What were the main political and economic developments in the USA after 1945?

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  • Created by: KAustria
  • Created on: 26-04-14 17:09
What society developed during the 1950's?
The Affluent Society
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Where did people being to live during the 1950s?
Suburbian ares
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What were the main 5 reasons for the growth of suburbia?
1. Affordable Housing 2. Living the American Dream 3. Increasing Car Ownership 4. Increasing Affluence 5. Baby Boom
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Between 1940 and 1950 how much did the US population increase by?
40 million
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What type of familieis moved to the suburbs?
Middle-classed
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By 1960 what was the standard of living of an American compared to a Briton?
3 times that of an average Briton
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By 1960, what percentage of the population lived in the suburbs?
25%
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What were the status symbols in the affluent society?
Television sets, record players, swimming pools and at least 1 car
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By 1959, what percentage of the population lived under the poverty line?
29% (50 million)
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Who were the people that didn't get the taste of the affluent society?
Hillbillies, Hispanic Workers and Black People
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What did poor Americans struggle to afford during the 1950's?
Rising cost of the healthcare
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After 1945, what event did the USA face?
The Red Scare
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What was the movement called which was linked to the Red Scare?
McCarthyism
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Why did the red Scare occur?
1. Cold War 2. Expansion of communism in Europe 3. Communism in China in 1949 4. Many though that Communist ideas were infiltrating American society
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Who led the FBI in the late 1940s?
J. Edgar Hoover
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Between 1947 and 1950, how many government employees were investigated for Communist links?
3 million
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In 1947, what who were the organisation who investigated the 'Hollywood Ten' for Communist links?
the House of Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)
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In 1951, Julius and Ethel Rosen berg were found guilty for doing what?
Spying (on poor evidence) for the USSR and were executed.
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In what year did McCarthyism start?
1950
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Who was the main leader for this movement?
Republican Senator, Joseph mcCarthy
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How many names of Communists did he claim to have?
205
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Who did Joseph McCarthy target in his accusations?
High profiled figures
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What was the consequence for people accused of being communists?
Blacklisted which brought them great difficulty in findign a job
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How many university lecturers were effected by McCarthyism?
100
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How many Hollywood personalities were blacklisted?
324
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In 1954 how many army offiicers did Joe McCarthy accuse of being communists?
45
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What was so special about the Army-McCarthy hearings?
They were televised
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What did people notice about McCarthy in his hearings?
He was brash, rude and a bully in his manner
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What happened to McCarthy after the hearings?
1. His population feel dramatically because his 'evidence' was no more than rumours 2. He was dismissed from office 3. He died an alcoholic in 1957
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In November 1960, who was elected as president of America and what party did they belong in?
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Democrat Party
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What was JFK's reform programe called?
The New Frontier
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What were the 3 main focuses of 'The New Frontier?
Poverty, Inequality and Deprivation
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How did JFK contribute to the Civil rights?
1. Appointed Thurgood Marshall as first black federal judge 2. Sent troops to escort James Meredith in Mississippi University 3. Introduced the Civil Rights Bill
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How did JFK contribute to the economy?
1. Introduced a $900 million public works programme 2. Increased spending on defence and space tech 3. He cut taxes
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How did JFK tackle the rising price of health insurance?
Introduced 'Medicare' - a cheap system of state health insurance
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What act did JFK introduce to help the elderly and unemployed?
Social Security Act 1962
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What act did JFK introduce which involved giving loans and grants to states with unemployment?
the Area Redevlopment Act 1961
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What act did JFK introduce which involved giving cheap loans to inner cities for redevelopment?
the Housing Act 1961
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Why were some of JFK's bills rejected?
Opposition in congress
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Who was JFK's successor in 1963?
Lindon Baines Johnson, Democrat
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What was LBJ's reform programme called?
' Great Society'
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What did the Great Society declare war on?
Poverty
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How did LBJ contribute to the Civil Rights?
