ACE Class Report #70: US History 1898 – 1933.
Begin: 8/18/2024
Finish: 10/31/2024
Title: US History 1898 – 1933.
Instructor: Rodrigo Santos.
Why I choose to take this class:
History of the US from 1898 to 1923 after the civil war to the great depression. To understand the evolution of laws and reforms for the country. The conflicts and expansion of the country.
What I learned from this class:
Facts in Brief: (1898-1933)
Presidents:
William McKinley Republican 1897-1901
Theodore Roosevelt Republican 1901-1909
William H Taft Republican 1909-1913
Woodrow Wilson Democrat 1913-1921
Warren G Harding Republican 1921-1923
Calvin Coolidge Republican 1923-1929
Herbert C. Hoover Republican 1929-1932
Delano Roosevelt Democrat 1932-1945
Important Dates:
1898 – The US defeated Spain in the Spanish American war.
1913 – The 16th Amendment gave the Federal Government the power to levy an income tax.
1914 – World War I Began in Europe.
1917-1918 – US fought in World War I.
1920 – US Senate Rejected US Participation in the League of Nations.
1920 – The 18th Amendment, prohibiting the sale of alcohol beverage nationwide.
1925 – The golden age of Radio Broadcasting began.
1927 – Charles Lindberg- solo flight across Atlantic.
1929 – The Stock Market crash.
1930s – US Suffered through the Great Depression.
The long process of settling the US from Coast to coast drew to a close after the civil war. The settlement of the West brought an end to the American Indian way of life. Farmers occupied and fenced in much of the land. They slaughtered the buffalo herd which the Indians depended for survival. Some Indians retaliated against the white, the Federal Government sent in soldiers to crush the Indians. The Spanish-American war of 1898, US quickly defeated Spain and ended in the Treaty of Paris Dec. 10, 1898. US received Guam, Puerto Rico and Philippines from Spain. In 1898 US annexed Hawaii at the urging of sugar cane planters.
Strong Spirit of Reforms:
Swept through the US from 1800’s to 1900. By 1917 the reformers have brought about many changes. In 1886-the AFL-CIO – American Federation of Labor – Congress of Industrial Organization to gain better wages and working conditions for workers. The drive for woman suffrage to promote woman right to vote in 1869, in Wyoming, other states followed suit. In 1920 the 19th Amendment gave women complete suffrage. In 1887 Interstate Commerce Act – to eliminate unfair business practice an to ensure reasonable and just shipping rates for Interstate Railroad. However, the Federal Government seldom enforce them in practice before 1900. The first three presidents after the 1900 – Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft and Woodrow Wilson supported certain reform laws.
Theodore Roosevelt:
Became president in 1901. He won fame as a ‘Trust Buster’. He filed suit in 1908, broke up John D Rockefeller’s Standard Oil Company in 1911 to more than 40 companies. In 1902 aided miner labor in strike for better wages and working conditions. Urged congress to pass the Meat Inspection Act and the Federal Food and Drug Act to regulate food and drug processing.
Taft and Wilson:
Taft extended the Civil Service and call for a Federal Income Tax. Th reform movement flourished under Wilson. The 16th Amendment gave the Federal Government power to levy an income tax. The 17th Amendment, election of US Senators by the people. Federal Reserve System to regulate Nation Banking and Financial Service Industries. He signed the Federal Trade Commission Government Agency to oversee big business.
World War I and Post War Growth:
World War I started in 1914, US declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917, after they repeatedly sank US merchant ships. World War I ended on Nov. 11, 1918, but US did not participate in the League of Nations. In The1920 majority of Americans lived in urban areas. In August 26, 1920, the 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote in all elections. City life also tended to weaken the strong family ties and lead to antisocial behaviors. The 18th Amendment- The prohibition Amendment caused i=unforeseen problems, it outlawed the sale of alcoholic beverages, that led to bootlegging. The roaring twenties adopted a new lifestyle: new clothing styles, bobbled hair, new flapper dress, speeding in cars, speakeasies, football, baseball and golf.
The Economy – Boom and Bust:
The economy soared to spectacular heights. Henry Ford refined car manufacturing to a science. The number of cars tripled between 1920 – 1930 from 8 million to 23 millions. The thriving auto industry triggered growth in the steel, road building, gasoline sale and tourism industry. Despite the growth, the distribution of wealth grew lopsided, agriculture and labor did not share in the prosperity and cut into the demand for manufacturing goods, a contributing factor to the upcoming depression.
The Stock Market Crash of 1929:
Much speculation involved buying stocks on margin – paying a fraction of the cost and borrowing the rest of the purchase price. Finally inn 1929, wild speculation led to a stock market crash that toppled the economy. Panic selling followed lower price drastically and dragging investors to financial ruin. It had lost investors over $40 Billions. The Crash sent shockwave through the financial, business, employment, spending, farm, banks and foreign trade. By 1930 the Nation’s economy was paralyzed. Th stock market crash of 1929 and other weakness in the Nations economy to bring on the Great Depression of the 1930, the worst and longest depression in US History, that lasted more than 10 years. Franklin D. Roosevelt promised Government action to end the Great Depression and reform to avoid future depression. He won a landslide victory. Roosevelt Program for recovery was called the New Deal. It’s many provisions included Public Works Projects, relief for farmers, aid to manufacturing firm, regulation of banks. Roosevelt proposed new Government agencies: Civilian Conservation Corp, works Progress administration, Farm Credit Bureau, Social Security Board. The New Deal offered direct aid to Americans, subsidies for farmers, tuition grants for students, work for unemployed, pension for elderly, electric power for rural homes and food for the desperate and hungry. The New Deal helped relieved the hardship but hard times dragged on until World War II military spending stimulated the economy.
How will this class contribute to my success upon release:
The history of this era was important to see how the country went to wars, hard times and the programs used to revive the economy. This information will help my analytical and critical thinking skills. This information will be shared with communities which I will volunteer my teaching, tutoring and mentoring services.
