Deck 23: New Deal America, 1929-1939

Question 1

Herbert Hoover refused to involve the government in efforts to relieve the effects of economic depression.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

The Dust Bowl was a terrible drought across southern Arizona and New Mexico.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

During the Great Depression, a thousand Americans per day lost their homes to foreclosure.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

By 1935 the NRA had become unpopular.

Question 5

Which of the following statements regarding the American economy at the end of the 1920s in the years leading into the Great Depression is correct?

A)Hourly workers' wages had risen along with increased productivity.
B)Employers and business owners did not see any large profits.
C)Consumer spending increased too much.
D)Fewer workers were joining unions.
E)Factories and mills were not producing enough goods.

Question 6

At one point during the Great Depression, states passed laws prohibiting the employment of married women.

Question 7

Whereas the New Deal dramatically improved the lives of African Americans across the United States, it made life worse for Native Americans.

Question 8

The CCC addressed the problem of overcharging by doctors and others in the medical and health professions.

Question 9

Eleanor Roosevelt was a shy person who shunned attention, but she did much work behind the scenes to raise support for her husband's New Deal.

Question 10

An excellent example of the reckless speculation of the late 1920s was

A)avoiding investing in the stock market.
B)buying stock on margin.
C)saving money.
D)paying broker fees.
E)requiring that stockholders be licensed.

Question 11

FDR called the Social Security Act the most significant achievement of the New Deal.

Question 12

The AAA required farmers to donate surplus crops and livestock to feed the poor.

Question 13

Early in his presidency, Roosevelt ended Prohibition.

Question 14

Economists call a marked slowdown in economic growth a

A)recession.
B)decline.
C)slump.
D)collapse.
E)boom.

Question 15

By the end of 1936, the Supreme Court had proven itself an enemy of Roosevelt's New Deal.

Question 16

The Wagner Act helped dramatically boost union membership.

Question 17

Despite the New Deal, full recovery from the Depression did not come until the crisis of World War II.

Question 18

FDR made black civil rights a major priority, ordering that New Deal programs not practice racial discrimination.

Question 19

In the 1920s many investors bought stocks on margin-that is, with borrowed funds.

Question 20

Economists to this day debate the various factors that caused the Great Depression, but most stress that the factors were interrelated.

Question 21

Why did more than 1,000 economists warn against the Smoot-Hawley Tariff of 1930, which Hoover went on to sign anyway?

A)It would raise prices on most products and raw materials by impeding imports.
B)It was too low of a tariff and thereby would not have an effect on the economy.
C)It would allow international trade to flourish but destroy the American economy.
D)It would repair the German economy, leading to animosity from other European nations.
E)It would drastically raise the GDP and make it easier for European nations to afford American goods.

Question 22

President Hoover tried to balance the federal budget by passing the __________, but the plan was shortsighted and accelerated the economic slowdown.

A)Banking Act of 1933
B)Revenue Act of 1932
C)Hawley-Smoot Tariff of 1930
D)Emergency Banking Relief Act
E)Wagner Act

Question 23

The Reconstruction Finance Corporation was created to do what?

A)Buy houses that had been foreclosed on
B)Loan money to struggling banks, life-insurance companies, and railroads
C)Aid the hungry and organize subsidized lunch programs for schools
D)Provide shelter to the homeless and decrease the need for shantytowns
E)Provide jobs to the unemployed and control wages

Question 24

Which of the following statements about the extent of who the Great Depression affected is accurate?

A)Only the poor experienced a declining quality of life.
B)Only the rich experienced a declining quality of life.
C)The middle class was untouched by the Great Depression.
D)Business owners were the only people affected.
E)The Great Depression affected people of all classes and backgrounds.

Question 25

Roosevelt could identify with the poor and the suffering because

A)he was born into poverty and knew what financial hardship was like.
B)his wife Eleanor came from a poor background.
C)he had contracted polio and been left disabled.
D)the Great Depression had caused him to abandon his energetic, visionary nature.
E)he did not have political or public relations experience before becoming President.

Question 26

Which of the following statements regarding married women during the Great Depression is correct?

A)Married women often held the high-paying jobs of the period.
B)At the beginning of the Depression, married women were the first to be targeted by employers in layoffs.
C)As the Depression intensified, working married women came to be the primary targets of layoffs.
D)Married women luckily always had employed husbands to take care of them.
E)If laid off, married women could relax and take care of their families.