1. Passes the 1964 Civil Rights Act 2. Set up the Equal opportunities Commission 3. Passed the 195 Voting rights Act 4. Liften the mixed marriaes ban in 1967
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How did LBJ contribute to the economy?
1. Cut taxes 2. Improved railways and highways 3. Provided federal funds
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What medical acts were introduced by LBJ?
Medicare for the old and Mediaid for the poor
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What act did LBJ introduced which provided the first ever federal funding for state education?
The Elementary and Secondary Act 1965
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What act did LBJ introduce to focus on slum clearance and urban renewal?
Model Cities Act 1966
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Why did LBJ succeed in passing acts unlike Kennedy?
After Kennedy's assassination, American people were more sympathetic to the reforms he had wanted for the USA and Johnson was an experienced politician able to win support.
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Who was elected president in 1968?
Richard Nixon, Republican
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Who was elected president in 1972?
Richard Nixon, Republican
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What did Nixon set up in 1972?
CREEP - Committee to Re-elect the President - giving permission to use any tactics
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In June 1972, what happened at the Watergate offices of the Democratic party?
5 members of CREEP were arrested for breaking into the offices
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What did Nixon order following the arrest of the 5 men?
Cover up and denied any knowledge of the incident
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IN January 1973 what happened what happened to the 5 men arrested?
They wee put on trial and convicted. Nixon continued to deny.
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Who are Bob Haldemen and John Ehrlichman and what did they do on the 30th april 1973?
The two were Nixon's top advisor and resigned form their jobs
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What did John Dean do on the 25th of June 1973?
Dean tesitified toteh Senate Watergate Committee that there had been a cover up directed up Nixon
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One the 30th April 1974 what was Nixon forced to do?
hand in all unedited tapes of his conversations which showed that he had repeatedly lied throughout the investigation.
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What did Nixon do on the 8th August 1974 to avoid impeachment?
Resign as President of the US
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What were 5 ain effects of the Watergate scandal?
1. Reduction of government power 2. Showed the strength of the US Constituion 3. Undermined people's confidence in the government 4. It destroyed Nixon's reputation 5. Damaged America's reputation abroad
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Who was president of the US starting form 1981?
Ronald Reagan
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What problems did Reagan inherit from Jimmy Carter?
Severe economic problems - 1. High inflation (15%) 2. Rising unemployment (7.5%) 3. High budget deficit debt 4. World Recession
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What were Ronald Reagan's economic reforms called?
Reaganomics
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How much did Reagan slash income tax by?
$33 billion
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How much did Reagan slash the welfare programme by, and what was the result?
$20 billion. return to 'Rugged Individualism'
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What caused the national debt to grown during Reagan's presidency?
He cut taxes in the time when government expenditure increased- especially on the space programme.
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What happened to the US economy in 1987?
Worst Stock Market Crash since 1929
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Who was president starting 1989?
George H. Bush Snr
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What happened to the budget deficit between 1980 and 1990?
It trebled
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What was Bush Snr famous quote?
"Read my lips : No new taxes"
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What was Bush Snr forced to do due to the economic problem?
go back on his election promises and impose new taxes on the wealthy.
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In 1992, what percentage of the population lived below the poverty line?
14%
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What acts did Bush pass in 1990?
Disability Act and Clean Air Act
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What 5 locations experienced race riots in 1992?
Los Angeles, Atlanta, Birmingham, Seattle and Chicago
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Who was president of the US starting from 1993?
Bill Clinton, Democrat
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What made Clinton's statergy different to Bush Snr and Reagan?
Promised more direct action from the federal government to tackle the country's economic problem
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What were the 3 key features of Clinton's policies?
1. Abandon Reaganmoics which involved increased federal government spending and increase taxes. 2. Welfare reform 196he introduced a new minimum hourly wage 3. Scandals - 1996 Monic Lewinksy.
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Card 5

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