturing of large quantities of standardized products, often using assembly line techniques
• Henry Ford's application of mass production to automobile manufacturing revolutionized industry

Sacco & Vanzetti

• Two Italian immigrants, Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, who were controversially convicted and executed in 1927 for robbery and murder
• The case sparked widespread debate about nativism, anti-immigrant sentiment, and the fairness of the justice system

Langston Hughes

• A prominent African American poet, novelist, playwright, and social activist
• One of the leaders of the Harlem Renaissance

"Return to Normalcy"

• A phrase used by Warren G. Harding during his 1920 presidential campaign
• It reflected a desire for a return to pre-World War I stability and traditional values

Isolationism

• A foreign policy approach in which a country avoids involvement in international alliances, conflicts, and economic relations

Henry Ford

• An American industrialist and founder of the Ford Motor Company
• He is known for his development of the assembly line and mass production techniques

Fireside Chats

• A series of informal radio addresses given by Franklin D. Roosevelt to the American people during his presidency
• FDR explained policies and reassured the public during the Great Depression and World War II

New Deal

• A set of programs and policies enacted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the United States between 1933 and 1939 to address the Great Depression

Bank Holiday

• A temporary shutdown of banks to stabilize the banking system during a financial crisis
• FDR declared one early in his presidency to address the banking crisis of the Great Depression

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)

• A federal agency created in 1933 to insure deposits in banks and thrift institutions
• It was established to restore confidence in the banking system during the Great Depression

Tennessee Valley Authority

• A federal agency created in 1933 to provide navigation, flood control, electricity generation, fertilizer manufacturing, and economic development in the Tennessee Valley, a region particularly affected by the Great Depression

Wagner Act

• Officially known as the National Labor Relations Act
• A law enacted in 1935 that guaranteed workers the right to organize unions, collectively bargain with employers, and engage in strikes
• It established the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to oversee labor relations

Notes covering terms related to the 1920s and the New Deal era. It includes topics, such as The Hundred Days, speakeasies, bootleggers, speculation, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and the Dust Bowl. These notes provide insight into a transformative period in American history.