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Summary Alevel American Dream unit notes

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The American Dream 1945-80



The Three Branches of US government

Executive: propose laws, makes foreign treaties

Legislative: passes federal laws, approves treaties

Judiciary: reviews lower court decisions

Democrat: represented by donkey.

Size of the government should be big. Government has to be active and
interfere to help prosper. Health care should be provided by government.
Welfare is necessary. Economic growth is created by raising taxes if
necessary.

Republican: represented by elephant.

The size should be small. Government shouldn’t intervene to not restrict
individual liberty. Welfare isn’t necessary, makes people lazy and is
expensive. Economic growth created by individuals taking risks.

Franklin D Roosevelt

1882, contracted polio. Warmth and compassion to others. Democratic
candidate. Won 1932 election. New Deal to help solve problems caused by
The Depression. Won 4 elections, replaced by vice President Harry S
Truman.

Created a confident global nuclear superpower by end of his Presidency.
Know had social security, direct government intervention.

Truman 1945-52

1944 GI Bill: compensation for ex-servicemen. 52 weeks unemployment
pay. Distributed $20 billion to 7.8 million veterans

Reduction in the army: 12 million to 3 million. Created short term
unemployment

Industrial: high demand from soldiers returning. 25% inflation

Federal Housing Agency: provide houses with government back
mortgages, however couldn’t get the money.

Inflation: 25%, Truman wanted to continue OPA but congress disproved.
Watered down price control bill.

Hospital Survey: modernisation and construction of hospitals

,Council of Economic Advisors: watch economy and recommend
government action

Employment Act: maximum employment and productivity

Coal and Railway Strikes: wages not keeping up with inflation, Truman
wanted to draft strikers into the army.

Taft- Hartley Act: Unions wanted the Act repealed. Truman vetoed the act,
congress vetoed the veto.

Marshall Plan: help Europe recover and starve communism off. Congress
granted $17 billion over 4 years.

Fair Labour Standard Act: increased minimum wage from 40 cents an hour
to 75 cents an hour.

Housing Act: Truman pressured congress to alleviate housing shortages.
Only 156,000 units built by 1952.

National Science Foundation: encouraged scientific research and
development

Executive Order 10340: Truman tried to seize control of mills. Owners took
it to supreme court and Truman had to give it back. 7-week strike
followed.

What was Life like for African Americans

WW2 encouraged mass migration for new opportunities. Blacks were less
vulnerable. Lead to De Facto, congregation of blacks don’t integrate into
white areas.

Discrimination with pay and working conditions. Growing competitions for
jobs, white males did not like black makes working with white females.
Returning white servicemen took the jobs from blacks.

Blacks couldn’t vote because they were rigged exams, english tests, plain
ignorance. Black vote important as they voted as a block. Dixiecrats broke
away from Democrats as they though Truman was too radical.

Blacks lived in crowded, unsafe ghettos. Black housing was destroyed for
government buildings. Social awakening as they saw more racially
tolerant places, NAACP increased in members.



To what extent was Truman a good president for African Americans

, Born and raised in Missouri. Ancestors owned slaves. Paid $10
membership for the KKK. Got his money back when he wanted to appoint
Catholics.

Truman supported legislation to abolish poll tax and lynching. Blacks
should be equal, civil right and better housing. However he said the n
word privately. Knew race relations were increasingly important.

FEPC tried to end discrimination hiring. Truman gave no help but tried to
get congress to continue funding but didn’t work. Truman needed to be
conscious over controversial issues.

Refused to allow black musicians wife to perform, asked Bess Truman to
boycott, but she attended. Truman mad

Equality was a basic right, horrified by attacks on black servicemen, told
southern friends they were living 80 years before time

To Secure These Rights: eliminate segregation, anti lynching, poll tax etc.

Washington DC’s – 1st presidential speech to NAACP, entitled to civil rights
and freedom, good example to a cold war world

Executive orders to end discrimination in armed forces, army resisted for 2
years, however desegregated due to Korean War. Truman’s Fair
Employment Board: minorities equal treatment in hiring,

Truman administration supported NAACP in Shelley v Kramer, ruled
against stopping blacks purchasing homes in white areas – proved
ineffective.

African American vote holds the balance of power. Southern Democrats
were furious, only 6% of voters supported civil rights. Gave one civil rights
speech in Harlem.

Hubert Humphrey rejected 1644 civil rights plan. Dixiecrats advocated
segregation. Truman campaigned in racist Texas, first president to
campaign in Harlem.

Tried to open more public housing for blacks but often left blacks
homeless. Appointed a black judge to the federal courts and black
governor to Virgin Isles. Executive Order 10308, committee on
government contract compliance, could only be recommended not
enforced.

1948 Presidential Election

Truman proposed Eisenhower be invited to the Democratic nominee but
turns down. Republicans nominate Dewey. Split party looks weak.
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