History GCSE America and Nazis Germany

In the 1920s America wanted isolation from other countries o avoid getting in more problems itself. The current president was Woodrow Wilson, 1913 - 1921. America isolated itself by:

• Rejecting the treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations.
• Trade
• Immigration

America isolated itself because:

• They wanted to return to normal life.
• Concerns over America becoming further divided.
• Harding 'puttting America first'.
• Concerns over the League of Nations and cost.
• Didn't want to get involved in European affairs.

The immigrants law: No more than 357,000 a year and in 1929 that number was reduced to 150,000 and immigrants from Asia were blocked altogether.

'WASPS' = White Anglo Saxon Protestants.

Americans were worried about the spread of communist ideas. Countries were not allowed to exceed 3% of their population immigrated to America. Immigrants had to be able to read English.

The economic boom:

• Credit.
• Advertising.
• Mass production.
• Republican policies.
• World War One profits.
• Natural Resources.

Ways which the war helped America:

- Selling goods - food, weapons etc to Europe.

- New industry made new jobs.

- American exports to colonial powers increased during the war.

The republicans left people to get on with their work.

The period from 1920 to 1929 is called the 'Roaring Twenties'. The amount of goods produced during this time increased. The number of people who were employed increased. New methods of mass production meant that goods could be made cheaper. People had more money to spend.

Henry Ford set out to make a car that everyone could afford to buy. The method a production line - 'Assembly Line' led to quick mass production, less staff were needed. The first car,the Model T Ford was made in 1909. It was slow, ugly and difficult to drive but for the next eighteen years this car, nick named 'Tin Lizzies' was Americas best selling car. The big attraction of the car was its price, it never increased, instead it kept on dropping. Costing $1200 in 1909, the price in 1928 was only $295. By the end of the 1920's Ford was producing more than one per minute.

Assembly lines: Cheap nd fairly quick method of production.

Standardisation: Parts were standardised. One colour and one engine size were available making it quicker and easier to make.

Unskilled workers: Cheap, only needed basic jobs.

Mass production: Cheap and quick. More produced meaning more sales.

Advertising - Made more people aware of products and made them want the product. This increased demand, more production - more jobs.

Hire purchase - People could afford more luxury items with loans.

People begun to buy shares meaning that many owned a part of a business and gained a share of the company's profits each year, this is known as dividend.

Flappers were controversial in the 1920's because they were different from the traditional woman in both appearance and personality.

Prohibition, 1920 - 1933.

• If workers didn't drink they may be more reliable, social effects.
• They thought most of the alcohol was from German immigrants.
• Saloons…