The United States had risen above all countries after World War I only to fall to the worst economic crisis of its time in the late 1920’s during the Great Depression. In late October of 1929 the stock market crashed on Black Tuesday, marking the beginning of a worldwide depression, in five hours more than $10 billion disappeared, which is around $100 billion today. (Zinn, 788). However, the depression wasn’t spontaneously sparked by the stock market crash, the years leading to 1929 were a time of economic and political turmoil. The demand for American goods was beginning to decrease overseas, and Americans wages were too low to afford the goods themselves. “Sales of new autos and household consumer goods stagnated after 1926, European demand
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Roosevelt the democratic nomination for the 1932 election won the presidency with promises of a “New Deal” for the American people. The New Deal gave rise to new government agencies and laws enacted to help the people. The National Industrial recovery Act established the National Recovery Administration (NRA) which worked to create codes that set the standards for production, prices, and wages, in textile, steel, auto, and mining industries. (Foner, 801). It also made new government jobs such as the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) which “set young men to work on projects like forest preservation, flood control, and the improvement of national parks and wildlife preserves.” (801). Also the Agriculture Adjustment Act (AAA) attempted to increase the price of farms by making production quotas for crops and paying farmers not to plant more, this act only benefited property-owning farmers and left tenant farmers evicted from their land and forced to move. Although the New Deal seemed to be the answer, the supreme court had found many of the acts “unconstitutional” due to federal or congressional powers interfering with local legislation. The New Deal did little to help minorities. Thousands of Mexican-Americans were deported to Mexico, many U.S. born citizens. Indians were given schools on their reservations, but were condemned to poor living conditions. Some Blacks had been appointed to office due to Mrs. Roosevelt 's sympathy for them, but the majority of Blacks …show more content…
Minorities hoped their efforts in the war would create equality and civil liberties for themselves back home. In the war blacks were degraded and forced to be servants of the white army, washing clothes and dishes, digging trenches, and being victimized to discrimination. The Crises a Black newspaper at the time said “America is marching to war for the purpose of stopping brutalities overseas, but apparently our government does not choose to stop lynching within its own borders, or even within the borders of its army camps.” (Takaki, 29), after a black Private in the army Felix Hall was found hanging in a tree. Other minorities suffered as well, after the attack on Pearl Harbor Japanese citizens were weeded out of the population and put into internment camps. Time magazine had even put out an article depicting how to tell Japanese and Chinese apart. HOW TO TELL YOUR FRIENDS FROM THE JAPS: Virtually all Japanese are short. Japanese are like to be stockier and broader-hipped than short Chinese. Japenese are seldom fat; they often dry up and grow lean as they age. Although both have the typical epicanthic fold of the upper eyelid, Japanese eyes are usually set closer together… Japanese are hesitant, nervous in conversation, laugh loudly at the wrong times… (Takaki,
Roosevelt the democratic nomination for the 1932 election won the presidency with promises of a “New Deal” for the American people. The New Deal gave rise to new government agencies and laws enacted to help the people. The National Industrial recovery Act established the National Recovery Administration (NRA) which worked to create codes that set the standards for production, prices, and wages, in textile, steel, auto, and mining industries. (Foner, 801). It also made new government jobs such as the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) which “set young men to work on projects like forest preservation, flood control, and the improvement of national parks and wildlife preserves.” (801). Also the Agriculture Adjustment Act (AAA) attempted to increase the price of farms by making production quotas for crops and paying farmers not to plant more, this act only benefited property-owning farmers and left tenant farmers evicted from their land and forced to move. Although the New Deal seemed to be the answer, the supreme court had found many of the acts “unconstitutional” due to federal or congressional powers interfering with local legislation. The New Deal did little to help minorities. Thousands of Mexican-Americans were deported to Mexico, many U.S. born citizens. Indians were given schools on their reservations, but were condemned to poor living conditions. Some Blacks had been appointed to office due to Mrs. Roosevelt 's sympathy for them, but the majority of Blacks …show more content…
Minorities hoped their efforts in the war would create equality and civil liberties for themselves back home. In the war blacks were degraded and forced to be servants of the white army, washing clothes and dishes, digging trenches, and being victimized to discrimination. The Crises a Black newspaper at the time said “America is marching to war for the purpose of stopping brutalities overseas, but apparently our government does not choose to stop lynching within its own borders, or even within the borders of its army camps.” (Takaki, 29), after a black Private in the army Felix Hall was found hanging in a tree. Other minorities suffered as well, after the attack on Pearl Harbor Japanese citizens were weeded out of the population and put into internment camps. Time magazine had even put out an article depicting how to tell Japanese and Chinese apart. HOW TO TELL YOUR FRIENDS FROM THE JAPS: Virtually all Japanese are short. Japanese are like to be stockier and broader-hipped than short Chinese. Japenese are seldom fat; they often dry up and grow lean as they age. Although both have the typical epicanthic fold of the upper eyelid, Japanese eyes are usually set closer together… Japanese are hesitant, nervous in conversation, laugh loudly at the wrong times… (Takaki,