Question 27

According to your textbook, what was the initial response of the Hoover administration to the Great Depression?

A)The Hoover administration lowered taxes.
B)The Hoover administration lowered tariffs.
C)The Hoover administration provided food to the starving.
D)The Hoover administration sought foreign aid.
E)The Hoover administration denied the problem.

Question 28

Which of the following groups had the highest rate of joblessness in the early years of the Great Depression?

A)African Americans
B)Mexicans
C)Asians
D)whites
E)married women

Question 29

The majority of Dust Bowl refugees came from

A)the deep South, including Georgia and South Carolina.
B)southern Arizona and the valleys of central California.
C)dry, arid areas in Midwestern states such as Ohio and Illinois.
D)cotton belt communities in Arkansas, Texas, Missouri, and Oklahoma
E)industrial areas such as New York and Pennsylvania

Question 30

Which of the following statements regarding the effects of the Great Depression is accurate?

A)Hunger was widespread during the Great Depression.
B)Malnutrition was not a serious concern during the Great Depression.
C)Homelessness decreased during the Great Depression.
D)Despite lowered wages, unemployment levels remained relatively low.
E)By 1933, nearly all homeless Americans lived inside poorhouses.

Question 31

Who made up the so-called Bonus Expeditionary Force?

A)Big Business leaders
B)Members of state militias
C)World War I veterans
D)Out-of-work women
E)People left homeless by the Dust Bowl

Question 32

In response to the crises of the Great Depression, states deported hundreds of thousands of __________ and __________.

A)Filipino Americans; Chinese Americans
B)Japanese Americans; Chinese Americans
C)Filipino Americans; Mexican Americans
D)Mexican Americans; Chinese Americans
E)Mexican Americans; their American-born children

Question 33

President Hoover believed the best ways to help the needy during the Great Depression were __________ and __________.

A)lower taxes; lower interest rates
B)lower taxes; lower tariffs
C)socialism; Communism
D)self-reliance; voluntarism
E)Federal programs; higher taxes

Question 34

Which of the following actions was part of President Roosevelt's three-pronged strategy during his first hundred days in office?

A)Waiting to offer relief to the unemployed until most of his reforms had gone into effect
B)Forbidding unions from playing a part in economic recovery
C)Paying farmers "subsidies" to raise commodity prices
D)Aiding European governments abroad
E)Reforming the global economy to prevent another Great Depression

Question 35

As farm productivity __________, farmers earned __________ from their crops.

A)increased; less
B)decreased; more
C)increased; more
D)stagnated; more
E)stalled; more

Question 36

What did Franklin Delano Roosevelt do throughout the presidential campaign of 1932?

A)He defended Herbert Hoover and other Republicans regarding their role in the Depression.
B)He stated he was unwilling to create any short-term deficits, even in the name of reviving the economy.
C)He promised to stick with traditions within government rather than experimentation.
D)He refused to convey hope to the American public due to the gravity of the times.
E)He repeatedly promised a bold new deal for the American people.

Question 37

When the Great Depression broke out, the American federal government had __________ programs in place to deal with homelessness and joblessness.

A)no
B)a few funded
C)only some specialized
D)many broad
E)thousands of

Question 38

Which of the following states was among those hardest hit by the Dust Bowl?

A)Indiana
B)Colorado
C)Idaho
D)California
E)Arizona

Question 39

Because of the actions of the Federal Reserve, the American money supply __________ in the period from 1929 to 1932.

A)doubled
B)tripled
C)quadrupled
D)stayed the same
E)shrank

Question 40

Which of the following statements regarding Europe's role in the Great Depression is accurate?

A)The Great Depression was a strictly American event.
B)Many European nations had not recovered from World War I and had high debts.
C)The United States had to borrow money from Germany after World War I.
D)Germany was in a strong financial position after World War I.
E)America owed many European nations money in the aftermath of World War I.

Question 41

The Louisiana native known as the "Kingfish" who criticized President Roosevelt was

A)Huey P.Long.
B)Francis E.Townsend.
C)Charles E.Coughlin.
D)Harry Hopkins.
E)Henry A.Wallace.

Question 42

The Supreme Court in Schechter Poultry Corporation v.United States ruled that

A)President Roosevelt should be given more federal authority to enact the New Deal.
B)President Roosevelt should end the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).
C)the Agricultural Adjustment Administration (AAA) was unconstitutional.
D)Congress had given Roosevelt too much authority in labor relations.
E)the minimum wage in the United States needed to be raised.

