Life in the 20s
These young women of the 1920s were known for their short hair, short skirts, and love of Jazz.
Who were Flappers?
This manufacturing method used by Henry Ford made goods faster and much cheaper.
What is the Assembly Line?
This event in October 1929 is often seen as the starting point of the Great Depression.
What was the Stock Market Crash?
These were the shanty towns made of shacks where homeless people lived during the Depression.
What were Hoovervilles?
This was the name of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's plan to help the economy using government programs.
What was the New Deal?
This President believed in "Rugged Individualism" and that the government shouldn't give out "handouts."
Who was Herbert Hoover?
This technology became the main form of mass media in 1920s homes, used for news and music.
What is the Radio?
This "buy now, pay later" plan allowed people to buy expensive items like cars in monthly payments.
What is an Installment Plan (or Credit)?
This term describes when a factory or farm makes more products than people can actually buy.
What is Overproduction?
This was the nickname for the Great Plains region that suffered from severe droughts and dust storms.
What was the Dust Bowl?
These were the "Three R's" that FDR focused on to fix the country.
What are Relief, Recovery, and Reform?
This giant public works project near Las Vegas provided thousands of jobs and electricity.
What is the Hoover Dam?
This term describes the move of millions of African Americans from the rural South to Northern cities.
What is the Great Migration?
The U.S. uses this economic system, where private citizens own businesses to make a profit.
What is Capitalism?
This economic "danger sign" happened because many Americans were using credit to buy things they couldn't actually afford.
What is Consumer Debt? (or Personal Debt)
When these businesses "failed" or closed down, people lost their life savings because the money wasn't insured.
What were Banks?
This program was created as a "safety net" to provide monthly money to the elderly and disabled.
What is Social Security?
These are taxes on imported goods that the U.S. raised, which accidentally hurt global trade.
What are Tariffs?
This era made it illegal to make or sell alcohol, leading to the rise of the Mafia and bootlegging.
What is Prohibition?
This "hands-off" government policy means the government stays out of business affairs.
What is Laissez-faire?
This describes a significant economic decline that lasts for at least six months.
What is a Recession?
Because of the economic crash, many families had to do this to survive, even though it meant children couldn't go to school.
What is send children to work?
FDR used these radio addresses to talk directly to the public and explain his plans.
What were Fireside Chats?
This is the political system Americans feared during the "Red Scare," where the government owns everything.
What is Communism?
These were introduced to the film industry in the late 1920s, ending the era of silent films.
What are Talkies?
This is the total market value of all goods and services a country produces in one year.
What is GDP (Gross Domestic Product)?
During the 1920s, most of the nation’s wealth was held by this tiny percentage of the population.
What is the Richest 1% (or .1%)?
These were the paper "blankets" or "flags" (empty pockets) people used to mock the President's lack of help.
What were Hoover Blankets/Flags?
This was the famous phrase FDR used in his inauguration speech to calm the public's panic.
What is "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself"?
This massive global event is what actually provided enough jobs to finally end the Great Depression.
What was World War II?