Chapter 32: The Politics of Boom and Bust

1. Chapter 32: The Politics of Boom and Bust 1920-1932

2. The Republican “Old Guard” Returns • Describe Warren G. Harding’s appearance. • What was Harding’s major fault? • How was Harding different than Washington? • Who were the three “best minds” of the Republican party and what roles did they play in Harding’s administration? • Who were the worst minds in Harding’s administration and what roles did they play? • GOP Reaction at the Throttle • How did Harding’s administration feel about progressive reform? • What was the goal of the Old Guard in relation to laissez-faire policy and how did they achieve this goal? • Describe Harding’s impact on the Supreme Court. • What was the outcome of Adkins v. Children’s Hospital and why was it significant? • How were corporations treated during this time period? • What did big industrialists do under Harding’s administration and who encouraged them?

3. The Aftermath of War • What happened to progressive hopes after the War Industries Board disappeared? • What was the purpose of the Esch-Cummins Transportation Act of 1920 and what new philosophy did it reflect? • Describe the Merchant Marine Act of 1920 and the Shipping Board. • How did unions fair under Harding and why? • Why was the Veteran’s Bureau created? • What is the American Legion and what did they want from the government? • What happened with the Bonus Bill of 1922 and the Adjusted Compensation Act of 1924? • America Seeks Benefits Without Burdens • How did American finally end the war in 1921? • How did Harding respond to the League of Nations? • While isolationism was a major theme of the time period, in what area of the world was Harding interested? • Why did Harding finally decide to seize the initiative of disarmament? • What was the purpose of the Washington Disarmament Conference and who was invited? • What was the arrangement Secretary Hughes proposed regarding the US, Britain and Japan? • How did the Five-Power Treaty differ from Hughes’ original proposal? • What were the provisions of the Four-Power Treaty? • What was the purpose of the Nine-Power Treaty? • Why was the concept of world disarmament illusionary? • Describe the Kellogg-Briand Pact and why was it delusory?

4. Hiking the Tariff Higher • Why did business people want to raise the tariff? • What were the provisions of the Fordney-McCumber Tariff Law of 1922? • How did Harding and Coolidge use the provisions in the Fordney-McCumber Tariff? • What was the chain reaction set off by the higher tariff rates. • How did Europe respond to US tariff rates? • The Stench of Scandal • Who was Colonel Charles R. Forbes and what did he do? • Describe the Teapot Dome Scandal. • What was the outcome of the Teapot Dome Scandal? • How did the US population respond to the scandal? • What happened to Attorney General Daugherty during Harding’s term. • What happened to Harding after the scandals broke? • What was Harding’s main weakness?

5. “Silent Cal” Coolidge • Describe the swearing in of Coolidge. • What was “Silent Cal” known for? • How did Coolidge feel about business? • Coolidge agreed with Mellon on what policies and why? • In what ways were American morals being dulled by prosperity? • Frustrated Farmers • Describe the boom-or-bust cycle in relation to farming. • What revolutions were happening on American farms during this time period and why was this problematic? • Describe the Capper-Volstead Act and the McNary-Haugen Bill.

6. A Three-Way Race for the White House in 1924 • Who was the Republican candidate for the election of 1924? • What were some issues within the democratic party during this time period? • How was the KKK related to this election? • Who did the Democrats elect? • Why was the field open for a liberal candidate and who stepped up in that spot? • What was the platform of the new Progressive party? • What was the outcome of the election of 1924? • Foreign-Policy Flounderings • What was Coolidge’s main foreign policy? • How did the US’s dealings with Latin America differ from their foreign policy strategy with the rest of the world? • Describe the issue with international debts. • Why was the 10 billion dollars the US loaned the allies the biggest issue for the US at this time period?

7. Unraveling the Debt Knot • How did the US attempting to get their money impact Germany? • How did Coolidge respond to the idea of debt cancellation? • Describe the Dawes Plan of 1924. • How did European nations feel about the US after they attempted the Dawes Plan? • The Triumph of Herbert Hoover, 1928 • What was Hoover’s platform and how did the masses feel about him? • What were the major strikes against Alfred Smith (the Democratic candidate)? • How did radio impact that candidates? • In what ways was Hoover and American success story? • How did Hoover’s time abroad shape his views on America? • In what area was Hoover very successful? • Why was Hoover the ideal candidate for business people? • Describe the campaign of 1928. • Why didn’t the South vote for Smith? • What was the outcome of the election of 1928?

8. President Hoover’s First Moves • During the time of prosperity who comprised the two major groups that were not prosperous? • What was the purpose of the Agricultural Marketing Act? • What were the two corporations established by the Farm Board and what happened to them? • What had Hoover promised to do during his campaign? • What happened to the Hawley-Smoot Tariff of 1930 by the time is got through the Senate? • How did the rest of the world respond to the Hawley-Smoot Tariff? • The Great Crash Ends the Golden Twenties • What industries were prosperous and why was this problematic? • How did Hoover attempt to curb speculation and was he successful? • What triggered the crash of October 1929? • Describe Black Tuesday. • Describe the losses for stockholders. • What happened after the stock market crash in American and abroad? • Describe life for many families during the depression.

9. Hooked on the Horn of Plenty • What was the basic cause of the Great Depression? • What was happening to money during this time period? • How did buying on credit and new technology impact the Depression? • What was happening in Europe during this time period and how did it impact the US? • What was happening in the Mississippi Valley during this time period? • How did people survive during the Great Depression? • What were “Hoovervilles”? • Rugged Times for Rugged Individualists • What happened to Hoover’s popularity during this time period? • What was Hoover’s major internal conflict and how did he decide to deal with the depression? • When did Hoover change his mind about the national government helping people? • Describe Hoover’s trickle down theory. • How did critics respond to Hoover’s trickle down theory? • What were some positive aspects of Hoover’s theory?

10. Hoover Battles the Great Depression • Why did Hoover want to secure money for public works projects? • What was the purpose of the Hoover Dam? • Describe the Muscle Shoals Bill and why Hoover vetoed it. • What was the purpose of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation and how did this reflect Hoover’s belief about individualism? • Why was the RFC dubbed the ‘millionaire’s dole’? • Describe the purpose of the Norris-La Guardia Anti-Injunction Act of 1932. • How did Hoover differ from previous presidents in his dealings with financial crisis. • What was happening in congress at this time period? • Routing the Bonus Army in Washington • What did veterans want? • Describe the Bonus Expedition Force and what happened in Washington once they got there. • How did Hoover deal with the veterans who wouldn’t leave? • How did the public respond to Hoover after the incident and how did this impact his possible re-election?

11. Japanese Militarists Attack China • What allowed Japan to attack China and what did they provide as their justification? • How did American respond to Japan’s attack on China and how did the American public want to respond? • What did Japan’s attack on China violate? • Why was the League of Nations handicapped in their response to Japan? • Describe the Stimson doctrine. • How did Japan respond to the Stimson doctrine? • How did the American public respond to the bombing of Shanghai? • What did the issue between Japan and China foreshadow? • Hoover Pioneers the Good Neighbor Policy • Describe Hoover’s transportation during his Latin American tour. • Why did economic imperialism become less prevalent during the 1930s and how did this impact Latin America? • What negotiations did Hoover make with Haiti and Nicaragua?