Question 43

The Twenty-First Amendment, passed in 1933, allowed

A)American women to vote.
B)Americans to drink alcohol again.
C)Americans to peacefully assemble.
D)Americans to avoid military service.
E)Native Americans to vote.

Question 44

Which of the following is true of the Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA)?

A)It prevented Americans from wasting food and crops and increased the number of livestock.
B)It allowed hundreds of thousands of tenant farmers and sharecroppers to return to the land to increase production.
C)It froze the prices of farm products and did not require new taxes.
D)It provided federal subsidies to farmers who cut farm production to raise crop prices for all.
E)It lowered food prices to help unemployed Americans feed their families.

Question 45

What did the Securities and Exchange Commission do?

A)It allowed for unlicensed stock brokers.
B)It set up the Wall Street Stock Exchange.
C)It regulated the trading and issuance of stocks and bonds.
D)It instituted a four day bank holiday.
E)It made speculation illegal.

Question 46

The Townsend Plan targeted aid toward which segment of the American population during the Great Depression?

A)African Americans
B)Senior citizens
C)Native Americans
D)Mexican Americans
E)Women

Question 47

Which of the following correctly describes the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)?

A)It guaranteed that deposits in savings accounts remained secure.
B)It helped homeowners refinance their mortgages to avoid bankruptcy.
C)It hired young people to perform reforestation and conservation work.
D)It resulted in the creation of the Bonus Expeditionary Force.
E)It was of the least successful New Deal programs.

Question 48

Which of the following did the Second New Deal focus on?

A)A reduction in taxes on the wealthy
B)Preparations for the Second World War
C)Industry reforms
D)Increased taxes for the middle class
E)Programs to aid the old and infirm

Question 49

What did the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 do?

A)It prevented tribes from having constitutions or expanding women's rights.
B)It promoted tribal self-government.
C)It greatly improved the lives of Native Americans.
D)It forced Native Americans to assimilate into white society.
E)It prevented the Bureau of Indian Affairs from interfering in internal Indian matters.

Question 50

The purpose of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) was to

A)help America's urban youth.
B)aid America's senior citizens.
C)employ out-of-work Americans.
D)help farmers keep their farms.
E)protect unions and union members.

Question 51

Which of the following statements characterizes Eleanor Roosevelt as First Lady?

A)She promoted social reform and was an outspoken activist.
B)She considered hosting events in the White House her most important role.
C)She shied away from public speaking but sat in on important meetings.
D)She divorced Roosevelt and renounced the role of First Lady.
E)She wanted to have as little influence as possible and focused on supporting her husband.

Question 52

Which of the following statements regarding African Americans and the New Deal is correct?

A)Eleanor Roosevelt used her role to promote racial segregation and prejudice against African Americans.
B)Although met with resistance, President Roosevelt put in enormous effort to help eliminate existing American racism.
C)The New Deal greatly helped African Americans, especially through programs such as the AAA and the FHA.
D)Even in the later years of the New Deal, African Americans were forbidden from holding any government positions.
E)Many New Deal programs discriminated against African Americans, because President Roosevelt feared angering conservative Southern Democrats..

Question 53

The purpose of the Emergency Banking Relief Act was to

A)restore confidence in American banks.
B)provide money to those who lost it in the stock market collapse.
C)save money by shutting down the federal government.
D)lend federal money to banks in trouble.
E)give the Treasury time to print more paper currency.

Question 54

Which of the following statements about the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is accurate?

A)It focused on providing equal opportunities for African Americans in the workforce.
B)Like the CCC, it was considered a failure and resulted in the end of the New Deal.
C)It was established to enforce Prohibition laws in poor parts of the country.
D)It brought flood control, reforestation, jobs, and hydroelectric power to Appalachia.
E)It discouraged the formation of unions in southern states.

Question 55

The first large-scale federal experiment with work relief was

A)the Works Progress Administration (WPA).
B)the Civil Works Administration (CWA).
C)the Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA).
D)the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
E)Social Security.

Question 56

The __________ guaranteed customer savings accounts in banks up to $2,500 and thereby made future panics less likely.

A)Emergency Banking Act
B)Securities and Exchange Commission
C)Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
D)Tennessee Valley Authority
E)Economy Act

Question 57

Which of the following was true of the National Recovery Act (NRA)?

