US History May Notes

Read page 532-549 and page 558-562 Pg 542 # 2 and 4, Pg 549 # 1 and Analyze Political Cartoon, Pg 562 # 3 and 5

Pg 542 

• Q2) Compare and Contrast the political philosophies of Herbert Hoover and Franklin D. Roosevelt regarding economic relief during the Great Depression.

• A2) Hoover's approach was to do nothing and let the problem fix itself. FDR's approach was the New Deal, which gave people jobs, food, money, etc. President Herbert Hoover described the New Deal as “the most stupendous invasion of the whole spirit of liberty” in the nation’s history. Robert Taft, the son of former President William Howard Taft and a leading Republican in Congress, believed that Roosevelt’s programs threatened individual freedom.

• Q4) Compare Points of View Explain why the Tennessee Valley Authority received support from some Americans and criticism from others.

• A4) The Tennessee Valley Authority received support from some Americans because they built a series of dams in the Tennessee River valley to control floods and to generate electric power. The agency also replanted forests and built fertilizer plants. These projects created jobs and attracted industry with the promise of cheap power. However, they received criticism from others because it gave the government direct control of an industry. Private power companies complained that they could not compete with the TVA, because the agency paid no taxes. 

Pg 549

• Q1) Compare and Contrast Discuss the similarities and differences between the first phase of the New Deal and the second phase.

• A1) The Second New Deal was focused on economic recovery. The emphasis was to guarantee that Americans would be protected against unemployment and poverty. Roosevelt established the WPA, giving millions of Americans jobs constructing bridges, pools, stadiums, roads, and such. The WPA also sent out many artists to paint buildings and paint murals. During the Second New Deal, the Social Security Act was established. That ensured unemployment insurance, aid to elderly and disabled, and aid to families. It launched the welfare state and provided health coverage and income assistance.

• Q) In this cartoon, what does the artist suggest is the relationship of the new Supreme Court Justices to President Roosevelt? What does Uncle Sam’s reaction suggest?

• A) The packed court is acting like a group of puppets to President Roosevelt. This artist suggests that the new Supreme Court Justices are all controlled by President Roosevelt. Uncle Sam’s reaction suggests that this is not what he is expecting from America since he is confused. The America that is expected is a country that people have a say in the government, not one where everything is controlled by the president. 

Pg 562

• Q3) Compare Points of View Explain why some people criticized the New Deal’s federal arts programs while others defended them.

• A3)  Some members of Congress warned of negative impacts of the Federal Art, Writers’ and Theatre programs, fearing that they promoted radical values. Eleanor Roosevelt and others defended the programs on the grounds that they did not “believe in censoring anything.” Nonetheless, congressional support for the programs declined. 

• Q5) Make Generalizations Explain why John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath achieved so much success during the 1930s.

• A5) John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath achieved so much success during the 1930s since it reflected some of the issues and characteristics of their unique times. It is about the fictional Joad family from their home in Oklahoma, which has been ravaged by Dust Bowl conditions, to California, where they hope to build a better life. But instead of the Promised Land, the Joads encounter exploitation, disease, hunger, and political corruption. Instead of glorifying the circumstances, he writes about the terrible conditions that are faced. This is a more realistic take on the situation. 

Read Page 585-600 Pg 593 # 2 and 5 Pg 600 # 2 and 5

Pg 593 # 2 and 5

• Q2) Compare and Contrast the contributions of Generals George Marshall and Douglas MacArthur during the first months of the war.

• A2) General George Marshall directed the military build up from coordinating and training troops to overseeing the manufacturing and delivery of all the necessary supplies. He also organized as well as prioritized the military needs. General Douglas MacArthur was the commander of the United States Army forces in East Asia who struggled to hold the US position in the Philippines. MacArthur and his troops fell back from Manila to the Bataan Peninsula. He was ordered by Rooselvelt to leave to take command of the army in the Southwest Pacific. 

• Q5) Make Predictions What did the Bataan Death March foreshadow about the war in the Pacific?

• A5) The Bataan Death March was the name of the grueling journey where the Japanese troops forced the sick and malnourished prisoners of war to march more than 60 miles inland. It foreshadowed that Japan had no intention to follow the rules set out in the Geneva convention and other international agreements about the treatment of prisoners of war and wounded soldiers. 

Pg 600 # 2 and 5

• Q2) Draw Conclusions Why was the Battle of Stalingrad a turning point in the European war?

• A2) The Battle of Stalingrad was a turning point in the European War because it ended any realistic plans Hitler had of dominating the entire continent. The Nazis were forced to retreat westward back towards Germany. The Soviet Union was not on the offensive. 

• Q5) Apply Concepts How does the Battle of Midway illustrate the importance of intelligence gathering and espionage in modern warfare?

• A5) The Battle of Midway illustrates the importance of intelligence gathering and espionage in modern warfare since American torpedo planes and dive bombers were able to sink four Japanese aircraft carriers, along with all 250 aircrafts on board. This included many of Japan’s most experienced pilots. From this point on, Japanese forces would never again threaten Hawaii or dominate the Pacific, it was on the defensive. 

Read page 601-617 Pg 608 # 1 and 5 Pg 617 # 2 and 5

Pg 608 # 1 and 5

• Q1) Identify Central Issues What were some positive effects of the war on the U.S. economy?

• A1) One positive effect of the war on the US economy was the increased opportunities in employment. In the US, the industry quickly converted to war production to meet the nation’s military needs. The economic effects brought the Great Depression to an end. Millions of unemployed men joined the military, or worked to produce food for the world, or worked in factories that made war material. 

• Q5) Make Predictions How did the U.S. government deal with Japanese Americans during the war? How did they respond?

• A5) The US government dealt with Japanese Americans during the war by putting the majority into internment camps. FDR issued the executive order 9066, that designated those certain areas as war zones from which anyone might be removed for any reason. Many Japanese Americans were forced to sell their property at a loss and allowed to take only necessary items. The war department then initiated a policy of internment, or temporary imprisonment of the Japanese American in a camp. They responded by going to court and seeking their rights. The government then offered an apology as well as payments to surviving internees. 

Pg 617 # 2 and 5

• Q2) Draw Conclusions On what issues did Stalin, Roosevelt, and Churchill disagree?

• A2) Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin argued over when they would start a second front in France. Soviet troops had done most of the fighting in Europe. Stalin insisted that Britain and the United States carry more of the military burden by attacking Germany in the west, thereby forcing Germany to divide its troops. Roosevelt sympathized with Stalin’s position, but Churchill hesitated and delayed since he was not anxious to see history repeat itself. He argued that the German U-boat presence was too great in the English Channel and that the Allies needed more equipment, more landing craft, and better-trained soldiers.

• Q5) Make Predictions What were the consequences of the decision to bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki?

• A5) The consequences of the decision to bomb Hiroshima was that within two minutes, more than 60,000 of the 344,000 residents were dead or missing. The consequence of the decision to bomb Nagasaki was that 35,000 residents were killed.