The Western Democracies

StumbleChapter 16 – Section 2

Do Now: Monday 4/1/13“They used to tell me I was building a dream

With peace and glory ahead---Why should I be standing in line,

Just waiting for bread?

Once I built a railroad, I made it run,Made it race against time.

Once I built a railroad, now its done --- Brother, can you spare a dime?”

What do you think these lyrics are about?

Postwar PoliticsEconomic problems led to social unrestNeeded to find jobs for returning veterans

Irish Independence1914: home-rule bill shelved when war beganEaster 1916

small group of militant Irish nationalists launched a revolt against British rule

Quickly suppressed by British caused wider support for Irish independence

1919 Parliament failed to grant home-rule again Irish launched guerilla war against British forces and

supporters1922 agreement was madeMost of Ireland became self-governing Northern counties, largely Protestant, remained under

British rule

“The Red Scare”

Fear of the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia set off a “Red Scare” in the U.S.

Police deported suspected foreign born radicals

Growing demands to limit immigration

The Great DepressionLate 1920s in the U.S. & spread to the rest of the world

Demand for raw materials & agricultural products skyrocketed during the war – demand & prices fell after the war

Overproduction slow in production less workers needed

Financial mismanagement

Prices on stock exchange were all time high

Federal Reserve increased interest rates in 1928 and 1929

Did not work people became afraid to invest hurt demand

Fall 1929 Stock prices crashed – wiping out fortunes of many investors

Depression SpreadsAmerican banks stopped loans

abroadDemanded repayment of foreign

loans.Without U.S. support, Germany

could not make reparation paymentsFrance and Britain could not make

loan paymentsU.S. raised tariffs to protect

economyBackfired when other nations raised

their tariffs

FDR & The New DealGovernment was needed to

combat the Great DepressionEconomic and social programsFederal government became

more directly involved in people’s everyday lives than ever before

Social Security system pension for elderly

1934 Dust BowlNew Deal did not end the

Great Depression, but it eased the suffering for many

Portrait shows Florence Thompson with several of her children in a photograph known as "Migrant Mother". The Library of Congress caption reads: "Destitute pea pickers in California. Mother of seven children. Age thirty-two. Nipomo, California."

ConsequencesAs the Depression continued people lost faith in

democratic governments’ ability to solve problems of the modern world

Despair in Europe intensified Extremists promised radical solutionsBenito Mussolini, Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler

Homework DUE: Wed. 4/3

Section 2 Packet Western Democracies Stumble

All Checkpoints & #3, 4, 5