A)Its primary purpose was to aggressively enforce anti-trust laws.
B)It forbid the government from playing a role in setting prices for products.
C)It limited workers' collective bargaining rights, causing unions to decrease in prominence.
D)It allowed major industries to draft "codes of fair competition" and create fair labor standards.
E)It required that individuals in poverty be given cash or a "dole."

Question 58

"Radio priest" and Roosevelt critic Charles E.Coughlin created the __________ in 1935.

A)Share-the-Wealth Society
B)Townsend Plan
C)National Union for Social Justice
D)National Labor Relations Board
E)Economy Act

Question 59

According to your textbook, Roosevelt's early higher taxes of the first New Deal were often criticized by __________ and __________.

A)farmers; Democrats
B)farmers; Populists
C)business leaders; political conservatives
D)Populists; whites
E)Native Americans; Democrats

Question 60

The infamous Alabama court case that convicted nine black boys of raping two white women on flimsy evidence is the case of the __________ boys.

A)Jonesboro
B)Scottsboro
C)Potomac
D)Alabama
E)Wright

Question 61

In his second presidential election in 1936, Democrat Franklin Roosevelt

A)received very few of the votes cast by African Americans.
B)barely won over Huey Long.
C)won in another landslide victory.
D)lost support in the West, but still won the election.
E)gained support among business owners and the wealthy.

Question 62

Describe the gains made by labor during the New Deal.

Question 63

Explain how Franklin D.Roosevelt attempted to win support of the American people for his leadership during the economic crisis of the Great Depression.

Question 64

Franklin Roosevelt and the New Dealers went beyond the progressivism of Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson by

A)insisting that the government provide at least a minimal level of support for all Americans.
B)focusing primarily on aggressive regulation of industry to ensure that people had equal opportunities.
C)successfully restoring prosperity and ending record levels of unemployment after the Great Depression.
D)limiting social welfare programs as well as cutting back on the powers granted to the federal government.
E)becoming socialists and seeking to undo the capitalist economic structure of the United States.

Question 65

Because the Great Depression was especially hard on American senior citizens and those with disabilities, the Second New Deal included the

A)Agricultural Adjustment Act.
B)Social Security Act.
C)Wagner Act.
D)National Industrial Recovery Act.
E)Wealth-Tax Act.

Question 66

Although the New Deal programs helped ease the devastation wrought by the Depression, some widespread human suffering continued.Discuss this suffering and the hardships Americans still faced.

Question 67

Write an essay exploring the three phases of the federal government's efforts to combat the Great Depression.Summarize the strategies, tactics, and results of each phase.

Question 68

In 1937, President Roosevelt tried to add six new justices to the Supreme Court.Why?

A)He wanted to mount a coup.
B)He wanted to change the court's makeup to aid his policies.
C)He did not trust the justices already in place.
D)Congress gave him that right.
E)He believed the existing justices were overworked.

Question 69

The __________ raised the tax rates on annual income of more than $50,000 during the Second New Deal.

A)Agricultural Adjustment Act
B)Wagner Tax
C)Revenue Act of 1935
D)National Tax Act of 1935
E)Recovery Tax Act of 1936

Question 70

Explain the main factors that contributed to the Great Depression in 1929 and compare and contrast the responses President Hoover and President Roosevelt crafted to combat the depression.

Question 71

What did the so-called Wagner Act do?

A)It regulated the stock market.
B)It protected American homeowners.
C)It worked to end unions in America.
D)It guaranteed American workers the right to organize.
E)It protected the civil rights of African Americans.

Question 72

This labor leader headed the United Mine Workers and supported President Roosevelt's Second New Deal.

A)Huey Long
B)Francis Townsend
C)Frances Perkins
D)John L.Lewis
E)Harry Hopkins

Question 73

Describe the impact of the Great Depression on society, paying special attention to its effect on various population groups such as women, African Americans, Mexicans, and Asians.

Question 74

The first woman cabinet member in American history was

A)Eleanor Roosevelt.
B)Dorothea Dix.
C)Frances Perkins.
D)Mary McLeod Bethune.
E)Marion Anderson.

Question 75

Describe the various measures that President Roosevelt undertook in his first term to help relieve the human misery in America.

Question 76

Trace the election of 1932.How did each party settle on its respective nominee, and what was the result of the election?

Question 77

How did the nation's perceptions of the role of government-its powers and responsibilities-change in the 1930s?

Question 78

Write an essay discussing the major criticisms aimed at the New Deal.In what way, if any, were those criticisms handled?